Mr. Hurley's July Updates

Dear Saint John's Families,
 
We learn better together. As of July 15, our plan is to return to in-person classes in the building. The first day of class will be September 8. Our mission to ensure that your child flourishes, and of course the pandemic compels us to take all necessary precautions to minimize the spread of COVID-19 within our community. Given the current public health conditions, these precautions may include wearing masks, distancing desks, having lunch in the classroom or putting acrylic shields in some spaces. We will publish our plans related to these precautions via these regular updates. Please watch your email, especially during the month of August. We are confident that we can provide an excellent education in the faith while safeguarding each member of our community.  

Great news! School Supplies & Believe and Read 

Powered by the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence and in partnership with Groves Academy, a national leader in literacy instruction, Believe and Read is a three-year initiative that brings Groves Academy’s methodology to Saint John's through outstanding professional development and teacher coaching. Our goal is to ensure that every student at our school reads at or above grade level. Click here for more information. Thank you for supporting our efforts to create an even better learning environment for our students! 

And (drum roll, please): Our 2020-20201 supplies list is now live, click HERE.
 

Staff Updates 2020

We are excited  to welcome a few additions to our staff, who have shared some biographies here. In addition, Ms. Katya Jaede is moving from Media Specialist to our First Grade Elementary Teacher. Mrs. Amy Burgoyne will be our Second Grade teacher, and all other elementary teachers remain the same! We will not be combining any classes, and we will be hiring another staff for our ever-growing Kindergarten class! 

Here are the new staff we are so excited to welcome this year:
Peter Kennedy, Middle School Social Studies
My name is Peter Kennedy, and I will be teaching middle school social studies this year. I am very excited to continue my work in Catholic Education. In 2012, I earned a BA in Business from the University of Dallas. A few years later, I decided that my calling was in the classroom and returned to the University of St. Thomas’s School of Education. I truly believe that teaching is the most important job in the world right now. Outside of school, I really enjoy traveling and have been blessed to see many interesting parts of the world. One trait I picked up while living in Spain is a love for watching soccer. My time away from school is spent with my wife and two small children.

Paddy Garin, Spanish
Hello, Saint John’s community and family! Me llamo Paddy Garin! I am going into my second year teaching Spanish in Catholic schools. I have a degree from Concordia University and have lived and worshiped in the St. Paul area my entire life. I am fluent in Spanish and English. I attended a Spanish immersion school K-7. I have used Spanish throughout my life and have incorporated it into my professional career, as well. I have served a nonprofit organization; Friends of San Lucas from Guatemala. I am married with four children, and we live in Highland Park. Two of my children attend Catholic school. I enjoy painting, riding, hiking, reading, gardening and spending as much time with family as possible! Thank you for welcoming me to your community! 

Tayler Bochet, Eagle Club Childcare Coordinator
My name is Tayler Bochet, and I am currently a student at Concordia St. Paul, studying for my Business degree. I have previous experience overseeing a before- and after-school care program, growing the program and promoting new experiences for students in a fun and educational way. My favorite thing about working with children is learning more about their personal interests and watching them grow. I look forward to my new position as coordinator and seeing Eagle Club excel. 
 

Other Important Updates

• Our Pandemic Preparedness and Response Planning Committee is hard at work sifting through the Archdiocesan protocols, and crafting a comprehensive plan specific to Saint John's. You'll see more on the results, beginning in August. 
• Don't forget to Save the Date: Noon Saturday, Sept. 26, School Marathon
• Order your Saint John's school uniforms through Revolution Sports and Donald's; we're working currently with another vendor as well. 
• This month Saint John's School continues to be super-cleaned, and floors are being stripped and waxed. We will be the safest school in the metro!
• We are open for tours, so tell a friend about Saint John's School!

In Closing

Please remember, we are always learning. In humility, we recognize that the public health situation may change rapidly between now and the start of school, just as it has since we last gathered in person in March. We also recognize that scientists are learning more about the virus and its spread, and the precautions we take will reflect both our learning and the current public health situation. Starting today, we will communicate with you every two weeks–more frequently if necessary–to ensure you are aware of our most current plans and any changes we make. We are always learning–about the virus, its transmission, and our community’s vulnerability–and we will adjust our plans as needed to ensure each child flourishes.
 
We are proud of our school and look forward to more exciting things to come our way! Check out the greatness that is happening daily on our school website, and follow us on Facebook.
 
Remember: Invite a friend to Saint John's School!

Dan J. Hurley, Principal