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Thursday Tidbits
August 20, 2026
Thursday Tidbits
Dear Parents/Guardians,
I love the first day of school for the following reasons; students are awake and excited to come see their new teacher, classroom, and friends after the summer away, students look sharp in their clean and new uniforms, all the school supplies are new and waiting to be used as students learn! There was palpable excitement during supply drop off and the first day of school. Today we embark on day two, class learning is starting, and students will be attending their specials. I hope the excitement continues, because we have a whole school year filled with learning, new experiences, and fun activities awaiting them.
St. Gilbert School is part of the schools of the Archdiocese of Chicago, and we have our own Superintendent that guides all the Principals with a Vision & Goals. Goals are in place for a period of 5 years. This is year one under a new vision and goal structure. As an individual school the Principal selects which Goal(s) to focus their staff on for the upcoming school year. This school year we will be focusing on the Archdiocese Goal of “Belonging.” I have attached a graphic that describes the Archdiocese’s Vision and Goals Archdiocese of Chicago Vision & Goals . To go along with our school goal the Student Council has set our theme for the year as “All Are Welcome!”
Yesterday, I was in the lunchroom (K-8) when students were hearing the rules and procedures. Mrs. Syverud along with various other aides help make sure the lunchroom runs smoothly. Students are expected to stay seated until dismissed, to clean up their eating area, and to eat only their lunch. St. Gilbert is an “Allergy Aware” school, and as such, we ask that blatant nut products not be sent in lunches for the safety of all students. Students are not to share food due to potential contaminants that foods might contain from factories and restaurants that cannot control all nut variables. To state this clearly; peanut butter, and any other products with obvious nuts in them are not to be sent in student lunches. Students with allergies have their epi pens sent down to the lunchroom everyday in case of an emergency. We know that students have other allergies; to eggs, gluten, fish etc. This is why we do not allow the sharing of food items between students. An allergy list will be compiled and given to the homeroom teachers. When planning classroom parties teachers will communicate with Room Parents in regards to allergies and how to accommodate all the students in the classroom with food that is safe to eat. Thank you for your cooperation in helping to keep our school community safe during lunch.
Tomorrow is our first “Spirit Wear Day.” For those new to wearing uniforms (K), and our new students, we have Spirit Wear Days the 1st & 3rd Friday of each month. There is a new Spirit Wear Shop Open for all families to take advantage of, with some new styles and designs.
THE SPIRITWEAR STORE IS OPEN! The 2026–27 school year is here, and we’re ready to show our Roaring Rebel Pride! Check out some of our NEW gear for this year and help us celebrate what makes St. Gilbert so special:
- Celebrate Our Traditions
- Make History
- Create a Legacy
We are SGS Strong! Don’t wait and grab your favorite gear soon! The SpiritWear Store closes September 2nd!
https://sgsgear26.itemorder.com/
Keep bringing the excitement students!
Mrs. Kris Buckley, Principal
Calendar Reminders:
Friday 8/21 - Spirit Wear Day
Sunday 8/23 - Back to School Block Party 1-4 (outside gym doors/west lot)
Fliers:
Participate in our upcoming Rebel Fun Run!
It’s time! You can sign up your student for our Rebel Fun Run! Our goal is to raise $50,000 for outdoor area projects. Signing up is easy and comes with a fun prize for your student!
️
Sign Up On MyBooster.com ️
Thank you for being a part of our St Gilbert Catholic School community and helping us make a difference for our students. We are grateful for your support! Follow our social pages for fun progress updates in the coming weeks.
Our school is working toward a BIG goal and Great Wolf Lodge wants to celebrate with us! If St Gilbert reaches our goal this year, every registered student will receive a FREE Water Park Day Pass! Registered families will also have the chance to earn some awesome rewards. Log in to mybooster.com today and share your student’s donation page with your whole pack. Just for receiving their first donation, students can earn their very own Wolf Ears!
Key Dates to Remember:
Fundraiser Kickoff in school – 09/01/2026
Event Day – 09/11/2026
*Need help signing up? View video instructions.
Junior Corsairs Tryouts (Girls Feeder Basketball)
August 18, 2026
Pick Up Line Request
Dear Parents/Guardians,
It was so great to see all the families at Supply Drop Off, so much excitement and happiness filled our quiet summer school building. We are looking forward to starting our school year tomorrow. We will be starting our first day with No Grayslake buses for our PM dismissal. In order to keep the number of cars trying to pull in to a lesser number, we are asking for families to try to adhere to this Alphabetical guideline. These directions apply to car riders in grades K-8.
Last names:
A-G (1:40)
H-O (1:50)
P-Z (2:00)
We know this first day, and generally the first week is a learning process for all of you, having no buses adds to the stress and number of cars. Be patient, have your PikMyKid tags in your car, download the App, and announce before pulling in, so that all Mrs. Reed has to do is push you over to arrived once your car gets up to her for checking in.
Blessings and safe travels to you all!
Mrs. Buckley, Principal
August 13, 2026
Thursday Thursday Tidbits
One week to go!
St. Gilbert School
Dear Students & Families,
Back to school is a week away! The staff and I are excited to welcome everyone to a new school year. School Supply Drop Off is 8/18 from 3:00-5:00. I just heard from American Outfitters that our gym orders might not be here in time for Tuesday night. So don’t be worried if the clothes are not in your child’s classroom. They are set to arrive the first week of school and we will pivot to sending home with the students when they do get here.
School starts with a full day schedule on August 19th. Our school hours are 7:20-1:50.
Aftercare will be available starting on the first day of school. This program’s hours are M-Th 2:00-5:30, and Friday 2:00-5:00. See Details below regarding registration to use Aftercare and other billing details.
We are welcoming 28 new families this school year. Please make them feel welcome when you see them at events. Our first social event will be the new “Back-to-School Block Party” on Sunday August 23rd from 1:00-4:00. There will be games for the kids, food, a bounce house and time to catch up with friends. Please use this google form to rsvp so FSA has an idea of how much food to purchase. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHss_fZZ4UQOjGOv0PVDXAmcBEgTEXu0iwOAV9sPM2qGGfUA/viewform
School Picture Day is scheduled for September 4th. All orders get placed online. Please use this form to access Color Portraits. Picture Ordering
School Uniforms by Tommy Hilfiger, our school's uniform provider, is running a Buy More, Save More sale on school uniforms August 11 through August 17. The more you buy, the more you'll save. 10% off orders up to $249.99, 15% off orders $250 to $349.99, and 20% off orders of $350 or more.
The promo code at checkout: AUG26BMSME. Please note that the promo code will ONLY work during these days of the promotion: August 11 through August 17.
2025-2026 School Yearbooks are in! 2025-2026 Yearbooks will be available for pickup in the gym from 3:00-5:00 during School Supply Drop Off. Please stop by the yearbook table! Yearbooks that are not picked up will be sent home with students or can be picked up from the school office. Interested in a yearbook but forgot to order? We have extras! Reach out to sgsyearbooks@gmail for more information." - pick your order up at Supply Drop Off - table will be in the gym, along with scouting and Aftercare information tables.
We use an App called PikMyKid for dismissal for grades K-8. Here is an informational sheet regarding how to download the app and set it up for your family. Please input the dismissal route your child will use most often ex. “Bus rider” to help with dismissal changes that might occur later every once in a while. PikMyKid App Directions
Lastly here is a note about ordering from Kiddo if you wish your child to get hot lunch the week of August 24th.
If you haven't had a chance to check out Kiddos Lunches yet, there's still time!
Ordering for the first week of lunches closes on: August 19, 2026
Click here to view menus and place your order: www.kiddoscatering.com/gilbert
Any lunch questions? Kiddos is happy to help at support@kiddoscatering.com
Prayers for all of us as we start a new school year!
Mrs. Kris Buckley, Principal
A Note from our Kindergarten Teachers:
Ms. Beagles and Mrs. Soudan are so excited to welcome our kindergarten students and families to a new school year! We are looking forward to getting to know your children and beginning a wonderful year together.
Please see below for information about our upcoming kindergarten events.
Popsicles on the Playground- Student and Family Meet and Greet
Who: Preschool, Jr. K, and Kindergarten students and families
When: Sunday, August 16, 1:00-2:00
Where: Saint Gilbert playground
Kindergarten Parent Night - In-Person Parent Information Night
Who: Parents only. Only one parent is required to attend. No children should attend.
When: Monday, August 17 at 6:00 pm
Where: St. Gilbert Gym
Supply Check-in Day- Student and Family Day
Who: Students and Parents
When: Tuesday, August 18, 3:00-5:00
Where: Your child’s classroom
Stop by to drop off and organize school supplies, ask any last-minute questions, and help your child become familiar with their kindergarten classroom before the first day!
Kindergarten Requirements:
Please remember to turn in your child’s required physical, dental, and vision examination forms.
We look forward to a great school year together!
Aftercare Program
We utilize a Program called Procare Solutions for Afterschool Management. Procare Solutions helps us manage attendance and billing. Students, including PreK with Aftercare, must register every year in order to use the Afterschool Program, even if it is for occasional use. Payments for the Aftercare Program are still made through our F.A.C.T.S. tuition system and billed for 2 weeks time of attendance, beginning the first week we start school.
The fee to use Aftercare is $8 per student, per hour and is calculated to round up to the nearest .5 hour. For example: 2:00 - 2:15 rounds up to .5 hours of attendance, 2:00 - 2:45 rounds up to 1.0 hour of attendance. A Registration fee is $25 per family and will be added to your F.A.C.T.S. account the next billing cycle after you register your student, this includes the PreK students with Aftercare. The first billing will be sent via email the week of 8/31/26 - 8/28/26 for the prior 2 weeks of attendance (8/19/26 - 8/28/26).
If you wish to use the Aftercare Program in August or September, you must complete the Registration form through the link on the bottom of this email by Monday, August 17th 2026. This will help us plan our staffing accordingly.
https://schools.procareconnect.com/form/ab6a6a71-a92f-4163-a92c-9705049b8cc3
Please contact Lisa Kleber at lisa.kleber@stgilbertschool.org if you need any assistance. Thank you for your help.
Calendar Reminders:
8/15 - Grayslake Summerfest Parade 2:00
8/16 - Used Uniform Sale (gym) 9:00-11:00
8/16 - Popsicles on the playground welcome PK, Junior K, and Kindergarten 1:00-2:00
8/17 - Preschool Parent Night 5:00 (enter through door #24), Kindergarten Parent Night 6:00 (gym)
8/18 - Supply Drop Off 3:00-5:00
8/19 - First Day of School, no Grayslake Bus (PM)
8/23 - Back to School Block Party 1:00-4:00 (outside/west parking lot)
August 6, 2026
Thursday Tidbits
Two Week Countdown!
Hello Families,
I am going to keep this short and sweet! Keep enjoying what remains of your summer plans and activities.....here are some updates as we get closer to “Opening Day” on August 19th.
Gym clothes ordering is going on through the end of today. If you need gym clothes this is a great way to save on shipping costs. This bulk order to start the school year will be shipped directly to school, and you will be able to pick them up in your child’s homeroom at Supply Drop off on August 18th from 3:00-5:00 pm.
https://sgsgym26.itemorder.com/
*NEW GYM UNIFORM ORDER LINK 8/12: https://stgilbertgym.itemorder.com/shop/home/
Kiddos hot lunch ordering is now open for this school year. Here are the details:
Hi Parents,
Kiddos lunch ordering is now open!
Get ready for an easy, flexible lunch option featuring lots of freshly prepared, restaurant-quality lunch choices every day.
We've attached the St Gilbert Grayslake Lunch Ordering Guide with everything you need to get started, including the direct ordering link for our school.
*Returning families and new families need to create a new account so Kiddos has your family's most up-to-date information, including grades.
Lunch service begins: August 24, 2026
Order by: Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at midnight, for the first week's lunches.
Ready to order now? Here's the direct link to our school's ordering page:
www.kiddoscatering.com/gilbert
Have lunch questions?
Kiddos is happy to help at support@kiddoscatering.com
Chess Club Registration: This club is afterschool and is available to students in grades K-8. Chess Club Registration Flier
Our Aftercare program is in need of gently used puzzles, games, card games. We serve PK-8 in Aftercare. Please drop off at the school
if you have any you would be willing to donate.
A note from our Preschool Teachers:
Popsicles on the Playground!
Preschool, Junior Kindergarten & Kindergarten
Sunday, August 16 | 1:00–2:00 PM
Join us for a sweet start to the school year! Come meet your teacher, meet families, and reconnect with classmates while enjoying a popsicle on the playground.
Preschool and Junior Kindergarten Parent Meeting
Monday, August 17 | 5:00 PM
We're excited to welcome our preschool families for an in-person Parent Meeting! This is a great opportunity to learn about the upcoming school year and ask any questions you may have before school begins.
A few important reminders:
-
Only one parent/guardian is required to attend.
-
Please do not bring children to the meeting. They will have their special opportunity to visit the classroom during our Supply Drop-Off event!
We can't wait to partner with you for a wonderful preschool year!
Looking forward to seeing everyone in a week,
Mrs. Kris Buckley, Principal
July 24, 2026
Revision to Gym Clothes Bulk Order & Grayslake Parade Flyer
The picture link on the Gym Order from American Outfitters is not easy to use.
Please use this link to place orders:
https://sgsgym26.itemorder.com/
Here is a new flyer for the Grayslake Summer Days Parade- times for parade start are now the same as I wrote in my note. Parade starts at 2:00, get to location if you are walking in the parade by 1:40.
Grayslake Summer Days Parade 2026
Mrs. Buckley, Principal
July 23, 2026
Summer Tidbits (July)
Dear Families,
I hope you are enjoying summer break! Here are some events that are coming during the month of August as you prepare for the start of school on August 19th.
We are going to do a “bulk order” of gym clothes for the start of school. As of today, the website link is closed. Please use the following link to order gym clothes. Bulk Order Gym Clothes Doing it this way will eliminate the need for shipping costs to your homes. The order will be delivered to school before Supply Drop off, and we will have them in your child’s homeroom for pick up that night. They will be packaged similarly to a Spirit Wear order, saving us all time and money.
Classroom placement will come out on August 7th. Any considerations for placement needed to be communicated to me mid-March. Before the end of the school year teachers created promotion lists for any of our previously enrolled students. Teachers use their knowledge of students, learning styles, academic needs such as IEP/504 accommodations, males and females, and classroom number balances to create a promotion list for the new grade. Much time and thought has been put into the class lists. All have been reviewed by Administration, and are now entered into PowerSchool which enrolls them in classes, online textbooks, iReady, and more. Changes will not be made at this time.
Students (5-8 grade) that were registered for the sports of girls volleyball, boys soccer, and cross country- thank you for registering so I had an idea of what teams we would be fielding. Now it is time to pay for participation in the sport. I am tossing around the possibility of a JV Boys Soccer team, if any 5th/6th grade parent would be willing to coach please contact me. kris.buckley@stgilbertschool.org.
* St. Gilbert Golf Outing, August 8th: use the following links to register (ASAP due to food and tee time counts)
* St. Gilbert school will be participating in the Grayslake Summerfest Parade on Saturday August 15th at 2:00: Grayslake Summer Days Parade 2026
* Used Uniform Sale will be held in the gym on August 16th from 9:00-11:00. Used Uniform Sale 2026
* Popsicles on the Playground for incoming Preschoolers and Kindergarteners will be held on August 16th from 1:00-2:30.
* Student Supply Drop Off: August 18th from 3:00-5:00
* August 19th, school starts for 2026-2027. Full day, 7:20-1:50, no afternoon Grayslake buses.
* Back-to-School Block Party- Sunday, August 23rd 1:00-4:00 Back-to-School Block Party 2026
I am heading out on my vacation next week, so I hope all of you make the most of the rest of the summer with your kids!
See you mid-August!
Mrs. Kris Buckley, Principal & Athletic Dir.
July 9, 2026
SGS Golf Outing
Dear Families,
I would like to invite you to participate in our annual SGS Golf Outing. The format is a scramble, so even beginners can enjoy a day with family and friends, having fun together and supporting our Athletic Program. This summer we painted our entire gym, so proceeds will go towards helping offset the cost of that! The day includes 18 holes of golf at a very nice local course (Steeple Chase in Mundelein) BBQ lunch on hole #9, two drink tickets, and a mulligan included. We are hoping for 75 golfers, please consider joining the fun to make this a successful day! If you are unable to golf, please consider sponsoring a hole. Details on registration and sponsorship are attached.
I will be out there with my family.....looking forward to seeing many of you!
Mrs. Kris Buckley, Principal & AD
June, 25, 2026
Summer Tidbits (June)
Dear Families,
I hope you are enjoying your summer so far! This communication is to keep you updated on work that is happening as we prepare for the next school year, and to share some fun happenings that are going on throughout the summer.
Thanks to the students and families who participated in our Earth Day $1.00 dress down day & Dairy Days we were able to purchase and plant (3) new trees on the property. Two Blue Spruce by the small swingset, and a Birch by the Preschool Playground.
This summer we are putting a fresh coat of paint in the gym, a portion of our Boosterthon profits was used to help with this refresh.
The parish is repairing sections of the asphalt parking lot, and sealcoating the area in the West Lot.
Three classrooms are getting new flooring (4A, 6B & KA).
The Multi-Purpose Room is being repainted and will get new flooring and decor.
Our roof over the first through third grade hallway has reached the end of its life, it has served us faithfully for 60 years, we are looking to replace that as well, hopefully this summer.
Over the years, participation in our school milk program has declined significantly, and the paperwork required has increased, since this was federally subsidized. We have decided to discontinue offering milk for the school year 2026-2027.
As of today, the summer Volleyball Camp is now closed for enrollees. We look forward to seeing everyone at camp beginning July 13th. If you have registered you will receive a reminder about the camp days hours, and drop off instructions. Asphalt work will be occurring in front of the gym at the same time, so we will use the entry behind the rectory.
Parents of students entering 5th grade next year......sport eligibility starts in 5th grade, fall sports are; Girls Volleyball, Boys Soccer & Cross Country. As the Athletic Director I will be going to a scheduling meeting for these sports with the other conference schools in July. I only have a couple girls registered for 5th grade volleyball, so please consider playing. I am looking for a volunteer coach for this team, if we can get the numbers needed. Volleyball needs at least (8) players. Please email me if you are interested. kris.buckley@stgilbertschool.org. Register through this link for sports: https://www.stgilbertschool.org/athletics-registration
Summer work for students is now available on the website at the following link: Summer Math and Reading Assignments 2026
2026-2027 AfterCare:
We utilize a Program called Procare Solutions for Afterschool Management. Procare Solutions helps us manage attendance and billing. Students, including PreK with Aftercare, must register every year in order to use the Afterschool Program, even if it is for occasional use. Payments for the Aftercare Program are still made through our F.A.C.T.S. tuition system and billed for 2 weeks time of attendance, beginning the first week we start school.
The fee to use Aftercare is $8 per student, per hour and is calculated to round up to the nearest .5 hour. For example: 2:00 - 2:15 rounds up to .5 hours of attendance, 2:00 - 2:45 rounds up to 1.0 hour of attendance. A Registration fee is $25 per family and will be added to your F.A.C.T.S. account the next billing cycle after you register your student, this includes the PreK students with Aftercare. The first billing will be sent via email the week of 8/31/26 - 8/28/26 for the prior 2 weeks of attendance (8/19/26 - 8/28/26).
If you wish to use the Aftercare Program in August or September, you must complete the Registration form through the link on the bottom of this email by Monday, August 17th 2026. This will help us plan our staffing accordingly.
https://schools.procareconnect.com/form/ab6a6a71-a92f-4163-a92c-9705049b8cc3
Please contact Lisa Kleber at lisa.kleber@stgilbertschool.org if you need any assistance. Thank you for your help.
Job Opening:
I was notified yesterday that Mrs. Galuska (Junior High Math Teacher) will not be returning. I am now looking for a full-time math teacher. If there are any parents looking to get back into the classroom, we can offer a great “JH Team” and smart, positive students to work with! There is a tuition discount for teachers with students enrolled at our school. Talk to your friends and neighbors, and send any interested parties my contact information. kris.buckley@stgilbertschool.org
Fun SGS Summer Happenings
SGS Golf Outing:
We will be holding our 2026 SGS Golf Outing on August 8th at Steeple Chase in Mundelein. We hope you can get a foursome together, and join us for a day of golf, tasty food, and good fun. There will be tee times assigned and the golf format is a scramble
https://www.givecentral.org/customizable-online-giving/378/event/9814
Text to play: 12242190357
Enter: Golf26