With gratitude for their years of successful leadership and service and best wishes for the future, I announce that Mrs. Sue Schmitt and Ms. Maria Gesiorek are retiring from St. John Vianney School.

Mrs. Schmitt first came to SJV in 1989. Mrs. Schmitt currently teaches 6th and 7th grade Religion and has developed and taught the Discipleship elective. In recent years, Mrs. Schmitt taught middle school Social Studies. She has also taught Literature. Some of Mrs. Schmitt's fondest memories of her work at St. John Vianney School have been taking the students on special field trips to Madison and Old World Wisconsin; experiencing the Hunger Meal as part of the social justice unit; exploring politics with the mock Presidential elections; and celebrating diversity through the ethnic fair. Times when the middle school or the whole school came together to pray, especially during a time of struggle, are special memories as well. Over twenty-six years Mrs. Schmitt has witnessed many positive changes which have taken place at SJV. Included are the vision and completion of the physical expansion of the SJV campus, specifically the gym and parish center.  Both have allowed the parish to expand and improve upon the many programs it offers.  The growth in technology has been huge throughout her tenure SJV and she has been pleased to see the school evolve to meet the needs of the students in the 21st century.  Most notably, Mrs. Schmitt is very proud that SJV has always provided an excellent education with our Catholic faith as its guiding principle.

Looking ahead to her retirement, Mrs. Schmitt plans to spend more time with her family, especially her grandkids.  Those family plans will include travel as well. She will also devote a lot of energy volunteering through her parish and within the Greater Milwaukee area.   Last on her list is tackling projects around the house.

Mrs. Schmitt shares, "I want to thank all past and present students, parents, and staff for the many happy and fulfilling years as a teacher at St. John Vianney.  It has been a great part of my life and I will treasure the many positive memories from my years here. God bless you all!"  

Ms. Gesiorek has been at St. John Vianney School since 1991 when she started the very vigorous and successful strings program. Significantly, Ms. Gesiorek has also been an SJV parent and she is very proud that both of her grown sons have graduated from SJV. Ms. Gesiorek recounts the very first strings concert at SJV. There were Kindergarten students who were new to strings. The students were so new they could only pluck one string - the "Hey" in Jingle Bells. She also recalls concerts at nursing homes that brought the residents to tears. And there are so many more lovely memories, Fall Fest concerts, 8th grade students playing at their Graduation Mass, and spring concerts where the students displayed so much growth that Ms. Gesiorek herself was moved to tears. The growth of the strings program was a change facilitated by a shared commitment between the SJV parish, school, and parents. In the early days, violin and viola lessons were taught in a hallway behind the cafeteria. Later, the facilities were expanded to include comfortable facilities for the music program. Cellos were also added, providing additional student opportunities and the richness of the bass clef in ensemble playing.

A large part of Ms. Gesiorek's retirement will be spent with her grandchildren. During school months she will be with the Massachusetts side of the family. In the summertime Ms. Gesiorek will be in the west with the Oregon side of the family. She will also read more books, go to hear the Boston Symphony, make jewelry and bake. She also plans to continue her work on a smaller scale by taking a few private students.

Ms. Gesiorek reports that, "I will miss my students and their families which I have gotten to know so well over the years. I will miss teachers who became my friends. I am going to miss SJV so, so, so much! My children grew up here and this school will hold very special place in my heart forever."

Please join the St. John Vianney School community in thanking these wonderful teachers for their many contributions to our school and its students. Also, please join us in prayer as we ask that they be blessed with abundant love and joy in all that is to come their way.

Peace,  

May Crowning and Living Rosary

We invite all families and friends to a May Crowning Liturgy and Living Rosary honoring our Blessed Mother as Queen of Heaven and Mother of God. It will be held in church on Wednesday, May 6 at 1:30pm.  Students should bring their own rosary if possible. 

We are proud to announce that the SJV Summer Camp is back for its second year! 

New for this year:

• The camp runs July 6-10 and 13-17 from 8:00-3:00.
• Sign up for one week or two, depending on summer schedules
• Opportunities for organized outdoor play (weather permitting) are offered every day at no extra charge.
• A greater variety of classes, including new classes, such as engineering with Legos, drama, and dance, along with some of the old favorites like cooking, technology and art!

By clicking on our SJV Summer Camp link, you will find everything you need to know, including class offerings and descriptions, schedules, pricing and registration information. If you are interested, please print the catalog, register for classes and return to the school office with payment at your earliest convenience.  Please note that registration closes on Friday, May 15. Please direct any questions to Dan Demeter or Chris Gordon. Thank you for considering our great summer camp!  

MAP Results

Results from the recent MAP testing will be sent home with your child on Thursday, April 23.  Each student will have their own envelope.  If you have any questions about the results, please contact Chris Gordon, Courtney Albright or your child's classroom teacher. 

Iowa Assessment Testing 

The Iowa Assessment testing window for grades 3, 5 and 7 began on Monday, April 13 and ends on Friday, May 1. In order to minimize the impact on our daily academic program, testing sessions are arranged to take one class period or less. Check the detailed schedules to learn more about your child's particular testing times and dates.    

7th Grade Schedule 

3rd & 5th Grade Schedule 

FLL (FIRST Lego League) Parent Information Meeting

Do you have a 2nd-7th grader interested in being on an FLL (FIRST Lego League) team in the fall?  Come to the parent informational meeting on April 21 at 6:30pm in P202 in the Parish Center, to learn more.  Questions? Email Meghan Klinck or call 414-870-5264. 

BIDS Update

We are so excited to announce that BIDS 2015 made just over $165,000 for our school. We are humbled by the generosity of the SJV school families and parish members. Thank you so much to all who helped make this such a spectacular event. There were extremely generous donation of items and countless hours spent lovingly preparing for this event. We are so overwhelmed by this response and look forward to seeing this money help make improvements to this already wonderful school.

Home & School Committee 

Volunteer For High Interest Day

High Interest Day for K5-5th grade is quickly approaching.  This is a
fun-filled afternoon for our children. We still need many volunteers to make this afternoon a success.  Please consider volunteering some of your time.  We're using VolunteerSpot to organize our upcoming Sign-ups.

1. 1) Click this link to see our Sign-Up on VolunteerSpot
2. 2) Review the options listed and choose the     spot(s) you like.
3. 3) Sign up! It's easy- you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on VolunteerSpot.

Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually. 

Dine Out with SJV 

Celebrate Spring with your SJV family at Culver's in Elm Grove (15280 Bluemound Rd.) on Monday, May 4th from 5:00pm-8:00pm. Culvers will donate a percentage of all sales made during these hours. Simply say you are with SJV - No flyer necessary!

Want to make the evening benefit SJV even more? Turn in your Culver's Scrip order to the school or parish office by 8:30am on Monday, April 27th. 

Blue's Egg Sign-Up Party 

Looking for something fun to do this Saturday night?  How about filling one of the remaining spots for the BIDS Blue's Egg sign-up party?  It will be a great night of food, drinks, music and friendship.  There are limited openings so please respond quickly!

Date: Saturday, April 25, 2015

Time: 6:30-11:00pm 

Location:  Blue's Egg, 317 N. 76th St, Milwaukee

Food:  Heavy Appetizers & Dessert

Beverages:  Soft drinks, coffee, beer, wine; cash bar is available for requests beyond those selections 

Entertainment: DJ

Cost: $75 per person or $150 per couple

If you're interested send an email to Therese Stockhausen. 

Home and School Needs Your Vote!

The year is winding down, but Home and School has important business to do!  Please come to the final meeting on Wednesday, April 22 at 9:30am in P209.  Please see the meeting agenda.  The meeting will include voting on the following issues:

1. Allocation of $30,000 of unallocated funds to be applied toward school roof repair.  By no means will this come close to cover the cost, but will help defray expenses.
2. Election of new officers for 2015-2016.   Nominated for the executive board are:  Co-Chairpersons, Stephanie Rossi & Laura Russell; Secretary, Amy DiPiazza; Treasurer, Kris Tontis.
3. Approval of updated Home & School Guidelines.  Please read them prior to the meeting.

Come voice your opinion.  Voting will take place at the beginning of the meeting.  See you there! 

We're looking for next year's Home & School Committee Chairpersons

Yes-that's you!  Are you ready to help enhance your children's school experience?  Do you think you serve best as a worker bee?  Worker bees are great but we encourage you to grab a friend and step up to the next level by chairing a committee.  The executive board is here to guide you all the way.  The following openings are available for the 2015-2016 year: Birthday board (2 or 3 people), Orientation Day (1 or 2), Dine Out With SJV, Schwan's, Hospitality, Forensics, Chess Club, New Family Mentors (1), Secret Santa (2).  Sign-up starts now.  Clare Lange and Janet Fisher will be calling on you for these fun positions. 

Well Wishes for Mrs. Kaminski

A plant with fresh flowers was sent to the funeral of Al Kaminski, Mrs. Kaminski's husband, on behalf of the "Parents and Students of SJV."  Home and School Sunshine funds were utilized to cover the cost. This was a small gesture to show her how much she means to the SJV school community. The office will still collect any other cards and notes and be sure Mrs. Kaminski gets them.  

Children's Liturgy of the Word       

Meets every Saturday at the 4:30pm Mass and on Sunday at the 11:00am Mass.  Children K4-4th grade are invited to participate and no registration is needed.  Parents are welcome to visit anytime and we especially encourage you to bring your young child the first time or until they feel more comfortable.  Come hear the Word of God! 

We are looking for additional presiders and assistants to lead the children in worship.  It is a once a month commitment and training is provided.  Please consider being a part of the wonderful ministry.  We need you!

Summer Vacation Bible School 2015

Children K4-5th grade are invited to EVEREST, June 22-26, 2015 from 9:00am to noon.  This week long adventure is full of music, Bible stories, prayer, games, crafts, snacks and so much more. Click here for the introduction letter and registration forms. Adult and teen volunteer forms are also included.   

Vacation Bible School Volunteers Needed

We need both adult and youth volunteers for EVEREST, June 22-26 from 8:30am to noon daily.  We need crew leaders, game, craft, and story leaders, K4 & K5 teachers, juice pourers, snack makers, and all kinds of other helpers.  This is a great experience for college students, retired people, or anyone who enjoys children and loves God!  If this week does not work for you, we also need people to help before the event with decorations, preparing materials, shopping, etc.  If you are interested, please fill out a volunteer form, or for more information, contact Dawn Van Dorf in the Christian Formation Office.  

SJV Parish Festival Volunteer Opportunities Now Available!

Many exciting jobs are available, sign up now for a shift or two, or three or four! at this year's festival, June 5, 6 and 7. 

The parish will be invited to sign up in later April, so hurry now to select your preferred position(s) and shift(s).  Please use this link to view and sign up for available opportunities here>>

Important details for online sign up:

• ONE NAME PER LINE, please
• Please use upper and lower case lettering when entering name
• Please ask your teenage/high school student to gather their friends to work in Parking = they receive a FREE t-shirt and beverages
  (ahem, non-alcoholic) during their shift!

If you have problems registering or would like additional information, please contact the SJV festival volunteer organizer and SJV School parent/SJV catechist Kathy Uy 262-782-6778.  Thank you for being the best part of SJV's largest annual fundraiser- the warm, welcoming, friendly faces! 

CMH Spring Prospective Parent Preview Night

April 22, 2015 6:30pm-8:30pm

Prospective parents are invited to go back to high school for a night!    

Whether you are still deciding on a high school for your student or want to learn more information before your son/daughter attends in the fall, Prospective Parent Preview Night is a great way to learn more about CMH, experience the academics, and meet faculty and staff.

 *Parents will hear more about Catholic Memorial's curriculum, vision and academic support services from our Principal, Dr. Bob Hall and Learning Support Specialist, Mrs. Sue Ruf.

*Parents will also get the chance to attend mock classes in English, math, theology, and several electives.

Please click here to RSVP or call Krissy Hartung at (262)542-7101 ext. 552.

CMH Student Art Show

Free and Open to the Public- More than 1,000 pieces of student artwork completed during this school year.  Come to the CMH Academic Resource Center on Thursday, May 7 from 7:30am- 8:00pm or Friday, May 8 from 7:30am- 2:30pm.