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As School Year Gets Underway, Students and Staff Embrace the “New” and “Familiar”
There’s a bit of “new” as the school year begins Aug. 12 for students at St. John School, but the best of the “new” is a return to a new year where faculty and staff are not so intently focused on COVID 19 restrictions.
“Having the kids back is so exciting, and hopefully we’ll return to normalcy as much as possible, given the current situation,” says Cristel Miller, Principal. “We won’t be taking temperatures at the door. We may be able to get the clubs going again.”
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In anticipation of the first day of school, Aug. 10 will be Back to School Night, when enrolled families will have an opportunity to meet their children’s teachers. The Home-School Association will welcome St. John School families with a barbecue on Aug. 5.
The students will meet some new faces among the faculty, with the addition of a teacher in the Take Flight Program. This position will enable more children to be served. A new third-grade teacher is joining the faculty. Also, the Robotics program is coming back as an elective for middle school grades — a return Mrs. Miller is eager to see.
A new religion teacher along with a new religion curriculum, The Spirit of Truth, will be introduced to the students, and Theology of the Body will be added, starting in Pre-K all through the grades. All our students will enjoy becoming more proficient readers through the Structured Literacy Program in place at the school.
All the programs offered at St. John School are well-grounded in a Catholic education that will ensure that the students not only grow more deeply in their faith but will also be witnesses to that faith throughout their lives.
The eighth-grade students at St. John Catholic School volunteered at the Catholic Charities food bank during their retreat.
The question of “why send your children to Catholic school?” shouldn’t be a question at all for Catholic parents. “If you’re Catholic, it’s an easy choice,” Mrs. Miller says. “You want your children raised in the faith, and in an environment where faith is in the school culture.”
She notes that religion is part of the classroom, and the teachers freely talk about God during the day.
“If you’re Catholic, why wouldn’t you want your kids in Catholic school?” Mrs. Miller says. “If you’re not Catholic, our school is a safe environment and the classes are smaller. It’s like a family environment and, especially to elementary students, that is important. Even for middle school students, they can feel safe. They are at a crucial age, and they are helped to figure out who they are before high school, where they are surrounded by all kinds of temptations. Catholic education helps them make better decisions.”
Mrs. Miller is optimistic that the high enrollment numbers from last year will continue. Enrollment is ongoing throughout the year.
