Panther Paw News

Hello ELC Families,

This week we held our first ELC Chapel session and it was so fun to come together to learn! The kids really enjoyed the "Hippopotamus" song and dance! At our weekly teacher meeting we started preparation for our National Lutheran School Accreditation process. We are looking for parents who would be interested in joining one of our accreditation sub committees for the ELC. A lot of the work will be done asynchronously and flexible with schedules. The sub-committees include Relationships, Leadership, Teaching and Learning, and Personnel. If you would be willing to review, and provide feedback and input on our processes in any of these areas please email me at Jennifer.Coggin@sjdenver.org. Thank you!

St. John’s has been nominated in the 2026 Best of the Front Range, and we need your help! Please take a few minutes to vote for St. John’s Lutheran School in these categories:

• Elementary School
• Middle School
• Preschool
• Faith-Based School
• Private School

How to vote:

1. Visit the Best of the Front Range voting site.
2. Navigate to the Education section.
3. Find each of the five categories above.
4. Select St. John’s Lutheran School and submit your votes.

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!

Don't forget to RSVP for the first Panther Parents meeting of the year next Thursday, August 27 at 8:30 a.m. in the Community Room. You'll have the chance to meet other parents, hear what’s ahead, and learn how you can get involved. We’ll have bagels and coffee to help get your day started!

Please RSVP

Volunteer: Our master SignUpGenius is now open! Sign-up to help with lunch, classroom activities, staff meeting snacks, events, and more.

Sign up to Volunteer

Support Panther Parents: Donations help make our events and activities possible throughout the year. Donate online below or drop off a check in the Main Office with “Panther Parents” in the memo line.

Make a Donation

Thank you for helping make this a great year for our St. John’s community!

Please join us for our annual St. John’s Family Picnic this Sunday, August 23rd at 11:15 a.m.! It’s a fun way to connect with school and church families and celebrate the start of a new school year.

This is a potluck picnic, so please bring a dish to share based on your last name: A–F: Main Dish | G–L: Side Dish | M–S: Fruit or Salad | T–Z: Dessert

Join us this fall for Women's Huddle, a welcoming Bible study where women gather to grow in God's Word, encourage one another, and build meaningful friendships. This semester we'll be studying Psalm 23: The Shepherd With Me by Jennifer Rothschild.

We meet Monday mornings from 8:30–9:30 AM at St. John's Church, alternating between homework discussion and the accompanying video each week.

Kickoff Brunch: Monday, August 31 at 8:30 AM at the Hensley Home (2856 Zang Way, Golden). We'll break for Labor Day, with our first study discussion on Monday, September 14.

Whether you've studied the Bible for years or are just beginning, we'd love to have you join us! For more information or to RSVP, contact Melani Hensley at hensleyfam4@gmail.com or text 407-952-9541.

• Aug. 22 at 9:00 AM: Playdate at Wash Park
• Sept. 8 at 6:00 PM: Children’s Nutrition with Monica Strachan in the Community Room
• Sept. 12 at 6:30 AM: Sunrise Sculpt Pilates on the West Patio

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 7 - ELC CLOSED; Labor Day
• 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

Monday Lunch: Teriyaki Chicken w/Cauliflower, Peas, Lima Beans

Brown Rice

Edamame Coleslaw with Vinaigrette

Snack: Cottage Cheese & Whole Wheat Cornbread

Tuesday Lunch: Beef Meatloaf

Whole Wheat Biscuit

Mashed Potatoes

Cold Pea Salad

Snack: Sliced Cheddar & Whole Grain Pita

Wednesday Lunch: Baked Whole Wheat Chicken Mac & Cheese

Steamed Green Beans

Par Steamed Carrots

Snack: Animal Crackers & Sliced Ham

Thursday Lunch: Light Curried Red Beans

Brown Rice

Red Potato

Cucumber Salad

Sliced Pears

Snack: Whole Grain Homemade Zesty Chex & String Cheese

Friday Lunch: Italian Pasta Salad

Ranch Dip

Par Steamed Carrots

Melon Wedge

Snack: Whole Wheat Apple Cinnamon Muffin & Applesauce

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 October 25, 2024, can be found here.