JHS Family Newsletter

Greetings ONE Johnson Community,

Quarter 1 is in the books and now it is on to quarter 2. All students schedules will stay the same as they were in quarter 1. Just a reminder that there will no student schedule changes during quarter 2, unless there is an extreme circumstance and if students wish to change their classes for quarter 3/second semester they will need to connect with their counselor two weeks before the end of quarter 2/first semester.

Does your student want to create or start a student group at Johnson? If they do students should come and get a group application and fill it out the questions, look to see if they can find a staff member who is willing to be an advisor for the group and then submit the group application to the main office. All student groups must have an advisor attached to the group and we encourage students to begin asking staff if they would be willing to be the groups advisor. Most group advisor roles are voluntary so it will be important the students seek out adults who may have time to stay after school to advise the group.

We have quite a few student groups currently at Johnson and if your doesn't want to start their own group, they can check with the main office and the school website to see what groups we offer at Johnson.Most groups meet after school, but we do have some that meet during the school day as well. It it important that students involve themselves in more than the academic and athletic areas of the school community. Expanding ones experiences and opportunities in high school are important areas that student's can put on their college and job applications.

I hope you all have a great rest of your weekend and as always I want to thanks parents and families for their partnership and we will see all of our Govies on Monday for the start of quarter 2.

In Partnership,

Principal Payton

We Are ONE Johnson, The Pride of The East Side!

From Dr. Stacie Stanley, Superintendent Saint Paul Public Schools (to view the Thank You Community video click here):

Dear Saint Paul Public Schools Community,

I am thrilled and humbled to share with you that the school district referendum was approved by St. Paul voters in yesterday’s election. More than 65% of voters said “YES” to maintaining the high-quality programs, excellent staff and strong academic opportunities that our 33,000 students depend on every day.

This operating levy will help SPPS maintain the arts and music, language and culture, and college and career readiness programs that make our schools shine and our students smile. It will also help us avoid millions of dollars in budget cuts that would be detrimental to our schools and the people who work so hard to help our students thrive. While this funding will not solve every challenge that comes our way, it will set us up for better outcomes and a brighter future.

From all of us at Saint Paul Public Schools, thank you for supporting our mission to inspire students to think critically, pursue their dreams and change the world. I can’t wait to create the future of SPPS with you.

With deep appreciation,

Dr. Stacie Stanley, Superintendent

As a Saint Paul Public School, Johnson Senior High School receives federal Title I funding. Title I is the United States Government's largest education program to support public schools. The purpose of Title I is to help every child received a high quality education and to achieve the high academic standards set by the State of Minnesota. Below are a few Title I items that share what Johnson Senior High is doing with Title I funds working with students and partnering with families.

• Title I Fall Presentation
• JHS Parent-School Compact SY25-26
• JHS Family Engagement Plan SY25-26

Who Are the St. Paul Optimist?

The St. Paul Optimists are men and women on a mission to bring out the best in our St. Paul youth, our community and ourselves. Formed in 1924, between two world wars, The Optimist Club of St. Paul has focused on ways to help youth succeed, including sponsoring essay and oral presentation contests, sponsoring youth in Optimist Junior Golf events, creating a Youth Appreciation Foundation and reviewing and awarding 15 scholarships annually for seniors who have overcome significant obstacles, supporting programs such as Face to Face with warm apparel and plenty of socks for teens at risk, cooking meals once a month for the families in the St. Paul Jeremiah Program, ringing bells for the Salvation Army during the holidays, walking in the Grand Old Days Parade and much more! (Link to St. Paul Optimist Club Website)

This year's scholarship winners from Johnson Senior High School are:

• Aanaiyah De La Cruz-Stevens
• Nicole Moo
• Deacon Vang
• SerenityVang

Congratulations Govies!

Congratulations to the 210 JHS academic all-stars who will be recognized at our Academic Letter ceremony on Thursday, November 13th at 2:00 p.m. in the Johnson auditorium. These students earned an academic letter by achieving a 3.50 G.P.A. or higher during the 2024-25 school year.

Parents and family members are welcome to attend. There will be a reception to follow the ceremony. This event is hosted by Johnson's National Honor Society chapter.

Johnson Senior High School Academic Letter Honorees

Too often we do not lift up and celebrate our students who are doing what we expect of them day in and day out. Being a high school student comes with some demands. The demands of being in school, doing your school work, sometimes balancing a job, or even supporting your family.

Today we want to take a moment to lift up and celebrate our Govie Scholars who had zero absences for Q1.

Congratulations Govies!!!

9th Grade:

• Htoo, Wah Eh

• Glass, Trevell S

• Lee, Lex

• Ray, Angle

• Vang, Melody

• Vue, Vwjkoobmeej

• Xiong, Phoebe

• Yang, Evelyn Q

• Yang, Lucky

10th Grade:

• Her, Jalyssa

• Her, Sher

• Ku, Paw Eh S

• Kue, Ti Char

• Lee, Kole

• Lee, Leo T

• Lee, Tijlim J

• Lo, Kevin

• Mouh, Ruby

• Nguyen, Ngoc Gia Bao

• Po, Eh J

• Ratliff, Xavier A

• Vang, Yinchard

• Xiong, Gao H

• Xiong, Rooney

11th Grade:

• Caples, Tavaris T

• Courtney, Easton E

• Davis, Maliyah J

• Dieringer, Janya A

• Fierro, Julian A

• Flores-Dominguez, Jose D

• Gabi, Arsee G

• Guevara-Avila, Gustavo

• Hang, Kaitlyn D

• King, Karrionte T

• Marroquin, Angel U

• Redmond, Izaiah N

• Reed, ZacChaeus L

• Reh, Pray

• Selchow, Mishon

• Soe, Naw E

• Thao, Johnathan K

• Trujillo, Chela M

• Vang, Jalayna N

• Worthy, Kristianna E

• Xiong, Alina

• Yang, Kab Nag C

• Yang, Karina P

• Yang, Sean C

12th Grade:

• Brodin, Dale H

• Clay, Ebony R

• Dada, Milan O

• Doh, Ehlar

• Epia, Kristine Rose B

• Lee, Bennie S

• Lee, Nethaniel P

• Moua, Krystal G

• Mulongo, Malik

• Ortiz Flores, Cesar G

• Pfeifer, Keane P

• Robles, Alex J

• Saw, Aoh M

• Thao, Kang

• Thao, McKayla H

• Thao, Mouachee

• Vang, Aliya P

• Vang, Gao Zong

• Vue, Amy

• Xiong, Linna

• Xiong, Olivia

• Yang, Joycelin P

There will be a Johnson Speech Team Informational Meeting on Wednesday, November 12 in Room 1103 at 3:10 with Ms. Ensign.

December:

• 12/10 JHS Band at 6PM
• 12/11 JHS Orchestra at 5:45PM
• 12/11 JHS Choir at 7PM

March:

• 3/12 Orchestra at 5:45PM
• 3/12 JHS Band at 7PM
• 3/27 Annie the Musical at 7PM
• 3/28 Annie the Musical at 7PM
• 3/29 Annie the Musical at 2PM

May:

• 5/20 JHS Band and Orchestra at 6PM
• 5/21 JHS Choir at 6PM

Click the link to access the JHS Music Concert Dates Flyer

MackinVIA

MackinVIA is the free ebook/audiobook app that’s available through Self Service on student iPads or in the app store on other mobile devices. The Johnson collection includes popular favorites like Dog Man and Avatar, as well as a wide range of ebooks and audiobooks from true crime to fantasy!

Students can log in to MackinVIA on a mobile device by typing “Johnson High School” under School/Library name (make sure to select the one in St. Paul from the dropdown), then log in using your Schoology username and password. When you find a book you want, click "Check Out" (not "Open Now")--if you're on an iPad or phone, you can download the book to use when you don’t have wi-fi access. Happy reading!

Please take a moment to check out this STEM project from the JHS Library on DonorsChoose: Let's Swap Screen Time for Creation Time!: We're requesting a 3D printer and starter filaments to transform a corner of our library into a true innovation lab. Help our students spark problem solving and creativity!

On Wednesday and Thursday of Finals Week the Library team opened up the library during Govie Hour for students to do games and crafts if they were caught up on their studies and give them a break before finishing up Q1 strong.

AFJROTC Cadets Out & About during October

• Friday, October 24th - 25 Cadets attended the 4th Annual North Branch Area High School AFJROTC Viking Challenge Competition: Drill, Academics and Physical Fitness. The Cadets Earned

• 1st Place Varsity Color Guard

• 1st Place JV Color Guard

• 1st Place JV UnArmed Drill

• CONGRATULATIONS on the hard work!

• Tuesday October 28th - Cadet Color Guard presented the flags at the Dr. Harold C. Deutsch WWII History Roundtable at the Minnesota History Center.

• Wednesday, October 29th - The Cadets did Community Service at Feed My Staving Children in Eagan and packed meals!

Dear ONE Johnson Families,

We’re thrilled to share that we’re heading to Japan in Summer 2028, and we’d love for your student to join us!

This is an incredible opportunity for students to explore new places, experience different cultures, and gain lifelong skills like independence and confidence. I’ll be sharing all the details, including what we’ll see and do, hands-on learning activities, academic opportunities, trip costs, and how to secure a spot at our informational meeting.

Meeting details:
📅 Date: November 20
🕒 Time: 5:30 PM
📍 Location: Cafeteria
👉 RSVP here to join us: https://rsvp.eftours.com/9ujk3e4

We’ll also open enrollment during the meeting—spots are limited, and I would love to help you secure this experience for your child. In the meantime, please visit EF’s website to get answers to common parent questions. EF Tours is our trusted travel partner, and they have 60 years of experience helping students explore the world safely and affordably.
I hope to see you there and look forward to sharing how this trip can be a powerful and unforgettable chapter in your child’s life!

Best,

Katherine Mitzner and Maddy Krois

Hello Johnson Families:

If your student applied for Right Track, they should go to the Career Exploration Fair at Jimmie Lee/Oxford Community Center anytime from 1-3pm. They will meet potential employers and move on to their next steps in the employment process. If your student was unable to attend, have them reach out to me (mary.voigt@spps.org).

Upcoming opportunities for seniors: Operating Engineers can still take students for their early internship, CDL licensure, OSHA certs and more!

EMT Training (Emergency Medical Technician) is available in second semester for seniors who will be 18 by April 1. This is free and held during the school day.

Upcoming opportunities for juniors: House page internship for juniors interested in politics and community activism.

See more in the Career Pathways Newsletter!

• Girls Basketball starts Monday 11/10
• Gymnastics starts Monday 11/10
• Boys Hockey starts Monday 11/10
• Boys Basketball Starts 11/17
• Wrestling-Both Boys and Girls starts 11/17
• Boys Swim Starts 11/24

Here is the registration online site...https://students.arbitersports.com/organizations/st-paul-johnson-high-school

From Coach Pokornowski:

Wrestling will have a Team/Parent meeting next Thursday, November 13 at 5:00 PM. The meeting will be held in the wrestling room.

As always, please reach out to your counselor if you have any questions or need further information. Have a wonderful second quarter!

• Sone Her (sone.her@spps.org) - Students with last names A-B, Vb-Z

• Samina Ali (samina.ali@spps.org) - Students with last names C-J

• Alex Slezak (alexandra.slezak@spps.org) - Students with last names K-Q
• Ker Yang (ker.yang@spps.org) - Students with last names R-Va

Check out the counseling team dressed up as graduates for Halloween!

Parents and Families,

Please make sure your student has their iPad charged and with them every school day.

With the Government shutdown SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) will be reduced this month. Please check out the links below if you need meal support and/or resources at this time.

• Food Resources For Families
• Free Food and Meal Resources (SPPS)

JHS Cell Phone/Electronic Devices Expectations

Electronics Expectations

Saint Paul Public Schools Board of Education approved a district-wide cellphone and personal electronic devices policy which states that students cannot use cell phones and other personal electronic devices, including earbuds, airpods, smartwatches, gaming consoles, and music players during school hours.

Johnson Senior High School believes that our classrooms and learning community is a place where everyone thrives to be their best selves both academically and socially-emotionally. The Board of Education cellphone/electronic devices policy will allow us to maintain a focused and respectful learning community for everyone at Johnson Senior High School.

At Johnson Senior High School, cellphones and personal electronic devices are not allowed during class/instructional time in classrooms. Cell phones and personal electronic devices must be OFF, OFF, and AWAY during class time. Phones and Electronic Devices must be:

• Powered Off

• Off of a Student’s Person/Body

• Put Away either in the Classroom Cell Phone Pouch or in a Student’s Locker During Class Time/School Time (8:15 a.m.-3:00 p.m.).

• Cell Phones/electronic devices cannot be stored in a student’s backpack, purse, or any other bag.

• Cell Phone/electronic devices cannot leave the classroom if the student is allowed a bathroom/water fountain break.

• Cell Phone/electronic devices cannot be used in the hallways/common areas during classtime.

Consequences for not following the Expectations:

• First Offense: Device is turned in for the remainder of the school day, parents will be informed via phone call or email. Students can have the device retired to them at 3:00 p.m. from the main office. A warning will be given by the administrator.

• Second Offense: Device is turned in for the remainder of the school day, parents will be informed via phone call or email. Students can have the device retired to them at 3:00 p.m. from the main office. Teacher submits an online discipline behavior referral and administrator will review referral and finalize in Campus

• Third Offense: Device is turned in for the remainder of the school day and a meeting will be planned and take place between the student, parent, and administrator to create a cellphone/electronic device plan.

• Exceptions will be made for students who have medical documentation for certain medical conditions, special education and/or 504 accommodations.

Please Note: A parent or guardian may come to school at any time to pick up/reclaim a confiscated cell phone and/or electronic device and take it home with them.

November 27-28: Thanksgiving Break