Ms. I's Update

🌟 Quick Reminders for This Week

• Back to School Night – Wednesday, August 27 at 6:00 pm (mandatory for all families)

• First All-School Mass – Friday, August 29 at 9am- We walk from school at 8:30am (full dress uniform required; all families welcome!)

Dear St. John School Community,

What a blessing it has been to open the 2025–2026 school year together! From the Sunday Mass blessing with Fr. Agnel to our first week of prayer, learning, and routines, it is clear the Holy Spirit is guiding us into a year filled with joy and growth. A heartfelt welcome to all of our new families and students, it has been such a joy to meet you and begin building our community together.

Our teachers are thrilled to be back. They are busy getting to know their students, scheduling beginning-of-year assessments, and setting the stage for a strong year of learning. Students have already reviewed expectations in assemblies and are practicing respectful behavior across campus. A special thank you to the 7th grade for leading our daily Moment of Mindfulness after lunch, helping the whole school reset and refocus each day.

Thank you, parents, for your continued input and support. Our first Morning Chat with Ms. I was well attended (recap below), and we look forward to many more opportunities to engage and connect throughout the year. Special thanks to Berta for volunteering to continue to organize PTG meetings, as we also work toward a voting process that will give parents an even stronger voice in PTG leadership. Please mark your calendars, our first PTG meeting of the year will be on Wednesday, September 17 at 6:00 pm (in person).

As we shared, fundraising is essential at St. John School. Tuition alone does not cover the true cost of education, and fundraising helps us bridge that gap. This is why we have a fundraising expectation of $450 per family each year. Your efforts directly support programs, staffing, and resources for our children, we are deeply grateful for your generosity and participation. Looking ahead, one of our big community events this fall will be Trunk-or-Treat, please mark your calendars now!

As we begin week two, I look forward to seeing everyone at Back to School Night this Wednesday and celebrating together at our first school Mass this Friday. 📩 If you missed it, you can also read my previous newsletter here: https://secure.smore.com/n/smr0z.

With gratitude,
Ms. I
Principal

P.S. Please make sure your child(ren)'s SchoolSpeak account is updated with emergency information, walking permissions, allergy information, and other required details. This is essential for your child’s safety and participation in school activities.

Back to School Night is mandatory for all families and a great way to connect with your child’s teachers and learn about expectations for the year.

• 4:00 pm – Fingerprinting & Livescan available on-site (Virtus profile required; $37 fee cash/card; bring ID/Drivers License; forms must be filled out as well and will be available).

• 6:00 pm – Evening begins in the gym:

  • Prayer with Fr. Agnel

  • Principal’s welcome and updates

  • Information tables:

    • Athletics – Coach Trevor: sports, Sports Night, photos

    • Extended Care – Ms. Ellie & Mr. Yates overview

    • Lunch Program – Ms. Fabi: ordering & payment reminders (please be paid up!)

    • Fine Arts – Ms. Hansel: two-day program overview (music & art after Labor Day)

• 6:30 pm – Classroom visits:

  • Teachers present expectations in 15-minute sessions.

  • Junior High: begin in homeroom; teachers rotate every 15 minutes. (Junior High portion will run longer—thank you for planning ahead.)

Academic & Program Updates

• Resource & Intervention Services – New hire on campus this week to meet with teachers; push-in support begins after Labor Day.

• ELA Support – Ms. Boyer supports younger grades on Mondays and Fridays.

• Words in the Wild – Returns after Labor Day to support literacy in the lower grades.

• Fine Arts – Begins after Labor Day with two dedicated days each week (music & art).

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 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.

Thank you to all who attended our first Morning Chat of the year—it was a well-attended and thoughtful gathering. Below are highlights of what was discussed:

Student Council

• Parents noted that communication about the election process at the end of last year was not clear.

• Moving forward: Ms. Muñoz and Mr. Yates are leading the process with middle school students, and all students will vote after candidates complete requirements (conduct, grades, character statement, interview, and speeches).

• Families will receive more communication soon so they can support their child’s participation.

• Parents suggested additional leadership opportunities, such as a student newspaper.

Yearbook

• Run by one adult volunteer with ~5 eighth graders.

• Teachers are asked to update folders weekly, and this will now be a regular faculty meeting agenda item.

• We continue to use Tree Ring so families can purchase directly.

Clubs

• Clubs will begin soon—this week’s focus is on procedures.

• Students will be surveyed for interests, and teachers/parents can sponsor with approval.

• Some clubs will meet in the library at lunch.

• Parents asked that clubs also include student leadership/mentorship roles (e.g., older students guiding younger ones in chess).

Lunch Area & Shade

• Ongoing conversations about adding more shade in the lunch area.

• Umbrellas originally considered were not approved for safety; permanent solutions are needed.

• Parent group may form to research proposals.

• We are documenting “hot spots” on the yard to better assess needs.

• Canopy and solar panel options were suggested, but both require funding and further study.

Finances & Scholarships

• Clarified that no tuition money goes to or comes from the parish.

• There is a separate parish scholarship fund, which Ms. I and Fr. Agnel are working to reactivate. Goal: committee formed and process communicated by December.

• Parents raised concerns that financial aid uses last year’s income, which can miss families with new hardships. Appeals process is being reviewed.

• Transparency on 60/40 fundraising split was appreciated—commitment to communicating allocations more clearly moving forward.

Fundraising

• Parents lifted up examples from other schools that use a “Friends of…” nonprofit structure to manage funds.

• School is exploring a separate account for rollover and growth, with continued accountability and receipts.

• Fund-A-Need (FAN) continues to be earmarked as a dedicated account.

Registration Fees

• Families want more clarity on how registration fees are used.

• Example: Fine Arts fee helped employ art teacher and buy supplies but was not enough to cover the full program cost

• Tech fee supported classroom projectors and the school phone system (VOIP upgrade pushed by AT&T). Parents asked for fees to feel more directly tied to student benefit.

Communication

• Families appreciate proactive S’more newsletters.

• Parents want milestones, due dates, and deadlines communicated consistently.

• PTG can be a partner in ensuring information is widely shared.

• Reminder: SchoolSpeak will sunset at the end of this year; the Archdiocese will announce a replacement.

Sports & Athletics

• Questions raised about CYO sports fees—school and parish athletic board working on clearer breakdowns.

• Commitment to regular athletic board meetings for accountability and planning.

• Exciting news: Sports Night and team photos are returning this year!

• FAN account for sports is separate and secure.

🙏 A special thank you to Ximena (3rd grade parent) for taking detailed notes and sending a summary!

August

• 27: Back to School Night – 6:00 pm (mandatory)

• 29: School Mass – 8:30 am (full dress uniform)

September

• 1: Labor Day – No School

• 4: School Prayer Service (TBD)

• 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

• First School Mass – Friday, August 29 at 8:30 am

  • Students and staff walk together to church.

  • Full dress uniform required.

  • Families are warmly invited to join us.

  • TK will not attend this first Mass but will join beginning next month.

• 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/