Dear Saint families,
Happy Tuesday! I am so grateful for each of you, your support, and perseverance through this shared journey of Distance Learning. I think we all agree that we had hoped things would be different in our world by now; we had all prayed that we would end this school year together as a community of Saints. I recognize that there is such a tremendous need and longing for personal connections now more than ever before. Rest assured that our faculty and staff are fully committed to continuing to provide lessons, activities, and online support to complete the 2019-2020 Academic year, which will end on May 21, 2020.
Thank you for partnering with us and helping your child fulfill their school responsibilities. Even though schools are “closed” through the end of the semester, our learning continues. Please know that I empathize with you that these circumstances are far from anything we have ever experienced. We will extend grace and forgiveness knowing that we are doing our best. Each of you have different challenges facing your family; we are striving to do our best to accommodate your needs. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to adjust our offerings and support. Soon you will begin to see lessons and activities shared on Fridays for the week ahead. This will provide families and students a little more time to feel more prepared to begin on Mondays.
This week I am meeting with staff to finalize our plans for graduation and closing out the year. We’ve got some exciting and creative plans to recognize our graduating 8th graders! And we are also hopeful that we can plan an event later this summer where all families can come together to celebrate our community. We will provide further updates about those details next week. While I know this is difficult and there is still uncertainty, we must rely on our faith to see us through and place our trust in Him.
“Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly knowing that I am with you, therefore no harm can befall you; all is very, very well. Do this in complete faith and confidence.” St. John Paul II
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3rd Quarter Saints Award Winners
Congratulations to our 3rd Quarter Saints Award Winners! Each quarter, homeroom teachers nominate students in their classrooms who exemplify good citizenship. Typically they are honored with a Saints Breakfast before school, but this quarter we are recognizing them with the attached video and a special treat from Russo's Pizzaria! Click the video below to find out who the winners are in your homeroom! Thank you to these student leaders who are showing Christ's love through good citizenship!
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Middle School Electives for 2020-2021 School Year
Take advantage of the time at home with your kiddo and discuss all of the exemplary elective programs offered by our school. Elective choice sheets will be provided to parents via Google Forms on
Monday, April 13. Be on the lookout for showcase links to explain elective programs a bit deeper under Academics-->
Auxiliary for Distance Learning on
StJPII webpage. Elective forms are due on
Friday, April 24.
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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:
- Kyle Garvis has organized a way to donate meals to kids who may not have enough food during the Covid-19 pandemic. See below to help out!
- Elsa Harris has made masks to benefit Masks of Hope.
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
With schools closed, many Houston children go hungry. Eighth grader Kyle Garvis is putting together a way to let our Saints students help feed these children. Kids’ Meals Houston feeds Houston’s children all year long. They are critically low on volunteers to make and deliver meals, so this is where StJPII kids can help AND maintain social distancing! !s there a chore your child could do for your family for $2? That $2 will provide a Houston child with a meal.
This service project is being coordinated completely by Kyle and his family. Each week you may tally money earned and send it via PayPal, Quick Pay or check to Kyle Garvis. Kyle will use all monies received each week to make sack lunches to deliver to Kids’ Meals on behalf of our StJPII Saints. Kyle will update
Saints Weekly
with the amount of meals delivered and we will also share his progress on social media. 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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Library Book Return
Do you have library books you would like to return? There will be bucket for drop off on April 28 to return books.
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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
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.)
While we are continuing to offer our summer program at this time, we are planning for July. More information will be available in next week's
Saints Weekly.
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Elementary Counselor Website with Resources
Elementary parents, please check out Ms. Quinlan's google site for "Social Emotional Learning" (SEL) lessons and a few videos about breathing and calming techniques. This may be helpful if your students are having trouble adjusting to social distancing or anxiety.
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Coping with Anxiety- Resources for Middle Schoolers
Last week the Diocese shared a website with counselors focusing on coping skills for kids. This can be extremely helpful with Middle Schoolers as the anxiety of staying on track with school, social distancing and day to day anxiety may be setting in. Visit the website below and if you have any questions, feel free to email me at
BCostantini@jp2.org.
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Story time with Principal Bogard
Join Mrs. Bogard in Story time as she reads
"The Day the Crayons Quit". Make sure you listen to the very end for a special challenge from Mrs. Bogard.
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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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Halo News- Distance Learning Edition
The Halo News team put together its first distance learning edition. Please tune in to see what's happening around the StJPII Community. If you would like to be featured in the next edition, please share your photos or videos to social media by tagging StJPII and using the hashtag #SensationalSaints.
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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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Box Tops- Online Shopping
To earn for StJPII make sure you have a Box Tops for Education account (you can create one via the Box Tops app or website). Forward your email receipt to
receipts@boxtops4education.com using the email that's associated with your Box Tops for Education account.
The following email receipts are currently eligible- H-E-B, Instacart, Jet.com, SamsClub.com, Sam's Club Scan & Go, Shipt, Target.com, Target Pick-Up/Drive-Up, Walmart Grocery, Walmart Pay and Walmart.com
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Ambassador Families- Sign up link now live!
A wonderful tradition we have at StJPII is our Ambassador Family program, welcoming new students and their families into our Saints community. Every incoming family is assigned an “Ambassador Family” to help guide them during their first year at StJPII. Volunteers are needed from all grades, and we need LOTS of volunteers in order to find a match for each of our new families.
Families with PreK and K students will comprise more than 60% of our volunteer needs!
Families with elementary students in grades 1-5 comprise almost 30% of our volunteer needs!
Families with middle school students in grades 6-8 comprise more than 10% of our volunteer needs! If you are willing to assist, please sign up -- we need you! Go to the button below for more information and to sign up today!
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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
- Keshia Barnett
- Charles V. Cusimano
- Gabe Granado
- Vic Hughes
- Phillip Langer
- Shirley Levy
- Vinona Malaguilla
- Richard Miranda
- Bernardo Nacino
- David Nunez
- Anne Pierce
- Denise Richards
- Bobby Scelfo
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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