Ms. I's Update

📣 This Week at a Glance

• Today (Mon 9/8): 12:00 pm dismissal. Students not picked up by 12:15 pm will be signed into Extended Care (billing begins at 12:00 pm).

• Tue (9/9): Student Council results announced at morning assembly.

• Thu (9/11): Peace Prayer 10:50am. All Welcome. Visitors must sign in at front office.

(Bonus: Today we also welcome the Ursuline Mother General for a special campus visit—what a blessing!)

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Dear St. John School Community,

Welcome to Week Four of our school year! These first weeks have been filled with energy, learning, and community—from Back to School Night, to our morning assemblies, to the launch of Fine Arts and STAR testing. It has been inspiring to see our students step into routines with respect and focus, and to witness such strong support from our families.

This past weekend was a wonderful one for both our faith and our community:

• On Sunday, Pope Francis canonized two new saints in the Catholic Church:

  • Blessed Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager known for his deep devotion to the Eucharist and his use of technology to spread the faith. He died in 2006 and is now the first millennial to be declared a saint.

  • Blessed Giuseppe Allamano, an Italian priest who founded the Consolata Missionaries and dedicated his life to evangelization and service.

  • Their lives remind us of holiness in both youth and mission, and we are blessed to celebrate their witness in our Church.

• And for those following local sports—the 49ers brought home a win on Sunday! A joyful way to end the weekend.

This week is especially meaningful, as we celebrate the rare and historic honor of welcoming the Mother General of the Ursulines, Sr. Sue, visiting from Rome, along with her counselor, Sr. Ann Marie to St. John School. Guided by our very own Ursuline sisters, Sr. Shirley and Sr. Michelle—who remain a beloved presence at St. John—this visit is a beautiful reminder of the Ursuline legacy at the heart of our school.

Today’s visit includes a campus tour, time with our eighth graders, and a staff celebratory lunch. We are also working to invite them back later this week for a special student assembly after prayer and pledge on Wednesday (to be confirmed). This is truly a historic blessing for our school community.

This past weekend also marked the start of our CYO season. Congratulations to our student athletes on their first games! Thank you to all of our coaches for preparing practices and guiding our athletes with care, and to our families for cheering with such positive energy. What a joy it is to see our Eagles back in action.

As we begin Week Four, I am filled with gratitude, for the blessing of hosting Sr. Sue, for the witness of two new saints in our Church, for the joy of athletics and community, and for the dedication of our families. May we walk together in faith, learning, and prayer this week and always. I invite you all to join us at for our Peace Prayer on 9/11 at 10:50am.

With gratitude,
Ms. I
Principal

🗳️ Student Council Elections

Our student council election process has been a wonderful experience for the whole school. Students showed great courage, leadership, and school spirit in running for positions.

📌 Election results will be announced at morning assembly on Tuesday, September 9.
👏 Thank you to all of our student candidates—you represented your peers and your school beautifully!

📚 Academic & Program Updates

• STAR Testing is in full swing. A huge thank you to Sr. Michelle for working one-on-one with TK–2 students. Her joyful presence is a blessing, and she is using the newly cleaned Resource Room as a calm testing center.

• Fine Arts launched last week with Ms. Hansel. Students now enjoy two days each week of music and art.

• 💡 Please remind your children that respect for all staff—including extracurricular teachers—is mandatory. Listening, cooperation, and kindness are essential for learning and growth.

After-School Opportunities

• Extended Care – Ms. Ellie & Mr. Yates in the library. Pre-registration required. Hours recorded by staff; invoices sent on the 5th. Parents must sign out daily.

• CYO Sports – Seasons underway.

• KidStock – New enrichment option; flyer available (below)

Lunch Program

Our hot lunch program is up and running! Thank you to families who order and pay on time—it helps Ms. Fabi plan and prepare. Updates to her program are posted on SchoolSpeak.

Friendly reminder: please pay Ms. Fabi promptly for your child’s lunch orders so she can purchase and prepare accordingly. There are still unpaid balances from 2024-2025.

Handbook, SchoolSpeak, & Christian Code of Conduct

The updated Parent/Student Handbook link is now available on SchoolSpeak. Please review it carefully and complete the acknowledgment form.

1. To view handbook: Click here

2. To acknowledge Handbook: Please complete the Google Form

SchoolSpeak is clunky and will sunset at the end of this school year. Please remember:

• Keep private information secure.

• Only authorized users may send group emails.

• All communication must follow the Christian Code of Conduct, which includes:

• Respect for self and others

• Respect for property

• Respect for learning

• Respect in communication, rooted in Gospel values

📘 SchoolSpeak: Terms, Privacy & Christian Conduct

• Use SchoolSpeak only for school-related communication.

• Do not pull/distribute parent emails for unsolicited, non-school messages.
  By using email through SchoolSpeak you agree to: appropriate school use; group emails limited to admins/faculty/parents; protect private info; no gossip/attacks; no commercial/political solicitations; do not share/repurpose lists without permission.

SchoolSpeak Resources:

Parent Quick Guide: Click Here

Parent User Guide: Click Here

Emergency/Med Forms: Please update your child(ren)'s profiles on SchoolSpeak. This is where all forms are pulled.

As we move into fall, fundraising for overnight field trips is beginning to get into full swing. These trips are major highlights for our students:

• 4th Grade – Coloma Gold Rush Experience (3/4-3/6)

• 6th Grade – Caritas Creek (2/23-2/27)

• 7th Grade – NatureBridge in Marin (3/2-3/4)

• 8th Grade – Retreat (2/9-2/10)

Last week, I met with Celina Gomes (mom of Naima, 8th grade), and she generously volunteered to take the lead on helping homeroom teachers and parents organize for field trip fundraising. She will be a great resource to ensure smooth communication and coordination across grades. We will be meeting again this Friday to iron out details and next steps.

A big thank you to our homeroom parents as well—they are helping to coordinate logistics and spearhead efforts alongside the teachers.

Important Reminder

👉 The school’s $450 per student annual fundraising goal supports the school’s operating budget.
👉 Field trip fundraising is separate—it only goes toward lowering the cost of the specific overnight trips.

Payment Options for Field Trips

Families have two choices for covering the cost of these trips:

1. Pay Upfront

   • Submit the full trip cost directly to the school (example: $420 per student for NatureBridge).

   • If scholarships are awarded, they are applied evenly across all students, and families who paid upfront will be reimbursed accordingly.

2. Work Together and Fundraise

   • Participate in approved fundraisers.

   • All funds raised on campus flow through the school—no personal apps or accounts may be used.

   • Net proceeds are credited back to the participating families, lowering their per-student amount.

   • Fundraising is a shared effort—families can volunteer at events, contribute goods, or help with leadership and planning.

Example NatureBridge Key Numbers (7th Grade Example)

• Total cost (with 3 chaperones): $9,240

• Students: 22 → $420 per student

Communication & Parent Meetings

Homeroom teachers for grades with overnight trips will be scheduling parent information sessions in the coming weeks. These meetings will give families the chance to review options, ask questions, and plan for either upfront payment or fundraising participation. Expect more detailed communication to come soon.

Fundraising Opportunities

• 7th Grade Naturebridge First Fundraiser: Morning Chat Coffee & Pastries – Sept 12
  This kickoff event will build a small 7th-grade “seed bank” to cover supplies for future fundraising events (like Snack Shack).

• On-Campus Sales
  Whenever we hold a bake sale or coffee/pastry sale, we encourage families to purchase here instead of stopping at Starbucks or another café. Every coffee and pastry purchased on campus directly supports our students’ trips and reduces the per-student cost.

• Exploring Off-Campus Options
  We are also exploring partnerships with local food establishments where a percentage of sales comes back to the school. These restaurant nights will help expand fundraising beyond our immediate base of families and lessen the overall load.

Handling of Funds

• School Venmo: payments only to the school account with memo: “Grade – Trip (Family Last Name, Student Name).”

• Cash: brought immediately to the office → counted by two people → receipt issued by Victoria → recorded on the shared spreadsheet same day.

• Weekend events: Admin will be present; Coach Trevor will help coordinate; deposits entered same day.

⚠️ Transparency & fairness: Families who opt to fundraise are expected to take a role or contribute goods. Net proceeds are tracked on a shared grade spreadsheet and credited by family.

Looking ahead, our long-term goal is to establish a Field Trip Fund to reduce yearly ad-hoc fundraising. For now, thank you for working together to ensure these memorable experiences remain accessible for every student.

September

• 1: Labor Day – No School

• 8: ADSF PD – 12:00 pm Dismissal

• 11: Peace Prayer – 10:50 am

• 12: July, August & September Birthday Free Dress

• 17: PTG Meeting – 6:00 pm (In-Person)

• 22: ADSF PD – 12:00 pm Dismissal

• 26: School Mass; Fall Sports Picture Day – 3:30–6:00 pm

• 30: Sacramental Paperwork Due – Families planning for First Communion or Confirmation this school year must submit all paperwork by this date.

October

• 1: Pet Blessing – 1:20 pm

• 3: ADSF PD – No School

• 10: Birthday Free Dress

• 13: Indigenous Peoples Day – No School

• 15: PTG Meeting – 6:00 pm (Virtual)

• 17: Fall Picture Day

• 24: School Mass

• 27–31: Spirit Week

• 31: School Carnival & Trunk-or-Treat 🎃

🙏 Join Us in Prayer

• Ongoing Opportunities – Families are invited to join us at:

  • Mass every last Friday of the month with the school

  • 10:00 am Mass on the second Sunday of each month
    Come celebrate with us—faith is at the heart of our community life!

This school year, we are bringing back School Family Mass every 2nd Sunday at 10:00 AM. If you are not registered with a parish, we encourage you to join our school parish. We also welcome families from other parishes and non-Catholic families to come to this school mass- our doors are open. Find Ms. I after mass for a Free Dress Pass for the following Monday!

“At Kid Stock, we believe that theater is much more than just performing - it's a journey of creativity and self-discovery. In this program, young artists get the opportunity to dive into the creative process through creating their own characters, writing stories, choreographing dances, directing the action, and being a part of the performance! Join us for a transformative experience where you're not just part of a play but part of creating a world. Enroll now and step into the spotlight with us!”

Kid Stock is inviting all 2nd-8th grade students to participate in their afterschool program from August 28 through November 11 (12 classes). This program will take place at St. John every Thursday from 3:30-5:30pm. For more information and to register your child, please visit this site or ask the front office. For financial aid questions, please email admin@kidstockinc.org.

Find out more information on our Parish website: https://www.saintjohnevangelist.org/

We love our St. John School community and believe that our parents and families are our best ambassadors! Over the years, our school has flourished thanks to referrals from our wonderful families.

💙 Refer a family to St. John School!
If they enroll, your family will receive a $250 tuition deduction per newly enrolled student.

We have limited spots available in most grade levels—help us welcome new families to our St. John community!

For more details, contact our Admissions Director, Victoria Kelly admissions@stjohnseagles.com

Stay up to date on the local news: http://www.glenparkassociation.org/

Instagram: stjohn_sf

Email: officesj@stjohnseagles.com
Website: stjohnseagles.com
Location: 925 Chenery Street, San Francisco, CA, USA
Phone: (415) 584-8383
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stjohnSF/