The Panther Post

We’re excited to welcome you back for the 2025–2026 school year at St. John’s!

OPEN HOUSE

Mark your calendar for our Open House on Monday, August 11th from 3:00–6:00 PM. It’s a great chance to:

• Meet your child’s teacher(s)

• Receive locker assignments

• Drop off school supplies

• Enjoy a cool treat from Kona Ice, on campus the whole time!

As part of our Graduate Promise that all St. John's students can Grow in Faith, Excel in Education, and Thrive in Community, we are requiring all K–8 students and parents/guardians to join us in signing a Student/Family Agreement. This agreement reflects our shared commitment to living out the PAWS values and ensuring St. John’s School remains a safe, welcoming place for every child—free from weapons.

You can find the agreement here, and printed copies will be available from your classroom teacher at Open House. We encourage you to review it together as a family in a way that is meaningful for your child.

Please return the signed agreement to your classroom teacher by the first day of school, Wednesday, August 13, 2025.

KINDERGARTEN 101

Do you have an incoming Kindergartener? You're invited to meet the teachers in your child's room and get all information about a successful year in Kindergarten. Monday, August 11th from 5:00-6:00 PM

STUDENT SUPPLIES

Are you still gathering supplies? You can find your child’s grade-level supply list here.

A reminder for families of students in grades 3–8: Each student will need an ESV Bible for our Bible curriculum. If you don’t already have one, they’re available for purchase in the School Office. If your student has the new ESV version already, you’re all set!

And for our 6th–8th grade families, please check out the note from Miss H and information about PE uniforms here.

DRESS CODE

We know kids grow faster than we can keep up, so if you’re refreshing wardrobes, please take a moment to review our updated Dress Code Policy. We encourage a look that is smart, academic, and stylish, a reflection of the excellence we cultivate in the classroom. When students dress the part, they carry themselves with pride, focus, and confidence. Thank you for helping us set a tone that supports learning and leadership, all while still leaving room for personality and flair!

MEDICATION

If your child has allergies or requires medication during the school day, please be sure to have a current medical form completed and signed by your child’s healthcare provider. Forms can be dropped off at the school office or emailed to us directly. Please reach out to Cara Benton with any questions.

We can’t wait to see everyone on Wednesday, August 13—the first day of school!

Join us for the St. John’s Summer Potluck Picnic on our beautiful south field, Legacy Park! This is the perfect way to soak up the summer sun and enjoy time together as a school and church community.

Date: August 17th
Time: 11:15am-1:15pm
Location: Legacy Park (south field)

We'll have plenty of fun for kids and adults—including:
Water Guns • Mini Pools • Giant Slip & Slide
Volleyball • Tug-of-War • Football • Cornhole
Music and Great community connection all around!

Potluck Details
To help us create a delicious and well-balanced spread, we’re asking families to bring an item based on the first letter of your last name:

• A–F: Desserts

• G–K: Fruit or Salads

• L–S: Sides

• T - Z: Main Dish

Bring your picnic blankets, sunscreen, and a big appetite—we can't wait to see you there!

Our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is a wonderful way to get connected and stay involved with St. John’s throughout the school year. From helping with special events to supporting teachers and students, there are many ways to share your time and talents.

You can find the links below to sign up for various volunteer opportunities around campus. Whether you have a few hours a month or just occasionally, your participation makes a big difference in our school community.

Save the Date!
Our first PTO meeting of the year will be Tuesday, August 26th at 8:15 AM in the Community Room. We’d love to see you there! Come meet fellow parents, learn about upcoming events, and find out how you can get involved.

PTO Sign Up

Donation

Thank you for all you do to make St. John’s such a vibrant and welcoming place for our students and families!

It’s time for our annual Washington, D.C. fundraising trip for the 8th grade class!

Support our students and enjoy a sweet summer treat—delicious Palisade peaches will be available for purchase. Choose from a half flat for $30 or a full flat for $50.

Peach sales will take place:

• After school: August 20–22

• Before school: August 21–22

All proceeds go directly toward helping our 8th graders experience this meaningful capstone trip. Thank you for supporting their journey!

We are excited to share that Sugarlight Photography will be taking our School Pictures this year! Sugarlight is a premier photography company serving the Denver Metro Area, known for capturing timeless and high-quality portraits.

Please scan the QR code below for additional information, including ordering details, packages, and picture day tips.

We’re looking forward to seeing those bright smiles captured beautifully!

Middle School Sports Are Starting – We Need Your Help!

As we gear up for the new school year and the start of middle school sports, here’s what you need to know for Fall Soccer and SJ Volleyball.

Fall Soccer (Grades 5–8, Boys & Girls)

St. John’s offers fall soccer to boys and girls in 5th–8th grade.

If your child would like to play soccer for SJ this season:

Please fill out this form: Soccer

If your child is not playing soccer, no action is needed.

SJ Volleyball (Girls 6th–8th)

If your daughter plans to play volleyball for SJ this season, please read the message from Coach Troy Newsome below and complete the form at the end.

A Note from Coach Troy

Hello SJ Volleyball Families!

I’m excited to coach your daughter(s) again this year. The season is short but action-packed, so please commit to both practices and games. I’ll send an email every Sunday with the upcoming week’s schedule. If your daughter can’t make a practice or game, please let me know in advance so we can adjust the roster.

Practice Schedule

JV: Monday–Thursday, 3:30–5:00 pm

Varsity: Monday–Thursday, 3:30–5:30 pm

The first two weeks are crucial for getting into game shape!

Key Dates

Fri, Aug 15: Open Gym (3:30–4:30/5:00 pm) – optional, not mandatory

Mon–Tue, Aug 18–19: Tryouts (3:30–5:00 pm)

Wed, Sept 3: First Game – HOME vs. Bear Creek

JV: 4:00 pm

Varsity: 5:00 pm

Volunteer Needs

We need parent help for:

Driving players to away games

Scoreboard, books, and lines for home games (we can train you!)

Providing or coordinating game day snacks for the team

Important Parent Meeting

Monday at 5:00 pm in the SJ Gym. At least one parent or guardian should attend

Contact Coach Troy

Call, or text anytime with questions (720-480-8894)

Please fill out the volleyball form here: Volleyball

We’re excited to announce that the Colorado Christian Sports League (CCSL) is expanding this fall! Flag Football and Run Club have been added, and also welcoming two additional grades meaning the league now includes Kindergarten through 4th Grade.

Grade Brackets

1. Kindergarten (5–6 years old)
   
   

2. 1st–2nd Grade (7–9 years old)
   
   

3. 3rd–4th Grade (9–11 years old)
   
   

Season Dates

September 1 – November 14

Flag Football

• Format: 5-on-5, with 7–8 players per team
  
  

• Schedule: Practice twice a week + one game per week
  
  

• Games: Fridays (unless holidays/reschedules require changes)
  
  

Run Club (Grades 3–4 only)

• Meets up to 2 days per week (based on coaching availability)
  
  

• Will participate in 2–3 local 5K runs as a team
  
  

Key Dates

• Sign-Up Deadline: September 1
  
  

• Practice Begins: First week of September
  
  

• First Scrimmage: September 12 (in-house)
  
  

• First Game: September 17
  
  

• No Games: October 10
  
  

• Last Game: November 14
  
  

Volunteers Needed

We’ll need help with coaching, assistant coaching, gate watching, snacks, and more! Your support makes all the difference—details coming soon.

Sign Up Today

Secure your child’s spot for Flag Football or Run Club by using the links below:
Flag Football Sign-Up: Kinder (5-6 yr old), 1st & 2nd Grade, 3rd & 4th Grade

Run Club Sign-Up: 3rd & 4th Grade Only

Got questions? Contact Paul Walker (405) 245-2871, or Sarah Walker

We can’t wait for a fun and active fall season!

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.

August

11: Open House / 6th Grade Orientation

11: Kindergarten 101, 5-6pm

13: First Day of School!

19: School Picture Day

19: Pizza Day

27: Annual Parents' Night

29: Student Half Day/ Teacher PD, dismissal 11:30am

September

1: Labor Day, School Closed

2-5: MAP Testing

5: Big Breakfast

9: Pizza Day

16: School Picture Make Up Day

19: High Tea

23: Pizza Day

26: Student Half Day/ Teacher PD, dismissal 11:30am

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.

Welcome to St. John’s Before & After School Care!
We’re so happy to have you join us for our Kindergarten–8th Grade Before and After School Care program this year! Our goal is to provide a safe, fun, and enriching environment for your child before and after the school day.

Hours & Fees

Before School Care

• 7:00–8:00 am: $10 per child/day

• 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.

Activities

• Before & After Care: Outdoor play, gym time, snack, free play options, and homework time.

• School Day Out: STEAM activities, Bible time, PE-style games, and Wash Park time.

• 
  

Medical Concerns

If your child has asthma, severe allergies, or other medical needs:

• A health plan form signed by both the physician and a parent is required.

• Forms must be reviewed by the director or assistant director—please do not drop them off without review.

• Forms are available here.

Our Team

Your extended care staff includes: Gloria Roggow (Director), Anniyeli Anderson, Claire Egbert, Caroline Frye, Marcie Meissner.

We are a Colorado state-licensed facility:

• All staff are background checked.

• Group leaders are 18+ with experience working with school-age children.

• State ratio requirement: 1:15 — our typical ratio is 1:10.

Contact during After Care or SDO: Call our program cell phone at 720-215-0193.

Key Dates

First Trimester (Aug 11–Nov 7)

• Aug 11–12: SDO (Kinder–8th grades begin Aug 13)

• Aug 29: K–8 ½ Day — ½ SDO (11:30 am–5:30 pm)

• Sept 1: Labor Day — CLOSED (No SDO)

• Sept 26: K–8 ½ Day — ½ SDO (11:30 am–5:30 pm)

• Oct 8–10: Staff Development — CLOSED (No SDO)

• Oct 17: After Care & ELC close at 4:30 pm (Fall Fest)

• Oct 31: Parent/Teacher Conferences — ½ SDO (11:30 am–5:30 pm)

Third Trimester (Feb 23–May 22)

• Feb 26–27: Staff In-service — CLOSED (No SDO)

• Mar 27: K–8 ½ Day — ½ SDO (11:30 am–5:30 pm)

• Mar 30–Apr 2: Spring Break — SDO (7:30 am–5:30 pm)

• Apr 3: Good Friday — CLOSED (No SDO)

• Apr 6: Easter Monday — CLOSED (No SDO)

• Apr 24: Parent/Teacher Conferences — SDO (7:30 am–5:30 pm)

• May 22: Last Day of School — ½ Day (No ½ SDO, Family Potluck at Wash Park)

Summer Camp (Entering 1st–8th grade): Begins June 1, 2025
No child care May 26–29 due to staff training

Registration & Billing

Step 1: Attendance Registration
Register your child for regular or drop-in attendance and SDO here:
Attendance Form

Step 2: KidCheck Registration
If you are new to St. John’s K–8 or Before & After School Care:

• Create a free KidCheck account here.

• Add all approved guardians for pick-up.

• Only one parent should create the account to avoid duplicates.

• Already registered for SJ Kidz? You’re all set!

Step 3: Billing & Payment

• Payment is retroactive through Blackbaud.

• Before/After Care: Pay only for days attended.

• SDO: If registered 1 week prior, payment is required regardless of attendance.

• Example: August attendance is billed October 1, September attendance is billed November 1, etc.

We’re looking forward to an amazing year together

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, x156

Our Pre-K program still has a few spots available, and we’d love to welcome new families into our nurturing, faith-based community. 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 Pre-K 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

Hello Moms!

We’d love for all moms of kiddos from birth through 2nd grade to join us on Tuesday, August 12th at 6:00 PM in the Community Room for our 2025–2026 MomCo Theme Reveal!

Enjoy a relaxing evening with:

• A delicious dinner (provided)

• Childcare (available for your little ones)

• Time to connect with other amazing moms in our community

Join us here

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

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

August

10: Pathway to Peace

12: The MomCo

17: Summer Potluck Picnic

RENEWAL CHURCH EVENTS

Follow Here

Editions dating back to October 25, 2024, can be found here.