Dear Sacred Heart Pastorate,
It is with great joy that I join St. John Paul II School!
Academic excellence is a clear priority at our school. Look at our data: 90% of alumni attain the honor roll. 100% of our upper-grade students were proficient on the SD Math Assessments. That said, I encourage you to continue reading, as the most important priority lies ahead. Our students are provided rich opportunities to grow and be challenged. This year, we are proud to offer Spanish to 5th and 6th-grade students. We will continue to provide hands-on logic in the Mark & Chris Buche SmartLab, along with a variety of musical opportunities such as band and piano lessons.
The most essential part is what is woven throughout it all. Every day, students strengthen their relationship with Christ through practicing their faith. During Mass, they have opportunities to lead the prayers, altar serve, or even strengthen their speaking skills through lectoring. All students pray together every morning, before lunch, and during special intentions and prayer request times. Even teachers have a long-standing tradition of praying together before the school day. Students not only memorize our most sacred prayers but also learn how to simply converse with Christ, our loving Father. Our curriculum allows space for rich discussions, guiding students toward Truth. The students are blessed to be able to participate in weekly adoration, confession, regular visits from Sr. Nancy, and religious lessons from our PES priests, brothers, and now the PES sisters.
New this year, we will embrace a schoolwide monthly virtue. We will kick off each month with a special event to introduce the virtue and explore how practicing this virtue helps us to grow closer to Christ. These virtues are something that each family can reflect on together, around the dinner table. Students will learn and share about specific Saints who lived these virtues in their lives.
At St. John Paul II, we firmly believe that parents are the first and most important educators of their children. We want our school to be an extension of home. As parents, our greatest mission is to lead our children to heaven. The secular world tends to pull us and our children away from the Lord. It’s essential that we intentionally set time aside each day to connect with Him. The education that we provide our students should tie Him to all understanding. At St. John Paul II, we want to educate the whole child: mind, body, and soul. Not just for this world, but for eternity.
While we are proud of our tradition of high academic achievement and preparing students for college and careers, we are even more proud of what sets our graduates apart: they will know Whom to lean on when the world feels heavy. Our students will strive to share Christ’s love with others. They will carry with them the habits of prayer, virtues, and love of the Mass that were cultivated during their time at St. John Paul II.
I am so excited for the year ahead and all the blessings it will bring! If you have any questions or would like to tour the school, please call.
In Christ’s Love,
Sarah Timmer
St. John Paul II Catholic School
605-996-2365