The Buzz

Greetings SBPS Parents and Friends:

As we welcome March, it’s the perfect time to spring clean and pass along the baby & kids items your family has outgrown. Please consider our St. Benedict Community Baby & Kids Garage Sale to give the items your family is ready to pass along a second life. All sale proceeds fund supplemental classroom and school needs. Our Spring Donation Day is Saturday, March 28. See below for more details. Our teachers are starting to receive their classroom grant items and they couldn’t be more thrilled. Thank you for supporting our annual Baby and Kids Garage Sale.

Get ready to read, explore, and win as we kick off the St. Benedict Reading Challenge! From March 2 – May 15, students are invited to dive into this year’s Illinois book award nominees! The Reading Challenge starts on Monday, March 2nd. Mrs. Wiederkehr has compiled the lists and they are posted below with more information. Great prizes for each age group are waiting for students who LOVE to read!

As a Catholic school committed to the dignity of every child, we recognize that some students benefit from sensory tools—often called fidgets—to support focus, self‑regulation, and learning. We have observed that there is a wide definition and understanding of fidgets and appropriate use. In order to help the students who benefit from this tool while maintaining a classroom culture where all learners will thrive, we have developed some clarifying guidelines and procedures. These guidelines ensure that fidgets are used in ways that honor the learning environment, promote responsibility, and reflect our school values. We invite all parents to review the policy below. These procedures, guidelines and policies are effective immediately.

Your feedback is very important to us and each year, we invite parents, teachers and students the opportunity to provide feedback to us in the annual 3C’s Survey. Please take some time to complete the survey. You will also receive an invitation in your email from Greg Richmond, our superintendent. In order for us to receive a feedback report from parents, we need at least 20% of parents to complete the survey. Please consider completing it.

St. Benedict Parish is also conducting a survey - Disciple Makers Index Survey. This survey is also important to inform Father Ryan about the needs and direction of the parish. Please support Father Ryan’s leadership and share your insights. Your participation in this survey is essential. Please see the link below or look out for an email with the link.

Be sure to see updates regarding the 2026 Gala - A Night in the Emerald City. There are great opportunities to support this year’s event. Please be sure to secure your ticket today.

We will begin re-enrollment for the 2026-27 School Year next week. Please be on the look out for the State of the School eblast which will have school updates, 2026-27 tuition information and more.

There’s a lot more important information below. Be sure to check out the following:

• Updated School Philosophy and Policy for Student Use of Fidgets

• 3C’s Parent Survey - please take by March 20th

• St. Benedict Reading Challenge

• Parish Survey - Disciple Makers Survey

• Gala 2026 Update - A Night in the Emerald City

Please find listed below important dates:

• February 27, 2026 - Middle School Winter Chill in GYM - 5:30 to 7PM

• February 28, 2026 - 7PM DAMIEN: A One-Man Play by Aldyth Morris, starring Wayne Messmer

• March 2, 2026 - Re-enrollment for the 2026-27 School Year Begins

• March 2, 2026 - SBPS Reading Challenge Begins - see post below

• March 3, 2026 - Pray the Rosary for Families - 4pm in church

• March 4, 2026 - HSA Spirit Shop Open 2-6PM

• March 5, 2026 - Grades 1-5 Talent Show Tryouts 3:15 to 4:15

• March 6, 2026 - 8th Grade US Constitution Day - Out of Uniform Red, White and Blue!

• March 6, 2026 - Fish Fry #2

• March 7, 2026 - First Communion Workshops

• March 7, 2026 - HSA Sweetheart Dances

• March 10, 2026- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament for Families (20-minute experience of prayer) at 6pm in the St. Benedict Preparatory School chapel

• March 12, 2026 - Last Day of Winter Bengal Cubs (enroll for Spring session!)

• March 12, 2026 - Talent Show Rehearsal 3:15 to 4:30PM

• March 13, 2026 Re-enrollment deadline

• March 13, 2026 - Talent Show for grades 1-5

• March 13, 2026 - Trimester 2 Ends

• March 13, 2026 - Last Day for Priority Gala Tickets - prices increase on March 14 - you don’t want to miss it!

• March 13, 2026 - Night of Mercy - 6:30-8pm at St. Andrew Church

• March 16-20, 2026 - Spring Break - no school

• March 22, 2026 - St. Joseph Table - 1pm in Beaven Hall

• March 23, 2026 - NO SCHOOL - Professional Development Day (teachers report)

• March 24, 2026 - School Resumes

• March 27. 2026 - 8th Grade Living Stations of the Cross

• March 27, 2026 - Fish Fry #3

May God bless us all!

Ms. Rachel Gemo, Head of School

Ms. Gemo’s Prayer Corner

Morning Prayer for Lent

Heavenly Father,

I offer you the day ahead of me: all of my hopes, fears, conversations, struggles, and blessings.

Help me to make myself 100% available to you. Give me the grace to say yes to you in the big things and in the small things of the day. Open my eyes to see the needs of the people around me, the people I will come across in my family, in my work, and in every small interaction. And give me the wisdom to seek you and your dream for my life in every small moment of this day. Amen.

Evening Prayer for Lent

Heavenly Father,

The evening has come and the day is done. Let your peace wash over me and the people I love. Wipe away my troubles. Cleanse me of worry and doubt. Give deep and peaceful rest to my heart, mind, and soul, so I may rise in the morning ready to love you and all those who cross my path. Amen.