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Dear St. John Paul II Families,
This is it - Christmas Break is almost here! Thankfully, we only have a few more days left with loads of fun and hard work to finish off the semester. Yesterday, we had a beautiful Mass to celebrate the Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe. It was a wonderful to come together as a Saint family, so thank you to everyone who attended and to our very own Chaplain, Fr. Eamon, who spoke very eloquently in both Spanish and English!
Remember - Wednesday and Thursday this week are Principal Proclamation Days, and then on Friday we will finish off our week with Mass, Caroling, and Class Parties.
A little business - while on break, please consider taking inventory of your uniforms. Make sure that they are clean, neat and the correct length - our students have grown so much since the start of the year!
We will welcome all students back on Wednesday, January 4th, and we will send report cards home on Tuesday, January 10.
I pray that your family has a safe and joyous break celebrating Jesus’ birth and ringing in the New Year being mindful of all of the blessings bestowed upon us!
Merry Christmas,
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Principal
P.S. - I am also so excited to report that our new marquee sign near our driveway is going to be installed VERY soon!
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Forming Families of Disciples
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Last Wednesday, 23 StJPII dads enjoyed "Dad's Night Out" at the school. Special thanks to Chaplain Fr. Eamonn for leading this Advent retreat, hearing confessions, and celebrating Mass. Be on the lookout for their next event during Lent, all dads are welcome!
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Principal Proclamation Days
Last week, our Principal for the Day, Sophie Agee, made the following decree:
Wednesday December 14 (Tomorrow):
- Pre K - 2nd Grades - Free dress*, extra recess, AND bring a stuffed animal to school.
- 3rd - 5th Grades - Free dress* AND 30 minutes of electronics and game time
(Students may bring their handheld devices/tablets from home. Students may also bring a special board game from home. Smartphones are not allowed.)
Thursday, December 15:
- Middle School Only - During 8th period, there will be an end-of-midterm celebration with board games and snacks from home. (Please click here for the midterm schedule.) Students may wear school-appropriate "comfy" clothes (no pajamas, girls are allowed to wear leggings; however, their tops must extend to 2" above the knee). Middle School students will have a Movie Day in January (date TBD).
Principal for the Day is an online auction item that is up for bid each Spring during our Online Auction. We will be celebrating "PE Teacher for the Day" soon too! Be on the lookout for more fun opportunities like these when we hold our next online auction in February, 2017.
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THIS FRIDAY - Last Day before Break
Friday, December 16 is our last day before Christmas Break. We will start the day with Mass at 8:30 a.m. in the GSC. Students may wear their full dress uniform OR festive, school appropriate, holiday attire. After Mass, the entire student body will sing Christmas Carols, giving our volunteers time to prepare the homerooms for the Christmas parties. We will have Early Dismissal at 11:00/11:15/11:30 a.m. There is no BASP this Friday.
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DEADLINE EXTENDED: Raffle Tickets
The deadline for turning in raffle ticket stubs and money has been extended to WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, the day students return from Christmas Break.
We've heard that some parents want extra time to sell their tickets over the holidays...so we are happy to make a deal with you: families may return their tickets after Christmas, provided that everything is received by the front office no later than
Wednesday, January 4 at 3:30 p.m.
We will have a quick turn-around between when students return and when we draw our winners after Mass on January 6, so late entries will not be eligible for the drawing.
For more information and more tickets, please contact Jessi Cook, Director of Advancement.
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2015-2016 Annual Report
StJPII's 2015-2016 Annual Report is now available online. Current families who would like a paper copy may request one from the front office. Last year through the Annual Fund Drive, we raised a record $462,000; thanks to your overwhelming support, we are well on our way to this year's goal as well. We appreciate all of our donors who continue to make our mission possible. There is still time for your family to make a gift before this tax year ends, give online at www.jp2.org.
Our benefactors are direct blessings from the Lord. We pray gratefully in Mass and every day that the Lord will provide for all your needs, as you are doing for us.
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Amazon Smile
When you are doing your Christmas shopping online, be sure to choose StJPII as your preferred charitable organization,
so a portion of your purchases are donated back to the school.
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Book Fair Wrap Up
A "Round of Applause" goes out from the Library for a great fall Book Fair! Our gross sales topped $14,000. (We keep approximately twenty-five percent after taxes.) The proceeds fund the library budget and allow us to purchase many new books for all age levels. Also, a BIG thank you to everyone who purchased and donated books. These make wonderful additions for our new book table: they encourage reluctant readers and evoke a sense of pride in those students who know that "their family" donated that book. Our fa
ntastic, treasured library volunteers make all of this happen, you are truly appreciated.
Christmas Stories
Tis' the season for costumes and hats! "Auntie Claus" and her big red hat have appeared in the Library, along with the North Pole elves. Ask your children about what they saw and the stories they heard during Library time. The Light of Christmas shares a touching story of a poor young boy who shines when his kindness, selflessness, and generous spirit are recognized. May your Advent and Christmas Season be filled with peace and joy! Happy Reading and Happy Holidays! ~ Ms. Lamb
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Santa Pictures
For those who attended Snacks with Santa, remember to go online to view your photos. Pictures with Santa were taken by professional photographer, Charlie Moger. Mr. Moger has supported StJPII for many years since all four of his children are StJPII graduates. DaddyMom Pix Professional Photography benefits StJPII with proceeds from the picture sales are being donated to the StJPII Annual Fund. To order your prints, please visit: daddymompix.org. Pictures are printed and conveniently delivered to your doorstep through SmugMug.
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Teacher and Staff Christmas Collection
It has been our tradition to share gifts with our children’s teachers during the Christmas season, showing our appreciation for the many wonderful things they do. Each year, the PTO coordinates a monetary gift collection which is distributed to our dedicated faculty and staff during the school Christmas parties. We suggest a $10.00 contribution per child’s teacher, but any amount is appreciated. All funds collected will be divided equally among the faculty and staff. Participation in the collection is strictly voluntary. If your child prefers a personal gift, please feel free to do so. If you choose to make a contribution, please send cash or check payable to StJPII PTO in an envelope marked “PTO TREASURER” by Thursday, December 15th. If you have questions, please email pto@jp2.org.
PTO Christmas Donation
Thanks to all the support of our StJPII community, we are happy to share that the PTO's annual Christmas Donation will be a sponsorship of Brother Jerek Scherber. Many of you fondy remember Br. Jerek's time on campus and his service to StJPII's students. His presence is truly missed now that he is furthering his studies in Rome. Our gift will provide for one week of his formation as he continues his studies to become a priest. Please keep Br. Jerek in your prayers. Thank you for your continued support of the PTO so we may provide this annual Christmas blessing.
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ELEMENTARY
Basketball has begun and practices are underway. Registration
for Volleyball, Baseball/T-ball and Softball opens in January.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL
BASKETBALL:
Last week, our boys’ basketball teams had a busy week of games. On Monday, JV & Varsity both played St. Cecilia, and despite some great, tough basketball plays, the teams unfortunately lost. But then they rebounded back when they played St. Frances de Sales. The Varsity and the 6th grade teams both won, but JV came up short, suffering a close loss. Then, Varsity traveled for a non-district game and just couldn’t catch up, losing to St. Thomas Episcopal.
The Lady Saints Varsity & JV teams suffered 1 point losses to St. Cecilia last Tuesday, but they rebounded back against St. Frances de Sales when all 3 teams played and earned huge wins. This past Saturday, our Girls' Varsity & JV teams participated in the Houston Christian basketball tournament. The JV team had two tough games, and unfortunately lost both. Luckily, the Varsity team won two and lost one, which led to 3rd place in the tournament. We are very proud of our Lady Saints!
BASEBALL: Baseball season is around the corner...so get ready! Click here for more information about Coach Piazza's Baseball Camp.
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Fun Run for Chaplain Shelly and the Legionaries
Help support Fr. Eamonn's and Fr. Nathaniel's fundraising efforts for an office space on the west side of Houston. The Legionaries have a residence in Spring, TX, but they spend a lot of time on the west side of Houston and need a meeting space. There will be a 2-mile Fun Run at Bear Creek Park to support this cause on January 7, 2017. Click here for more information and to register.
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12/13 Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
12/14 Mass in Chapel, 7:10 a.m.
12/14 Parent Bible Study, 8:15 a.m.
12/14 Elementary - Proclamation Day
12/15 Middle School - Proclamation Day
12/15 MS Band Concert, 7:00 p.m., GSC
12/16 Mass, 8:30 a.m., GSC (Christmas attire OR Full dress uniform)
12/16 Early Dismissal after classroom parties (11:00/11:15/11:30 a.m.)
1/4/17 Raffle Tickets Due
1/7/2017 Legionary Fun Run
1/10/17 Report Cards go home (new date)
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
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St. John Paul II Catholic School
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1400 Parkway Plaza,
Houston, TX 77077
281-496-1500 •
281-496-2943 (fax)
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St. John Paul II Catholic School prepares all students spiritually
and academically to succeed in life and to do God's will.
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