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Mr. Stack Parental Leave

February 12, 2026


Dear St. Barnabas Families,

February always feels like a bit of a marathon in a school building. Even with the shorter calendar, the "mid-winter" energy is real. But watching our students lean into the challenges of the second trimester, whether they are mastering a new math strategy or showing up for each other in the halls, is a powerful reminder of why we do what we do.

As I prepare to head out on parental leave, my focus has been on one thing: making sure the momentum we’ve built together doesn't stop. I want to ensure our Buckeyes, staff, students, and parents alike feel completely supported, and I want you to feel confident in the team that will be guiding our school while I’m away.

Why We Are Leading from Within

When we sat down to plan for this transition, we took a long look and asked for input from several key stakeholders on whether we should bring in an outside interim administrator. Ultimately, the team decided that the best people to lead St. Barnabas are the people who already know and love it.

While an outside hire might have the title, they wouldn’t have the deep understanding of our school’s heart, our specific academic frameworks, or the way we operate within the Archdiocese. Onboarding someone new would have actually created a heavier lift for our team, pulling their focus away from your children just to get a stranger up to speed. Instead, we’ve chosen to empower our own incredible staff members who are ready to step into leadership roles.

Beyond just "filling a gap," I see this as a beautiful opportunity for our school's long-term health. By allowing our internal team to lead now, we are building a deeper "bench" of leadership talent that will benefit St. Barnabas for years to come. These are faces you and your children already know and trust.

The "Team" Approach for Ms. Grace Sadowski

I want to be very clear about how this looks for Ms. Grace Sadowski. While Ms. Sadowski is stepping in as interim principal and into many of my daily, weekly, and monthly responsibilities, we are being very intentional about her capacity. She isn’t simply doing two jobs at once; she is offloading several of her current duties to other staff members so she can stay focused on the "big picture" and the instructional needs of our students. We’ve designed this to be sustainable for her and seamless for our students.

Keeping the Trains Running: Compliance & Operations

The "behind the scenes" work—state and Archdiocesan compliance, financial stewardship, and strategic planning—is in excellent hands. We have a core team with deep institutional knowledge handling this. Ms. Grace Sadowski, Mrs. Kelly Florek, Mrs. Jeanne Reilly, Mrs. Sue Connolly, and Mrs. Kathleen Davies are working together to tackle the typical spring "heavy lifting," including calendar planning, master scheduling, budgeting, tuition setting, and our Project MATCH placement process.

We know that the day-to-day needs do not stop, so should you need support, here is who is walking alongside you:

  • Academic Growth & Testing: For curriculum or Project MATCH questions, please connect with Ms. Grace Sadowski [email protected] For testing and technology needs, Mrs. Kathleen Davies [email protected] is your go-to.
  • Student Support & Wellness: For behavior, social-emotional needs, or specialized services, Ms. Jeanne Miller [email protected] and Maureen O’Donnell [email protected] are your primary resources.
  • Operations & Finance: For school recognition, state reporting, or financial matters, please contact Mrs. Grace Sadowski, Mrs. Kelly Florek [email protected] Mrs. Sue Connolly [email protected] or Mrs. Jeanne Reilly [email protected]
  • Athletics & Community Lifers. Kelly Florek is overseeing the athletic budget and regulations. For community events and school-wide news, Mrs. Shannon Griffin [email protected] and Mrs. Tracy Burke [email protected] have you covered.
  • Grade Level Leadership: As always, your child’s teacher is your first point of contact. If a classroom matter needs further eyes, our Grade Level Leaders are ready to help:

A detailed list of who to contact for a range of projects, situations, and communication is linked here > Who to Contact

Not sure who to call? Reach out to Mrs. Sue Connolly [email protected] in the main office. Sue is the "hub" of this transition; she knows exactly who is handling what and will make sure you get to the right person.

Thank you for your continued partnership and for the trust you place in this team every day. St. Barnabas is in excellent hands, and I look forward to hearing all about the growth and "God moments" that happen while I’m away.

Blessings,

Mr. Jonathan Stack