MS. RACHEL GEMO,
HEAD OF PARISH SCHOOL
March 26, 2026 | VOLUME 24 | ISSUE 31
THE BUZZ FROM MS. GEMO | LOWER SCHOOL NEWS - GRADES PRESCHOOL-3
UPPER SCHOOL NEWS - GRADES 4-8 | WEEKLY CALENDAR | HSA
Dear SBPS Parents and Guardians,
As we prepare to enter the most sacred week of our liturgical year, I am filled with deep gratitude for the faith-filled partnership we share as a school community. Holy Week offers us a special opportunity to pause, reflect, and walk more closely with Christ through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. It is a meaningful time of prayer and renewal—especially for our students, who continue to grow in their understanding of what it means to live their faith with purpose, compassion, and love.
Throughout Holy Week, our students will engage in prayerful reflections and learning experiences that help bring these sacred days to life. We warmly invite our parents and families to join us for our Holy Week liturgies as we gather as one community to worship, reflect, and rejoice together. Your presence is a powerful witness of faith and an invaluable gift to our children. Please see the schedule included here for our upcoming Triduum and Easter services.
A special invitation is extended to join us on Friday, March 27 at 7:00 PM in the Church for the 8th Grade Living Stations of the Cross—a cherished school tradition that is not to be missed. Our 8th graders have been working with great dedication to prepare for this prayerful and moving evening, and we hope you will join us in supporting them. (And don’t forget—you can enjoy dinner at the Fish Fry before heading over to church!)
As we continue to strengthen our school community, I also invite you to prayerfully consider applying to join our Advisory Board. We are seeking parents with gifts in marketing and communications, finance, facilities, stewardship, and those who feel called to support our teachers through the Annual School Fund. We also welcome parents who are passionate about strengthening the connection between home, parish, and our rich Catholic faith. Applications are due April 23, 2026. If you would like to learn more and meet current members, please join us for the upcoming Board Member Meet & Greet—details are included below.
There are also many opportunities this spring to support our school in hands-on ways. Our 2026 Garage Sale Committee is offering a special early spring drop-off on Saturday, March 28 from 10:00 AM–2:00 PM. If you’ve begun cleaning out closets and gathering children’s toys, clothing, books, and more, this is a great opportunity to donate early. Please see below for additional details.
It is also a good time to review your child(ren)’s uniforms as we prepare for the warm weather uniform, which begins on April 15. If your children have outgrown their current sizes, we encourage you to stop by the HSA Spirit Shop on Wednesday, April 1 from 2:00–6:00 PM in the gym lobby to shop for gently used uniforms in the next sizes up.
Finally, please take a moment to read the latest updates about our 2026 Gala – A Night in the Emerald City. There are many meaningful ways to support this important fundraiser, and we are deeply grateful to the generous patrons and volunteers who make this signature event such a success each year.
As a reminder, Friday, March 27 is also our re-enrollment deadline for the 2026–27 school year. Several grade levels currently have wait lists, so we appreciate your assistance in planning ahead by completing the necessary forms in FACTS. Re-enrollment notifications from our Tuition Office were sent on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. If your family does not plan to return next year, please notify Mr. Ben Mazzone at bmazzone@stbenedict.com by March 27. After that date, a non-refundable re-enrollment fee of $225 will be applied to family accounts on April 10. If you are still discerning your plans, the Tuition Office is happy to support you during this process.
Thank you for the many ways you partner with us—through your faith, your time, and your generous support. Together, we are blessed to form a community rooted in Christ and committed to the growth of every child.
There’s a lot more important information below. Be sure to check out the following:
Baby and Kids Garage Sale Drop Off is Saturday, March 28 from 10-2pm, see below
Advisory Board Member Application - Applications due April 23, 2026
Gala 2026 Update - A Night in the Emerald City
Please find listed below important dates:
March 27. 2026 - 8th Grade Living Stations of the Cross 7PM
March 27, 2026 - Fish Fry #3
March 27, 2026 - Re-Enrollment Deadline - TODAY - see below for more information
March 28, 2026 Baby and Kids Garage Sale Drop Off Date from 10AM to 2PM
April 1, 2026 - HSA Spirit Shop from 2-6PM
April 2, 2026 - Holy Thursday Prayer Service led by 5th grade
April 3, 2026 - No School - Good Friday
April 5, 2026 - Happy Easter!
April 6, 2026 - Easter Monday - No School
April 7-April 10 - Week of the Young Child - Grades PK-2
April 8, 2026 - 7th Grade Student/Parent Agora Meeting at 6:30PM in Kittler Hall
April 8, 2026 - 8th Grade Student/Parent Agora Meeting at 7:30PM in Kittler Hall
April 9, 2026 - Virtual Parent Workshop at 6:30PM (see info below) RISE Together in partnership with DePaul University
April 11, 2026 - A Night in the Emerald City GALA 2026 at Rockwell on the River - see below to determine how you’d like to support this event!
April 14, 2026 - Young Inventors Fair Grades 4 and 5
April 15, 2026 - Board Member Meet and Greet with prospective board applicants - come and check it out! Consider joining the board. 6:45PM in library - see below for more info
April 17, 2026 - Preschool Open House for Prospective Families beginning at 8:30AM
April 22, 2026 - 8th Grade Confirmation Rehearsal
April 23, 2026 - Advisory Board Applications Due - see below for details
April 25, 2026 - 8th Grade Confirmation at 1PM in church
April 27, 2026 - No school for students grades 6-8 - Agora prep day
April 27, 2026 - Virtual Parent Workshop at 6:30PM (see info below) RISE Together in partnership with DePaul University
May 1, 2026 - 3rd Grade Wax Museum
April 27-May 1, 2026 - AGORA TRIPS for grades 6, 7 and 8
May God bless us all!
Ms. Rachel Gemo, Head of School
Ms. Gemo’s Prayer Corner
Please pray for Ms. Zadrozny’s nephew, Cody, who is currently serving on the USS Lincoln in the Middle East. Please pray that God keep him and all our troops safe during the current conflict in the region.
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.