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Hello Cardinal Family, and Happy October!
Now that we are well on our way into the school year, I wanted to give you an update on our adjustment to an improved accountability system.
By now, I hope you’ve heard a lot about Capturing Kids Hearts. Our faculty and staff were treated to a couple of days of refreshing and insightful professional development experiences where we examined the roots of student success. We know that we put our students in a better position to reap all the benefits each course/activity/sport has to offer when there are healthy relationships among faculty, between faculty and students, and among students.
In order to help foster these relationships, teachers are facilitating the creation of social contracts in each of their classes. This allows students to collaborate and voice their thoughts on how each individual in the classroom is to treat others. When students misstep and break the contract in some way, the teacher is likely to reference the social contract and ask the following questions: 1. What are you doing? 2. What should you be doing? 3. Are you doing it? 4. What are you going to do about it? Ideally, these questions should prompt students to refocus and continue on in class. However, persistent behavior issues may expand beyond classroom accountability and into my office.
There may be times when a social contract is broken (officially or unofficially) within a classroom, in the hallway, in the dining hall, or in the realm of social media, where my job is to seek truth and resolution. This may involve calling students out of class to gather more information about a situation. Formation is also a partnership, so while we are teaching students to be honest and advocate for themselves, you can always expect to be included in the conversation should your child struggle to adhere to our expectations.
I encourage you to check Cardinal Connect soon and keep an eye on the conduct tab, specifically uniform infractions (especially IDs), tardies, and unexcused absences. Each of these minor infractions can start to add up pretty quickly, and I don’t want you or your child to be blindsided by a consequence.
In closing, I want to acknowledge that adults are humans too, and it is unreasonable to think that we will always get it right. The faculty and staff at JPII hold ourselves to high standards and have even created our own social contract. You have our commitment to modeling what we expect of our students and striving to be the hands and feet of Jesus to all we encounter.
Praying for you!
Allie Choiniere
Dean of Formation
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KAIROS RETREAT (FALL 2023)
Please continue to pray for these juniors and seniors who have chosen to embark on the next step in their relationship with Christ.
Please pray for the teachers and students that lead them on this journey!
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Congratulations, Class of 2023!
John Paul II High School has been named to the 2023 AP School Honor Roll! John Paul II High School is a PLATINUM member of the Honor Roll!
John Paul II High School had 92% of seniors who took at least one AP exam during high school, 74% of seniors scoring a three or higher on at least one AP exam, and 43% of seniors who took five or more AP exams!
About the AP Honor Roll
The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while broadening access. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximizing college readiness.
The AP School Honor Roll offers four levels of distinction:
- Platinum
- Gold
- Silver
- Bronze
#CardinalProud
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YEARBOOK EMAILS AND SNAIL MAIL
Through Sept. 30, sales of the 2024 yearbook and senior ads are more than double that of the same period last year!
Keep an eye out for a special mailing from Balfour the week of Oct. 9 that includes ordering information.
In addition, keep an eye out for emails that the yearbook staff sends through the Balfour system with information about purchasing senior ads and yearbooks.
The deadline to reserve senior ads is Nov. 15. This year, you have the option of building the ad yourself through the Balfour site, or having the yearbook staff build it for you.
Yearbooks are currently $80 per copy.
To review prices or to order a senior ad or yearbook, go to www.balfour.com. Be sure you search for John Paul II High School in PLANO.
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Dear Parents:
Thank you for all that you have done to partner with us for the first quarter of the new school year. I want to tell you what an honor it is to work with the team and John Paul II High School and I want to thank you for your trust in our faculty and staff helping to form and educate your child.
I want to address an important part of student life, the Dining Hall. For the 2023-2024 school year, the school made the decision to partner with FLIK, a third-party food vendor that specializes in food service for schools. Our food quality has always been a source of pride and a strength of JPII. We want our food and the service provided to continue to be a strength at JPII for many years to come. We chose to invest in FLIK because, after reviewing their good work at other schools, we believe that FLIK will elevate the dining experience and provide a high level of service for our families and our students.
What FLIK Offers
- FLIK is an expert in food service. They have registered dieticians on staff to support us and they provide relevant training for their people so they remain knowledgeable on food trends, allergies, and food safety practices.
- FLIK identifies 9 different allergens and publishes these allergens for our students and our families.
- FLIK’s food is made from scratch, including salad dressings and all meat. The only exception to this is the hamburger patties. (Hamburger patties are purchased rather than using ground beef to form the patties).
- Menus are posted online and at least 2 weeks in advance for our families and students to view.
Enhancements that we’ve already made since the 2023-2024 school year began
- We have added 2 additional personnel in the Dining Hall this year. This decision was made to reduce the time students would spend waiting in lines so they could enjoy their lunchtime with friends.
- We now have 5 stations open for lunch, one more than last year. Having more stations open means we can offer more variety for our students.
- Feedback from FLIK’s registered dietician was that our portions were unhealthy because they were too large. In addition, food costs have continued to rise and are 10%+ higher than last year. Providing a lunch that meets dietary guidelines which also helps to offset inflationary costs is a benefit for all.
What hasn’t changed
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Our people – we have the same strong team of Dining Hall cooks, servers, and checkout people that we had last year, only more now (+2)
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Our prices – our lunch meals are priced at $7.50 which includes a fountain beverage; we do have more a la carte offerings this year, but our base meal price remains unchanged.
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Our commitment to deliver the best lunch for our students
Another area that made FLIK stand out was how much they valued feedback. Not only did we hear this from FLIK, but we also heard it from other schools that leveraged FLIK as their partner in-house. FLIK has a robust system for feedback which will be launched soon at JPII.
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Let’s Talk FLIK is a daily feedback program that is student-centered. Let’s Talk FLIK posters will be installed in the Dining Hall with a QR code. Students can scan the QR code and share any feedback they have while it’s top of mind. This feedback program goes all the way up to the CEO of FLIK and our JPII administrative team so it has high visibility at many levels.
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A National Survey is sent to all schools that FLIK operates in two times per year. This survey is administered by an independent third party and will be sent out later this month.
- Since FLIK’s model is new for JPII and our students, it’s important that we understand our student feedback. FLIK’s regional Registered Dietician will lead four Focus Groups with 8-12 students from various grade levels this December. This will be an opportunity for FLIK to better understand feedback from the survey and hear from students in an open environment.
I encourage you and your students to share your feedback so our Dining Hall can continue to be a strength for JPII now and into the future.
We are excited that FLIK has partnered with us at JPII now. Please extend a warm welcome to FLIK as they are now part of our Cardinal family.
We are grateful for your feedback and want to partner with you to ensure our Dining Hall is a pleasure to visit for the students!
Go Cardinals,
Karl Ertle
Interim President
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Remind Reminder
This year we will be using remind.com to communicate with students, parents, and each other through text without exchanging personal cell phone numbers. Please read through the instructions below and use the links to sign up for any groups you would like to receive text reminders about!
Parents:
Please use the following links to join your child’s class(es) for the reminders you want to receive from the school.
Click to view the "Parents Remind - QR Code Flyer"
Students:
Please use the following links to sign up to receive reminders from the school.
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Health Clinic Announcement
In order for students to receive over-the-counter (OTC) medications/topics/ointments, etc., parents/legal guardians need to provide the medication in the ORIGINAL & UNOPENED container. Unless the parents have submitted the attached OTC form with the indicated medication, the clinic is not able to provide OTC medications.
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Campus Ministry Announcements
We are hosting a special mass of healing for our beloved principal emeritus, Marlene Hammerle, on Thursday, October 12th from 7:45 am-8:20 am in the chapel. All are welcome to attend, alumni and alumni parents too! The reception will be provided by the Cardinal Women’s Auxiliary.
Due to the PSAT Wednesday, there will be no morning mass, Praise and Worship, or Ministry Wednesdays after school programming. Join us when they return on October 19th!
God Bless!
Mr. Brandt
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Looking for more fellowship and formation as a JPII parent or alumni parent? Anchored in Christ is a new group for JPII parents, led by JPII parents. It's designed to help you take time out of your busy lives to reconnect with God and with one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. The first meeting is Friday the 15th, and all are welcome to come and see!
Sign Up Form
For more information contact Mr. Brandt at nicholasbrandt@johnpauliihs.org.
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School Choice provides the following:
- Building Stronger Communities
- Supporting Parent Authority
- Encouraging Stewardship
- Promoting Civic Virtue
- Embracing Diversity and Inclusion
School Choice Sunday on October 15, 2023, across the Catholic Diocese of Dallas.
More Information from the Catholic Diocese of Dallas regarding School Choice.
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Every year, the Cardinal Women's Auxiliary (CWA) hosts the Christmas Bazaar at John Paul II High School.
This event raises funds to support JPII and our students. Join us to shop over 150 vendors and so much more.
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Schedule of Events*
Tuesday, October 10, 2023
- Away @ TCA
- 5:00 PM - Freshmen Volleyball vs. Ursuline
- 5:00 PM - JV Volleyball vs. Ursuline
- 6:00 PM - Varsity Volleyball vs. Ursuline
Thursday, October 12, 2023
- Home @ JPII
- 6:00 PM - JV Football vs. Grapevine Faith
- Away @ Parish
- 5:00 PM - JV Volleyball vs. Prestonwood
- 6:00 PM - Varsity Volleyball vs. Prestonwood
Friday, October 13, 2023
- Away
- 7:00 PM - Varsity Football vs. Grapevine Faith
- Water Polo @ TISCA Championships - TBD Location & Times
Saturday, October 14, 2023
- Away: Water Polo @ TISCA Championships - TBD Location & Times
*Before you go - be sure to double-check the schedules on the Cardinals athletic website @ https://jpiicardinals.org/
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A message from the TAPPS office regarding:
-Fan Behavior
-Removal from the Contest
-Storming the Court/Field
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As we continue to progress through our fall athletic contests and towards district play, Sportsmanship and Competition with Honor will remain important factors in all of our member schools' athletic programs. We want to remind you that the TAPPS Executive Board unanimously approved increasing the penalties in the cases of a coach, athlete, or fan being removed from an athletic contest. In addition, the Board agreed to address the issue of fans rushing the field, court, or pitch. The following changes and additions are in place for the 2023-24 school year:
- Removal from Contest:
- Fan – school is fined $250
- Player – 1 game suspension (1st half of next game in football) and a $100 fine ($200 fine for playoffs)
- Coach – 2 game suspension (1 game in football), public reprimand, and a $300 fine ($500 fine for playoffs)
- After 3 ejections (player or coach) in a sport/5 ejections as a school
In addition to a required meeting by the coaches and AD with TAPPS, the AD will receive a public reprimand and probation.
- Fans rushing the field/court/pitch at the buzzer with no incident (players and officials no longer on the court):
- First Offense - Warning
- Second Offense - $1500 fine
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Third Offense - $1500 fine and no fans at the next game
- Fans rushing the field/court/pitch at the buzzer with players and officials still on the court:
- First Offense - $1500 fine
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Second Offense - $1500 fine and no fans at the next game
- Third Offense - Additional sanctions to be determined by TAPPS
With these thoughts in mind, the TAPPS Office has created a brief video that we encourage you to review and share with all of your stakeholders.
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GAME DAY INFORMATION
Information regarding food, pets, parking, etc. when you are attending events at John Paul II High School.
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Game Day Parking and Traffic Flow | | |
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Looking for ways to get involved this school year?
Join our JPII Parent Teacher Student Organization!
There will be lots of opportunities to help this year, and you can pick what works best for you!
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
If you can help, please contact Renee at renee.herrin@gmail.com
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Come Out and Help Under the Friday Night Lights
Sign up to volunteer for Big Red Store during home Football Games
October 6th - Sign Up Here
October 27th - Sign Up Here
November 3rd - Sign Up Here
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🎉 Exciting News from The Catholic Foundation! 🎉
We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Work of Heart program for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year! 🚀 This initiative is all about recognizing the incredible individuals who make a difference in our school community every day.
📢 Mark Your Calendars: Here are the essential Work of Heart deadlines:
- November 3, 2023
- January 5, 2024
- April 5, 2024
🌟 Staff and parents - take a moment to nominate those outstanding full-time teachers, administrators, maintenance staff, and lunchroom heroes who go above and beyond.
🙌Let's come together as a community to recognize and appreciate those who make our school truly special. Your support can make all the difference!
Complete the form at this link: www.catholicfoundation.com
Thank you for being a part of the Work of Heart program. Together, we can make this school year one filled with appreciation, recognition, and heartwarming stories. 💖
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Mission: To develop leaders who are critical thinkers
and effective communicators, committed
to service and rooted in faith.
Vision: We will make a difference in the world by
walking in the footsteps of Pope John Paul II.
Motto: Seek to Serve.
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