Dear St. Rita Families,
I hope you are enjoying these last few weeks of summer. As we prepare for the start of school, I ask that you please read the information below. Some of the items listed are reminders to what was sent in June, however, there are several new notices included.
School Calendar
The 2022-23 School Calendar is available and can be found at stritahs.com/calendars. Please note the start of the school year (Monday, August 15) and our school break dates when planning family vacations. Students should not miss any class time for vacations.
Orientation Day/First Day of Classes
This year all students will take part in Orientation Day on Monday, August 15. Freshmen will have a full day of orientation from 8:20 AM until 2:35 PM. Sophomores through seniors will have orientation sessions held in the Auditorium that will acclimate them to our new web-based learning management system, Schoology, which is replacing PlusPortals. Students will also be updated on any new and/or revised policies and procedures.
Seniors are to report on Monday, August 15 from 11:30 AM until 12:30 PM, Juniors from 12:30 PM until 1:30 PM, and Sophomores from 1:30 PM until 2:30 PM. Attendance on this day will be taken and is mandatory for all students. The first day of classes for all students will be Tuesday, August 16 from 8:20 AM until 2:35 PM.
Class Schedules
Class schedules for sophomores through seniors are available on PlusPortals. Students can access them in the E-Locker of their PlusPortals account. Our incoming freshmen received a printed copy of their schedule by mail. These schedules will aid families in purchasing textbooks for the start of the school year. The textbook portal along with downloading instructions is found on our website at stritahs.com/textbook-information. All students must have their textbooks and any required apps downloaded by Monday, August 15.
Every effort is made to ensure student schedules are correct prior to distribution, however, we ask all families to carefully look over the schedule. Please check to be sure that the schedule has 7 courses scheduled for each semester (at least 6 for seniors), a course is assigned to each period A through H, and that no course that has already been taken by the student is present on this year's schedule. Please note: all freshmen and all sophomores are assigned to D Period Lunch and all juniors and all seniors are assigned to E Period Lunch.
Schedule Changes
If you feel there is a need to make a change to the schedule please contact our Director of Guidance Mrs. Jill Nagel at jnagel@stritahs.com. We will do our best to accommodate requests. However, class sizes are limited and not all changes are possible. Thank you for your understanding. All schedule changes must be completed by Friday, August 26.
iPads and Apps
Please be sure to check the website at stritahs.com/textbook-information for recommendations and requirements regarding iPads and apps for school work. If you have any questions regarding iPads and apps please contact our Director of Technology Mr. Paul Harrington at pharrington@stritahs.com.
Summer Reading
Each student is expected to complete a summer reading assignment for his upcoming English course, and each student is expected to have completed the reading by the first day his English class meets. The reading is not optional, and the student will be given a formal assessment of the reading for a grade by his English teacher at the start of the school year. The texts for summer reading are listed below based on the course for which each student is scheduled.
Freshmen - Class of 2026
English 1: To Kill a Mockingbird
English 1 Honors: Catcher in the Rye
Sophomores - Class of 2025
All: Cry! The Beloved Country
Juniors - Class of 2024
English III: House on Mango Street
English III Honors: The Things They Carried
AP Language and Composition: 1984
Seniors - Class of 2023
African American Literature: There Are No Children Here
British Literature: The Invisible Man (H.G. Wells)
Honors British Literature: Frankenstein
AP Literature and Composition: A Lesson Before Dying
Student & Parent Handbook
The 2022-23 St. Rita Student & Parent Handbook is now available on our school website and by clicking here. Please be sure to review the handbook carefully. It is the responsibility of students and parents to know all our policies and procedures.
The student dress code will be enforced beginning with Orientation Day on Monday, August 15. As families prepare for the start of school and finalize uniform purchases, including shoes, please review the Standards of Appearance (dress code) policies listed in handbook on pages 31-33.
All students must have their hair according to the guidelines listed in the handbook before arriving for class orientation. Hair must be neat and well groomed with no hair extending beyond the collar or covering the eyes. No ponytails or dyed hairstyles are allowed. Mr. Joe Partacz, Dean of Students, will have the final say on all acceptable hairstyles.
As is detailed in the school handbook, all students are to be cleanly shaven at all times. This includes hair above the lip and under the chin. Wearing a protective face mask does not exclude the student from needing to be cleanly shaven. Students will be required to shave at school if they arrive unshaven and will be issued a detention. If a student needs to use his own device at home or have his facial hair taken care of by a professional, he must keep up with this regularly.
Mustang Store
The Mustang Store is having a back-to-school sale for uniform and lock purchases. Special hours of operation will be held:
MONDAY, AUGUST 8 | 4:00PM-8:00PM - (CLASS OF 2026 ONLY)
TUESDAY, AUGUST 9 | 3:00PM-7:00PM - (ALL CLASSES WELCOME)
During the shopping experience we will be taking ID pictures for new students. The Mustang Store has been relocated to the upper level of the Van Leuven Center (VLC), so when arriving please use Door #15 by the Mrozek Family Fitness Center. Anyone with questions regarding the Mustang Store should contact Mrs. Margie Hopkins at mhopkins@stritahs.com.
Student-Athlete Registration
This year our Athletic Department will use 8to18 for our athletic website. One of the first features we are using with this new site is Student-Athlete Registration. Parents can start registering their student-athletes today. Every student-athlete needs to register prior to the start of the Fall season, so if a student plans to play a Fall sport please register TODAY. Instructions on how to register can be found by clicking here.
Athletic Physicals
To participate in the athletic program in the Fall, students need to have a yearly physical. Students may not practice or try out unless they have one. Physical forms can be supplied by your physician, or you may go to the St. Rita or IHSA websites (www.stritahs.com, www.ihsa.org). Incoming freshmen are exempt from this requirement since they need a physical to enter school in the Fall. However, freshmen must turn in their school physical form if they have not already done so. To avoid any delay of practice time or game competition, please obtain your physical.
Class of 2026 Physical & Dental Exams
Per Illinois law, freshman students are required to turn in a current, completed physical exam, with current vaccination records prior to October 15. If you have not already done so, please turn it in as soon as possible. You can access a copy of the form by clicking here. Please note that the IHSA athletic physical does not fulfill this requirement. Freshmen who do not have the proper physical forms completed and submitted by October 15 will not be eligible to participate in any sports or activities, and will be kept out of school, until this requirement has been met.
Per Illinois law, all freshmen students are also required to submit a current, completed dental exam form. You can access the form by clicking here.
Medication/Advil/Tylenol
Students will not be allowed to obtain any form of medication, this includes Advil and/or Tylenol without a prescription from a doctor. If a student needs to have medication administered at any time, the prescription note from the doctor and the two forms that are linked below must be on file in the Nurse's Office.
Medical Emergency Action Plans
Parents are asked to please review the information that has been posted under the heading "Medical Documentation Information" on the Parent Information page of the school website. Students who have certain medical conditions, including asthma, seizures, allergies and/or diabetes must have emergency action plans on file in the Nurse's Office. Please complete the downloadable forms on the website and return them to the Nurse's Office as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please contact the school nurse at nurse@stritahs.com.
Tuition
All FACTS tuition accounts have been activated for the 2022-23 School Year. All families should make their first payment by July 30. Please remember that if any scholarship or financial aid is not posted to the account, it is likely that its information and amount has not been verified and confirmed. Any parent who believes there is an account error, needs to make a payment date adjustment, or has any other questions is asked to contact Mrs. Reina Andrade at randrade@stritahs.com.
Transportation
St. Rita Bus Transportation routes have been finalized. If a rider's parent has not been contacted directly by the driver with the rider's specific pick-up time and location, please be on the lookout for additional information to be emailed the week of August 1. The fee for transportation will be added to the rider's FACTS tuition account during the week of August 1.
Student Parking Permits
Parking permits must be purchased by all students who drive to St. Rita through the Dean of Students Mr. Joe Partacz. Spaces will be assigned on a first come first serve basis. All students driving must have a permit by Friday, August 19. The permit costs $25. Students must also submit a Parking Permit Contract signed by a parent. The contract can be obtained from the Dean of Students or by clicking here.
Dining Hall Food Service
We are excited to welcome back Country House Kitchen Company to run the food service program at St. Rita. Please click here to read a special letter from Country House introducing their services for our Dining Hall and information on how to add funds to a student's My MealTime account.
Family Contact Information
For returning families, if your home address, email address or cell phone number has changed within the last year, please send your updated information to Mrs. Noreen Kelliher at nkelliher@stritahs.com. Always include the student's name in this communication. Correct email addresses and cell phones are critical for full communication with you.
Summer Hours
The week of August 1 will be our last week of summer office hours. The school offices will only be open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM until 1:00 PM. Regular office hours (Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM) will resume on Monday, August 8.
Mothers' Club
We are currently seeking St. Rita moms to volunteer as leaders in the planning of our Mothers' Club meetings and events for the coming year. Any mom who is interested in being a part of the leadership of the Mothers' Club is asked to email me at jblaszak@stritahs.com. I thank all those moms who have already contacted me. All those who contact me will be invited to a special planning meeting in mid-August.
SAVE-THE-DATE
Please save-the-date for a special "Welcome Back Mass & BBQ" on Sunday, August 28 beginning at 5:00 PM in the Shrine Chapel. Please look for more details to arrive by mail next week.
