Below are your announcements for the week of October 22, 2012. 

FOR THOSE STUDENTS PLANNING TO APPLY TO COLLEGES BY THE NOVEMBER 1st EARLY DEADLINE

Please touch base with Mr. Tesone to see which teachers have already turned your teacher recommendation letter in to him and which are still outstanding.  Teachers may not always know that you are planning to apply early so polite requests and gentle reminders from you will be much greater appreciated now as compared to the finals days leading up to November 1st.

If you have not talked to teachers about letters yet AND you are planning on applying early, you must do so ASAP in order to ensure that the letters will be completed in a reasonable amount of time.  Please see Mr. Tesone with any questions or concerns pertaining to this matter.

 HARN (Houston Area Recruiter's Network) Mini College Fair - Thursday October 25 during lunch in the New Gym

The Houston Area Recruiter's Network (HARN), which is a community of professional college and university representatives from both two (2) and four (4) year academic institutions, will be holding a mini college fair on our campus.  The fair will provide students and any parents that wish to come an excellent opportunity to interact with college and university admissions counselors.  They can meet one-on-one with admissions reps at their table to discuss entrance requirements, campus life, application deadlines and majors. Representatives will have brochures, catalogs and other literature to describe their institutions.

The following schools will be represented at the fair:

Texas State University  

Mississippi State University

Lamar University                                        

HCC - NorthWest

UT Dallas                                                        

Texas Christian University

Texas A&M University                              

University of Tulsa

University of Houston                              

University of St. Thomas

Texas Tech University                             

UT San Antonio

Stephen F. Austin State University    

University of Alabama

University of North Texas

This is the third year that Pope John XXIII will be sending students to the Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership conference, and it is a great opportunity for students to continue to develop their leadership skills. This year the conference takes place May 31 through June 2 and Texas A&M at Galveston. Applications will be available after Mr. Stuck's presentation and are due back no later than October 26. Please contact Mr. Stuck at cstuck@pj23.org for more information.

ATTN Sophomores: This Wednesday is your Sophomore Retreat. Please plan to arrive at Epiphany of the Lord at 8:00 AM. You are responsible for your own transportation. Students may wear jeans and a spirit tee. We are also accepting donations of baked goods for dessert & snacks. Please bring those with you on Wednesday.

It's almost Kairos time!! For all those who will be attending our Kairos V retreat in January, we will have a mandatory parent meeting Thursday, November 1 at 6:45PM. If you are unable to attend, you must contact Ms. DeMois as soon as possible.

Campus Ministry would like to send a huge thank you to everyone who donated to the "40 Days for Life" diaper drive. We delivered 4 huge SUV's full of diapers & wipes to the Pregnancy Help Center in Katy. They expressed their gratitude for your generosity!

We are pleased to announce that Sister Damien Marie from the Franciscan Sisters will be speaking to our young ladies about vocations tomorrow after school. Please join us in the library at 3:15PM.

Pope John XXIII is very blessed have adoration of the Blessed Sacrament a couple times per month, usually on the first and third Fridays. Parent volunteers are needed to sign up to adore Christ in the Eucharist for hour time slots, allowing the students to come and go to adoration as fits their schedules. Volunteers sign up as fits their schedules throughout the year. If you would like to be on the email list of volunteers for adoration, please email Becky Neeson at atm8789@sbcglobal.net.     

Katy Rice Festival-THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Thank you to the many parents and students who volunteered last weekend to work the Katy Rice Festival gate and booth to raise funds for the entire senior class.

Allen & Mary Ann Hajovsky

Chris & Margaret Manfre

Willie, Catherine & Will Reinhard

Janet & Fred Ramundo

Tommy, Gretchen & Dylan Stockberger

Laura & Cory Snyder

Michael & Terry Klobosits

Kristine & Brian Perilla

Chris & Arturo Bigalbal

Keith, JK & Brandon Herbsleb

Christina & Shawn Ryan

Mary Ann & Abby Glueck

Janet, Mark & Robert Stasney

Susan, Joe & Ben Maxwell

Claudia, Rafael & Andres Garcia

Kim, Brian & Joe Linder

Angie Harris

Carmen Posey & Mary Murphy

Tracy & Vanessa Van Reet

Ashley Wall

Julie and Stephen Koch

A Huge Thanks to Ms. O'Donnell and many art students and parents who came out and helped to decorate the gate too!

Norma Noonan

Brenda Cheong

Abby Glueck

Delia Weber

Margaret Manfre

Mrs. Shelly England

Mrs. Chris Manfre

Mrs. Siobhan Weber

The PJ23 swim team kicks off the 2012-2013 season Saturday Oct 27 at the Lamar Consolidated Private School Invitational  in Rosenberg.  The girls team took second place at this event last year and is looking to improve on that this year.

The swim team has been practicing since late September, and is progressing well, according to Coach Abbott.  "We have the largest swim team we have ever had at Pope John, and perhaps the strongest." With the girls team ready to defend last year's State Championship and looking even stronger, and the boys team looking good as well, it should be another great year for Lion swimming.