September 17, 2024

All School Mass

Please join us for All School Mass this week on Friday, September 20.

Please note, out of reverence to the Mass, the doors will close at 8:45 a.m each week for Mass. The Front Office will remain open to sign in students, however Parents and Visitors who arrive late will not be able to get into the BAC/GSC once the Mass doors are closed. Thank you for making every effort to arrive before 8:45 a.m.



Wednesday Mass

Optional daily Mass is tomorrow, Wednesday, September 18. All are welcome! Mass starts at 7:10 and ends at 7:40. It’s in the All Saints Chapel every Wednesday before school. What a beautiful way to start the day by worshiping the Lord!

6th Grade Service Project - Catholic Worker

The Catholic Worker is in extreme need of items for the influx of immigrants to our country. We are asking the boys to bring in 2lb bags of beans and the girls 2 lb bags of rice. Thank you for helping those in need. The collection will start now and end on September 20. All grades are welcome to participate.

Relic of the Blood of St. John Paul II to Visit StJPII

The Relic of the Blood of St. John Paul II will visit StJPII on Sept. 25. Students and faculty will have the opportunity to venerate the relic in the All Saints Chapel on the morning of Sept. 25, with parents invited from 11 a.m. to noon. For security reasons, the event is closed to the public.

A relic, a fragment of a saint’s body or possession, helps us grow closer to God. They are classified as first class (a saint's body part), second class (something the saint owned), and third class (an object touched to a first or second class relic). Praying before a relic should be done out of love and gratitude for the saint and for God. We show our gratitude for a saint's intercession by venerating the relic with reverence. Special thanks to the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary for bringing the Relic of the Blood of St. John Paul II, our patron saint, to SJPII. Sister Alexia, a StJPII alumna, is a member of this order.

Second Annual Overnight Retreat

The second annual overnight retreat for the Moms Club will take place the weekend of Octotber 4 through October 6. Space is limited, so sign up today. Please contact Kristi Yohr with any questions, kyohr@jp2.org

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. There is an informational Zoom meeting on September 26 at 8pm. Click on the button below for more information.

St. John Paul II Catholic School has been named the recipient of the prestigious 2024 Catholic Impact Award, a recognition that acknowledges the school’s remarkable outreach efforts and extraordinary service to others. This annual award is given to a Catholic school within the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston that exemplifies the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, demonstrating exceptional compassion, generosity, and a commitment to the mission of the Catholic Church in the salvation of souls.

The school’s motto, “Be not afraid...” echoes both the message of their patron and the teachings of Christ. This motto encapsulates the school’s fearless pursuit of education, faith, and the realization of its full potential in Christ. The light of Christ shines brightly within the walls of StJPII, guiding its community in all that they do.

Congratulations StJPII Saints!

2024-2025 Annual Fund Drive

The 2024-2025 Annual Fund Drive is going on now! Hopefully by now your letter has been received and you are prayerfully considering how you will make a difference this year. The Annual Fund is our cornerstone fundraising campaign and your donation is so vitally important to help us sustain our mission. Thank you in advance for your support! We are confident we can reach our goal again by working in partnership with you! Together, we can Be Greater!

Many companies in our area match your charitable donations dollar for dollar. That means you can double the size of your contribution to StJPII! Follow the link below to see a list of companies that have given in the past and check with your HR department to see if they participate in matching gifts. Last year, StJPII received over $100,000 in matching gifts, so corporate funds truly have a tremendous impact on helping us meet our operational goals and sustain our mission!

Brimhurst Walkers - Morning

Please be aware that there is no supervision at Brimhurst walkers in the morning until staff arrive at 7:40 a.m. We ask that you talk to your child(ren) about waiting safely and avoid dropping them off too early. This especially applies to our youngest saints, thank you.

Early Dismissal - TUESDAY, September 24

Our first early dismissal for this school year will be on Tuesday, September 24. The early dismissal times have changed slightly this year.

• Pre-K and Kindergarten students are dismissed at 2:00 p.m. 
• 1st - 5th graders are dismissed at 2:15 p.m.
• Middle School is dismissed at 2:30 p.m. 

We have early dismissal once a month, usually on the last Tuesday of the month, to allow time for monthly faculty meetings. Typically on these days, students may wear school-appropriate blue jeans and their StJPII House Shirt. Please refer to the Parent/Student Handbook for more guidelines. All early dismissal dates are posted on the online calendar.

Spirit Night at Chick-Fil-A

Mark your calendars for a tasty Tuesday, October 24, from 2:00-6:00 p.m., and head over to our favorite neighborhood Chick-fil-A (13412 Briar Forest, right by Eldridge) for Spirit Afternoon! This is not just a meal – it’s a fun way to support StJPII. Grab your friends, grab your nuggets, and remember to mention St. John Paul II Catholic School when ordering. Even better, Chick-fil-A will donate 15% of the proceeds back to our school; please thank them for being such awesome partners!

NEW THIS YEAR, FOR MOBILE ORDERS, use code 'JPSaints' to show your school spirit.

Class Pictures & Individual Retake Picture Day is Coming

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 will be Class Picture day and Individual Retake Picture Day. All students will take a picture with their homeroom class for the yearbook and they MUST wear their FULL DRESS UNIFORM. 

Your child’s photo from August 27 was emailed to your primary email address from Freeman Photography.

If your child was absent or not in full dress uniform on picture day, they are on the list to have their individual yearbook picture taken on Wednesday, September 25. If you would like for your child to have their individual picture retaken, please click the button below to access the picture retake form.

THANK YOU

The Mother Son Day at the Ballpark was a great event! . Thank you to all of those who attended this special day. A big thank you goes out to DMB Photography, David Benedict, for capturing the day for us. We will share a link to his album soon.

Steps for Students

It's that time of year again! Time to sign up for Steps for Students. Sign up today to take advantage of early bird pricing for this year's Step for Students 5K Run/Walk Race. The race will take place on the morning of February 8, 2025. Click on the button below to register. Be sure to check out the incentives this year!

REMINDER: First Monthly Meet-Up This Thursday! 

Join us on the third Thursday of most months for Monthly Meet-Ups at local venues, offering breakfast/coffee or lunch and engaging conversations. Whether you choose to grab a bite or simply drop by to socialize and forge new friendships, all are welcome. Feel free to bring along your little ones who are not yet in school as we will be gathering at kid-friendly locations. This initiative aims to foster connections among StJPII parents and caregivers, providing a wonderful opportunity to meet and mingle and to hear about PTO updates. We look forward to seeing you there!  

Used Uniform Sales for the Year

The PTO will host three Used Uniform Sales this academic year. Please save the dates for both the donation windows and the sale dates. Uniforms must be in good condition and washed prior to drop-off. Uniforms will not be accepted outside of the listed dates. 

Give by Shopping: Box Tops Give Back to our School!

Box Tops are found on a variety of products and can be redeemed for cash and used to support school programs by scanning your paper grocery receipts or emailing in your curbside digital receipts. It's easy: simply download the Box Tops app, select St. John Paul II Catholic School, and start scanning or emailing your receipts. Last year, Box Tops gave almost $200 back to our school to help the teachers purchase items on their wishlists. If you have any questions, contact PTO at pto@jp2.org.

Rally for StJPII

Are you in the market for some furniture? Now through September 22, purchases made during American Furniture Warehouse’s 10 -Day Store Rally will help maximize donations to StJPII!  PLUS, you might win a $500 gift card. Click below for more information. 

St. Nick's Feast & Fest Planning Meeting

This year, the PTO is transforming Holiday on the Parkway and Snacks with Santa into one new event –St. Nick’s Feast & Fest! The event will take place on December 6 from 4-8 p.m. and will include some of your favorites from years past like photos with Santa, a vendor market, and games. It will also include some new, fun and festive activities. We will be holding an initial planning meeting on 9/18 right after morning carpool at Pecan Creek Grille and invite anyone who would like to be involved in planning the event to join us. 

We also need your help to recruit vendors! If you, or someone you know, own a small business and would be interested in participating, please have them apply at the link below. Applications will close on 10/1. 

Elementary Athletics

Elementary Soccer, we are ready to go! This week the Coaches have their league meetings AND the start of their season opening games! Good luck to all of our little SAINTS and a HUGE shoutout to our incredible volunteer Coaches!

Middle School Athletics 

Our Lady Saints have been hard at work for the last 5 weeks and their skills have shown it on the Volleyball court! 

All 3 teams have had wins and losses, but we just keep getting better & better! Cross Country will have their 1st Meet this weekend and the runners are continuing to get better and faster. Football had their 1st district game last week and had a huge win over St. Anthony of Padua. Both JV & Varsity Soccer teams kick off their season today! Our teams, our coaches, our faculty, and our parent support are making the start of our season the best! Here we go SAINTS!!!!!

Share Your Fall Sports Photos

We love to see your photos of our saints in action! If you get a great shot at any fall sports function, 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.