SUMMER NEWSLETTER JULY 30, 2019 m a new Text block ready for your content. m a new Text block ready for your content. 2019-20 CLASS LISTS To view the class lists, please look on ParentsWeb under Announcements. FACULTY NEWS MEET OUR NEW FACULTY MEMBERS:
Mrs. Jessa Adler is a Dallas area native and a Baylor University graduate who is in her fifteenth year of teaching. Jessa's experience ranges from pre-k through fourth grade and she has certifications for pre-k through sixth grade general education, ESL, and Gifted and Talented. For the past three years, she has taught first grade at Good Shepherd Episcopal School. Jessa is also a member of our SJES parent community and is excited to join our faculty this coming school year as a first grade teacher.
Ms. Morgan Hardison joins Lower School as a kindergarten teacher. She is a native of the Dallas area and a graduate of Forney High School. Morgan holds a B.A. in Early Childhood Education from Dallas Baptist University. She previously taught first grade for 5 years in Mansfield ISD, and Kindergarten for 1 year at Trinity Basin Preparatory in Fort Worth before coming to St. John's. Morgan is looking forward to working with the kindergarten team.
Mr. Phillip Kasper joined the technology department in April 2019 as the technology support specialist. A native Texan with a B.S. in Management Information Systems from the University of Texas at Dallas. Prior to coming to St. John's, he previously worked as an IT audit associate. Phillip will continue his work in providing technical support to students, faculty and staff throughout the year.
Ms. Lauren Loerch will teach Lower School P.E. alongside Mr. Darnell. Lauren earned a full athletic scholarship to play volleyball at the University of California-Berkeley. After two and a half years, she transferred to New Mexico State University to complete her athletic career and bachelor's degree in 2014. Since graduation, she has worked as a collegiate strength and conditioning coach, athletic performance specialist, and owned her own volleyball training company, "The High Flyer Academy".
Mr. David Loveland joins us as an eighth grade social studies teacher and advisor. He will also co-teach the high school preparation Portrait of a Graduate class with Mr. Jennings. David has worked directly with eighth graders since 2003. For eight years, he taught eighth grade humanities at Parish Episcopal School, and has also taught the same class at the Oakwood School in California. David has chaperoned overnight and immersion trips, coached, and taught high school Ancient History. He holds a B.A. in Classical Studies from Westminster College (MO) and an M.A.T. from the University of Portland.
The Rev. Chris Steele is our new school chaplain. Fr. Chris has served in several leadership roles including: associate pastor at St. Joseph's (Madison, TN), executive director of Maple-Lemmon Corridor Neighborhood Outreach, interim chaplain at the Episcopal School of Dallas (ESD) and most recently as the associate for student ministry at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church. Prior to his ordination, Fr. Chris taught at North Broward Prep School (Coconut Creek, FL) and ESD.
WE ALSO WELCOME FACULTY MEMBERS TO NEW ROLES:
With Ms. Steele's retirement in May, Mrs. Glenda Allman will now serve as Administrative Assistant for both Lower and Middle School. Mrs. Allman is also the school's registrar.
Ms. Jan Breed is shifting roles within the pre-kindergarten team. After serving as an aide for four years, Jan will now be a pre-k lead teacher.
Mr. Josh Del Regno, will serve as the Technology Integration Specialist/Computer Science Coordinator and work with students in both lower and middle school. He will teach sixth grade coding, middle school technology electives, and co-teach lower school STEM classes with Mrs. Carona.
After two years as a second grade teacher, Ms. Laura May is moving to fourth grade where she will be teaching science and social studies. Mrs. Crouse will continue teaching math and will also be teaching integrated coding. Mr. Telzrow continues as the fourth grade language arts teacher.
Ms. Kellie Day will be teaching second grade, following four successful years as a first grade teacher.
Former kindergarten teacher Mr. Jake Minton will be our theater integration specialist. In addition to working with grade-level teachers and students to integrate theater into the curriculum, he will co-teach the seventh and eighth grade musical electives with Mrs. Haynes and Ms. Knox. Jake is a theater graduate of both Booker T. Washington High School and SMU's Meadows School of the Arts, and he is a founding company member of The House Theatre of Chicago, where he acted, directed, taught and wrote several of the company's biggest hits. For the past two summers, Jake has served as the head of theater at the historic Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts Camp in Steamboat Springs, CO. IMPORTANT REMINDERS Summer Reading Lists Lower School Summer Reading Students entering the first and second grades have suggested summer reading. Rising third and fourth grade have required summer reading, which must be completed by the first day of school. Those students must also bring their signed reading logs to school on the first day (included in the links below).
Middle School Summer Reading In addition to the summer reading requirements, Middle School students are required to complete the Required Reading Questions Form and Summer Reading Log. Both documents will need to be turned in to your child's English teacher on the first day of school.
Each link below includes the Required Reading Questions Form and a Summer Reading Log.
Resource Requirements for Rising Sixth, Seventh & Eighth Graders For the 2019-20 school year, eighth grade families must each purchase one science textbook and have it by the first day of school. Seventh grade families have the option of purchasing a hardcopy version of the math e-text we provide seventh graders. All other resources are provided by the school. You will receive information from our technology team about downloading the digital resources designated as school-provided in August.
Tutoring Room Requests
Rising Seventh/Eighth Grade Elective Selections
Medical Forms PROGRAMS After School Program (ASP)
Homework Club Middle School Homework Club is free and open to fifth through eighth graders. It meets for 45 minutes immediately after school most school days, with dismissal at 4:30 p.m. M, T, Th, F and 4:00 p.m. Wednesdays. Homework Club will begin Monday, August 26. If you are more than 15 minutes late picking up your child from Homework Club, he or she will be checked into the After School Program, and you will be charged the ASP drop-in fee.
Middle School Fall Schedule
Volleyball is the only sport that practices before the first day of school. The pre-season volleyball practice schedule is as follows; these practices will take place in the Main Gym.
Tryouts begin Thursday, August 22, through Friday, August 23. They begin immediately after school and end at 5:30 p.m. Please note that all girls who participate in tryouts will make a team. Tryouts help coaches determine which team is best for each player. SJES NEWS Mascot Update
Change in 2019-20 Key Dates
Letter Day Calendar View the 2019-20 letter day calendar. SAVE THE DATE August - 2019 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Early Childhood Playground Come meet your new classmates, a tasty treat will be provided. 08/19 9:00 AM - 1:30 PM Middle School students who are new to St. John's (those who did not complete fourth grade at St. John's) must attend the orientation. Students must bring with them the iPads they will use at school. Parents will receive details about this orientation in early August. 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Owen Gym This evening event is for parents only and provides parents the opportunity to learn from teachers about plans, goals and expectations for the year ahead. This event will begin in Owen Gym for a brief welcome before moving into classrooms. 08/20 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Students and parents in all grades are welcome to visit classrooms and meet the teachers before the first day of school. 08/21 All day All classes will begin at 8:00 a.m. Please note that we will follow the Wednesday early dismissal schedule. School will dismiss 30 mins early every Wednesday to allow for faculty professional development. Wednesday dismissal times: Pre-k: 2:05 p.m. Kinder - 2nd grade: 2:30 p.m. 3rd - 4th grade: 3:00 p.m. Middle School (5th - 8th): 3:15 p.m. 08/22 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM This Back-to-School event is specifically for fifth grade parents to better tailor the experience during the transition to Middle School. 08/24 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM Church/Parish Hall You are invited to the annual Blessing of the Backpack. Start your school year off with a prayer of thanksgiving, focus and patience. Then head over to the Parish Hall for ice cream after the service. 08/27 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM This Back-to-School event is for parents only. Teachers will provide information about plans, goals and expectations for the year ahead. 08/29 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM This Back-to-School event is for parents only. Teachers will provide information about plans, goals and expectations for the year ahead. 08/30 All day Required for picture day - sweaters and blazers with blue border patch sold at Mills Uniform Company. A date for make-ups and re-takes will be announced at a later time. September - 2019 09/05 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM Clements Hall This event is a transition meeting for eighth grade parents. The purpose is to preview the high school process. Note that this is in addition to the back-to-school Open House on August 29, which focuses primarily on the academic year ahead. |