Newsletter April

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
1 2 3 4 5 6 Schedule Change (Fri)
Regular Classes (Sat)
04/03/25 – Thursday Classes Instead of Friday
7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Regular Classes
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 No Classes Easter
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Regular Classes Written Matura Exam
28 29 30

Important Announcements & Upcoming Events

Heads Up! Friday Classes in April:

The first weekend of April, Friday classes will be held on Thursday, April 3rd. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation. We still need volunteers for duty this week. We know it’s an unusual schedule, but maybe someone who hasn’t signed up yet is available.

Sign Up for Duty

Cap & Gown Photo Session

On April 11 & 12, 8th and 11th-grade students will take their cap and gown photos – a special keepsake marking this milestone in their education.

Spring Contest

On April 11 & 12, we will also have a Recycling Contest Exhibition and voting for the best projects. On April 25 & 26, we’ll announce the contest winners.

Why Take the Matura Exam? Special Guest!

Artur Głogowski, one of our school’s alumni, who graduated with our first Matura class, will visit to talk to 8th graders and share his experiences.

May 3rd Parade – Sign Up!

Join us for the May 3rd Parade in Chicago! This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate an important moment in Polish history and show our pride.

This year, our school has reserved two buses, but seats are limited, so please sign up as soon as possible.
Note: Students in grades PK–4 may participate only with a parent or another adult guardian.

Use the link below to register:

We’re excited to celebrate with you all!

Enrollment for the 2024/25 School Year

We will open enrollment for the new school year as soon as we confirm textbook prices. Keep an eye on your email!

Just like last year, we plan to have online registration. More details coming soon.

What’s Been Happening Lately?

Key Takeaways from the General Parent Meeting:

Thank you to all the parents who attended the meeting. We believe these discussions will help strengthen our school and build even better cooperation.

Board Elections:

During the meeting, elections were held for the positions of President and Vice President.

• Mr. Grzegorz Karkosza was elected President. His candidacy was unanimously accepted by all attendees.

• Mr. Daniel Janosik stepped down as Vice President for personal reasons. We appreciate his support and contributions.

Unfortunately, we could not find volunteers for the Vice President position. If you’re interested, please contact the board members.

Newsletter March

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
1 2 Regular classes Children’s Carnival
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Schedule change (Fri)
No classes (Sat)
03/06/25 – Classes on Thursday instead of Friday
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 No classes (Fri)
Regular classes (Sat)
03/15/25 at 10:15 AM – General Parent Meeting
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Schedule change (Fri)
Regular classes (Sat)
03/20/25 – Classes on Thursday instead of Friday
Recycling Contest
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Regular classes Mock Exam
Polonaise dance practice for seniors
31

Important Information and Upcoming Events

Attention! Saturday classes in March:

On the second weekend of March (03/08), Saturday classes are canceled.

Attention! Friday classes in March:

On the second and third weekends of March, Friday classes will be held on Thursdays, March 6 and 20.  March 14 classes are canceled. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

We invite all students to participate in the Spring Art Contest!

This year, we will show that a true artist can bring beauty out of things that others might consider unwanted. We look forward to your creative submissions! Prizes await! Let’s get to work!

contest

Matura Trial Exam (March 28 and 29):

We are keeping our fingers crossed for our seniors during the Matura trial exam. We believe in you and have full confidence in your abilities. May your hard work and dedication bring the best results. Good luck!

Special Events

03/15/25 at 10:15 AM – General Parent Meeting

We cordially invite you to the General Parent Meeting, which will take place on Saturday, March 16, at 10:15 AM in the parish building located across from the school.

Why is your presence important?

The General Parent Meeting is an essential gathering for our school community. Board members and the administration will share important updates about the school’s current status and discuss future decisions. Your presence and input are invaluable.

Board Member Elections:

According to the school’s regulations, board members can serve for three years with one re-election possibility. Since President Grzegorz Karkoszka’s term is ending, an election for the new school president will be held during the meeting. We encourage parents who care about our school’s future and their children’s education to participate actively.

Summary of the School Board President’s Responsibilities

Main Duties:
✔ Official school representation and decision approval (after consulting with the board).
✔ Collaboration in lease agreement negotiations for the school building.
✔ School record and database management.
✔ Communication with parents regarding missing information.

Support for Board Activities:
✔ Student registration and payment management.
✔ Supervision of fundraisers, merchandise sales, and holiday gift packages.
✔ Participation in meetings, inter-school events, and ceremonies.
✔ Assistance in organizing school events and managing duties.
✔ Coordination of school purchases.

Privilege:
✔ Exemption from tuition fees.

What’s been happening recently?

As many of you have likely heard, due to the sudden closure of the REK Travel office, the families of our eighth-grade students who were supposed to participate in an educational trip to Poland lost their deposits – $1,000 per person. As a school, we are committed to supporting our students and their families, so we are actively working to raise $14,000 to recover these funds. Without this financial assistance, many families may not be able to fund the trip again, and their children will lose this unique educational opportunity.
Therefore, the proceeds from our charity ball have been allocated for this cause.

Charity Ball Financial Report

ball 2025

❤️ A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to organizing the ball, sponsoring prizes, and providing snacks! ❤️❤️

Thanks to you, not only did we have a wonderful time in a great atmosphere, but we also took a significant step forward in making our 8th graders’ dream of traveling to Poland come true.

We raised $5,555 from the raffle, $940 from homemade beverage sales, and $1,400 from direct donations – a total of $7,895!!!

Thank you for your support and generosity!

If you’d like to continue supporting this cause, you can make a financial donation.

Donations of $200 or more will be acknowledged on the school’s website for one year and are tax-deductible. You can support us through:

Check Payable to:
St. John Paul II Polish School
608 Sobieski St,
Lemont, IL 60439
Credit Card Zeffy:
Donate here

Student Recognition Ceremony 01.24.25Together, we can achieve anything!

Our Students at the NEXT – Talks for the Future Generation Conference!

NEXT 2025

On Saturday, February 22, our students participated in NEXT – Talks for the Future Generation, a unique conference for Polish-language school students in the Chicago area. The event brought together inspiring speakers – scientists, lawyers, artists, doctors, and entrepreneurs of Polish descent who shared their stories and experiences.

The conference aimed to motivate young Poles to strive for ambitious goals and pursue their dreams. It was an incredibly inspiring lesson that will undoubtedly stay with our students for a long time!

Thank you to our generous sponsors

Thank you

bal

We invite the entire community of St. John Paul II Polish School to the 20th Polish Heritage Day in Lemont.

balSponsor a table or Purchase Event Bulletin add