ST. BARTHOLOMEW
CATHOLIC SCHOOL
Where the rich tradition of Catholic Education lives on in 21st century classrooms
CURRENT NEWS & EVENTS
St. Bart's youth find joy in service
November 23, 2021; written by Jean Connelly for the Our Parish Times newspaper
Fall at St. Bartholomew found students and parish youth taking an active role in the betterment of their community. Service work is an essential pillar of the St. Bartholomew experience, and the school kicked things off in October with its annual “Socktober” drive. With socks being the number one item requested by homeless shelters, students were asked to bring new, warm socks to donate to the Adam’s Place Shelter run by Catholic Charities. The response was tremendous, with a total collection of 1,745 pairs of socks.
October also found students from the parish youth group and school feeding the hungry. Youth group members gathered assembly line style to pack bags of food for the Cup of Joe program in Hyattsville.
“We made 400-plus meals for Cup of Joe, which partners with Catholic Charities,” said John Archer, who leads the St. Bart’s Youth Group. “It builds a lot of comraderie among the kids. The fact that you’re helping someone who isn’t physically present brings a joyful spirit to the group.”
November culminated with the school and parish’s annual Thanksgiving food drive. The school mobilized to purchase large quantities of Thanksgiving staples and other dry goods to provide 50 families at the Sacred Heart Parish in northwest Washington with a Thanksgiving meal and food for the two following weeks. Thanks to the generosity of the parish, each family also received two gift cards to a local grocery store to ensure they had the means to get a fresh turkey and other trimmings of their choice.
“It shows how caring we are to our community and how nice our school is,” said St. Bart’s eighth-grader Carson Hull. Hull was one of many eighth graders who met on the Saturday morning before Thanksgiving to box and sort the food for the families.
“I love seeing all of us work together,” said eighth-grader Sophia Smith. “I think it shows how we love to do service whenever there’s an opportunity to do it.
I love that we’re helping people who need help.”
Roar Back Together: 2021 Auction
updated Nov. 14, 2021
Big thanks to everyone involved in our Roar Back Together Auction Event a success. It was such a fun evening under the tent. We ate, we drank, we laughed, and we bid! The atmosphere was so festive as everyone was eager to support and celebrate the teachers and staff who have worked so hard over these last long months. We are so grateful to everyone who planned, prepped, sponsored, attended, donated, and bid.
Special thanks to our auction co-chairs, Nicole Perraut & Kara Ghassabeh. Jessica Sosa for securing donations from businesses throughout last summer, Lorena Goodfellow for leading the design team, and Julie McFarland for creating exquisite baskets.
Also, big thanks to the HSA and the fundraising committee. Not only was it a good time, but most importantly, we more than exceeded our $30,000 fundraising goal. $15,000 of this will directly benefit our students through capital improvements to our fields and outdoor play areas. We really did Roar Back! So thank you.
A Strong Spirit of Community Roars through St. Bart's
September 20, 2021
Despite the uncertainty of an ongoing pandemic, social and political unrest around the globe there is one thing that has remained constant at St. Bart’s: a strong sense of community. A community requires a psychological connection-- an understanding that we, together are part of something. That sentiment was echoed by Principal Frank English in his opening notes at Back to School Night and again by Laura Abod, Home & School Association (HSA) President at the first HSA meeting.
When asked about the success of the last school year and this year’s robust enrollment, Mr. English says, “effective teaching in these times demands that we prioritize relationships. Before kids can focus on what they are being asked to learn and to do, they must feel safe, connected, and emotionally secure. To do this-- and to do this well-- requires effort not only by us as the professionals, but also by our parents and by our students.” He added, “we were successful last year because we communicated with each other and cared for each other. That sense of stewardship for our community, along with the excellent teaching team we have built ensures St. Bart’s stays strong.”
On any given day one can sense the strong spirit of a community working together and for each other; teachers greeting parents in carpool line, safety patrols earnestly guiding the youngest students to and from classes, and parent volunteers shuffling across the courtyard with arms full of coffee, used uniforms, and sports equipment. In fact, the number of parents registered for fingerprinting at Back to School Night to be eligible for volunteering was so high that the fingerprinting company, SafeHire Solutions, had to come back!
The roar of laughter could be heard blocks away during the Back to School Picnic on Saturday night and again early Monday morning at the first HSA meeting. Looking across the outdoor tent filled with parents eagerly signing up for events and service projects planned throughout the year, Abod notes “We recognize as a parish school we play an integral part of the teaching mission of our Church, and our goal is to give every parent the opportunity to support our school through their time, talent, and treasure. We are ready for a roaring return to our beloved school traditions!”
Growing St. Bartholomew School welcomes students back on joyful first day
Written by Mark Zimmerman, published in The Catholic Standard September 8, 2021. Photos by Andrew Biraj.
“The students recognize the love and caring that is exhibited here every day,” said Chris Davison, St. Bartholomew’s assistant principal who has served at the school for 21 years, including as a teacher and librarian. She was among the school’s staff members taking the temperatures of students as they arrived.
Welcoming a girl to school, she said, “Numero uno, you are my first. So glad you’re here! Welcome!”
What may have unfolded as a frenetic and stressful morning of staff members darting from car to car for temperature checks actually unfolded smoothly, as they happily greeted students and parents on that first morning. Read the full article here.
