The Panther Post

Thank you to our wonderful community for your incredible generosity, thoughtful treats, and kind notes. From your generosity, we shared $9,200 with our K-8 staff as a little special treat for the holidays. Your support and encouragement mean so much and are truly felt and appreciated. We are so grateful for each of you and the care you show one another. We are praying that your Christmas is filled with joy, peace, and many blessings.

Our Christmas presentation, The Promise, was a beautiful success. The Cherub and Joyful Choirs sang wonderfully, and the story of our Savior’s birth was honored so thoughtfully throughout the production.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in person and to those who watched via livestream. Your support means so much to our community. We hope your Christmas season is filled with joy, peace, and the promise of hope.

Thank you to Cline Images for the photos below.

MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) assessments help us better understand each student’s individual academic growth in areas such as Math, Reading, and Science. The results provide teachers with valuable insight, allowing them to personalize instruction, identify learning gaps, and thoughtfully tailor the curriculum to meet each student’s unique needs.

MAP assessments are not used for grading or retention. Instead, they show what students already know and what they are ready to learn next, helping us best support their continued academic growth.

To help your child feel prepared and confident, we encourage students to eat a healthy breakfast each morning and get a good night’s rest before testing days. Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting your child’s learning.

As we move toward the end of the year, we want to highlight our matching gift opportunity for building renovations. A generous alumnus has offered up to $125,000 in matching funds to help offset the cost of our recent improvements, allowing us to direct more resources toward future projects that support our students and teachers.

We are grateful to have already received more than $107,000 toward this match!!!

With Christmas approaching, we invite families to consider St. John’s in their end-of-year giving. Every gift - large or small - helps us move closer to meeting the full match and strengthens our school community for the year ahead.

Let’s meet the match - and surpass it - together.

If you would like to contribute toward this fund, St. John’s gratefully accepts donations in the following forms:

• Cash (preferred)

• Checks (preferred)

• Credit cards (via Vanco, though not preferred because of fees)

• Wire transfers

• Stock gifts

• Cryptocurrency

For assistance with wire transfers, stock gifts, or cryptocurrency donations, please contact Dr. Barnard directly.

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.

We are looking for a helpful extra set of hands during lunchtime on Thursdays and would love your support! If you have a little flexibility in your day and enjoy being around our wonderful students, please consider volunteering. Even one Thursday a month makes a big difference and is so appreciated.

If you’re available Sign Up here!, or email Cara Benton. Thank you in advance for considering!

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!

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!

Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)

Volunteer Sign Up

Donation

MomCo: Click for Event Dates

Calendar of Events Registration

Thriving Families Donation Opportunity (Baby & Child gear)

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.

December 22 - January 2: Christmas Break, School Closed

January

6: Pizza Day

12-16: MAP Testing

16: Student Half Day, dismissal 11:30am

19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day | No School

February

3: Pizza Day

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. We have updated it to reflect a change in the Christmas program, which has moved to December 16 and 17, 2025.

You can access it by clicking here.

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.

Upcoming Dates:

December 22--School Day Out, 7:30 am - 5:30 pm

December 23--School Day Out, 7:30 am - 5:30 pm

(Closed December 24 - January 4 for Christmas Break)

January 16--1/2 School Day Out, 11:30 am - 5:30 pm

January 19--Closed for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, NO School Day Out

February 16--Closed for Presidents' Day, NO School Day Out

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 Registration in January. Please stay tuned for additional details in the New Year.

With a 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.

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.

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)

December

24: Christmas Eve Service, 3pm & 5pm

25: Christmas Day Service, 10am

28: Family Worship, 9:45am

January

4: First Sunday food donation

7: Confirmation Registration

29: Alpha @ St. John's

RENEWAL CHURCH EVENTS

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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.