Our School
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Building on Our Legacy
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For Every Saint Capital Campaign 1o Our Call
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Our School St. John Paul II Catholic School (StJPII) has established itself as the best Catholic primary school in Houston and one of the premier institutions of Catholic education in Texas. ABOUT StJPII: • The only Houston area school to be recognized as a Catholic Education Honor Roll School by the Cardinal Newman Society. • Three-time National Blue Ribbon School honoree by the U.S. Department of Education. • Over 700 students enrolled with 3 classes per grade, Pre-K-8th. One of the largest grade schools in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. • More than 5,000 annual service hours, 50+ students in the National Junior Honor Society, and 33 Athletic Championships. 4
A Message from Mrs. Bogard “St. John Paul II Catholic School is committed to our vision for the future, to continue to offer an exceptional Catholic education to all families. It is our duty to continually innovate and improve our school, programming, and facilities to ensure we can provide the best spiritual formation and academic education for our students, our Saints. With input from staff, leadership, counsel, and our families, we have developed a strategic plan to enhance our campus while keeping true to our commitment to maintaining tuition. The For Every Saint Capital Campaign will enhance our ability to provide the best Catholic education For Every Saint, now and in the future. Rebecca Bogard, M. Ed. Principal
This initiative is about more than physical upgrades; it’s a commitment to the heart, soul, and mission of St. John Paul II Catholic School. Through strategic improvements, we will elevate the learning experience and create a safe environment that nurtures each student's intellectual, spiritual, and social growth. May God bless our community as we unite in a shared vision of providing an exceptional Catholic education that meets the needs of today and lays the foundation for the saints of tomorrow.”
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“If He asks much of you, it is because He knows you can give much.” -St. John Paul II
Building on Our Legacy Since 1988, StJPII has been dedicated to its mission to prepare all students spiritually and academically to do God's will and to succeed in life.
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1994-1998
StJPII, comprised of five temporary buildings, was established as a private independent Catholic school. The first year opened with 56 students ranging from prekindergarten through third grade.
In 1994, permanent classrooms were opened, and in 1997 the first half of the Dee Building was constructed. In 1998, the Bramanti Athletic Center was also added to the campus.
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Building on Our Legacy
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1998 & 2004
2011
Construction continued on the Dee Building in 1998 and 2004 when facilities were expanded with more classrooms, a library, and a space dedicated to fine arts.
In 2011, StJPII increased facility space again with a 20,000 sq. ft. facility which included the Gutierrez Student Center with a full kitchen, cafeteria, stage, and choir classroom. The gym was also remodeled with a PTO workroom, PE offices, athletics storage, and girls’ and boys’ locker rooms. New offices, a science lab, and an art room connected the main building to the gym.
Building on Our Legacy Today 2012
In 2012, the campus was completed with the addition of the beautiful All Saints Chapel.
We are Saints today thanks to the generosity of those who have come before us. 9
“The future starts today, not tomorrow.” -St. John Paul II
This capital campaign will enhance St. John Paul II’s ability to provide the best in Catholic education For Every Saint, now and for generations to come. 11
For Every Saint Capital Campaign The first 35 years have been a period of tremendous growth and blessings for the StJPII community. It is now time to look to the future of StJPII with the For Every Saint Captial Campaign. Together, as a family of Saints, we will confidently build upon our strong foundation to bring about the next level of success at StJPII. The campaign objectives will enhance StJPII’s ability to provide the best in Catholic education For Every Saint, now and for generations to come.
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“Quote from Theresa
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For Every Saint Capital Campaign Campaign Objectives This $4 million capital campaign will secure StJPII’s position at the forefront of Catholic primary schools for years to come. The objectives accomplished by the For Every Saint Capital Campaign will allow us to elevate our facilities to the dignity and excellence of the spiritual formation and education we provide. 14
Catholic Faith/ Living Faith Academic Excellence ExtraCurricular/ Athletics Building Grounds Endowment
Catholic Faith/Living Faith The StJPII community is blessed to have a sacred chapel space, All Saints Chapel, which is the spiritual heart of the school. It’s here that students nurture their intimate relationship with Christ. Through this Campaign, the All Saints Chapel will be updated to create an even more prayerful environment for the StJPII community. The chapel will receive a new entrance and a beautiful stained-glass window of Jesus as a child with St. Joseph, an image that reminds students that Jesus was a child just like them. The row of stained-glass windows on the chapel wall will be completed with images of saints such as St. Dominic Savio and St. Bernadette, who will remind students that they should be saints, too. Finally, a new presider’s chair will be installed to match the chapel pews.
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Catholic Faith/Living Faith Below are painted renderings of what the stain glass windows will look like.
St. Bernadette
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St. Dominic Savio
Academic Excellence StJPII is committed to academic excellence for all students. The school is excited to announce that the For Every Saint Capital Campaign will transform and reimagine the library area into a state-of-the-art Aquinas Center for Excellence that will equip every student for success at StJPII and beyond. The current library will be re-configured into a multipurpose flexible center of learning where teachers and students interact in smaller groups and employ different approaches to fit the needs of each student. While a traditional library will be retained, we will be efficiently repurposing space to provide a variety of custom areas to better reach students ‘where they are’ along their learning process.
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Academic Excellence
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Rendering of reimagined Library transformed into the Aquinas Center for Excellence
Aquinas Center for Excellence 11 a 9 7
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Rendering of Instructional Media Center & Collaborative Learning Area
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Floor Plan Legend 1.
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Floor plan of the Aquinas Center for Excellence
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Instructional Media Center a. Collaborative Learning Area b. Flexible Learning Area 2. Resource Materials Area 3. Early Childhood Area 4. St. Thomas Aquinas Statuary Niche 5. Entry Hall 6. Meeting Rooms (4) – Small Group Learning 7. Office 8. IT Storage 9. Work Room 10. Conference Room 11. Technology/Media Classroom
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Academic Excellence The For Every Saint Capital Campaign will also allow StJPII to continue integrating technology into all academic programs. All thirty-three classrooms will be fitted with interactive display boards to allow multiple students to engage simultaneously. Chrome Carts will be added for one-to-one applications, and the main computer server will be upgraded. Younger students will be provided with the latest technology tools, such as iPads, to be used as extensions of learning for both remedial and learning enhancement purposes. Academic Upgrades Include: Classroom Smart Boards for all classrooms Upgraded Computers for Lab Additional Chrome Carts Technology Infrastructure Update Renovated Classroom Cabinets
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"Young people especially are rapidly adapting to the computer culture and to its ‘language.’ This is surely a cause for satisfaction. Let us ‘trust the young.’ ...They have had the advantage of growing with the new developments, and it will be their duty to employ these new instruments for a wider and more intense dialogue among all the diverse races and classes who share this shrinking globe." - St. John Paul II
Extra-Curricular/Athletics Quality extra-curricular and athletic programs foster interpersonal skills, teamwork, health, and happiness. These programs cultivate school spirit and good character, whether in triumph or disappointment. Through sports activities, StJPII strives to help each student learn important lessons rooted in the teachings of Christ that will stay with them throughout their lives. The For Every Saint Captial Campaign will help to accomplish this by updating the playground adjacent to the Fischer Pavilion, providing lights for the athletic field, safe seating and secure storage in the Bramanti Activity Center (BAC) and Gutierrez Student Center (GSC), and a new base for the Gaga Ball Pit.
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Extra-Curricular/Athletics The For Every Saint Capital Campaign will enable lights to be installed on the multi-sport athletic field to greatly expand its use, making more practice and game times available throughout the year for the 45 teams that call this field home. The installation of lights on the field will also benefit our community events allowing our us to continue to gather in a safe and well-lit area during the winter season when dusk sets earlier.
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Extra-Curricular/Athletics StJPII holds weekly Mass in the GSC each Friday, gathering students to join in song and liturgy. The For Every Saint Capital Campaign will also install a permanent bleacher set in the GSC, which will provide seating for all choir students, replacing the current movable bleachers, which do not accommodate all students comfortably.
In addition to installing a new state-of-the-art high-performance sports floor in the BAC, the For Every Saint Capital Campaign will provide new and additional retractable bleacher seating, replacing the current bleachers, as well as new secure storage.
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Building & Grounds St. John Paul II Catholic School continually strives to provide a safe, nurturing facility and surroundings where students will thrive. The For Every Saint Capital Campaign will further this goal by replacing necessary tiles and lights in the BAC and GSC, installing wrought iron fencing on the property, making necessary repairs to the gutters and roof, and updating the outdoor picnic area.
Outdoor picnic tables, where students socialize over lunch, during after-school care and at book club, will be replaced and upgraded. The new picnic tables will be more durable and long-lasting for students to enjoy.
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Building & Grounds
In the GSC and BAC buildings, we will reengineer acoustics to significantly improve the sound quality in these large spaces, which hold many important events throughout the year. The lighting in these same areas will be upgraded with LED lighting to reduce electricity and bulb replacement costs. The existing chain link fencing will be replaced with attractive, 8-foot-high wrought iron, further enhancing the beauty and security of the campus.
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Endowment St. John Paul II Catholic School seeks to assure financial security for the school by significantly increasing our endowment fund. StJPII believes it is essential to maintain affordable tuition in order to provide a Catholic education for all who desire it. The long-term goal is to increase the endowment fund to the point where it can provide additional revenue for the school, thereby lowering (or offsetting) operation costs and allowing tuition to remain affordable. The For Every Saint Capital Campaign will further this goal by raising $1 million for the StJPII Endowment Fund.
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For Every Saint Capital Campaign Objectives Catholic Faith/Living Faith $267,000 Academic Excellence $1,000,000 Extra-Curricular/Athletics $850,000 Building and Grounds $800,000 Endowment $1,000,000 Campaign Total $3,917,000
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“Be not afraid… Open wide the doors for Christ.” -St. John Paul II
Our Call The success of the For Every Saint Capital Campaign relies on the faith, confidence, and generosity of our community. Our call to you is to pray for the success of the For Every Saint Capital Campaign so that St. John the Paul II Catholic School can continue at the forefront of Catholic primary schools for years to come, helping prepare students spiritually and academically. Like those who have come before us, when you receive the call, we ask you to open your heart and seek God’s guidance to consider a personally challenging and transformational gift that will lead us to a successful campaign for our Saints of today and those of tomorrow. Help us continue to step fearlessly into the future.
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Join Us in the For Every Saint Capital Campaign Prayer Almighty God, in Your love for us, You have blessed us abundantly. We glorify You and give You thanks for all the gifts You have given us. Most of all, we thank You for Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, whose sacrifice on the cross is made present to us in the Eucharist. We pray that Your Holy Spirit will guide us now as we begin this campaign for the future of St. John Paul II Catholic School. Give us openness to listen to the needs of our donors. Give us joyful spirits and an eagerness to engage others. Give us strong, steadfast hearts in times of discouragement. Give us trusting hearts, knowing that the fruits of our labors will continue to be appreciated even after our children have left this school. We ask this in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen
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“Since the first time we walked into St. John Paul II Catholic School, we've been grateful for the nurturing environment it offers our children. We've come to really appreciate how this loving culture evolved over time. From its humble beginnings of five trailers, the school has expanded into a campus with multiple buildings, including the All Saints Chapel, science laboratory, spacious art area, and gymnasium. We see this Capital Campaign as an opportunity for our family to contribute to both the immediate and long-term development, modernization, and continuation of all the things we cherish most about StJPII.” - John Zagata, Parent & Chair, For Every Saint Capital Campaign Zagata Family
“St. John Paul II Catholic school and the community here has provided the backdrop for our family life ever since our oldest daughter began attending over 9 years ago. I am so grateful for the previous donors who have provided for our school to make it the special place that it is today, and I’m honored to participate in this Capital Campaign to continue our school’s mission.” - Katie Hengst, Parent & Chair, For Every Saint Capital Campaign
Hengst Family
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For Every Saint Capital Campaign Committee Katie Hengst, Chair John Zagata, Chair Theresa Bramanti John Fahy Sarah Moore Sandra Vreedenburgh Trey Wakefield Rebecca Bogard, Principal Jessi Cook, Director of Development 33