Dear Saint Families,
The time is here! I know everyone is looking forward to the Christmas break! While Advent begins to come to a close, I hope that you have found time to prepare your hearts to receive Jesus in a new way this Advent season. This is a time of sharing in faith, hope and most of all love.
“Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way; God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, his love is perfected in us.” 1 John 4: 7-12!
Be not afraid… to love as Christ loves! I wish you all a blessed Christmas!
In Him we Trust,
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Principal
P.S.
Saints Weekly will be on holiday the first week of January. Your next issue will be January 8, 2019.
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Christmas Break Early Dismissal
Tomorrow,
Wednesday, December 19 the students will have early dismissal before our Christmas break. They may also wear Christmas attire 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-5th Grade, 12:30 Middle School
There will be no afternoon BASP; all students must be picked up by 12:30. Party volunteers may check-out their children with their homeroom teachers.
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Art Corner: A Letter from Mrs. Stieber
Our Saints artists have been busy! If your student has been participating in morning or after-school art…please read this message from Mrs. Stieber…
Dear Parents of Merit Rodeo and Go Texan Art Students, the art room has been a buzz of creativity this Advent season! Some of our students need a few more days to work on their artwork, so I have extended judging until after Christmas to give them a little more time to get “show ready”.
I want students in 2
nd
Grade – Middle School to continue to attend morning or after-school art when we return from break on
Thursday, 1/03/19 and Friday, 1/04/19
at
7:20-7:55 a.m. and/or 3:15– 4:30 p.m
. (Note: I have afternoon carpool both days, so students should drop their backpacks and meet me in the GSC until 3:30 and we will walk together to the art room. I will escort all students to carpool at 4:30 p.m. I will personally let your student know if finished.) On
Monday, 1/7/19
, Middle School students MAY attend morning art, but it will not be offered for Elementary students.
Finalists and Runners-Up will be announced on Monday morning, 01/07/19, for both Elementary and Middle School. If your child’s artwork is selected, then you will receive an updated parent letter with additional information and studio times.
Finalists’ art will be entered in the private school division of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Student Art Contest scheduled for
January 14
(this event is for art teachers only). Runners-Up will be featured in StJPII’s “Go Texan” art show in late February. However, it is very important that Runners-Up continue to attend studio art to get show ready just in case! Last year, 3 Runners-Up actually made the HLSR Art Contest for various reasons! I will retain everyone’s artwork until after our “Go Texan” show.
Stay tuned for future winner announcements after Mass and in
Saints Weekly.
If you have any questions, please contact me at:
[email protected]
. Sincerely, Mrs. Stieber
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Annual Fund
If you haven't already done so, please consider making your gift to the Annual Fund before
Monday, December 31 to maximize your tax benefits and/or corporate matching. Every donation makes a difference! Please
click here to give today.
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Uniform Check
Reminder to check all uniforms while on the break. This is a good time to check the length of pants and skirts, and even get them pressed so we are ready for the second semester.
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After-School Clubs
After-school activities will resume after Christmas Holidays. See the
school calendar
for the schedule.
Register for the following clubs for the spring 2019 semester. Click on the various links to see club flyers, contact information, and online registration.
- Robotics (PreK-5th Grade) - register online with American Robotics Academy
- Blitz Kidz Chess (All Grade Levels) - register online with Blitz Kidz
- Co-Ed Code Club (4th-8th Grade) - Cecilia Resweber’s Code Club info and registration form here
- Art Club (5th-8th Grade) - sign up information will be posted in January
- Mini Art Club (3rd&4th Grade) - sign up information will be posted in January
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StJPII and RUSSO'S PIZZA- SPIRIT NIGHT TONIGHT, December 18
The StJPII Spirit Night is scheduled for tonight,
Tuesday, December 18! Russo's Pizzeria is located at 13346 Briar Forest, at the corner or Eldridge and Briar Forest. You may dine in, take out, or have your food delivered. Please mention you are with StJPII when ordering. Russo's will give 20% of each order back to our school. Special thanks to the PTO for coordinating this fun, convenient, and delicious fundraiser!
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Chick-fil-A Spirit Afternoons
Join us on
tomorrow, Wednesday, December 19
(following Early Day Dismissal for Chick-fil-A (CFA) Spirit Afternoons! Swing by our neighborhood CFA and treat yourself! They have graciously offered to donate 10% of their proceeds back to StJPII. All purchases made at the 13412 Briar Forest location (around the corner at Eldridge) between
noon-3:00 p.m.
will be eligible. When ordering at the drive-thru or register, please share you are with St. John Paul II Catholic School or StJPII so they can make a donation.
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Christmas Lights at Club Westside for StJPII Families
StJPII families have been invited to come and join Club Westside on
Wednesday, December 19 from 5:30-8:00 p.m. for a magical Christmas around the World in their water park! This event is free to all StJPII families. Upon arrival the guard will show you where to park, then make your way to the water park entrance. RSVP is not required. For more information, click the flyer
here!
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Faith & Ale- Save the Date
Join the StJPII Dads Club for Faith & Ale on
Thursday, January 10 at
6:00 p.m. at Watson’s House of Ales. The StJPII Dads Club is designed to focus on strengthening the fathers of our students in faith and love, to help them bring the Catholic faith home to their families and support the mission of the school. As a Father of a child(ren) at the school, you are taking part in this Ministry.
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Dads Club shirts- Update
Thank you for your purchase of the Dads club shirts. All shirts will be sent home after the new year. The vendor has shared there is a holiday back log on the embroidery work, which is causing the delay for the men's polo shirts. They are working very hard to have them in ahead of the Faith and Ale event so you can show off your StJPII pride! Thank you for your patience and understanding.
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Give by Shopping- Just in time for Christmas!
Did you know? StJPII will receive percentages of your holiday shopping when you “Give by Shopping” at these participating vendors:
Kroger, Amazon Smile, Shutterfly, Office Depot and Josephine’s Day Spa and Salon. These can be found on our homepage, or click on the Give by Shopping button below. As you make those Christmas lists and check them twice, check our webpage for opportunities to give by shopping and contribute to our Saints community. Thank you!
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2018 PTO Supporters- Thank you!
A big “thank you” to all our families for supporting the PTO! We were able to donate $250 of our funds to
Loaves and Fishes Charity for the Christmas Season. Without your contributions, donations like this would not be possible. Thank you again for your support! The PTO wishes you a Holy Christmas season.
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Elementary and Middle School Sports
Merry
Christmas
and Happy New Year from Elementary and Middle School sports!
Elementary Parents, please join the StJPII WHCSA album to share and save your favorite photos of the season by clicking on the link below.
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Parents, please be sure to check the
Athletic calendar
to come out and support our teams and check out the camps below over the Christmas break!
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BOYS LACROSSE CAMP
Friday, January 4 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. and Saturday, January 5
from
10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m
., open to 5th - 8th grade boys. Come out and sharpen your skills or learn the game with Coach Drew Hewitt! The cost is $20 per day, and you must have your own equipment which includes: lacrosse stick, helmet, shoulder pads, chest protector, arm pads, gloves, cleats, and mouth guard.
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GIRLS VOLLEYBALL CAMP
Winter Volleyball Camp is open to all 5th-8th grade girls on
December 26, 27 and 28 from 9:00- 11:00 a.m.
in the BAC. The cost is $30 per session or $75 for all three! See the
flyer
for more details.
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Training for Fitness Excellence Class
Training for Fitness Excellence is a class offered by Coach Laverne Jones-Ferrette OLY, a four time Olympian and 6th fastest of all time in the 60m dash! Starting on
December 1.
The class is geared to help condition your body. So if you have a student who is interested in Spring sports it is time to start getting ready through this fitness class. All boys/girls 5-8th grade are welcome to enroll. Additionally, if you are a parent, know an alum, or have a friend who is interested in fitness and exercising, then this is the class for you. For more information click on the button below.
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St. Pius X Holiday Events
St. Pius X has several camps over the holiday season for students of all ages. If you are interested in basketball or baseball, please click on one of the flyers below.
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St. John XXIII Middle School Basketball Night- Save the Date
St. John XXIII invites StJPII middle school students to "Middle School Basketball Night" on
Friday, January 4, 2019 for Boys Basketball vs. AWTY. The Junior Varsity game starts at 4:30 p.m. and Varsity at 6:00 p.m.
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Marian Family Pilgrimage with Fr. Eamonn Shelly
StJPII families, you are invited to join other families on a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City for
June 3-7, 2019. Space is limited so see attached
brochure for details.
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Art Cellar Houston's Holiday Art Market
Art Cellar of Houston is hosting its first Holiday Art Market at the Art Cellar of Houston on Saturday, December 22 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The studio will have ornament decorating on hand, and 16 local Houston artists and artisans.
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Did you know.... in the beginning, StJPII had a Christmas program that encompassed the entire school. Where every child had a part. Mrs. Edna Frazier, the school's first Religion Coordinator, started the tradition. As the years went on and StJPII became larger, the Christmas program morphed from the entire school to a limited number of students. 23 years ago, the kindergarten teachers, Mrs. Layfield, Mrs. Mondelli and Mrs. Salama asked former principal, Mrs. Clarisse Franke for permission to have a mini Kindergarten Christmas program. Initially she said no, because she thought the students would have stage fright, however, with the guidance of her Kindergarten team she was convinced and the Christmas performance we know of today was born. The first Kindergarten program was held in St. Jude Hall. The first camels were made out of butcher paper designed by Mrs. Salama. Eventually, Mrs. Condara and Mrs. May helped with costume design. Today, our Kindergarten Christmas program is now a full production in the GSC led by Mrs. McCurry. Click on the video below to see a portion of today's performance.
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To view events related to StJPII, please click on the school calendars below.
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St. John Paul II Catholic School
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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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