Patriot Post

St. John Paul II Catholic School is a Christ-centered community devoted to fostering personal growth in all of our students and developing meaningful connections that encourage respect for self, others and our environment.

It is with great joy that we welcome all of our students and families to a new school year! Whether you are returning to St. John Paul II or joining our school family for the first time, we are so grateful to have you as part of our community.

Our theme for this year, “Rooted. United. Sent.”, reminds us of who we are called to be as a Catholic school community. Rooted in Christ, we draw our strength from Him and allow our faith to guide all that we do. United as a community, we recognize that we are not branches growing on our own, but are connected to Christ and to one another. Sent into the world, we are called to share the Good News through our words, actions, kindness, and service to others.

We are excited to welcome our students and families, meet new friends, build new relationships, and strengthen the connections that make our St. John Paul II family so special. May this school year be filled with joy, hope, learning, and opportunities to grow in faith, always keeping God’s love at the heart of all we do.

Blessings,

Mrs. Nancy Morgan, Principal

Mrs. Sarah Johnson, Assistant Principal

To stay informed, please watch for this weekly newsletter. It will be sent by email to all families at the end of each week.

Monday, August 31

• Welcome Back to School!
• Schoolwide Assembly 10:25am

Tuesday, Sept. 1

• Boys Volleyball Tryouts- 3:15 - 5:00 pm

Wednesday, Sept. 2

• Girls Volleyball Tryouts- 7:00 am
• Spirit Day and Early Dismissal @ 1:55 pm
• Wear school gear or colours to celebrate our school! (Burgundy & Grey)
• Welcome Back and Meet the Staff Night from 4:30 pm- 6:30 pm
• Please grab a hot dog and meet us in the gym for a short introduction at 5:00 pm
• Sports for Life Parent Meeting (Grade 5/6 and 7/8) at 5:30 pm in the gym
• Cogito Parent Meeting at 5:30 pm in the Library
• School Council Meeting at 6:30 pm (All are welcome!)

Thursday, Sept. 3

• Girls Volleyball Tryouts 3:15-5:00 pm

Friday, Sept. 4

• Boys Volleyball Tryouts 3:15-5:00pm

Upcoming Dates:

Friday, Sept.11th

• 9:00 am Mass (We will be walking to OLA Church)

1. Entrances/Exits

• Dedicated entry/exit doors for each grade will continue as follows:
• Grade 6: Doors by the bus loop (West)
• Grade 5: Doors by the portables (East)
• Grade 7: Main school doors (South)
• Grade 8: Door between gym and construction lab (South East)
• Any student arriving late or leaving early may use the front doors.
• All guests/visitors/parents need to use the main school doors of the school.
• Doors will be opened at 8:25 am and will be locked at 8:55 am.

2. Closed Campus

• For the safety and security of our students, ST. John Paul II Catholic School will continue to be a "closed campus." This means that students WILL NOT be permitted to leave school property on their own at any time throughout the course of the day.
• Students ARE NOT permitted to leave the school to purchase food at nearby fast food restaurants. We continue to operate our school cafeteria, where students can purchase healthy food choices.

3. Parents/Visitors

• In the interest of the safety and respect for all our students and staff, ALL PARENTS/VISITORS MUST report to the office upon arrival at our building.
• We realize that sometimes student lunches and school materials get forgotten at home and need to be dropped off at school; therefore, we kindly ask that parents complete these drop-offs at the office, or check in for further instructions. For the safety of our school, we do not want visitors or parents wandering around without our consent or knowledge. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.
• If you have any concerns or need to speak with a staff member or administration, please call the office ahead of time to make an appointment. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this regard.

Please read through the updated PCD and Device Procedures (2026–2027) letter below.

Dear St. John Paul II Catholic School Families,

At St. John Paul II Catholic School, we are committed to fostering a welcoming, caring, respectful, and Christ-centred community focused on learning, faith, well-being, and positive relationships.

Thank you to our parents, students, and staff for your valuable engagement and feedback during our survey last school year as we reviewed our policies for 2026/27. While Personal Communication Devices (PCDs) have become a regular part of daily life, regulated use in school is essential for healthy growth and learning.

Key Procedure Updates for 2026–2027:

• Grades 5–8: Fully device-free during recesses and lunch to encourage active play, face-to-face interaction, and healthy screen breaks.

• Classroom Use: PCD Devices must be powered off and stored away during instructional time unless directly authorized by a teacher for educational purposes.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support in keeping our school community focused, safe, and connected.

Microwaves

To help keep our microwaves safe, clean, and ready for everyone to use, please follow these guidelines:

✅ Heat food only for 1–2 minutes at a time to avoid overheating.

✅ Always use a microwave-safe container (no metal, foil, or plastic that isn’t labeled microwave-safe).

✅ Cover food with a paper towel or lid to prevent splatters.

✅ Stand nearby while your food is heating — do not leave microwaves unattended.

✅ Wipe up any spills right away.

✅ Allow food to cool briefly before removing it to prevent burns.

🚫 No popcorn — it can burn easily, create smoke, and set off alarms.

🚫 No foil, metal containers, or dishes with metallic trim.

🚫 No reheating of hot drinks (they can overheat and spill).

Please join us for our first School Council Meeting of the year which is scheduled for Wednesday, September 2nd @ 6:30pm. The meeting will take place after our Meet the Teacher Night being held from 4:30pm-6:30pm.

This is an excellent opportunity to receive the latest school updates from our administration team and teacher representatives, as well as upcoming School Council supported activities and events.

Email: stjp@eics.ab.ca
Website: https://stjp.eics.ab.ca
Location: 9975 93 Avenue, Fort Saskatchewan, AB, Canada
Phone: 780-992-0889
Twitter: @stjp2cs