Panther Paw News

Hello ELC Families,

On Friday September 18th, the St. John's community hosts our Annual Big Breakfast. This event celebrates the wonderful dads and men in our student's lives. We hope our ELC dads will consider joining us for some quality time with your kids and a delicious breakfast. There are two seatings, 7:15 and 8:15. The registration link is below.

• Siblings: Taken on the younger sibling's scheduled day
• Dress to Impress: Dress your child for pictures! Leave any notes with their teacher.
• No Deposit Needed: No payment is required up front!
• Opt-Out: We will photograph EVERYONE unless we receive an opt-out note from you via the school.
• Morning Sessions: Finish by lunch. Drop-ins should come early.
• Need tips? Check out our Parent Picture Day Guide!

We are looking for one parent in each classroom who is willing to be the parent leader for the classroom. This position has always been great for the parent who wants to help but cannot do so in person very often. We would like to increase the role of this person while keeping it a mostly remote task. Your main task is to keep your classroom, parents and teachers, informed throughout the ENTIRE school year. We will send you emails with information that will need to be relayed on to your classroom within 24-48 hours.

We are looking for help with the execution of our Fall Festival, to be held on Friday, October 9th, 4:00-6:00pm. This event will be a family friendly social event on campus with food trucks and fall fun!

• Sept. 12 at 6:30 AM: Sunrise Sculpt Pilates on the West Patio. This event is open to all women, not just moms!
• Sept. 22 at 6:00 PM: Kate Silverman of School Savvy discusses school choice guidance and support
• Oct. 6 at 6:00 PM: Emily Jacobson, parent coach, is a Denver based parenting and life coach who teaches nervous system regulation and emotional resilience specifically tailored to parents and caregivers

26th Annual Pie-a-Thon Fundraiser - Order Your Pie Today!

Once again, the St. John’s community will be working together to raise money to support the ARISE! Women’s Empowerment Program of India Transformed.

Support the cause by ordering a delicious homemade apple pie.

● Regular 9-inch apple pie: $25

● Small 6-inch apple pie: $17

● Choose baked or frozen/unbaked

A frozen pie is easy to save and bake fresh for a holiday gathering. A baked pie makes a tasty treat to share with a neighbor or to give away as a thoughtful gift. All pie purchases and financial contributions help move us closer to our $25,000 goal.

Don’t miss out! You are only guaranteed a pie if you pre-order.

Monday, December 7th 6-8:30pm. Join us for a festive and beautiful evening of reflection allowing our hearts to settle into the advent season. It’s our largest women’s community event which so many look forward to every year. It takes place in our Worship Center. Men, we need you as well to serve that night. More info to come!

Our teachers are awesome and occasionally spend the classroom naptime having staff meetings and/or training! We like to bless them with some snacks for them to enjoy during staff meetings. We are looking for one volunteer on each of the following dates to donate treats for 30 and drop them off in the morning to the ELC office. This is a great way to get involved and show our teachers how much they are appreciated!

St. John's is seeking a Full-Time Director responsible for leading our before-and after-school programs, School Days Out, and Summer Camp. Proven experience supervising children and managing staff is required; important skills include program development, staff management, marketing, and safety administration.

Our 2026-27 ELC School Calendar

• September 16-17 - ELC Picture Days
• September 18 - Dad's Big Breakfast
• October 2 - Mom's High Tea
• October 9 - Fall Festival; ELC closes at 4:30pm
• October 14-16 - ELC Closed for Staff Training
• November 4 & 5 - Kindergarten Open House 4-6pm

September Menu (whole month)

Monday Lunch: Refried Bean Burrito

Whole Wheat Tortilla, Shredded Cheddar, Grilled Bell Peppers

Cold Corn Salad

Snack: Whole Wheat Goldfish Crackers & Sliced Ham

Tuesday Lunch: Chicken Nuggets

Coleslaw with Coleslaw Dressing

Cold Chickpea Salad

Snack: Whole Wheat Graham Crackers & Applesauce

Wednesday Lunch: Beef Goulash

Whole Wheat Pasta

Garden Salad with Ranch Dressing

Cinnamon Apples

Snack: Whole Wheat Zucchini Muffin & Sliced Peaches

Thursday Lunch: White Chicken Chili

Whole Wheat Cornbread

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Par Steamed Carrots

Snack: Saltine Crackers & String Cheese

Friday Lunch: Chicken Salad Pita

Sliced Cucumber with Ranch Dip

Par Steamed Cauliflower

Snack: Whole Wheat Soft Pretzel Bites & Sliced Peaches

In the event of a schedule change (closure, delayed start, or early dismissal) or an emergency situation, we will notify parents as soon as possible via email and the Remind app. If you haven't signed up for Remind notifications yet, please follow the instructions below. Parents with multiple students only need to join one group - all groups receive identical communications simultaneously.

• To join the ELC notification list: text @26f23d to the number 81010
• To join the K-5 notification list: text @4fc467 to the number 81010
• To join the 6-8 notification list: text @he3acac to the number 81010

We only use Remind for urgent, time-sensitive alerts.

If you lose one or both of your key cards, please notify the ELC office staff right away so we can deactivate the card’s building access. If the card is later found, we can easily reactivate it—there’s no need to purchase a replacement.

For the safety and security of our ELC, it’s important that we know where all active key cards are at all times. Thank you for helping us keep our students, families, and staff safe!

An easy way to support St. John’s School is through your grocery shopping! We’ve partnered with King Soopers in the Community Rewards Program. Simply create an account at www.kingsoopers.com by either using your loyalty card or alternate ID. Once you have logged in, select My Account and then Community Partners. Search for St. John's Lutheran School or select organization number HM299.

Each purchase made, King Soopers donates to St. John’s. All proceeds go to the Teacher Wish

"We walk together towards renewed hope and life in Jesus Christ."

Thank you to our sponsors for their generous support of St. John’s School. Their partnership strengthens our mission and helps us see our Graduate Promise—Grow in Faith, Excel in Education, Thrive in Community—come to life in the lives of more than 300 children each year.

When it fits your family’s needs, we hope you’ll consider supporting the sponsors who pour into our school community and into your children.

Please click on a sponsor for more information.

Editions dating back to July 22, 2026, can be found here.