Dear Saints,

Happy March...Spring is coming! I am so grateful that we are all back here on campus! It was wonderful to be able to come back to school and begin right away with Steps 4 Students! A huge thank you to our PE department and all of the students! They did a great job! 

This year we introduced the Virtues in Practice program studying and learning about many virtues and have now entered March which is dedicated to “Mercy” - showing care and compassion for one another. As we begin the second week of Lent, this is a gift for all of us to take time to allow ourselves to grow closer to Jesus, to experience a true inner conversion of our hearts, and grow in Mercy. Lent calls us to prepare for the resurrection through fasting, almsgiving and prayer. I hope that you take the gift of this liturgical season and truly allow the Lord to work within you and your family especially during this continued journey of the pandemic.  

As we finish out the third quarter and quickly begin our fourth quarter, I sit back and reflect on how far we have come! What a year it has been, God has been so good to us. Our community has come together in support of all of our new procedures and the many changes throughout the year and I am very grateful for your trust and support. We are still pressing on and looking forward to many events that will celebrate this school year. At this time, all our COVID procedures and protocols will remain in place. We have been able to stay a healthy community and we want that to continue. Should any changes be made, I will communicate with everyone as soon as possible; however, at this time, all protocols including masks will continue as stated in our COVID handbook.

“Remember that you are never alone, Christ is with you on your journey every day of your lives.”- St. John Paul II

In Him,

Principal

Join Dr. Laura McLain on Wednesday, March 3 at 10:00 a.m. for a virtual meeting via Zoom aiding mothers to help their daughters with body image. Participants will develop a greater understanding of various influences on the development of body image, explore the dynamics of the mother-daughter relationship and their impact on body image as well as receive suggestions for ways in which to help mothers encourage a more healthy body image for themselves and their daughters.

Please read Dr. McLain's bio below to learn more about her.

Laura McLain, PsyD, is the Site Director at The Renfrew Center of Atlanta. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University, Northridge and her Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from John F. Kennedy University. Dr. McLain has worked in a variety of settings and with several different populations including children with autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities, emerging adults, depression, anxiety, self-esteem and identity issues, addictions, and relationship issues. In addition to her role at Renfrew, she also works in private practice serving individuals suffering with eating disorders, addictions and trauma. Dr. McLain is an active member of the American Psychological Association (APA), the Georgia Psychological Association (GPA) and is the Social Media Chair for the iaedp Atlanta Chapter.

We are so excited that Spring break is almost here! Let's continue to practice healthy habits while we are away so that we can keep our campus community safe. We must work together to minimize risk both on and off-campus. Please stay vigilant and be mindful that the choices we make over the break could impact our students upon our return. It bears repeating, whether you are making plans to travel or not, the below are recommended guidelines to be followed by all travelers:

The StJPII tuition raffle is coming after Spring Break so mark your calendars! This will be your chance to win FREE StJPII TUITION for your oldest child for the 2021-2022 school year! All raffle proceeds benefit St. John Paul II Catholic School. It’s easy to participate! Tickets will be sent home in Tuesday folders on March 30, and the winner will be announced on April 16. Stay tuned to Saints Weekly in the coming weeks for more information.

Please join us this Friday for our weekly All School Mass at 8:30 a.m. by clicking the link below. Mass will be live-streamed via Zoom. In an effort to maintain the reverent nature of the Mass, please ensure you turn off your video and mute your devices to keep our focus on the altar.

Mass will remain virtual, with one important addition. This week Eucharistic ministers will visit grades 3 - 8 so students may receive the sacrament of Holy Communion with their homerooms. 

Your tuition invoices for school year 2021-22 were sent home in your youngest student's folder. Please remember that Tuition is due on Friday, April 30, 2021. If you need a tuition invoice, please contact the Business Office.

Thank you everyone for participating in Steps for Students this year. Here are the winners below!

Every PK student walked 1/2 mile!! Way to go!!

Individual most laps: Leah Shelton- May.

K-2: 2nd (561 laps = 140 miles)

3rd-5th: 3rd (536 laps= 134 miles)

6th-8th: 7th (664 laps= 166 miles)

K-2: K - Weido (193 laps= 48 miles)

3rd-5th: 4th - Condara (196 laps= 49 miles)  

6th-8th: 8th - Hartfiel (261 laps= 65 miles)  

K-2: K - Weido - Christopher Bartolo 22 laps = 5.5 miles

3rd-5th: 3rd - Morales - Chloe Doucette 16 laps = 4 miles

       3rd - Schoppe - William Barman 16 laps = 4 miles

       3rd - Schoppe - Londyn Lewis 16 laps = 4 miles

       3rd - Schoppe - Sophia Rome 16 laps = 4 miles

       4th - Condara - Haley Brooklyn 16 laps = 4 miles

       5th - Sudkamp - Max Vazquez 16 laps = 4 miles

6th-8th: 8th - Drewes - Christopher Pietrak 34 laps = 8.5 miles Special recognition to this student for his amazing effort!!

PE Teacher of the Day Winner: Johnathan Anderson

“Bidding with Bernie,” StJPII’s Online Auction, is coming soon! Be sure to visit www.jp2.org/Auction to preview all of the packages!

Children 3 years old through 8th grade are invited to the StJPII Summer Enrichment Program (SEP), June 7-25 from 9:30-2:30, 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 aftercare is available too.)

The early registration deadline is April 9, after which date the registration fee increases. Sibling discounts are also available. For more information and to register, click the button below or contact SEP Director Kim McCurry.

Check the school calendar for the schedule.

Click on the various links to see club flyers, contact information, and online registration.

Get ready for "Ultimate Fan Duel" week! Thanks to the Garcia Family who earned naming rights in last year's gala, next week we all get to be part of the Texas Longhorn community. On Wednesday, March 3, Students may wear UT shirts (or a StJPII spirit shirt) with their regular uniform bottoms (shorts, skorts, skirts or pants). Want to fly your alma mater's school colors next year? Be on the lookout for this package in the upcoming Bidding with Bernie Online Auction!

All of our Spring sports teams are formed and ready for their season to start! Congratulations to all of our athletes for their hard work during tryouts!

Please refer to the Athletic calendar for all practice and game information! 

Our teams are formed and our Coaches are ready to play ball! If you registered your child to play you should hear from your coach this week as we have set our practice schedule and all important information has gone out to the Coaches. 

Please join us for the March virtual PTO meeting to be held tomorrow, Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021 09:30 AM Central Time.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83091187399?pwd=MUlpQ3NiT0E3Zmo3Y0ZTaTVHYVoydz09

Due to COVID restriction, we have to have the First Friday Lunches catered and the SUG is a collection.

Birthday Club suppliers are running low, size small t-shirts are sold out!! Orders are honored on a first-come, first-served basis so do not delay in signing up your kid(s) for the birthday recognition. It is a lot of fun to celebrate his/her birthday at school.