The Buzz

‍Dear SBPS Parents and Guardians,  

Are you getting excited for the start of the new school year? Here at St. Ben’s, there is certainly electricity in the air…and I’m not talking about the lightning!

On Monday, our new teacher joined us for orientation and training. On Tuesday, the entire staff hunkered down in the basement as the storms blew through…and then got to work in their classrooms. Father Ryan and Father Bob, our new associate pastor, toured the classrooms, met the staff and gave the teachers’ classrooms a special blessing. What an exciting way to start the school year!

On Tuesday evening, we released the ability to view homeroom assignments for grades PK-5 and student schedules for middle school for families who have turned in all their required paperwork. If you still owe the school your paperwork, please email it ASAP to schoolforms@stbenedict.com.

Our teachers have been spending the last few days meeting in their respective teams and planning for the coming year. Feel free to get a quick introduction to most of this year’s faculty right here.‍ ‍

Please note that the school offices will be closed on Friday, August 14. All faculty and staff have a required training on the Archdiocesan Standards of Behavior. Beginning next week, we will resume normal office hours from 7:30AM to 3:30PM Monday-Friday. This will allow our administrative staff the time to prepare everything for the beginning of the school year.

I hope all our school families can join us for the Back to School Mass and BBQ on Sunday, August 16 at 10AM with the BBQ in the courtyard after Mass. This is a great way to pray together as a community, asking for God’s blessing on our new school year, as well as enjoy fellowship and community with each other. I hope to see you there!

We also hope to see students and parents on Tuesday, August 18 from 4-5PM for Teacher Meet and Greet. It’s a great way for teachers and students to see their classrooms and start the year off right.

Please note that if your children plan to ride their bikes to school, we will have bike racks in the courtyard for them to use. Please do not have student lock their bikes on the rack on the sidewalk. In the past, we’ve had bikes stolen (even though we have cameras…) and we don’t want that to happen to our students.

You may have seen that the courtyard asphalt received a little TLC this summer. Some parents reached out to me asking if we were going to paint the four square and kickball diamond again. The answer is YES! We will be painting four squares, hop-scotch, basketball keys and the kickball diamond. We are just waiting for a day without rain in order for this to happen.

Next week we welcome back 565 students (an increase over last year’s enrollment) and we couldn’t be more thrilled. We have a very full preschool with 84 three and four-year-olds (with a waitlist). We are welcoming 47 kindergartners as well as 12 new students in grades 2-7. I appreciate all the efforts of the Home and School Association for helping us welcome our newest Bengals!

Thank you once again for your partnership, your trust, and the gift of your children. I look forward to welcoming our students back to school and beginning another year of faith, learning, and growth together. May God bless you abundantly and keep you always in His loving care. 

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

• Back to School Mass and BBQ on Sunday, August 16th - 10AM - all invited!

• New School Mission Statement: Becoming Great Saints Together

• Bengal Cubs 2 year old program enrollment is open

• Benedictine Children’s Choir Registration Information

• New School Year Forms available on school website - complete and email to schoolforms@stbenedict.com (PDFs only - please no photos)

Please find listed below important dates: 

• August 16, 2026 Back to School Mass and BBQ 10:00 AM  

• August 17, 2026 - HSA New Family Gathering with Bengal Buddies - pizza and games in courtyard 5PM

• August 18,2026 Teacher Meet & Greet (Grades 1-8) 4:00PM-5:00PM  

• August 18, 2026 HSA Spirit Shop from 3-6PM in gym lobby (SPECIAL ADDITION)

• August 19, 2026 First Day of School-Grades 1-8 - Doors open at 7:40AM    

• August 19, 2026 Kindergarten Orientation 5:00 PM  

• August 20, 2026 First Day of Preschool & Bye-Bye Breakfast in the courtyard for parents

• August 20, 2026 First Day of Kindergarten &

• August 24, 2026 Extended Care Begins (both AM and PM) for Grades PK-8  

May God bless us all! 

Ms. Rachel Gemo, Head of School 

Ms. Rachel Gemo,
Head of School