The Panther Post

Just a quick and friendly reminder regarding our daily school bell schedule and sign-in procedures.

The morning school bell rings at 8:15 a.m. Students are expected to be in their seats at that time in order to be marked present for the day. Students who arrive after 8:15 a.m. will be recorded as tardy or absent, per attendance guidelines.

Arriving on time is especially important, as it allows teachers to begin lessons promptly and set a positive, focused pace for the day. This is particularly important during MAP Testing days.

If a student arrives after the bell, they must be signed in by an adult at the K–8 office for security purposes.

The afternoon dismissal bell rings at 3:15 p.m. If a student needs to be picked up before dismissal, they must be signed out by an adult in the K–8 office prior to leaving campus.

Thank you so much for your continued partnership and support in helping our school days run smoothly. We truly appreciate your cooperation and commitment to our students’ success.

Our K–2 Library time has resumed with Mrs. Ripke. We are grateful for the way she creates a welcoming, joyful space where our youngest readers can grow in their love of stories, books, and careful listening. It is a gift to have this rhythm back as part of the week for our K–2 students.

We are delighted to share that we will be celebrating National Lutheran Schools Week—a special time set aside to rejoice in and give thanks for the gift of Lutheran education.

Throughout the week, our students and staff will focus on sharing God’s grace through Lutheran education, highlighting how faith is woven into learning, service, community, and worship each day at St. John’s. Together, we will celebrate the ways God is at work in our school through special activities, service projects, and opportunities for worship.

National Lutheran Schools Week is supported by the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), which provides resources that invite schools to make a joyful noise in praise, service, community, and worship. These themes encourage our students to reflect on their blessings, express gratitude for their Lutheran education, and live out their faith in meaningful and age-appropriate ways.

We look forward to a joyful and faith-filled week that celebrates our shared mission of nurturing students who grow in faith, excel in education, and thrive in community. Thank you for being our partners in this important ministry and for the many ways you support Lutheran education at St. John’s.

We’re pleased to announce a special game happening during National Lutheran Schools’ Week (Jan. 25 - Jan. 29): the Pennies vs. Silver War.

Here’s how it works:

• Silver coins (nickels, dimes, quarters) earn positive points for your student’s class.

• Pennies count as negative points and can be used to sabotage other classes!

Each morning, Monday through Thursday, students can drop their coins into class jars between 8:00 and 8:15 AM. On Friday Jan. 30, the totals will be calculated, and the winning class will be announced. The class with the most points will win an exciting prize, but the real reward is that all money raised will go to support Love India—a truly meaningful cause close to St. John’s heart.

Start gathering your coins now and join us in this fun, friendly competition! Let’s make a big difference together.

Thank you for your support, and may the best class win!

In the event the school needs to communicate immediately with parents, we use Remind to send a short message directly to your phone. This might be for school closures, delayed starts, or other time-critical situations. We will also send a secondary email with the same information.

We expect all parents to sign up for these alerts to ensure you receive this information promptly.

This week, we migrated all families out of the “St. John’s School Parent Notifications” group and into groups titled “St. John’s School Parents,” followed by ELC, K–5, or 6–8. You may have received a notification that you were added to or removed from a group. This is expected, does not require any action on your behalf, and will not affect the communication you receive. The “St. John’s School Parent Notifications” group will soon be archived, and all families must be subscribed to one of the groups listed below.

If you are not yet signed up, please click the links below to join the appropriate notification group(s). If you have multiple students, you may join more than one group, but it is not necessary—all groups receive the same communication at the same time.

Click here to join the ELC notification list

Click here to join the K-5 notification list

Click here to join the 6-8 notification list

Thank you for your partnership as we ensure our communications system meets the needs of our school community.

We invite parents to join us for a Dress Code Partnership Conversation on Thursday, January 22, 2026, from 4:00–5:00 p.m. As we look ahead to the coming years, we want to work together to consider how our students represent themselves through clothing and how our dress expectations can best support them in achieving our Graduate Promise: Growing in their Faith, Excelling in their Education, and Thriving in our Community.

This will be a collaborative group of parents and staff, focused on listening, sharing perspectives, and shaping recommendations together. If you are interested in being part of this conversation, we would be glad to have you join us.

RSVPs are required. Please email Cara Benton to let her know you’d like to participate.

Become a Reading Rockstar and help our younger students grow as readers! Volunteers commit to 30–60 minutes a week for 4 consecutive weeks, working one-on-one or in small groups to build strong reading habits and a lifelong love of reading.

You can sign up to be a Reading Rockstar until the end of the school year!

Thank you for the generous gifting of onesies, blankets, toys, and other baby items for Alternatives Pregnancy Center. The moms and babies were truly blessed!

During the month of January, we are proud to support the Community Ministry Food Pantry by collecting much-needed food items. We are accepting donations of breakfast cereal, spaghetti, and pasta sauce.

Please drop off your contributions in the donation bins located near the school office and in the community room. Thank you for your generosity and for helping us support families in our community.

Looking for new ways to show your St. John’s spirit? Our Panther Sideline Store has everything you need—from cozy hoodies and tees to hats, bags, and more! You can even customize your gear to make your Panther pride truly stand out.

Every purchase gives a percentage back to St. John’s School, helping support our students and programs.

Check out the latest styles and stock up on your favorites today!

Shop Our Panther Sideline Store

Thursday Folders have gone high-tech. We will no longer be sending home paper flyers each week. Please see here for your digital flyers!

Colorado Christian Sports League

March-May 2026

Kindergarten Soccer Sign Up

1st & 2nd Grade Soccer Sign Up

3rd & 4th Grade Soccer Sign Up

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade

MomCo: Click for Event Dates

Thank you for help us save time, resources, and many trees. If you would like a hard copy of these flyers, please ask Molly Hanson.

January

19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day | No School

20: Pizza Day

22: Dress Code Partnership Conversation

25: Cherub and JoyFilled Choir presentation

26-29: Pennies vs Silver (a classroom competition)

26-30: National Lutheran Schools Week

February

3: Pizza Day

11: Panthers Dine Out: Hapa Sushi Cherry Creek

16: Presidents' Day | No School

17: Pizza Day

20: End of 2nd Trimester

26-27: Teacher Conference | No School

Add the St. John's Parents' Calendar to your calendar here.

The 2025-26 K-8 School calendar is available now.

You can access it by clicking here.

Get ready for a summer filled with joy, friendship, faith, and unforgettable adventures at St. John’s Summer Camp! Our (Re)UNITED theme celebrates coming together in community laughing, learning, exploring, and growing together under the Son. This is the kind of summer kids talk about all year long, and one they won’t want to miss.

St. John’s Summer Camp is open to children in the community entering 1st–8th grade for the 2026–2027 school year.

Dates: Monday, June 1 – Wednesday, July 29

Hours: 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Monday–Friday

Closed Friday, June 19 (Juneteenth) and Friday, July 3 (Independence Day)

Tuition and Fees

Registration Fee: $55 one-time fee per camper (includes camp T-shirt)

Weekly Rate: $340 (4–5 days per week)

3 Days per Week: $290

Field Trip/Transportation Fee: $40 (for days your child attends a field trip)

Blackbaud Fee: $39 per family (third-party payment processor)

A 4-week notice is required for any refunds

Weekly Activities include on-site and off-site field trips, Bible time, swimming at Wash Park Rec Center, STEAM activities, Glow Games, service projects, Bonnie Brae Ice Cream, and more!

Weekly Field Trips

From Rockies games to Pirates Cove to Chatfield Farms and beyond, we love exploring the Denver metro area and bringing the fun right to St. John’s. Field trip planning is in progress.

We hope to be (re)united with you this summer at St. John’s Summer Camp!

Please Contact our Camp Director, Gloria Roggow with any questions.

Before School Care

• 7:00–8:00 am: $10 per child/day (for Drop Off between 7am-7:30am, parents must request 24 hours in advance via email)

• 7:30–8:00 am: $7 per child/day

After School Care

• Pick-up at 4:30 pm: $14 per child/day

• Pick-up after 4:30 pm: $18 per child/day

Families only pay for the days their child actually attends.

School Day Out (SDO) & ½ School Day Out

• SDO (No school days, 7:30 am–5:30 pm): $68 per child/day

• ½ SDO (½ school days, 11:30 am–5:30 pm): $38 per child/day

Note: If registered at least one week prior, payment is required regardless of attendance.

Key Dates

Please see here for key dates for 2025-26

Registration

Attendance Form

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. For more info, contact Gloria Roggow at gloria.roggow@sjdenver.org 303-733-3777 ext:156 | Program Cell Phone 720-215-0193

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 List.

The Early Learning Center will begin 2026-2027 Open Enrollment February 2. Follow the link for more details: Open Enrollment and Tuition

If you're exploring options, we’d love to connect and share more about what makes St. John’s a special place to begin your child’s educational journey.

At St. John's, our strong focus on academic readiness, social-emotional growth, and joyful discovery, our curriculum is thoughtfully designed to support each child’s development during these foundational years. Our experienced and caring teachers create a warm and engaging environment where children thrive in mind, body, and spirit.

Have questions or want to schedule a tour? Reach out to ELCinfo@sjdenver.org

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

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH EVENTS (click links for information)

January

29: Alpha @ St. John's

February

1: First Sunday food donation

15: Spiritually Vibrant Homes: AJ & Krissy Vega's Home

RENEWAL CHURCH EVENTS

Follow Here

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 October 25, 2024, can be found here.