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Dear StJPII Families,
Here it is the end of June! My wish is that you are enjoying family time and treasuring a break from the busy school routine, but I am hopeful that you are filled with curious excitement for the upcoming school year!
Here at school, we are actively preparing and planning to welcome each and every one of our saints back in August! As our Summer Enrichment Program comes to a close, I am grateful to Mrs. McCurry, and all the staff, alumni, and student volunteers who made the experience beneficial and enjoyable for all!
Every summer I am always excited to announce "what's new" in our saints hallways. Our phenomenal PTO blessed StJPII with a generous gift of $23,000! Thanks to your support, we were able to make a number of purchases to enhance the academic experience at StJPII. I am happy to share that we were able to accommodate a number of “wish list items”, including common experiential spaces with new furniture that allow student collaboration, leveled readers for the Spanish classroom, whiteboard walls, STREAM materials, resources, flexible seating, a gaga ball pit, phase one of new cafeteria seating, and various other instructional resources.
Each year our mission at StJPII calls us to continue to be lifelong learners and to deepen our faith as we grow in mind, heart, and spirit to do God’s will. As we journey through life, we are given opportunities to grow when faced with challenges as well as an overabundance of blessings. I am confident our theme for the 18/19 school year will provide such a journey. We will rely on words from our patron saint, St. John Paul II, as he encouraged everyone to “Be not afraid, open wide the doors of Christ”.
This school year you will begin to hear, see, witness, and learn how we will incorporate "
Be not afraid…
"as a
motto
for all our students, staff, and community. We will begin to experience how when we put these words into action, we will see the marvels of God’s infinite love and the strength He provides us when we listen, trust without fear, and do His will.
So, I invite you to join with me in our inaugural year of our new school
motto
:
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In conjunction with our
motto
, the teachers and staff here at StJPII will be living out our
motto
in this specific way as our 18/19 school
theme
will be:
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We plan to emphasize
loving
one another,
learning
from one another, and
leading
by example fearlessly!
It is my pleasure to introduce to you our newest saints!
In Him we trust,
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Welcome to the StJPII Community...
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Felicia Bonno,
7th/8th Math Teacher
Felicia graduated from University of Houston with a B.S. in Mathematics. She has experience teaching 6th grade math through high school pre-calculus in both small and large, public and private, small towns and big city schools. She has enjoyed small private schools the most and is very excited about joining the faculty at StJPII.
Felicia has three self-sufficient young adult children. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, dancing, traveling, and playing strategy games with her friends. Last summer, Felicia spent time hiking the Camino de Santiago from Porto, Portugal to the cathedral in Santiago, and then another 50 miles to Finisterre. She has also been blessed to visit Rome and the Vatican twice and hopes to one day make a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands.
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Kristen Bouffard
,
6th Grade Science Teacher
Kristen is a 16 year teaching professional, which included seven years teaching at StJPII. She has a Bachelor's of Science in Education from Texas A&M University and a Masters in Education from St. Thomas University.
During her time away from StJPII, she was able to travel to some cool places, including Australia and Ireland. She is very excited about being back with her StJPII family in the fall! She and her husband have two adult children who both graduated from StJPII.
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Patrick Brooks
,
PE Teacher & Football/
Basketball Coach
Patrick is a 19 year educator. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Special Education at Dillard University, Masters of Education in Educational Leadership at Troy State University, and a Masters of Science in Physical Education at University of Arkansas. His teaching experience is in special education, and coaching has given him the skills to meet this exciting challenge at StJPII. His coaching expertise lies in fostering physical development, promoting exercise and healthy eating, and encouraging team building and student cohesion through physical challenges, activities, sports, and games. In addition, he has 16 years of coaching experience.
Patrick's primary goal as an educator is to strive for educational excellence and to provide unlimited opportunities for students through learning.
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Shannon Chaisson
,
3rd Grade Teacher
Shannon is blessed to be joining the 3rd grade team where she will be teaching Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies next year. She will also be serving as the middle school cheer coach! She graduated from the University of Missouri – Go Tigers! – in 2010 with a major in Communication and a minor in Biology. During her time at the University of Missouri, she was fortunate to be part of the competitive cheerleading squad where she cheered for football, basketball, and competed at NCA Collegiate Nationals competition. Next year will be her fifth year teaching elementary, and prior to that she taught for two years at Texas State University while working on her Master’s degree in Communication Studies.
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Magda Figueroa
,
PE Assistant Teacher
Magda discovered her passion for working with kids in 2011 when she had the opportunity to advocate for abused and neglected children. Since then, she has been involved in several programs dedicated to helping kids in need. Magda has a passion for physical activity and enjoys being involved in her children's PE activities. Currently she has two kids in StJPII and a 2 year old daughter. She has substituted the last four years at StJPII and it is an honor for her to be part of the school community. In her free time she enjoys going fishing with her husband and children! Magda is originally from Venezuela and has a Bachelor Degree in Laws.
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Brittany Haley,
Annual Giving Coordinator
Brittany is a native Houstonian and St. John Vianney has always been her home parish. Upon graduation from Texas A&M University, she moved to New York City and worked for the Sheraton New York Hotel in Event Management. After returning to her hometown, she got married and continued her work in Events at the Hilton Americas Houston, and earned her CMP designation in 2010. She and her husband, Will, have three children (turning 7, 5 and 2 this August). When her oldest child was born she became a stay-at-home mom but continued to perform contract work for the Hilton as well as the St. John Paul II Foundation. She feels blessed to be able to work at StJPII and is excited to be a part of the Saints family!
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Sarah Kushner,
6th Grade Math Teacher
Sarah is thrilled to once again be answering God’s call to join our staff as the 6
th
grade mathematics teacher. She has taught elementary and middle school students for over 14 years and has a particular passion for guiding learners to become the best mathematicians they can be! Sarah obtained a B.S. in Elementary Education from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and a Masters in Gifted Education from Xavier University in Cincinnati. When she is not in the classroom, Sarah enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 boys and volunteering at St. John Vianney Catholic Church. Sarah is looking forward to sharing both her faith and her knowledge with our StJPII saints!
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Andrea Moniaci,
Pre-K Teacher
Andrea was born and raised in Houst
on, TX. After attending Catholic School, she went to Bellaire High School to play volleyball. She graduated from Trinity University with a Masters of Arts in Teaching.
After graduating, Andrea moved to Dallas. Her first year teaching she taught kindergarten. Last year she taught a multi-age classroom made up of kindergarten and first grade students. She is excited to teach Pre-K at StJPII. She looks forward to encouraging students to deepen their faith, build their knowledge, and grow their spirituality!
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Jennifer Quinlan
,
4th Grade Teacher
Jennifer graduated from Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and a Master's degree in School Counseling. She is excited about starting her 14th year of teaching. She has taught 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 5th grade. Additionally, Jennifer also served as a school counselor for two years. She is really looking forward to teaching math and science in 4th grade this upcoming school year! She was born and raised in Kentucky. She attended a Catholic School K-12th grade and spent the first 10 years of her teaching career in a Catholic School. She moved to Texas three years ago and started working for the Katy Independent School District. She is very blessed to be returning to Catholic School and joining the StJPII community. When not in the classroom, Jennifer enjoys hanging out with her nieces, reading, and watching sports.
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Tara Schurman,
2nd Grade Teacher
Tara is excited for her first year at StJPII! Although this will be her first year here, this will be her fourth year in the classroom. She recently moved from Fort Worth, but grew up in the Houston area. She attended Catholic school in the Archdiocese and taught in the Diocese of Fort Worth. She earned her Master’s Degree in Elementary Education from Texas Christian University (TCU) in 2015. Tara also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from TCU. She experience teaching first and second grade and thoroughly enjoy working with this age group. She has loved her time working in Catholic schools and looks forward to another great year in second grade!
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Pam Srinivasan
IPC Teacher
Pam is excited to be a part of StJPII community this year. She will be teaching Integrated Chemistry and Physics. Her educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, a Master’s degree in Science, and several teaching certificates in various science areas. She has spent more than two decades perfecting the art and craft of teaching and learning in the physical sciences. She is passionate about the content area and as former students will tell you, she often has too much fun teaching chemistry and physics. Pam enjoys watching the excitement of discovery on her students’ faces and thrill of success that students experience as they master complex physical science concepts and use newly learned skills and content. Some of the milestones along her professional path have been Houston ISD Central Office, DeBakey High School for Health Professions, Westside High School, Region 4 Education Service Center and KIPP Houston High. This year, she looks forward to working, learning, and growing with the students, staff, and families at StJPII.
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Other Staff Reassignments:
- Jessica Ande- Administrative Assistant
- Cindy Kim- 1st Grade Teacher
- Karen Love- 5th Grade Teacher
- Bethany Yager- Development Assistant
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Thank you for your incredible support of StJPII’s Annual Fund!
As the fiscal year comes to a close in less than a month, and as we begin preparations for our 2017-2018 Annual Report, we ask that you review
the Annual Fund Roll Call Donor List
of gifts made since August 1, 2017. Please look for your name to make sure everything is listed correctly. If you have not yet made your donation, please consider making your Annual Fund gift by clicking here:
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Every gift, no matter the amount, makes a difference in the lives of our students.
If your name is missing but should be listed, or you have questions about the Annual Fund, please contact
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Handbook Highlight Updates
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Please refer to the
Parent-Student Handbook
posted online, for important Handbook changes or additions for the upcoming school year:
Please refer to the following sections in the handbook for changes or additions:
- Fall Conferences: school will be in session for a half day. PG 20
- "Academic Achievement Awards" changed to "Student Achievement." This award helps to promote personal student achievement in academics, good citizenship, or work habits. PG 21
- Academic Enrichment Program: Exceptional learners will now participate in our SOAR program (Students Outstanding in Academics & Research). PG 22
- Early Dismissals: Time change – 1:45/2:00/2:15 PG 15
- Mass days: Front office will be closed. PG 35
- Guidance Program: Counselors will supplement guidance lessons. PG 36
- Catholic Principles: Responsibilities of Parents. PG 43
- Academic Probation: Any student with a grade below 70 will be placed on probation. PG 20, 63
- Program handbooks such as BASP and athletics can be found within the Parent-Student Handbook. PG 81, 91, 99
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Prepare for the 1st Days of School
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- Supplies - most school supplies for the beginning of the year are included in your tuition, there is no need to buy anything. PreK-1st Grade will also receive a tote bag (only Grades 2-8 may bring backpacks from home). Students in Grades 4-8 will need to purchase binders.
- Uniforms - Casual uniform orders can be picked up during the Ice Cream Social or Meet and Greet. All other uniforms can be purchased from Millswear.
- BASP - You may sign up for our Before and After School Program at the Ice Cream Social and/or Meet and Greet. For more information, click here or contact Leticia Velasco.
- School Nurse - please contact Nurse Jeanne Aertker to alert the school of important medical needs.
- Summer Reading / Math - remember to complete the assigned summer packets for reading and math, which are posted online.
- ECI- Meal pricing for the 18/19 school year increased 2.5%, which comes to .15 cents per meal. See the attached flyer for additional details.
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Join our Facebook Community
Stay connected for updates and events throughout the year on
Facebook
.
For more information on StJPII Community Events, contact
Kaela Lewis
.
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Join the PTO
StJPII is blessed by wonderful volunteers who share their time and talents with our community through a variety of committees. While many of their efforts focus on fundraising, the PTO also provides fellowship opportunities and ways to get involved in the classroom. As a parent, you are automatically a mem
ber of our PTO.
To learn more about the PTO, please read the attached
volunteer opportunities flyer
. If you are interested in serving as a
Room Parent Coordinator
, please send an email to:
roomparentcoordinatorsjp2@gmail.com
.
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Volunteer Approval Process
In order to volunteer, you must attend Virtus training and submit paperwork to the school office. As a courtesy for our parents, StJPII will offer a "Protecting God's Children" class on campus on
September 20, in the morning.
This class is also open to the Archdiocese. We are letting our parents know about the class now so you can mark your calendars.
You must sign up through the VIRTUS website to attend.
Spots will fill up quickly, and once the class is full we cannot add any more spaces. Please
click here
for information on our website for the StJPII Volunteer checklist and how to become volunteer-approved.
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Altar Server Training for Grades 5-8
Would your son or daughter like to be an Altar Server during our school Masses this year? If your 5-8th grader is interested, then they should plan to attend training in August. StJPII Altar Servers must be active Altar Servers at their parish and come to the
Altar Server Training in the GSC on Monday, August 14 at 3:00 p.m.
Training will conclude before the Meet and Greet begins at 4:00 p.m.
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Sponsors Needed
We are currently seeking sponsors to underwrite
Run with the Saints
and
Crawfish Boil
. If you or your company are interested in advertising and participating, please contact
communications@jp2.org
.
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RWTS Volunteers Needed
StJPII's annual 5K, which benefits children's cancer in memory of StJPII student Lauren Lockard, is scheduled for
October 27.
We need volunteers to plan and make this the best race yet! Running experience is a bonus, but not required. Please contact RWTS Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator
Annette Colgan
for more information on Volunteering. If you have questions regarding the Run with the Saints event, please contact our Events Officer
Kaela Lewis
for more information.
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Ice Cream Social
All NEW Families and Ambassador Families are invited:
Sunday, August 12, 2:00-4:00 p.m. in the BAC (gym)
Orient new families, pick up uniforms/carpool tags, register for BASP, get information for after-school clubs, sign up to volunteer for PTO Committees, snack on ice-cream, and meet fellow StJPII SAINTS!
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Meet and Greet
ALL families are invited:
Tuesday, August 14, 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Visit the classrooms, meet your teachers and handle school business (uniforms, carpool tags, sign ups, etc.) in the BAC. Used uniforms will be sold in St. Jude Hall.
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Parent Night
August 29 - PreK, Kindergarten, Middle School Parents
August 30 - 1st-5th Grade Parents
Parents are invited to attend and learn more about StJPII. You will have the opportunity to hear about your child(ren)'s academic year with their teachers in the classrooms. This event begins at 6:00 p.m., and is for parents only, so please make plans for your children to stay at home.
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StJPII and RUSSO'S PIZZA- SPIRIT NIGHTS THIS SUMMER!
The StJPII Spirit Nights are scheduled for the last Wednesdays of the month this June and July! Mark your calendars:
Wednesday, June 27
Wednesday, July 25
Russo's Pizzeria is located at
13346 Briar Forest
, at the corner of Eldridge and Briar Forest. You may dine in, take out, or have your food delivered. Please mention you are with StJPII when ordering. Russo's will give 20% of each order back to our school. Special thanks to the PTO for coordinating this fun, convenient, and delicious fundraiser!
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PreK- 6th grade Elementary Soccer registration opens on July 16.
StJPII cannot offer Elementary Sports without you!
We need you!! All of our coaches are volunteer approved parents. As a coach you will have the entire StJPII family behind you for support along with coaching clinics and our Positive Coaching online classes. The teams are coached by Volunteer-Approved Parents. If you are not volunteer approved, please start the process NOW so you can be approved by August. See
StJPII Volunteer Approval Process
. Teams are formed in order of registration and the number of teams is based on the number of registrations and the availability of Volunteer coaches.
StJPII is a member of the West Houston Christian Sports Association (WHCSA), a skill building league. Please register early online under Soccer Registration on the StJPII website. We cannot accept late registrations.
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Our Middle School athletic program is governed by the Greater Houston Catholic Athletic Association ~ or GHCAA. Please view the tryout schedule for Volleyball and Soccer, the August Volleyball Camp, and our Football schedule
posted online
under the
BAC/Athletics Calendar
. The Cross Country schedule will be posted closer to the end of July. Every student trying out for a MS sport must have a new physical on file prior to trying out. Physicals must be dated after June 1, 2018. For more information, you may contact
Mary Beth Hewitt
.
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6/27 Russo's Spirit Night
7/16 WHCSA Elementary Soccer Registration Opens
7/25 Russo's Spirit Night
8/12 Ice Cream Social
8/14 Altar Server Training
8/14 Meet and Greet
8/15 First Day of Classes
8/29 Parent Night Meeting PreK, Kinder, Middle School Parents
8/30 Parent Night Meeting 1st-5th Grade Parents
8/30 Full Dress Pictures
9/20 VIRTUS Class at StJPII
10/26 Trunk or Treat
10/27 Run with the Saints
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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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