Happy New Year

                                                 

Dear Saint John’s Parents,

“Happy New Year”.   What a perfect time of year it is to reflect on the past year, as well as to self-evaluate, and set our New Years’ resolutions and goals.  In an effort to continue to strive to make Saint John’s School the very best it can be, we are asking you parents to complete the following three surveys. The surveys are part of our self-assessment that is a critical component of the AdvancED Self-Assessment.  The AdvancED Self-Assessment is designed to serve as a valuable tool that will assist our school in reflecting upon our effectiveness as well as to prepare us for our upcoming Quality Assurance Review which will happen this spring. 

The Self-Assessment is based on Standards, which serve as the foundation of the AdvancED accreditation process.  In order to earn and maintain accreditation, schools must meet the Standards, engage in a process of continuous improvement and host a Quality Assurance Review (QAR) at least once every five years.  The SA has been designed to engage the school community in an in-depth evaluation of each of the standards, which assists a school to identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.  

Your input as parents is highly valued as a part of this in-depth evaluation.  PLEASE GIVE YOUR FEEDBACK AS PARTNERS IN YOUR CHILD’S EDUCATION BY COMPLETING THESE SURVEYS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT NO LATER THAN, FRIDAY,  JANUARY 25. Thank you in advance for making this request a top priority to help Saint John’s continue to be an outstanding Catholic School.  Please be assured that your responses to this survey will be anonymous. Your honest opinion is appreciated.

Gratefully, Shannon Lotz, Chairperson for QAR experience & Lois Schmitt, Principal

SURVEY LINKS

Please complete all 3 surveys!

In an effort to improve system practices, Saint John the Evangelist School is conducting a Parent Survey. We value your opinion and ask that you take the time to complete this survey. In order to complete the survey, please go to: http://www.advanc-ed.org/survey/public/6832514

In an effort to improve system practices, Saint John the Evangelist School is conducting a Catholic Identity Defining Characteristics Parent and Community Survey. We value your opinion and ask that you take the time to complete this survey. In order to complete the survey, please go to: http://www.advanc-ed.org/survey/public/6917340

In an effort to improve system practices, Saint John the Evangelist School is conducting a Catholic Identity Program Effectiveness Parent and Community Survey. We value your opinion and ask that you take the time to complete this survey. In order to complete the survey, please go to: http://www.advanc-ed.org/survey/public/9191124

Please be assured that your responses to this survey will be anonymous. Your honest opinion is appreciated. Thank you again for your time and attention to this matter.

JOY TO THE WORLD

                               

Dear Saint John’s Families,

Today’s Friday Student Mass just couldn’t have been more “JOYFUL”.  What a beautiful ending to the year of 2012, here at Saint John’s Parish/School!  Such a celebration it was!

Father Sam’s homily touched everyone’s heart.  Our students from Preschool through Middle School were fully engaged as Father quizzed them on the true meaning of Christmas.  He gave all of us 2 assignments.  His first request was to follow the tradition that he has done since childhood that is to write a very private letter to Jesus thanking him for all of the blessings received since last Christmas.  This should be a secret letter (in writing) that is hidden away each year.  In addition to thanking Jesus, children are encouraged to express appreciation for every gift from anyone.

The second request was for us all to be JOYFUL and take every opportunity to spread our joy by song.  No doubt all of our students took that message to heart as our entire student body, staff, parents and parishioners gave praise to the Lord in song. 

Music and song is very definitely an ingredient that makes Saint John’s so special. Father Frank’s was given a beautiful, strong voice that he so often shares with us. Not only does he share that gift in Mass or maybe at our Gala, but last Friday evening he lead us in Christmas caroling through the streets of Centerra Mall.  Children, staff and parents didn’t mind the cold at all as we left Barnes and Noble and strolled to the ice rink and bonfire to spread Saint John’s joy.

JOYFUL wishes and a very Merry Christmas to each of you.

Shalom,

Mrs. Schmitt

WHAT IS GOING ON AT SAINT JOHN’S SCHOOL?

Dear Saint John’s School Families,

What is going on at Saint John’s School?  Perhaps the better question is, “What isn’t going on here at school?  What a hustle/bustle environment we live in here at Saint Johns!   How blessed we all are to enjoy such richness in our lives. 

Would you believe that Saint Nicholas did not disappoint us. He made his visit on his feast day, Thursday of last week.  Every student had “one shoe off and one shoe on” until after his visit when a candy cane was found in the shoe left outside their classroom. 

Thank you everyone who attended the Christmas Carol Play last Friday or Saturday evening. Mrs. Brown and our students did a remarkable job.  Of course, the annual “ Breakfast with Santa” on Saturday morning truly put all attending in the spirit of Christmas. One could hear Santa’s “ho, ho, ho”  laughter as he and his Mrs. had their pictures taken over and over again. 

Monday afternoon our boys’ basketball season came to a close.  The away game was played against Saint Mary’s team in Greeley.  Great season, boys, Mr. Sgourdos and Mr. Sobraske.   

Our 3^rd and 4^th grade “Battle of the Books” teams came back with smiles on their faces Tuesday after having battled in competition with two different Thompson School District Schools. Yes, both teams won!  Mrs. Monet, thank you and your coaches, Sarah Smith, Pam Coke, Lexy Donnelly, and Rachel Sundheim

 Oh, yes, the Christmas Store!  Really, do our students actually get to go shopping while in school?  Mathematics skills must be practiced as our little ones count out their nickels, dimes, and quarters to buy Christmas presents for Mom and Dad.  Thanks so much to our storekeepers, especially Bethany Anderson, who chaired this event.

On Wednesday, morning Saint John’s students and staff had a surprise visit from a real author. Lee Ann Thieman, a nationally renowned speaker and author of Chicken Soup of the Soul, spoke to us about how she became a writer and speaker.  Her faith in God led her to participate in Operation Baby Lift during the Vietnam War. 

Wow!!   What a Christmas concert all of our students put on Thursday evening!  Mr. Bradberry, you have what it takes to bring the best out of our students.  What a delightful evening!  Our students truly “sang their hearts out”.  Our preschoolers and our band opened the evening and nearly brought tears to the eyes of  those in the audience.

Next comes our Christmas Caroling out at Centerra along with our Barnes and Nobel Book Fair. What a week it has been! 

Shalom,

Mrs. Schmitt

PROBLEMS, HYPOTHESIS, CONCLUSIONS

Dear Saint John’s School Families,

The Philosophy Statement in our Saint John’s School Handbook states that Saint John’s School strives to: Help each child develop critical thinking and independent learning skills.  Our middle school SCIENCE FAIR is an excellent example of the showcasing of each students’ project which culminates one specific experience of learning how to think and problem solve.  

These critical lifelong skills each one of us needs to use each day of our lives.  Sometimes these skills are needed on simple day to day matters, other times our life challenges can be most complicated. 

Integrated as part of the science and mathematics curriculums, the science fair has assisted our students in developing these important skills.  Learning first to identify and state the question or problem to be solved, learning just what is a hypothesis, followed by the procedure, analysis and background information, conclusion and gathering all of this in his/her Project Data Book  were  requirements for this assignment.  Hopefully, these skills will transfer and may assist a child to some degree in approaching any problem that she/he might encounter. 

What an excellent display of Science Fair Project is found in our gym hallways! The questions and problems truly pertain to real life encounters and needs.  Could it be that science fair experiences such as these spawn future inventions and an improved way of life for us all?  The Science Fair was visited by all of our Saint John’s Students this week.  The projects will continue to be displayed throughout this weekend.    While coming to this weekend’s Ebenezer’s Christmas Carol play this weekend, please do take time to view the projects.  You will be delighted.

A special “thank you” to Mr. Estergard and Mrs. Rottinghaus, parents and judges for your guidance and investment in teaching our young people to problem solve.

Shalom,

Lois Schmitt

             

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A DEDICATED MAN

Dear Saint John’s School Families,

I would like to dedicate this week’s Chronicle to a very special staff member, Roberto Lopez. Since today is his birthday, all of us here at Saint John’s School decided to celebrate and honor this important man. 

This morning after Mass, more than 200 Saint John’s students and staff gathered in the gym and surprised Mr. Lopez. Mr. Bradberry led us in singing “Happy Birthday”.  He was presented with his birthday cake with many candles, some which he had a difficult time blowing out. All of the students and staff enjoyed his birthday cake as their luncheon treat. 

Who is Roberto Lopez?  What does he do at Saint John’s School and Parish?  What doesn’t he do for us?  He is the humble, quiet man who always wears a smile and never, ever complains.  Just what is his title?  Maintenance?  Surely the school and parish could not “maintain” without him.  He wears so many hats. 

You might not recognize him, as could be the man wearing the big straw hat repairing a broken sprinkler or riding the lawn mower during 100 degree weather.   Or, he could be the Eskimo looking man shoveling snow from our walks when the thermometer reads  –minus 3 degrees. Perhaps he looks like a doctor wearing blue examining gloves as cleans up a body spill after a sick child.  Sometimes, he is a carpenter with a hammer and an electric drill.  What?  Who is the man on the roof fixing a leak or is he working on our air conditioning system.  Did you know he also is our plumber we call when the sewer backs up?  He has been our key man when we have had problems with bats, mice or an occasional raccoon.  Roberto also can be found on the computer which controls our gym temperatures. 

Roberto was born in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico, and grew up in Juarez.  He has three brothers and two sisters.  He is so happy when he can travel back home to visit his mother.  Twenty-seven years ago he married his lovely wife. Irma.   Irma says, he is a wonderful husband and father.  “Dulce”, you were a lucky child, to be adopted by Roberto and Irma when you were just a newborn baby. 

Please join me in thanking Roberto for all he does for us here at Saint John’s parish/school.

Shalom,   Mrs. Schmitt

 Watch Roberto surprised by the SCHOOL!

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD

Psalm 136.1 Give thanks to the LORD for he is good. His love endures forever.

Thanksgiving is a day when we reflect on God’s blessings in our lives.  1621, in Plymouth , Massachusetts the Plymouth Colonists and the Wampanoag Indians celebrated the first Thanksgiving,  to give thanks for their blessings..  Thanksgiving became an official holiday in 1863.  President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it a national observance during the Civil War.  In the United States Thanksgiving Day is always the fourth Thursday of November. 

 Today it sometimes seems like turkey and football are the major ingredients of the traditional American Thanksgiving .  Yet , the spirit of the holiday calls for something much more.  Although it is not a Holy Day many of us Catholics will attend Mass. 

Since  Thanksgiving Day is next Thursday , I would like to take this Chronicle opportunity to use this most appropriate time of the year to send my most sincere appreciation to each of you for making Saint John’s  Parish/School the special community it is. First of all, the staff/faculty join me in thanking you parents for sending your child(ren) to us each day.  How grateful we are to have the parent/school team to work for the success of each child! 

I would also ask you to join me in thanking Father Frank and Father Sam for their support and involvement in our school.  They are such a blessing.  Our children love them. 

Enjoy your weekend and have a very special Thanksgiving holiday.

Shalom

Mrs. Schmitt

THE YEAR OF FAITH

Dear Saint John’s School Families,
As we continue to celebrate the YEAR OF FAITH which began on October 11,
and will close on November 24, 2013, there are countless opportunities to
become involved in ways to grow in our faith.  As Catholics, the word faith is
seen and heard everywhere, especially, since October.   Perhaps it would be
good to truly focus on just that word, and the meaning it has for each of us.
Just a simple word, but so complicated, so rich, and worthy of our spending
time and energy searching for our own understanding and appreciation of how
faith touches our lives.  Just what is faith?
Webster’s dictionary defines faith as firm belief in something for which there is
no proof, without doubt or question, belief in the traditional doctrines of a
religion , belief and trust in and loyalty to God, BELIEF, without doubt or
question.
The CATECHISM of the CATHOLIC CHURCH is an excellent source to seek
help in attempting to understand faith.   143 by faith man completely submits
his intellect and his will to God.  146 Abraham thus fulfills the definition of faith
in Hebrews 11: 1 “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of
things not seen”. Because he was “strong in his faith,” Abraham became the
“father of all who believe.”  Faith is a grace…….  Believing is possible only by
grace and the interior helps of the Holy Spirit.  148 The Virgin Mary most
perfectly embodies the obedience of faith.  Christian faith differs from our
faith in any human person.
160 To be human, “man’s response to God by faith must be free, and…
therefore nobody is to be forced to embrace the faith against his will.  The act
of faith is of its very nature a free act.”  “God calls men to serve him in spirit
and in truth. Consequently they are bound to him in conscience, but not
coerced.”  Faith is a personal act.
What a challenge it is to continue to understand and grow in this YEAR OF
FAITH.
Shalom
Mrs. Schmitt