Dear Saints Families,
Welcome back! When I saw the beautiful sunrise this morning, I knew it was going to be a great day! On behalf of our teachers, staff, and administrative team, I would like to THANK YOU for today! What a true blessing it was to "see" our students! Either on campus or remote, I'm so happy that our community is together again. Today is a day that has been circled on our calendars for many months, and I'm so very appreciative to everyone who has made our reopening possible. While we may experience growing pains as we get used to our new routines, I know that our Lord will continue to watch over us now just as He always has.
Thank you in advance for your patience, grace, and partnership as we adapt to our new schedules, technology, and many safety procedures. This pandemic has taught us that many things are out of our control, with changes coming almost daily, so flexibility will be essential for all of us as we continue to adapt and make decisions that will benefit our entire saints community. Please make sure you are thoroughly reading this newsletter, Saints Weekly, every week as our environment is more dynamic than it's been in year's past. This newsletter is our primary communication channel, and so it is in your best interest to read each section (don't skim!) so you can stay up-to-date.
I would also like to extend a warm saints welcome to our newest families and students. We can't wait to get to know you this year! I also greatly appreciate our PTO and Ambassador Families too - thank you for volunteering to help our new saints transition to our community. It will be so wonderful to "Grow in Faith and Virtue" together this year. Today we remember St. Helen, the mother of the emperor Constantine. She is best known for finding the cross of Jesus. She is the patron saint of new discoveries - which is very fitting as we begin our new year discovering, learning, and growing together. "This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24
In Him,
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Friday Mass
We are looking forward to celebrating our first all-school Mass of the 20/21 school year this Friday. The Mass will be celebrated by our school Chaplain Fr. Eamonn Shelly in our All-Saints Chapel and will be live-streamed to the homerooms and remote students (link will be shared soon). While it may look different and we won't physically be together in the GSC, we are reminded that we are a unified body of Christ. Mass will be the perfect opportunity to pray together and ask for the Lord's blessings over our StJPII school community as we "grow in faith and virtue" this year.
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Parent Paperwork - Due this Friday
Be on the lookout for the first day of school paperwork. Remote students can find it in their bags. On campus learner paperwork will be sent home in Tuesday folders. All parent paperwork is due back to school by this Friday, August 21st. Remote learners, please scan or take a photo of your documents and email them to your homeroom teacher.
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Seesaw on an iPad
PreK – 2nd Grade Students: Using Seesaw on a mobile device such as an iPad
If you are using a mobile device, please make sure you install the following apps:
· ClassLink App
· Seesaw App
Step 1: Make sure you have ClassLink Launchpad and Seesaw mobile apps installed on your device. Click on the links below:
Step 2: Log into the ClassLink app on you mobile device using your QuickCard or sign in with Google and use your StJPII credentials.
Step 3. Tap the Seesaw App icon within ClassLink. It should then launch the Seesaw app if you have it installed on your device. The Seesaw app in ClassLink is the key to open the Seesaw app that you downloaded to your device. Without going through ClassLink first, you won’t be able to log into Seesaw.
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Installing the ClassLink Launchpad app on a Mobile Device
Step 1 – Install the ClassLink LaunchPad app. Click on the links below:
Step 2 - Open the app and search for our school
Step 3 – Choose our school and then you should see our official landing page screen
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Medication:
If you have medication for the school nurse, then put it in a Ziploc bag labeled with your child's name and give it to the faculty/staff working morning arrival.
Student Screening:
Thank you in advance to our on-campus families for submitting your Student Screening Form(s) by 8:00 AM each day. (Screening Forms are emailed to all on-campus families at 3:30 PM daily, you may need to check your spam/junk folder to find the message.) This is one of many new safety precautions we have put into place. In addition, students will also have their temperature taken daily before they enter the building. Any child with a temperature greater than 100 degrees will be sent home. Please help us keep our campus healthy by keeping your students and siblings home if anyone in your family has covid-like symptoms. You may refer to the StJPII Covid Handbook for more information about when children may return to school after an illness. If at any time your family has a question or concern, please contact School Nurse Jeanne Aertker at jaertker@jp2.org or (281) 496-1500.
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Carpool & Walkers Reminders
School doors will open at 7:30 a.m., and the school day officially begins at 8:00 a.m. We will dismiss at the following times through August 28: PreK/Kinder at 12:00, Elementary at 12:15, and Middle School at 12:30.
Morning Carpool
- We are currently a closed campus, which means that outside visitors cannot enter the building. Students must be dropped off either via carpool line or walkers on Brimhurst. Kindly refrain from parking and walking your child to the doors, as this will delay the temperature check process. (If you live in the neighborhood and plan to walk your children to school, please use the Brimhurst gate.)
- Carpool students will unload at the front entrance of the school, NOT along the curb on Parkway Plaza.
- Carpool line vehicles form a single line starting at the school’s driveway along Parkway Plaza Drive. (If the carpool line reaches the Greek Orthodox Church, line up on Tracewood Park Drive instead of extending the line across Eldridge.)
- To keep the line moving as quickly as possible, ensure that students are unbuckled, ready to exit, and wearing their masks once you enter the parking lot.
- When the carpool line begins, pull all the way forward to near the gym doors.
- Teachers and staff will open vehicle doors and unload students, approximately 10 cars at a time.
- Students are to exit the cars from the passenger side only. Parents should not exit their vehicles.
- Immediately upon exiting the vehicle, each student's temperature will be taken.
- Please be patient and do not drive away until the staff member confirms the student can safely enter the building.
*NEW* Afternoon Carpool
- At the end of the day, students will dismiss from their classrooms (rather than gather as a large group in the GSC) and exit by the front office.
- Thank you for helping your children remember their carpool numbers.
- Please be sure your carpool number is clearly visible on your windshield at all times.
Morning Walkers (Brimhurst)
- Crossing guards will escort students across Parkway Plaza in more frequent smaller groups to foster social distancing.
- Additional staff will greet the students at the side metal gate to take students' temperatures.
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Any student with a temperature will be escorted to a holding place near the front office. Parents will be called immediately to pick up their student(s).
*NEW* Afternoon Walkers (Brimhurst)
- Students will wait in their classrooms until they hear an announcement that their grade level may proceed to walkers.
- Students will be dismissed to walkers by grade level to facilitate social distancing.
- Crossing guards will escort students across to Brimhurst in smaller, more frequent groups.
- It is the responsibility of the parents to be on time so that students are not left unsupervised.
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#1 Spot in Carpool
We have some generous families who have purchased the #1 spots in the 12:00/3:00 and 12:15/3:20 carpool lines. These passes allow their cars to bypass the line and get in and out of the parking lot quickly. Thank you for making way for their vehicles! You too will have a chance to win this coveted privilege during our online auction in the spring, so stay tuned!
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Cafeteria Service
The school cafeteria will open for lunch on Monday, August 31. Please refer to the email you received from ECI to set up your child's account. When lunch service resumes, food orders will need to be placed online so that they may be delivered to the classroom the next day. For more information about lunch service at StJPII, please contact: eci@ecimanagementgroup.com.
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Before and After School Care Program
The Before and After School Program (BASP) will begin on Monday, August 31 to ensure we are appropriately staffed to accommodate social distancing. For more information, see the Parent Student Handbook or contact BASP Director Leticia Velasco.
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Click on the various links to see club flyers, contact information, and online registration.
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Parent Teacher Organization |
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PTO Spirit Store
You may visit the online Spirit Store to order your StJPII branded merchandise. All proceeds benefit the PTO. This year the Spirit Store will have limited access to fill orders. Orders placed after August 12 will be available for distribution in October with the exception of the StJPII Masks. The StJPII masks can be filled more frequently since they are coming from the vendor and are not on campus. Thank you for understanding and supporting StJPII spirit store. Click the button below to view the catalog and place your order.
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To be a Homeroom Parent
The PTO is asking for parents to share their time and talent to be a homeroom parent for their child's classroom. The homeroom parent will work closely with their child's homeroom teacher and fellow classroom parents to coordinate volunteers for events throughout the year.
Are you a working parent, a parent at home, or a parent with little ones still at home? Would you like to be involved in your child’s class, but time is an issue? We are in need of parents to communicate via email between teacher and parents in your child’s class! Sign up using the button below.
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Join the Birthday Club
The PTO has a Birthday Club fundraiser that helps you celebrate your child's birthday. Click on the button below to order your birthday t-shirts, school kits, or name on the marquee. Birthday t-shirts can be worn on the actual birthday, except if it falls on Full Dress day. The Birthday Club is now ONLINE! Place your orders today by using the button below.
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St. John Paul II Catholic School |
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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