November 6, 2018

Principal

Annual Fund update

Great news! 100% of the Faculty and Staff have donated to the Annual Fund! This shows that your beloved teachers are fully committed to the mission of StJPII. To date, we’ve raised $131,000 towards our $550,00 goal, with just 24% of our families participating. Please help us cross the finish line and donate to the Annual Fund! Gifts given to the Annual Fund support our mission and provide the extra margin of excellence not afforded by tuition. Save the date for " SaintsGiving" on Giving Tuesday, November 27 and visit www.jp2.org/give to give today!

Steps for Students T-shirt Design Contest

Help the archdiocese design the official 2019 Steps for Students Race Shirt! A design form was sent home in Tuesday Folders today, to allow your student to design the t-shirt for Steps for Students. Submit your design to the front office by Wednesday, November 14 so that we may select our school winner, and submit their design to the diocese.

Safety Reminders

Please slow down when driving in our parking lot and refrain from using your phone. Also, please do not park in any reserved parking for staff. 

4th Grade Service Project

StJPII 4th graders are collecting items for the homeless now through next   Wednesday, November 14.  Donations will be distributed on Thanksgiving Day after a feast provided by the  Breaking Bread Homeless Ministries . 4th graders will assemble bags of personal items.  Please help by donating blankets, sleeping bags, travel-sized toiletries, men's undershirts and socks.  

1st Grade Service Project: Helping the Needy Smile

First grade students are helping bring bright smiles to the needy. Please help first grade students collect toothbrushes, dental floss, toothpaste and mouthwash. These items will be donated to San Jose Clinic. Bring in items November 12- 16. Donation bins will be located around the school. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Optional Casual Uniform Orders 

StJPII offers Optional Uniform pieces for students to wear any day of the week that is not designated as “Full Dress”.

Middle School Information Night: 5th Grade Parents

5th grade parents are invited to attend our Middle School Information Night on Monday, November 26 at 6:30 p.m. in St. Jude Hall. This is a great opportunity to learn all about our Middle School program from Dr. Weinman and Middle School teachers.

5th Grade Shadow Days

Fifth graders will have the opportunity to "shadow" a sixth grade student, following their schedule for the morning, and experiencing a regular day in the life of a Middle Schooler.

VIRTUS / StJPII VOLUNTEER APPROVED

The Galveston Houston Archdiocese has made changes in the Virtus classes. There is no longer a KPA Class (this was the 2nd class).

If you received a letter notifying you that you were due for a KPA class, please go to our website and read the Volunteer Approval/Virtus information. This is located under the "Community" tab. Be sure to read the Anniversary Date Information. 

AIM Presentation Follow-up

Dr. Weinman and Mrs. Hartfiel had a chance to meet with 8th graders last week regarding how their 2nd quarter goals could relate to measurable, Catholic opportunities for selflessness that align to StJPII’s Fischer and Saints Awards. Students were presented with acts of random/radical kindness grids that challenged each to put themselves second and demonstrate Saintly actions when no one is looking. Socratic conversation revealed a call for action including, but not limited to being upstanders, shifting negative to positive, expressing gratitude, and the power of forgiveness. We look forward to hearing stories from students on their progress this quarter and becoming truth behind strong winds.

Congratulations StJPII students for selection into the Association of Texas Small School Bands (ATSSB)

Ten St. John Paul II band students were selected for membership in the ATSSB All-Region Band.

Congratulations to the following students:

Lauren Nguyen and Sarah David on clarinet, Matthew Cavers as first chair alto saxophone, JD Kollar on alto saxophone, Ryan Gruen on trumpet, Annabeth Dronet on trombone, Xavier Gallart as first chair baritone, Noah Mosvold on baritone, and Michael Frain, Zane Beyer and Braden Walker on tuba.  Also competing at the event were Jeffrey Cohen on tenor saxophone, Casey Salvatierra on trumpet, Andrew Riemann on trombone, and Oscar Quiñones on baritone.

Students selected for all-region band will meet for rehearsals next Saturday in Bellville and will present a concert that is free to the public at 6:00 p.m. in the Bellville High School Auditorium.

Congratulations to these students for representing St. John Paul II so well in regional competition.

Message from Mrs. Bogard

Mrs. Doherty, elementary counselor, will be out due to medical reasons for the remainder of the semester. We are so blessed that Dorothy Tiedt, our past elementary counselor for nine years, will be coming in two days a week to fill her absence. She is highly qualified and has a number of years of experience in counseling. She will be leading guidance lessons and will be available for student/parent needs throughout this semester while working closely with teachers and administrators. You may contact her via email at [email protected]. We appreciate your prayers for a speedy recovery for Mrs. Doherty. Thank you for your continued support.  

Library News- Book Fair Begins

Happy Fall! Book Fair arrives this week. We are open Friday, November 9 - November 15  7:40 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Grandparents' Day, November 16 OPEN 7:30 a.m. - Noon.

Students browse the Book Fair and make wish lists. They bring these lists home for your approval. Then you send cash or check with your child to pay for books they will bring home (PLEASE include mandatory sales tax of 8.25%). If you choose to use MasterCard or Visa, you are most welcome to come to the library to make those purchases as this is an Adult task. Make your checks payable to St. John Paul II Catholic School. There are many wonderful choices at the fair for holidays, gifts, birthdays, and other occasions. Please stop in for a visit. I look forward to helping you at the Fall Book Fair!  Happy Reading! - Ms. Lamb

Grandparents & Special Friends Day: November 16

We are looking forward to our 23rd Annual Grandparents and Special Friends Day next week- Friday, November 16 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

  A few things to note:

The program will begin at 9:30 a.m., and will feature the 7th and 8th grade Advanced Band, Middle School Chorale, and all of our Elementary students (grades Pre-K through 5th).

The program will conclude at 10:30 a.m. when Grandparents and Special Friends will leave the GSC and meet their student(s) in the classroom(s). They are welcome to visit the Book Fair together and take a photo in St. Jude Hall.

We are looking forward to seeing all Grandparents and Special Friends. For more information, visit the Grandparents and Special Friends webpage.

Back by popular demand...parents are welcome to get a sneak-peak of the action and are invited to attend the student dress rehearsal Thursday, November 15 at 8:30 a.m. in the GSC.  

StJPII St. Katharine Drexel Society

You are invited to form part of the StJPII St. Katharine Drexel Society.  Join us on November 16 for our Launch Brunch, at Pecan Creek Grille from 8:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m.  As we gather to form the St. Katharine Drexel  Society; let us enter it in a spirit of service and fellowship.

 

The StJPII Ladies Society is intended to form life long bonds of sisterhood and charity. It is an opportunity to help each other grow in our faith, strengthen our devotion, and be good stewards of the word of Christ. Together we will improve, not only our lives, but that of those whose lives we touch.  Please RSVP to Edith Hernandez.

Chick-fil-A Spirit Afternoons

Join us on Friday, November 16 (following Grandparents and Special Friends' Day 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 (around the corner at Eldridge) between noon-3:00 will be eligible. When ordering at the drive-thru or register, please share you are with St. John Paul II Catholic School so they can make a donation.

PTO Thank you

Thank you to the following volunteers who provided snacks for the October 31st Faculty and Staff Meeting: Rocio Morales, Katie Hengst, Danille LaLonde, Thien Nguyen, Beverly Alexander, Cristina Negron, Sanjuana Valdez, Sandra Vreedenburgh, Nicole Lambert, Tina Schroeder, Gwen Montesino, Alexandra Riveros, Lizette Jezbera, Machi Valcarcel, Anne Davis, Gail Anderson, Andrea Dvorachek, Lizette Jezbera, Jazmin Quintero, Marcela Pigurina, Analia Gugliotti, Sara Nunez, Maria Valentina Bracho Rodon, Ana Parra-Esteva, Victoria Forkner.

November PTO Meeting

Please join us on Wednesday, November 7th at 8:15 a.m. in St. Jude Hall for our November PTO meeting. We will be discussing all the fun events coming up for the holiday season. Mrs. Resweber will be our guest speaker and will talk to us about her very popular computer classes. Lastly, we also will learn more about our new House System. Come join the meeting!

Save the Date- Snacks with Santa

Mark your calendars for our “Snacks with Santa” event to be held Saturday, December 8 from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Santa photos, face painting, crafts and snacks will be available. Purchase your tickets for Snacks with Santa by clicking on the button below. Volunteers are needed for crafts and check-in. Please email Mariam Janda for more information. Please see the attached flyer and visit the News and Events section on the website!

Holiday on the Parkway 2018- Important Information

This year the St. John Paul II Catholic School PTO will sponsor a craft fair for parents and outside vendors on Friday, December 7 and Saturday, December 8 . Last year we had over 30 booths filling the Bramanti Athletic Center! The students, faculty and parents are able to shop for holiday presents for family and friends on Friday, and all are welcome to shop during the annual Snacks with Santa festivities on Saturday. If you are interested in reserving a table for your business or know someone that may be interested in having a booth, please complete the below form and send to the school as soon as possible, together with the booth reservation fee. The form can be hand delivered or mailed to St. John Paul II Catholic School, 1400 Parkway Plaza Drive, Houston, TX 77077, Attention: Olga Saenz (Holiday on the Parkway). Space is limited and it will be handled on a first come, first serve basis. Please email or call Olga Saenz or 713-213-6930 with any questions. 

Have you ever seen a kid just crumble at the first hint of difficulty? More teachers are noticing this and are pointing out the tremendous need for their students to develop resiliency and determination.

 

I recently watched a mom at a park, hovering near her toddler who was attempting to climb a short flight of steps to a slide. As soon as the little guy paused and struggled to get his foot up to the bottom step (which was designed for toddlers), Mom swooped over and lifted him to the top of the steps. Then she waited at the bottom, reassuring him all the while. Fortunately, Mom was soon distracted by one of her other kids “needing help” and before she realized it, the boy was ascending the steps and sliding down like a pro. Good news for that little boy’s resilience development.

 

We know kids are going to go through some struggle in life and that is a good thing. We also know there won’t always be someone there to solve all their problems or verbally coddle them.

 

The abilities to 1) manage unfavorable events and to 2) continue with challenging tasks are top predictors of success in many areas (including academics and relationships). We must not rob kids of the gift of struggle – a crucial ingredient in the resiliency formula.

 

One of the easiest ways to begin developing resiliency with children is simply asking them how they are going to handle problems. Resisting our urge to quickly solve the problem for them or tell them what to do, we can make a soft, empathetic sound and ask, “Hmm, what do you think you’re going to do?”

 

Just the act of thinking about solutions begins the powerful process of owning and solving problems. We want kids to believe solutions don’t have to come from an outside source, but can come from inside. Whether they come up with great solutions or not, just the act of wrestling with the problem will begin to strengthen their “resiliency muscles.”

 

We encourage you to run this simple experiment any time you see your child encounter a minor problem or struggle. See if you notice a difference in their willingness to solve problems and attack challenges. We would love to hear your results.

St. Thomas High School Open House

St. Thomas High School cordially invites StJPII's Middle School boys to their Open House on December 9 at 1:00 p.m. at the Moran Fine Arts Center on St. Thomas' campus. For more information, please see the attached flyer.

Catholic Schools Got Talent

The first ever Catholic Schools Got Talent is scheduled for Saturday, February 2. It is going to be a wonderful celebration of talent in our Catholic schools! 4th-8th grade students are invited to audition for the big show! For more information, please read the Eligibility and Guidelines.

Dads Basketball

StJPII dads play men's basketball on Wednesday Nights in the gym at 7:00 p.m. Please contact Mark Gugliotti to be added to the distribution list and for more information: [email protected] or 832-301-1681. Everyone is welcome. It's a fun way to meet other dads and get some great exercise!

To view events related to StJPII, please click on the school calendars below.