Dear Saint families,
Happy Tuesday! Here we are at the end of April heading into May! I am extremely grateful for all of you and for your continued support. It is my sincere honor to serve as Principal of St. John Paul II Catholic school. God continues to bless our community abundantly and it’s hard to express in words just how truly moved I am by your daily actions. Everyday I witness our staff growing and stretching their abilities, talents and knowledge to serve our students in this very unique time. I am also seeing beautiful evidence of our families working in communion with one another sharing Christ’s love. Not only are you facilitating distance learning while adjusting to working from home, but you are also making time to grow spiritually and witness to your children. Thank you for your partnership and trusting that God is in control and will see us through this time.
As we have continued in our remote learning, our Distance Learning Plan has evolved and adapted to the developing needs of teachers, students and families. Our goal is always to reflect upon our practices and be responsive with action to provide a joyful and enriching learning experience for our students. Our current Distance Learning Plan is included below. Plans are already being made for next school year that include additional means for teacher/students interaction and progress monitoring software. I thank you again for your prayers, trust, and continued support.
As we begin to finalize plans for the close of this school year, please be on the lookout for information in the next two weeks about retrieval of students’ personal belongings. We are finalizing the schedule to allow for pick up as well as collection of borrowed school materials that will follow social distancing and safety precautions. Please pray over the scripture below as we plan for the weeks and months ahead. May God continue to bless and protect you. St. John Paul II, pray for us!
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3rd Quarter Honor Roll
Congratulations to our 3rd Quarter Honor Roll recipients. We are so proud of you!
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Reminder: Optional Casual Uniform Orders
StJPII offers Optional Uniform pieces for students to wear any day of the week that is not designated as "House Shirt" or “Full Dress”. The Casual Uniform Link is active on the website under "
Community".
Last day to order is
May 5 to pick up at Meet N Greet.
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StJPII Coronavirus Resources (COVID-19)
StJPII will continue to update all parents regarding Coronavirus and how it impacts our school community. Please make sure you check your emails regularly and visit the StJPII Coronavirus webpages below. These webpages will house all communications and resources from StJPII, Catholic Schools Office as well as Federal, State and Local government entities.
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Virtual "Christ's Love is the Key"
Our love bulletin board is growing! As you know, our school theme this year is "Christ's Love is the Key". When we were together as a student body, we took this idea to heart, and learned about ways that we can show Christ's love to others. We have an oversized key that visited many homerooms that provided a daily reminder about the importance of showing Christ's love through compassion, courage, service and faith - which also happen to be the cornerstone virtues of our House System. Here are a couple or recent ways that our students have been Christ to others:
- Lauren Leech is making blankets for Texas Children’s Hospital as well as Camp Hope.
- Jordyn Downey saved a turtle from the road
Students can still earn hearts even while they are at home! Help us grow our "virtual bulletin board" by adding more yellow hearts to our wall! Please submit how you are sharing Christ's love to:
communications@jp2.org
.
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Kids Meals Houston Service Project Update
Kyle has collected $597 worth of donations that have supplied 500 meals, THANK YOU! If you would like to follow this journey, please join the Facebook group called SJP2 Kids’ Meals Project.
For more information on the Kids’ Meals mission, you may find it here:
kidsmealsinc.org
. If you have any questions for for how to contribute, please contact Kyle at:
garvis.kyle@gmail.com
.
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Be not afraid...To Give
Thank you to our many families who have already given to this year's Annual Fund. We are living in unprecedented times and facing unprecedented needs. But we also trust that our Lord will continue to bless StJPII, just as He always has. We realize that everyone is in a much different position than we were before Spring Break. So much has changed in our lives with homeschooling, working from home, worrying about loved ones, and concern over the financial markets. As we look to the end of this semester it weighs heavy on our hearts that we won't be able to close the year together. As we make plans now for reopening, we anticipate that our families will face even greater long-term financial needs due to the pandemic. If you have not yet given to the Annual Fund, but still have the ability to do so, please know that it will make a tremendous difference and help us keep our community together. Now more than ever your gift will ensure that a StJPII Catholic education remains possible for every desiring family. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
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Tuition for 2020-2021
Please note that in acknowledging all the changes our families are experiencing, tuition for the 2020-21 school year will be due May 1, 2020, however no late fees will be applied until after May 31st.
The Business Office is open Monday-Friday 9-12, if you prefer to drop off your tuition payment in person.
Families interested in applying for a tuition loan for the 2020-2021 school year through Allegiance Bank may do so online using the bank's standard loan application form. Please remember to start this process at least three weeks before the due date, and note that the bank will need an authorization form and a tuition invoice from our Business Office to process your application. To obtain these, you may email your request to the Business Manager at
businessoffice@jp2.org. Please note at this time, the lobby at Allegiance Bank is closed. You must use the drive-through to submit your paperwork, or you may leave your documents in the night drop box after business hours. For more information, visit:
https://jp2.org/tuition-loans
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Tutoring Available for StJPII Students
Katherine and Caroline Kunkel, Class of 2017 StJPII Alumni, have offered to provide free online tutoring and help with homework for our students. They are currently juniors at St. Agnes Academy and are available to help in the afternoons and evenings via an online platform such as Zoom or Google Hangouts. They are happy to provide this service, since they have some unexpected free time and are familiar with our curriculum (and it just might give our parents a much needed break too)! Caroline in particular loves working with kids and has done a lot of work with them. In non-Covid times she volunteers weekly at a therapeutic horseback riding facility that works with physically and mentally challenged kids. She currently hopes to study pediatric physical therapy. Katherine is good with kids too and is particularly strong in math and science.
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Summer Enrichment Program
We are moving our Summer Enrichment Program to July 6 - 24. We will
follow all necessary guidelines set by health authorities, TEA and
Governor Abbott for the safety of our staff and students. Children 3
years old through 8th grade are invited to the StJPII Summer
Enrichment Program (SEP), where we emphasize hands-on exploration in a fun, stimulating and supportive environment. The program features
small class sizes and is taught by highly-qualified teachers. (Before and after care is available too.) Registrations will be accepted through June 5. Send your registration forms directly to Mrs. McCurry's email (
kmccurry@jp2.org). Please send payments to the school. Either mail your check to school or drop your check off Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. at the front office. Make
sure to mark the envelope attention Kim McCurry/SEP. We will proceed with this plan unless we are directed otherwise by local or state authorities. In the event that the Summer Enrichment Program is
cancelled, your payment will be refunded.
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Dear Parents,
This week our diocese school counselors shared a FREE parent support resource in our area that they are telling me has been very well received by their communities. I want to be sure our parents can join if any of you have an interest.
Dr. Kimberly Harrison, with The Conative Group, is hosting two free weekly Zoom meetings to offer parent support. This week was focused on managing the boredom that has set in and how to decide what to change up and how to manage that change: Going the Distance with Short Attention Spans.
It’s the same topic for both groups each week – just 2 sections since some parents wanted a daytime group and others wanted evening. The groups are geared toward parents of children and teens with ADHD, but they have had some other parents (and teachers) join for connection and support. She has also created several vlogs which are on their website, or can be subscribed to on YouTube
(
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpUTW9zYYQS0XqEnbqyGkbA?view_as=subscriber
). These vlogs capture some of the highlights of the support group presentations. Zoom invites stay the same throughout April and are included below - feel free to pass them on to anyone you think might need it. If there is interest, she is deciding whether to continue this series through part of May if it is helping.
Let me know if you have any questions and I’d love your feedback!
Betty Costantini
St. JPII Middle School Counselor
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Evan Weinberger, from Staying Ahead of the Game, has shared a really useful video below with specific suggestions for helping your children with distance learning. He is an expert at helping people with executive functioning skills so we really appreciate him taking the time to send it. We would love for you to watch it WITH your child to create a plan that works for the family since we are all working from home. Don't hesitate to reach out to your school counselors or to Evan if you need more ideas on supporting your child during this time. You can reach him at
heyevan@saotg.com
or check out their website
https://saotg.com.
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Story time with Principal Bogard
Join Mrs. Bogard in Story time as she reads
"The Frog in the Bog".
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Color Challenge with Principal Bogard
Did you join Mrs. Bogard in reading
"The Day the Crayons Quit" last week? If not, log on to Instagram or Facebook to read the story with her so you can participate. Please check out a few submissions below. Thank you Saints for participating.
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Be not afraid...to Showcase your Saints
We would love to hear from you! Please feel free to send us pictures or videos of your saints in action at home! Studying, playing their instruments, praying, helping around the house - whatever you think might brighten someone's day! Your submission may be included on the school's social media. If you do not follow the school's social media accounts, please click on the links below.
We would also like to feature our students praying the Angelus each day at noon - so send us those videos too! All submissions can be sent to:
communications@jp2.org.
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Class of 2020- High School Acceptances
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StJPII's Celebrating Class of 2020 Virtually
It's hard to imagine, but regardless of what happens with the corona virus situation, in two short months you will be high school students! I know - so hard to believe!
We're all anxious to hear about your plans for the future. It keeps us looking forward and solidifies in our minds and heart that our current situation is not forever.
Please send us a picture of yourself holding a sign, wearing a t-shirt, or somehow identifying where you're going to high school. The development office wants to celebrate you and highlight all of your futures on the school social media pages.
We can't wait to see what you've decided!
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Birthday Club
Please join us and wishing our Saints a very Happy Birthday 🎁🎂🎉🎉💙🥳! Saints family, please enjoy our virtual marquee to wish our students a very Happy Birthday while we are participating in
#distancelearning
.
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PTO Wish List Winners- April
Congratulations to our April PTO Wish List Winners!
Mrs. Costantini
Mrs. Morales
Mrs. Kim
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Join the PTO Team!
The PTO is looking for volunteers to chair several of the key activities and programs for the 2020 – 2021 school year. These volunteers are needed for the Book Club, Brick Pavers, Garden and Holiday on the Parkway. If interested, please reach out to PTO President -
Andrea Dvorachek.
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Elementary and Middle School
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WHCSA Spring Sports payment are being refunded to our little Saints every day. If you paid on Acceptiva your credit card should reflect your refund. If you paid by check it will take a bit more time for you to receive your reimbursement!! Also, a huge thank you to those that have generously donated their fee back to our WHCSA Athletic program, it is so greatly appreciated!!
Please continue to read SW for updates!
Please this week's PE video below.
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Prayer Requests
Our community is a united family of believers and we want to pray for you, your family, and friends during this difficult time. Please keep the following people in your prayers:
- Ron Abraham
- Children and staff of Amigos de Jesus
- Cesar Arana
- Yannina Britto
- Charles V. Cusimano
- Barb Decker
- Gabe Granado
- Vic Hughes
- Phillip Langer
- Kassandra Leal
- Shirley Levy
- Vinona Malaguilla
- Yannina Mendoza
- Richard Miranda
- Bernardo Nacino
- David Nunez
- Joshua Pham
- Anne Pierce
- Denise Richards
- Bobby Scelfo
- Carlota Zambrano
- Hillary Zapata
Though we cannot be together physically, our faith binds us together in Christ. If you would like to add a name to this list, visit
jp2.org/pray
. Please list anyone for whom we can pray. These intentions will be listed in
Saints Weekly
until school resumes. For questions or to remove someone from the list, please contact
jcook@jp2.org
.
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To view events related to StJPII, please click on the school calendars below.
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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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