January 7, 2025

Dear Saint families,

As we step into the New Year and the second half of our school year, we are filled with gratitude for the blessings of our StJPII community. We hope you had a joyful Christmas season and a restful break. Together, let us look forward to 2025 with renewed faith, hope, and excitement for what lies ahead!

This month, we will focus on the virtue of Fortitude – being brave and strong in the face of trials. What a fitting virtue as we set new resolutions and prepare to persevere through our goals and beginnings, no matter how challenging they may seem.

We are excited that it is that time of year for re-enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year. I thank you in advance for choosing St. John Paul II Catholic School where we are committed to excellence for our students and families providing consistency and fidelity to our mission! 

Finally, we are also thrilled to announce our upcoming celebration of Catholic Schools Week! This year’s theme is “United in Faith and Community”. Check out the details below for a week filled with fun events for our students and families including a Bingo night and our 2nd Annual StJPII Dads vs. Seminarians Basketball game! We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Thank you for being part of the StJPII community. Together, let us continue to “Be Greater” and shine the light of Christ in all we do. Wishing you and your family a joyful and blessed New Year!

Principal

All School Mass

We will have All School Mass Friday, January 10. Students should wear their full-dress uniforms. There will be an optional daily Mass before school on Wednesday, January 8, in the Chapel at 7:10 a.m.

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.

Over the Christmas break, we officially broke ground on the new wrought iron fence around StJPII's athletic field. This exciting upgrade is made possible by the generous contributions of those who have supported the For Every Saint Capital Campaign. Thanks to your commitment, we will soon enjoy a taller, more secure, and beautiful fence!

As we continue to raise funds and work toward our goal, more campus improvements are on the horizon. We are eager to install new lights on the field and begin renovations on the library, but we need additional support to get those projects and others underway.

To learn more about the For Every Saint Capital Campaign, please mark your calendars for the next Campaign Close-Up Cocktail Party on the evening of January 22. Stay tuned for more details!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

StJPII will be closed on Monday, January 20 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Current Student Re-Enrollment 2025/2026

The online re-enrollment contract and forms for the 2025/2026 school year were emailed to the primary email address listed for your child(ren). Check your spam, trash, and all gmail tabs for the email if you do not see it in your inbox. The link within the email will contain all of your current StJPII student's re-enrollment information. Read the entire email before filling out and signing the online re-enrollment contract.

The online re-enrollment contract & deposit are due by 3pm Tuesday, January 21, 2025. Late fees will be added to your tuition if submitted after this date/time.

Please email Jessica Ande at jande@jp2.org if you did not receive the email or have any questions.

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!

Limited Edition StJPII Yard Sign

Show your StJPII pride with our exclusive yard sign, celebrating all four of our National Blue Ribbon Award years! This is a limited-time offer, and no extra signs will be printed—pre-order yours today to secure your sign. Sales close on January 21.

Signs will be available for pick-up during Family Bingo Night on January 27. Don’t miss out!

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.

8th Grade Yearbook Recognition Ad

Want to give your Class of 2025 graduate something to commemorate their time at StJPII? Order an 8th grade Yearbook ad for your graduate. Flyers will be sent home in students’ weekly folders. Payments and ad design will be completed through Jostens's website. You will be able to design your own ad by selecting a template and adding your own pictures and message.



A pdf version of the flyer can also be accessed via the link below. The deadline for orders is Friday, January 31, 2025! Thank you for honoring your 2024 8th grade graduate and supporting The Spirit Yearbook! Questions? Contact Mrs. Abad at kabad@jp2.org.  

Thank you for your lovely notes, prayers, and gifts for the holidays. I am always so touched by the love in our STJPII community. Blessings to each of you! 

Here is a closer look at Goal Setting. Our SSK program includes learning more about goals, organization, and more. Take a look at the slide show to aid students in understanding the goal-setting and accomplishing process. This is located on my Google site by way of the below link.

As we start the new year, Kindergarten will be checking out books! Hurray! Please return these each week to continue to check out books. The new grading period will bring the return of fines. One day of grace is given to return overdue books. After this grace period, we charge 10 cents per day per book. I hope to work together with families to foster improving return on time skills by students. We check out weekly. Put a note on the refrigerator with a picture of books to remind your child that their books are due the correct day of the week. 

Happy Reading, Organizing, and Goal Setting to everyone! Ms. Lamb - Your Librarian 

Here is the link to our lesson on my Google Site

Several amazing community events are on the horizon, mark your calendar and stay tuned to Saints Weekly.

• January 22 - For Every Saint Capital Campaign Close-Up Cocktail Party
• January 25 - Saints vs. Seminarians Basketball Game
• January 26 - Catholic Schools Week begins
• January 27 - Family Bingo Night
• February 8 - Steps for Students
• February 24 - Bidding with Bernie opens
• March 27- International Festival

STEPS for Students

Thanks to everyone who has signed up as of December, we are at 505 participants. If we get 50 more people we are eligible for the Archdiocesan Spirit Award. If you have not yet signed up, please do so today! We have 4 classes that have earned the pizza party and there is still time for all classes to earn a reward. Every student that signs up will get a free dress pass!

Please make plans to join us on Saturday, February 8 for music, snacks, games, and prizes. We hope to show all of the other Houston Catholic Schools our StJPII pride and spirit. Click below to register and remember to choose StJPII as your school.

Bidding with Bernie

“Bidding with Bernie,” StJPII’s Online Auction, is coming soon! The auction will begin on February 24th and end on February 25th. Be sure to save the date and stay tuned for more information! 

International Festival

The International Festival is back and will be held on March 27! If you're interested in helping with a country booth, please click the button to fill out the form. All responses are due by January 17.

January PTO Meeting

All parents are invited to join us for our monthly PTO meeting on Tuesday, January 14  from 8:30 - 9:30 am in St. Jude Hall. Why should you attend? 

• Learn how students and teachers benefit from the work of the PTO.
• Be the first to hear about school news and upcoming events.
• Ask questions.
• Connect with parents.
• Learn how to volunteer your time to positively impact the school community.

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 from January 7 through January 10 ONLY. Drop-off boxes will be located in the foyer by the front office.

 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.

Spirit Night at Russo’s

Forgo having to guess what’s for dinner and let Russo’s do all the work. Join us for Spirit Night at Russo’s NY Pizzeria on Wednesday, January 15  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! 

Thank You to Kroger! 

We want to extend a BIG thank you to the Kroger grocery store on Eldridge and Briar Forest for their generous support of StJPII. They graciously helped make our class Christmas parties a huge success! Thank you, Kroger!

Did you know that Kroger also supports StJPII through their community rewards program? To earn money for our school while you shop, simply click on the button below and sign up using the school code: AD770. 

Middle School Athletics

As we kick off the second half of our basketball season, our boys and girls are excited to hit the courts again! Be sure to check the athletic calendar and come out to cheer on our teams. Stay tuned for next week’s Saints Weekly, where we’ll share important information about baseball, softball, and boys' lacrosse tryout dates.

Elementary Athletics

Our basketball teams are gearing up for their first game this Saturday! Practices kicked off over the Christmas holiday, and the kids are excited to hit the courts. Over the next eight weeks, we look forward to watching them develop their basketball skills. A big thank you to all our volunteer coaches for their dedication—we're excited for another fantastic season of WHCSA basketball!

Share Your Sports Photos

We love to see your Basketball photos! If you get a great shot at any of the 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 soon

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

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!