10/9/26 PA Meeting

Admin Updates

Updates from Abby & Paul

  • Oktoberfest: Oktoberfest supports our school Endowment, helping provide long-term financial support for St. John. Come learn more, enjoy a college-style party in the Egan beer hall, and support the Endowment! Tickets are on sale now, and volunteers are needed. Non-alcoholic beer will be available, so everyone has a reason to join the fun!
  • Parent-Teacher Conferences: Conference sign-ups are live! Check NewsViews for the link and be sure to schedule your dedicated time with your child’s teacher during the designated conference days.
  • Christmas Concert Schedule: The concert schedule is now available. Mark your calendars!
    • PreK Program: December 4 at 9:00am
    • Grades K–1 Program: December 10 at 6:15pm
    • Grade 2 Nativity: December 15 at 6:15pm
    • Grades 3–5 Program: December 17 at 6:15pm
  • Hospitality Reminder: Let’s continue to embrace the spirit of Fair Share and make sure our hospitality efforts are welcoming and attainable for all families. Reach out to Pablo if you need help with messaging.

Updates from Jonna

  • PreK & Kindergarten Open House: Thursday, November 19, 6-7:30pm. Help spread the word as we welcome prospective families to St. John! Current families are our best ambassadors, and volunteers will be needed to help with recruiting.
  • Grand Day (Grades 3–5): Friday, November 13, from 9–11am. This year’s event will have a different format from last year. Grand Day will be separated from the Christmas concert. A SignUpGenius will be shared soon.

PA Updates

Back-to-School BBQ Recap (Liz & Stephanie)

  • 1,046 tickets sold! A huge thank-you to our committee and all the volunteers who made this year’s Back-to-School BBQ such a success. We are so grateful to everyone who helped bring our community together!
  • We’d love to hear your feedback. Please share your thoughts and suggestions via the PA email.

Coffee in the Courtyard (Liz & Stephanie)

  • Join us for Coffee in the Courtyard on October 16, right after drop-off. We’re counting on sunshine and good company!
  • Keep an eye out for future dates.

WhatsApp Updates (Liz & Stephanie)

  • Help keep our WhatsApp groups safe: If you see something suspicious, say something — and don’t click on unfamiliar links.
  • Group admins should add Liz and Stephanie to their groups so they can help monitor activity. They have joined all groups and will be working with admins to keep conversations safe and helpful.
  • Admins can delete messages when needed.
  • Please avoid sharing public join links. Add people directly to the appropriate groups instead.
  • We will discuss WhatsApp usage with School Commission and ask for guidance.

Oktoberfest Updates

  • Get your tickets by October 11! Scan the QR code to purchase tickets.
  • Volunteers are still needed. Please scan the QR code to sign up and help make this event a success.
  • New time: 6–9pm. The schedule has shifted to better accommodate dinner and families attending 5:00pm Mass.
  • Check out the amazing raffle prizes, including a Bavarian lodge getaway! You do not need to be present to win.

School-Wide Volunteer Opportunities

  • All school-wide volunteer opportunities will be consolidated into one SignUpGenius to make it easier for families to find ways to help.

Hospitality Reps (Aleah & Dana)

  • Teacher Appreciation: Hospitality reps celebrated several teacher birthdays. A special shout-out to our eighth-grade families for putting together such a lovely luncheon!
  • Coffee & Donuts: The program is going well, and Hospitality is very happy with the participation. Please continue encouraging families to fill the remaining dates. Fourth grade has some upcoming openings!
  • Donation & Gift Expectations: Grade chairs should review the Hospitality Guidelines and reach out to Aleah and Dana with questions. Consistency is important, particularly when coordinating donation requests and teacher luncheons.
  • Fair Share in Action: As AV reminded us, there are many ways to show appreciation — bake something, make cards, bring fresh flowers, or get creative as a grade. We want to keep expectations attainable for all families and aim for 100% participation in some form, rather than relying on a smaller group of families to contribute the most.

Auction Updates (Ainslie & Courtney)

  • Auction Announcement Coming October 20! Keep an eye on your email. It’s almost time to start planning your outfit!
  • Committee Leads Needed: We are looking for two co-leads for each of the following areas:
    • Decorations
    • Procurement
    • Day-of Volunteers
    • Dessert Dash
  • Thank you to Kelle for taking one of the Dessert Dash lead spots! If you’re interested in learning more about the time commitment, please connect with Ainslie or Courtney after the meeting.
  • Auction Co-Lead & Classroom Coordinator Meeting: November 5, 8:30–9:30am in Egan Hall.
  • Auction Sponsorships: We’d love to feature your business as an auction sponsor! Email auction@st-johnschool.org for details. Sponsorship levels will remain the same as last year.

Parent Map (Alev & Anne)

  • What is Parent Map? Through our partnership with Parent Map, St. John families have access to engaging monthly virtual talks featuring credentialed speakers. Recordings and resources are available on the PA website.
  • First Event Recap:ADHD Is Awesome: How to (Mostly) Thrive with ADHD featuring the Holderness Family was a great first event! Key takeaways and the recording are available on the PA website.
  • Next Event:Human Raised: Helping Kids Flourish in the Age of AI with Dana Suskind on Thursday, October 15, from 12–1pm.

Other Updates

Jog-a-Thon Wrap-Up

  • We surpassed our $100,000 goal! The Jog-a-Thon has raised $107,000 — yee haw! Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible.
  • Celebration Day is next Friday! Students can enjoy free dress, an assembly, and a raffle featuring a trampoline and other fun prizes.
  • Volunteers are still needed for the cash-grabbing gecko. Keep an eye out for opportunities to help!

Upcoming PA Meetings

  • There will be no PA meeting in November. We’ll meet again in December before the holiday break.

October Faculty Luncheon – Thank you 8th Grade!