July 2021

Dear Saint Families, It is with great JOY that I write to you today about our upcoming 2021-2022 school year! We are so excited to welcome all of our saints back to school in just a few short weeks! This past summer has been busy as we have been preparing for our students' and families' return. In addition to hosting an amazing Summer Enrichment Program, we also welcomed leading Catholic educators from around Texas to our campus for the first Symposium for Catholic Education. Additionally, we completed many projects around campus. I'm thrilled to announce that construction has been completed on our new Innovation Lab, which was made possible thanks to paddles up donations during our 2020 Mardi Gras Gala. I cannot wait for you to see the renovations and for the students to enjoy learning, collaborating, and inventing in this new space! While last year reminded us of the importance of faith, this year we will focus on the JOY of God's abundant blessings. I'm pleased to announce that this year's school theme is "Jesus Sparks JOY" (John 16:24). We will remain ever-focused on the gift of new beginnings and the overwhelming JOY that He provides every day. As we embark on the 2021-2022 year, the following updated Covid-19 protocols will be in place: Masks will be optional, provided conditions remain stable (if this changes, we will communicate with you prior to the start of school) Quarantine procedures will be in place Self-screening for staff and students, individuals must stay home if sick Regular cleaning and disinfecting Frequent hand-washing and sanitizing Lunch will be eaten in the cafeteria Students must bring their own water bottles. Water fountains will remain off, but bottle filling stations will be available. Extracurricular activities (sports and clubs) will take place Field trips will resume Volunteers/visitors will be allowed on campus after being properly screened 4th-8th grade lockers will be accessible All-school Mass will resume weekly in the GSC/BAC Our community's safety remains our priority, so we will continue to maintain other health protocols as indicated by the CDC; however, we are so excited to return to campus and enjoy our familiar school environment where our students thrive and flourish! Thank you for your prayers this summer, I greatly appreciate them. God bless you! In Him we trust,

Principal P.S. Be sure to click on the links and blue buttons that are embedded below which will take you to more detailed information.

Welcome New Faculty and Staff

Caitlyn Eldridge, 1st Grade Teacher Please help us welcome Caitlyn Eldridge to StJPII! Originally from deep East Texas, Mrs. Eldridge moved to the Houston area in 8th grade. She graduated from Klein High School and continued her education at Texas State University, receiving a Bachelor's in Elementary Education. Mrs. Eldridge began her career in Junction, Texas as a 2nd grade Reading/Social Studies teacher. This is her third year teaching and Mrs. Eldridge is so excited to continue learning and building her foundation as a teacher at StJPII in 1st grade! She and her husband have a four year old, a two year old, and two dogs....so their house is always loud! Additionally, when not teaching, Mrs. Eldridge enjoys traveling, going to the beach/lake, and decorating!

Jessica Braysaw, 2nd Grade Teacher Jessica Braysaw was born and raised in Houston and decided she would be a teacher when she was in third grade...and she has been living that dream since graduation. She studied at the University of Houston Clear Lake and has over 6 years of experience teaching Social Studies in the middle school grades. Mrs. Braysaw is very excited to take on a new role as a second grade teacher here at StJPII! Besides teaching, her other passion is traveling and learning/experiencing different cultures. Mrs. Braysaw and her husband, Elliott, spent a whole year traveling the world and crossing off many bucket-list items. She also enjoys reading and getting her students interested in reading as well by organizing book clubs. In her free time, Mrs. Braysaw likes to run, cook, and make custom lettering signs. After many years of teaching in public school, Mrs. Braysaw is most excited about sharing her faith with her students.

Anne Price, 2nd Grade Teacher We are pleased to introduce Anne Price, who is excited to join our faculty! Ms. Price graduated from the University of Dayton in 2019 with a B.S. in Education, a license to teach Pre-K to Grade Three, and an endorsement in Dyslexia. She has a special interest in teaching literacy, which she believes is the key to success. While at Dayton, Ms. Price participated in a two-year Dyslexia Practicum focusing especially on struggling readers and students identified with reading and/or writing disorders (dyslexia, dysgraphia, etc.). Ms. Price also recently completed a graduate program and is a licensed Special Education Teacher for students ages 3 to 21. Ms. Price attended Catholic schools her entire life, and most recently taught second and third grade at St. Mary School in Illinois. Ms. Price is committed to sharing her faith, serving others, and hopes to instill that desire in our students.

Anne Hodge, 3rd Grade Teacher Anne Hodge comes to us from another private school where she served as a 4th grade Team Lead, Department Chair, and Curriculum Team Member. Mrs. Hodge is a proud Aggie and feels blessed to have been a teacher for over 15 years spending time in both the public and private sectors. She is excited to be a part of the St. John Paul II family and cannot wait to serve as a 3rd grade teacher next year. She shared that she felt incredibly blessed to serve as a StJPII Summer Enrichment teacher as it helped her become acclimated and provided her with the time to personalize her new classroom. While Mrs. Hodge grew up in the North East, she calls Texas her home. She recently celebrated 30 years of marriage to her husband Jimmy and her 3 grown children, Hunter, Hannah, and Hope, bring her great joy. When Mrs. Hodge is not teaching, she is crafting, reading, or taking long walks with her husband and 70 pound dog, Bella. To say that Mrs. Hodge is excited is an understatement. She is enthusiastic about the freshness that comes from God’s new assignment!

Danielle Hirsch, 6-7th Grade Math Teacher StJPII welcomes Danielle Hirsch, the new middle school math teacher. Ms. Hirsch has taught math for 7 years. She graduated from Concordia University Texas in Austin and has certifications for both middle school and high school math. Ms. Hirsch is a huge fan of the Houston Astros! Bagwell and Biggio became her role models when she attended her first game at the Astrodome! Ms. Hirsch also enjoys making quilts, reading, and watching movies in her free time. Ms. Hirsch also has a fur-baby, Mishka, who is a husky that loves to run (she is working on getting faster to keep up on their walks/runs)! She is so excited and thankful to be joining SJPII this year!

Chris Osgood, 7-8th Grade Theology Teacher Chris Osgood converted to the Catholic faith in 2007 while aspiring to be a Baptist pastor at Liberty University. Upon his conversion, he founded the Catholic Campus Ministry at Liberty. Mr. Osgood was featured on EWTN’s “The Journey Home” where he shared his conversion story. After graduation, he entered the seminary to discern the priesthood. Although Mr. Osgood was ready to accept that vocation, God called him elsewhere. He has 10+ years of experience serving in youth & young adult ministry from being a parish youth minister and Catholic School teacher to serving twice as a diocesan director of youth & young adult ministry (Diocese of Laredo, TX & Diocese of Savannah, GA). In his spare time, Mr. Osgood enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife and daughter. In the fall you will find him watching college football (especially the Navy Midshipmen). Please keep Mr. Osgood in your prayers, as he is praying for you and your children for this upcoming year.

Sara Nunez,  Elementary Spanish Teacher Sara Nunez was raised in Mexico, studied at a Catholic School dedicated to the exaltation of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and graduated from the Catholic University of Monterrey with a Bachelor's degree in Science of Education with a specialty in Child Psychology. She later obtained an International Certification of Early Intervention and Stimulation (infants). Mrs. Nunez and her family relocated to Texas 16 years ago, and for 12 years, they have been proud members of the StJPII community, with both her children attending the school. Now, her children are students at Purdue University and St. Agnes Academy. Mrs. Nunez is grateful to God for allowing her to continue to be part of the StJPII family as a teacher and is excited to motivate her students to practice Spanish with different creative teaching strategies. At home she enjoys gardening, walking her dog Lola, and learning about other cultures.

Lisa Chavez, Office Assistant Lisa Farina Chavez was born and raised in Chicago, IL and attended Catholic school (K-12) and pursued and graduated with a Bachelor's of Arts degree from the University of Illinois Chicago in the field of communication. After pursuing a career in Television Production for 15 years, Lisa and her family moved to HTX. Lisa has been married for 22 years with two children, Alia who attended and graduated from StJPII and Luca who is a current student. When Lisa is not working she loves spending time with family, going on nature walks and cooking. Lisa’s passions also include her love for animals and she is a proud parent to 3 rescue dogs. Lisa has been active on StJPII's staff since January 2021 and absolutely loves it!

Jennifer Linhardt, PE Teacher Meet the newest addition to our Athletic Department, Jennifer Linhardt. Ms. Linhardt is going on her 13th year of teaching, 10 of those years were working in a Catholic school in Oklahoma. Ms. Linhardt is originally from OK and moved to Houston 3 years ago. She has a daughter in graduate school at UT, who is pursuing her Ph.D. in Phycology. Ms. Linhardt absolutely enjoys her job as a physical education teacher and coach. Before working as a teacher, she worked in the OR as a surgical technician for 20 years. It was an eye-opener regarding the importance of teaching young children about life-long health. Ms. Linhardt personally loves to stay active and enjoys bike riding, running, and gardening. You can always find her reading a book in her spare time as well!

Suzy de Leon, Interim Middle School Assistant Principal Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Suzy de Leon, who will assume the role of interim Middle School Assistant Principal. Our previous Middle School Principal, Dr. Mike Weinman, recently accepted a position working closer to his home and so we have begun our search for his replacement. Mrs. de Leon has served as our Elementary Assistant Principal and most recently as Dean of Curriculum and Instruction. Her leadership, passion for Catholic education, and experience will serve us well during this transition. We are confident that Mrs. de Leon's background and the established relationships that she has built with our staff, students, and families will be a tremendous blessing for our Middle School in the months ahead.

Other Staff Reassignments: Monica Morales - Kindergarten Assistant Kristi Yohr - Religion Coordinator Tara Schurman - Intervention Specialist Cindy Kim - Interim Technology Teacher

Welcome Events

Ice Cream Social All NEW Families and Ambassador Families are invited: Sunday, August 15, 2:00-4:00 p.m. in the BAC/GSC (gym and cafeteria). Orient new families, pick up uniforms/carpool tags, register for BASP (before and after school care), get information for after-school clubs, sign up to volunteer for PTO Committees, snack on ice-cream, and meet fellow StJPII SAINTS!

Meet and Greet ALL families are invited: Monday, August 16, 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.

Parent Nights Aug. 31 - PreK, Kindergarten, Middle School Parents Sept. 1 - 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. These events begin at 6:00 p.m., and are for parents only, so please make plans for your children to stay at home.

Prepare for the First Days of School

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).  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.

Uniforms

Here is a short description of which uniforms should be worn, by day: Monday - Casual uniform day Tuesday - House shirt polos, with uniform bottoms (first day of school) Wednesday - Spirit shirt day, with uniform bottoms Thursday - Casual uniform day Friday - Full dress day for All-School Mass Casual uniform orders can be picked up during the Ice Cream Social or Meet and Greet. All other uniforms are available at Mills Uniforms.

Used Uniform Sale The Used Uniform Sale will take place during the Meet and Greet on Monday, August 16, 4:00-6:00 p.m. in St. Jude Hall. Proceeds will benefit the Class of 2022.

Handbook Updates

Please refer to the StJPII Parent-Student Handbook for important Handbook changes and additions for the upcoming school year: Early Dismissal Days - Monthly early dismissals will now take place on Tuesdays for teacher faculty meetings, which are typically the last week of every month. Early dismissal times remain 2:15 (PreK, Kinder), 2:30 (1st-5th grades), 2:45 (Middle School). PG 15 Middle School Exams - will take place May 16-19, 2022 with dismissal at 12:00 for all Middle School students. PG 17 Middle School Grade Weighting - 45% major grades, 45% classwork, 10% homework. PG 17 Methods of Communication - IRIS (for emergencies), Parent Portal (for academics), Constant Contact (for Saints Weekly newsletter, events, fundraising, etc.) PG 18 Additional Progress Monitoring Tool: NWEA - online assessment to benchmark progress in reading, language, math, and science. PG 20 Tardies/Arriving late to School - students arriving 2+ hours late will be marked absent for 1/2 the day. PG 34 Dress Code: Watches - No beeping, chiming, flashing, or smartwatches allowed. Elementary - only digital and analog allowed; Middle School may wear Fitbits. PG 45 Middle School Block Schedule - see article below. PG 66 6th Grade Chromebooks - The one time $400 Technology Fee covers the Chromebook, charger, case, earbuds, warranty/repair, and GoGuardian safety software.  PG 78

School Business

Cafeteria Service We are very pleased to announce that lunch service will resume in the cafeteria! ECI is the company who manages our cafeteria and cooks the delicious meals that our students may buy for lunch. ECI will return to the "Dining Pay" declining balance system that was used prior to Covid. (Last year's ordering system was temporary due to protocol changes made by ECI.) Any balances remaining from last year and years prior are combined and visible when logging in to https://diningpay.com. For more information, please contact Eci@ecimanagementgroup.com or call 682-703-2017. Representatives from ECI will be available during the Meet and Greet on August 16 to answer any questions you may have. Please click ECI's letter below for more information about meal costs and how to register.

ECI Info & Sign Up Form

Dining Pay Cafeteria Portal

Before and After School Care Program New parents may sign up for our Before and After School Program at the Ice Cream Social, however, current families must sign up by clicking the registration form below. For more information, see the Parent Student Handbook or contact BASP Director Leticia Velasco.

BASP Registration Form

Middle School

New Block Schedule for 6th-8th Grade Following our successful pilot run, Middle School will be implementing block schedule days this school year. This transition will maximize science lab activities, promote cooperative learning, and reach deeper levels of rigor across core subjects. Block schedule does not affect electives, nor will it lessen the number of minutes in any class per week. We look forward to this approach in meeting the needs of our learners. In addition to receiving individual schedules, your child will review their respective block days (Wednesdays/Thursdays) on the first day of school with their teachers to ensure understanding and allow for questions.

Get Involved

Join the PTO - Letter from the President On behalf of the PTO Board and Committee Chairs, welcome back to the 2021-2022 school year!  Praying that this upcoming school year is full of learning, fun, and community. We are so excited for all of the volunteer opportunities that we are bringing back to our school. I would like to extend an invitation to all parents to come and see what the PTO is all about. We have opportunities that are big and small for everyone. Just like our school's theme, volunteering at St. John Paul II Catholic School can "SPARK JOY" in your heart. Be not afraid....to volunteer!!! Go Saints! Nicole Lambert 2020-21 PTO President PTO@jp2.org Please click the button below to review the 2021-2022 Parent Opportunities Handout. Sign up for these opportunities will be available at a later date. If you are interested in serving as a Room Parent, then please send an email by clicking the "Interested in becoming a Room Parent?" button below.

Parent Opportunities Handout

Interested in becoming a Room Parent?

The PTO Needs YOU! Open Committee Chair Positions We are looking for volunteers to help fill the following positions on the PTO. Please email Nicole Lambert at pto@jp2.org if interested. Historian- This position will collect pictures from PTO events and organize them in our database. Altar Society- This position will work closely with Mrs. Yohr planning Vocations Day and some Saint Family activities.  Poinsettia Chairperson- This position will chair the Poinsettia Fundraiser in November. They will work with our new vendor to coordinate dates and delivery of the poinsettias. Art A La Carte - We are looking for two volunteers to shadow our current chairs. They will then take over as the new chairpersons for the 2022-2023 school year.   *** All of these positions can be one volunteer or a partnership if need be ***

Show your SAINTS Spirit The PTO Spirit Store sells a variety of awesome products featuring our school name and logo. Visit the online Spirit Store catalog today to get ready to show off your StJPII pride! Orders which are placed in August will be ready for the Ice Cream Social (new families ONLY) or Meet and Greet (as long as we have the product in stock). Contact the Spirit Store if you have any questions, spirit@jp2.org.

StJPII Spirit Store Online Order Form

Altar Server Training for 2021-2022 School Year If your student would like to be an Altar Server for our All-School Masses, please come to the Altar Server Training on Thursday, August 12 from 8:30-9:45 a.m. This training is for students in grades 5-8 who are active altar servers in their parish. Please follow up with Religion Coordinator Mrs. Kristi Yohr for more information.

Volunteer Approval Process We love our volunteers! If you wish to volunteer during the upcoming school year, you must be volunteer approved. Visit our website or click below for a checklist for how to become volunteer approved. First time volunteers, please note that processing the paperwork will take four to six weeks to complete, so don’t delay!

Sign up to be a Parent Volunteer

Gala

2022 Gala: Speakeasy Soiree on February 26, 2022 Join us for a celebration of Prohibition proportions as we sip on libations and cut a rug at this year’s StJPII Gala! It’s sure to be the cat’s pajamas! To kick-off the excitement, Gala Spirit Shirts will be sold at the Ice Cream Social and Meet-and-Greet for $20 while supplies last! (These shirts can be worn on Wednesdays with uniform bottoms.) View the teaser video below for all the details you won’t want to miss!

Gala Info & Tickets

Athletics

Elementary PreK- 5th grade Elementary Soccer registration opens on August 1st and will close on August 20th. 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! 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. Click here to see the 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 WHCSA Registration on the StJPII Athletic website. We cannot accept late registrations. Please see the Elementary Sports page on our website for additional information about Soccer, including frequently asked questions and coaching information. For more information, you may contact Elementary Athletics Director, Mary Beth Hewitt.

Middle School Our Middle School athletic program is governed by the Greater Houston Catholic Athletic Association (GHCAA). We open the school year with our Fall sports that begin in August. Our tryout schedule for Volleyball and Soccer is posted on the athletic calendar, as well as camps for both sports from Coach Ade and our new Volleyball Coach and PE teacher, Coach Linhardt! Varsity Football practice starts August 2nd and Cross Country will begin September 13. Varsity Cheer camp is also on the calendar. The GHCAA league has not put out any schedules as of yet, as soon as they do, they will be placed on the Athletics Calendar. Again, please refer to the Athletic calendar for all information and remember to click on the event to see all pertinent information. We also have 2 Saturday Girls Basketball clinics in place on Saturday, July 24th and 31st! Every student who will participate in a Middle School sport must have a new physical dated after May 1st 2021 submitted prior to tryouts or the start date for non-tryout sports. Your physical will be for the entire school year for all sports. For more information, you may contact Mary Beth Hewitt, Athletic Director, at mhewitt@jp2.org.

Athletics Calendar

Physical Form

St. John Paul II Catholic School 1400 Parkway Plaza, Houston, TX 77077 281-496-1500 • 281-496-2943 (fax) www.jp2.org  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

St. John Paul II Catholic School prepares all students spiritually and academically to succeed in life and to do God's will.