December 10, 2024

Happy Advent!



As we journey through this holy season of Advent, our focus at school this December is on the virtue of Purity—keeping our hearts and souls free from sin. This virtue is significant during Advent, when we are called to prepare not just our homes, but also our hearts, for the coming of Christ.

On the first Sunday of Advent at Mass, and through my Advent reflections, I was reminded of the importance of surrendering to God's holy will. Much like Mary and Joseph, who trusted completely in God's plan, we are invited to open our hearts and ask, Where is God calling me to trust Him more deeply?

Advent can be a busy time, filled with shopping, cooking, parties, and to-do lists. These activities, while joyful, can sometimes distract us from the true purpose of this season. To remain pure of heart is to remain open—listening for God's guidance amidst the noise.

Before we break for Christmas, I encourage you to take this opportunity to slow down and reflect. In the spirit of our school theme to “Be Greater,” consider how you might embrace the virtue of Purity by entrusting your worries, plans, and challenges to God. Allow Him to guide you and trust in His presence as you prepare for the birth of our Savior.

May this Advent be a time of renewal and grace for you and your families.

Principal

P.S. Thank you to our amazing PTO for hosting St. Nick’s Feast and Fest on Friday! It was a truly wonderful event for the whole family. I’m so grateful to our PTO leadership and volunteers for making this inaugural celebration such a success. It brought me so much joy to see our community come together and celebrate as saints!

NO Mass This Friday since we celebrated the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception yesterday.

Weekly Mass

Optional daily Mass will be tomorrow, Wednesday, December 11. All are welcome! Mass starts at 7:10 a.m. and ends at 7:40 a.m. It’s in the All Saints Chapel every Wednesday before school. 

Next First Friday Devotion - January 3

As part of our shared faith journey, we encourage you to continue the First Friday Devotion by attending Mass with your family at your parish on Friday, January 3rd. This special devotion promises graces to those who receive Holy Communion on the First Friday of nine consecutive months. We began this tradition in September, making January First Friday #5—and the only one when school is not in session. Thank you for helping your family stay committed to this beautiful practice. Students who attend Mass with their families on January 3rd and continue the devotion through May during school will experience the spiritual fruits of their dedication.

Annual Alumni Mass

Our Annual Alumni Mass will be after Christmas and we always look forward to welcoming our former saints back to campus. Please help us spread the word! Alumni may register online.

The Camino: 7th and 8th Grade Father/Son Trip (Spring Break 2025)

We have an exciting opportunity for all 7th and 8th grade boys and their fathers this coming Spring Break. Go along with Fr. Eamonn to walk The Camino - the path of St. James the Apostle. What an amazing opportunity for our school. Click on the button below for more information.

*Click on the button below for more Faith Focus information. You can find the monthly virtue, Saints of the month, and service projects.

Upcoming Spirit Days

As a school community, we will be doing some activities to help us prepare for the joy of the Christmas season! Students who choose to participate must wear their uniform bottoms with their attire. Please know that participation in these is entirely optional. If your child would prefer to wear the appropriate uniform for that day they are of course allowed to do so. 

Many classes are also doing additional fun dress-up days with their class, so please make sure to pay attention to information sent home by your child's homeroom teacher. Middle School will also have special activities that are adjusted for their midterm schedule. More information will be shared in the coming days. 

Christmas Break Information

On Friday, December 20, the students will have an early release day before our Christmas break. They may also wear Christmas attire, which can include Christmas dresses, a Christmas shirt with school-appropriate jeans, OR full dress uniforms for Mass. The schedule will be as follows:

Regular Arrival

8:00-9:30 Classroom Time

9:30-10:30 All-School Mass (GSC)

10:30-11:00 Student Caroling (GSC)

11:00-12:00 Homeroom Parties (for students only)

Dismissals at: 12:00 PreK/Kinder, 12:15 1st-Middle School

There will be NO afternoon BASP; all students must be picked up by 12:15 p.m. Party volunteers may check-out their children with their homeroom teachers. 

Annual Fund/SaintsGiving

SaintsGiving was, once again, an incredible day to be a StJPII saint! Our community of parents, alumni, grandparents, teachers, and friends joined together to support our amazing St. John Paul II Catholic School on Giving Tuesday. In ONE day alone, we raised $225,000! This represents the highest number of donors, corporate matches, and the most raised in a single day on SaintsGiving...THANK YOU!

Students in the House of Matthew will receive their Homework pass this week and for those receiving SaintsGiving Christmas ornaments, they will also be sent home next week!

Current Student Re-Enrollment 2025/2026

The online re-enrollment contract & forms for the 2025/2026 school year will be emailed to all current PK-7th grade parent's primary email addresses on Tuesday, January 7th. The online contract and deposit will be due by Tuesday, January 21st. This is for current students only. By completing and submitting the online contract you are committing to your child(ren’s) enrollment and full payment of tuition for the 2025/2026 school year.

Tuition information for the 2025/2026 school year will be included in the re-enrollment email. Tuition for current families will be due by Friday, May 2, 2025.

Email Jessica Ande at jande@jp2.org if you do not receive the email by January 8th.

Cafeteria Balance 

Please make sure your student has adequate funds in their lunch account. Check your students ECI balance and add money when needed. You can send a check with your student or click on the button below. Thank you!

Talent on the Plaza

Talent on the Plaza is our community production that closes out Catholic Schools Week each year. Students in grades 4-8 are welcome to audition to be part of this fabulous event. In the past, we have had students sing, dance, act out skits, perform magic acts, play musical instruments, show off their karate skills, and much more. We look forward to seeing what types of performances we will have this year!

Click the permission slip to learn more information about how to audition and all the important dates for our show. If you have any additional questions, please contact Ms. Fama at jfama@jp2.org.

Smart Families

The December Be Smart – Navigating Peer Pressure, is now available! In this issue, Smart Families explore the topic of peer pressure—what it is, how it happens, and, most importantly, why it’s so prevalent among adolescents today.  Click on the button below for the December newsletter.

Happy Holidays! Greetings everyone! I hope your Thanksgiving was delicious and wonderful. There are many festivities all around town in December. Here is one that is family friendly and book related. 

The Kendall Library and others are hosting events. The link below is for the Kendall Branch Library just down the road from St. John Paul II Catholic School. This event requires registration. 

The family event Winter Wonderland is December 19 from 5 - 7 p.m. 

Link to the event is below. I hope you find it fun and useful.  

Thanks to everyone who supported our Literati Book Fair. We grossed just over 9K in sales. We keep 25% after taxes are sent. These funds support the library budget. Again Kudos to my library volunteer angels and to YOU for your purchases and support of library programming. 

Middle School Midterm Exams are coming up soon. Library lessons have already emphasized the need for planning, scheduling, and strategies for memorizing, to making those facts stick in our brains in a prepared and less stressful way. I will place my most recent lesson on testing strategies on my google site for you and your middle school student to review and dig deeper in to prepared plans for a successful exam time.  Click on the Library homepage button below to access.

Blessings for a Joy filled Christmas, Ms. Lamb - Your Librarian 

Ensuring Resources Reflect Catholic Values

We are committed to continually reviewing and improving our educational resources—including books, online materials, and more. Occasionally, we may encounter challenges as we strive to ensure that all content aligns with our Catholic teachings and virtues. We are deeply grateful to the parents who have brought such concerns to our attention. Your partnership is invaluable, and we sincerely appreciate your attentiveness and commitment to fostering a faith-centered learning environment for our students.

Please rest assured that we are dedicated to providing resources that reflect our shared values and mission. If you come across any content that raises concerns, we encourage you to reach out to your child’s teacher. We take such feedback seriously and will address any issues promptly. Thank you for your understanding and support so we may continue to provide outstanding Catholic education for our students.

Thank you for helping to make St. Nick’s Feast & Fest a huge success! 

Thank you to everyone who joined us at St. Nick’s Feast and Fest to support our vendors and the PTO. Your participation made it a tremendous success!



A special thank you goes out to all the volunteers who helped with the bake sale, gift shop, and evening activities. We truly couldn’t have done it without your dedication and support.

Used Uniform Drop Off Dates and Upcoming Sale

The next used uniform sale will take place on January 16 from 8:30-9:30 am in SJH.  Donations of gently used uniforms will be accepted January 7 through January 10 ONLY. Drop-off boxes will be located in the foyer by the front office.

Online Spirit Store

Today is the last day of the PTO online spiritwear Holiday Sale! Get 25% off all merchandise and free shipping on orders over $75. Apparel and gifts for parents, students, and grandparents are available, and new designs have been added. Guaranteed delivery by December 23rd if ordered by December 10th.

 Join the Birthday Club!

Celebrate your child's special day in style! Choose from several fun packages that include a special birthday t-shirt, birthday recognition on the marquee, ice cream, and more! Orders are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Gifts will be delivered to your child's homeroom teacher.

Save the Date for Fun in the Sun! 

This year’s Fun in the Sun Day (FITS) is happening on May 16, 2025. Stay tuned for more information! 

Spirit Night at Russo’s

Forgo having to guess what’s for dinner TOMORROW and let Russo’s do all the work. Join us for Spirit Night at Russo’s NY Pizzeria on Wednesday, December 11 at 13346 Briar Forest Drive #100. Russo’s will donate 20% of proceeds to StJPII. To-go orders placed all day also count! Call 281-497-9800 to place your order.

Make sure to let them know you are from StJPII so the credit is attributed to the school! Russo’s has a delicious menu with something for the whole family that includes salads, pasta, sandwiches and pizzas. Don’t miss out on this chance to support our school! 

Faculty & Staff Christmas Gifts

Dear StJPII Families, 

The holidays are fast approaching, and as we reflect on this past year, it is abundantly clear how appreciative the StJPII community is for the dedication of the staff and teachers. In appreciation for their hard work, the PTO is collecting money for the faculty and staff Christmas gift. If you are interested in contributing, a suggested amount is $10 per teacher. Please put your gift in an envelope labeled “Faculty & Staff Christmas Gift” and drop it off at the front office by December 18. If you would like to make a donation via credit card, please click on the link below. We thank you in advance for your generosity. 

If you are looking to give a more personal gift, there is a binder in the front office with teacher ideas. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Tiffany Doucette

StJPII, PTO President

Elementary Athletics

Teams are formed and our Coaches are ready to go! Practices will start next week so be on the lookout for an email from your Coaches! We look forward to the start of another great season!

Middle School Athletics

Our Middle School teams are almost halfway through their season! They continue to work hard and show great attitudes and commitment to playing! Please come out and support our SAINTS!

Share Your Fall Sports Photos

We love to see your Basketball photos! If you get a great shot at any of he basketball games this season, practice or game, please share with StJPII! Your photo(s) may be featured on social media, Halo News, or in The Spirit yearbook. Please upload them directly using the button below. All grade-level sports pictures are needed and appreciated.

After School Activities

Check the school calendar for the schedule.

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

·         Robotics & Coding  (K-6th Grade) - register online with American Robotics Academy

·         Dance (PreK-2nd Grade) - register online with Energy Dance Center

·         Martial Arts (1st-8th Grade) – register online with Soldier For Christ

·         Art Club (5th-8th Grade) – registration will be available after Christmas

·         Mini Art Club (3rd & 4th Grade) – registration will be available after Christmas

Strake Jesuit/St. Agnes Band & Orchestra Christmas Concert

Thursday, December 12, 6pm

Location: Parsley Center (Strake Jesuit)

Free and Open to the Community

The concert will feature traditional and untraditional Christmas favorites including: a setting of the Christmas Carol, a Trans-Siberian Orchestra light show, a piece entitled Not So Silent Night, among many other carols and spirituals!

Explore, Create, and Thrive at the St. Agnes Academy Veritas Discovery Program!

This summer, give your child the opportunity to discover new passions and expand their horizons at the St. Agnes Academy Veritas Discovery Program. Designed for rising 6th through 8th grade boys and girls (with select classes for rising 4th through 6th grade students), this exciting and dynamic camp offers a wide range of courses in STEM, arts, pop culture (think Taylor Swift), humanities, computer skills, and physical education. With a “choose your own adventure” format, students can select from one to four courses and dive deep into subjects that spark their curiosity.

The program will run for two weeks:

June 2-6, 2025

June 9-13, 2025

with two sessions each day:

Session 1: 8:00-10:00 a.m.

Session 2: 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.



Whether your child is experimenting in the lab, unleashing their creativity, or learning teamwork and problem-solving skills, they’ll thrive in a supportive and fun environment. The Veritas Discovery is open to all rising 6th through 8th grade boys and girls (with select classes for rising 4th through 6th grade students), offering a chance for them to explore, grow, and develop a lifelong love of learning.

Don’t miss out on this unforgettable summer experience—sign up today!