Cardinal Weekly

All School

**Little Mermaid Jr.**

BRAVO! Our Middle Division Musical, The Little Mermaid Jr., was a splashing success and an unforgettable underwater adventure! From start to finish, both casts wowed us with their incredible talent, courage, and heart. They dove headfirst into multiple roles, lit up the stage with their singing and dancing, and lifted each other up with support and teamwork. What a show!

A Standing Ovation & Huge THANK YOU to:

**Mr. Tiatia-Garaud** – for his boundless creativity, dedication, and vision that brought this magical production to life!
**Ms. Stebbins** – for her show-stopping choreography and the energy, joy, and movement she brought to every scene!
**Julie Johnson & Ms. Heys** - for their creative talent and vision in designing and creating the set!

And of course, thank you to everyone behind the scenes – parents, crew, staff, and volunteers – for making the sea sparkle and the magic happen.

Spring Break Begins Tomorrow
Spring Break is here! St. John’s campus will be closed beginning tomorrow, Friday, April 18 and will reopen on Monday, April 28.

TK Burgers: Coming Back to SJES on Friday, May 9
Get Ready! The last Spirit Lunch of the school year will take place on Friday, May 9 and we are excited to have TK Burgers back on campus! Order options include cheeseburger, hamburger, grilled cheese, and veggie burger, and are served with chips and bottled water. No Choice Lunch will be served on this day. All orders must be placed by Monday, April 28 at Noon. Click here to purchase!

Used Uniform Donations Accepted at the Student Store
Do you have uniforms that no longer fit taking up space in your closet? Drop them off at the Student Store! We will gladly accept all used Tommy Hilfiger uniforms, including formal sweaters with embroidery.

Dive Into Summer Fun at SJES!
Dive into a summer of fun at St. John’s! St. John's Summer Program is open for SJES students and community members of all ages. Half-morning, half-day, and full day programming is available. Click here to sign up today! Contact Summer Program with any questions.

Vacation Bible School (VBS) is Coming Back to SJES this Summer!
Vacation Bible School comes back to St. John's Church on June 16-20, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This year's theme "True North: Trusting Jesus in a Wild World" will give students a rock-solid foundation and point them to Jesus, their unmovable, unshakable friend forever! Spread the word to families and friends. All ages are welcome, but this program is recommended for Pre-K to 5th grade age groups. Click here to register! If you have any questions, please reach out to Chrissy Hennings at vbs@stjohns-es.org.

Guzheng Ensemble: Sunday, May 18
You’re invited to St. John’s Church on Sunday, May 18 at 10:00 a.m. to hear our very own Guzheng Ensemble share the music of the Chinese zither with our St. John’s church and school community. Guzheng is a mysterious and ancient Chinese folk instrument, which has a history of more than 2,500 years. Our Guzheng Orchestra members are all mothers from St. John's Episcopal School who will gather in celebration and love for Guzheng.

Athletics Update: Week of April 28
A huge congratulations to our outstanding athletes who placed at the April 5 and 6 track meets! Your hard work, determination, and team spirit truly shined. Click here to view the results of our top finishers. Go Cardinals!

Monday, April 28

6th Grade Soccer vs. Our Lady Fatima at St. John's at 3:30 p.m.
7th/8th Grade Soccer vs. Stoneybrooke at St. John's at 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 29

7th/8th Grade Boys' Volleyball vs. St. Margaret's at St. John's at 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 30

6th Grade Soccer vs. St. Margaret's (at St. Margaret's) at 3:45 p.m.
7th/8th Grade Soccer vs. St. Margaret's (at St. Margaret's) at 4:45 p.m.

Other Upcoming Important Dates

Spring Sports Playoffs Begin: Monday, May 5
Spring Sports Awards: Monday, May 12 from 3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
PAL Track Championship Meet at Aliso Viejo High School (time TBD): Sunday, May 18
PAL Swim Meet at Santa Margarita Catholic High School (time TBD): Saturday, May 24
Volleyball and Flag Football Games (grades 5-8): August 4-8

Important Upcoming Dates

Early Childhood Division

Friday, April 18

No School: Good Friday

Monday, April 21 - Friday, April 25

No School: Spring Break

Monday, April 28

School resumes
Last day to purchase Spirit Lunch orders by Noon

Friday, May 9

Spirit Lunch: TK Burgers. Click here to purchase.

Monday, May 12 - Friday, May 16

Faculty/Staff Appreciation Week

Elementary Division

Friday, April 18

No School: Good Friday

Monday, April 21 - Friday, April 25

No School: Spring Break

Monday, April 28

School resumes
Last day to purchase Spirit Lunch orders by Noon

Thursday, May 1

Rising Sixth Grade Preview Evening: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Friday, May 9

Spirit Lunch: TK Burgers. Click here to purchase.

Monday, May 12 - Friday, May 16

Faculty/Staff Appreciation Week

Middle Division

Friday, April 18

No School: Good Friday

Monday, April 21 - Friday, April 25

No School: Spring Break

Monday, April 28

School resumes
Last day to purchase Spirit Lunch orders by Noon.

Wednesday, April 30

Rising Seventh and Eighth Grade “Preview” Evening: 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, May 6

ERB Testing: 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday, May 7

ERB Testing: 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Thursday, May 8

ERB Testing: 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Friday, May 9

Spirit Lunch: TK Burgers. Click here to purchase.
ERB Testing: 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Monday, May 12 - Friday, May 16

Faculty/Staff Appreciation Week

Early Childhood Division

**Petting Zoo Visits the ECD**

Bunnies, goats, and sheep—oh my! 🐰🐐🐑✨ Our ECD Cardinals had an unforgettable day of hands-on learning at the Petting Zoo! From gentle snuggles with soft bunnies to feeding curious goats and observing the playful nature of sheep, our students explored the animal world in the most heartwarming way. These experiences spark curiosity, build empathy, and bring classroom lessons to life in the most joyful setting. Click here for more photos from this farm-filled morning.

Thank You for Attending Open House
Thank you to all who attended Open House. We love to see the children's faces light up as they get to show off their classroom and all their hard work. Thank you for your continuous commitment, involvement, and encouragement towards your child's education!

Get Ready for a Brighter Future: Early Childhood Pre-K Classrooms Will Undergo Exciting Renovations!
We are bursting with excitement to share some truly wonderful news! Thanks to the incredibly generous support of some of our Early Childhood parents, we are thrilled to announce that we will be renovating all three of our Pre-K classrooms this summer! This project represents a significant investment in the future of our youngest learners!

We can't wait to share the finished classrooms with you and witness the positive impact they will have on our students.

Please reach out to Heather Doddridge, Director of Admissions & Advancement, with any questions.

Elementary Division

**Cardinal Character Awards**

Congratulations to this month’s Cardinal Character Award winners!
Click here for a list of students who were recognized earlier this week.

Go Cardinals!

Rising Sixth Grade Families: Join Us Thursday, May 1
Current fifth grade parents and students are invited to our Rising Sixth Grade “Preview” Evening on Thursday, May 1, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Cardinal Gym. This evening bookends the meeting we held in December and is set aside to give you and your child an overview of the updated sixth-grade curriculum and schedule, provide information about the MD Course of Study and course selections, and share details regarding the overnight field studies trip to Pali Institute that our sixth graders will enjoy in October.

Cyber Safety Cop Assemblies: Empowering Our Students to Make Good Choices Online
Last Thursday, April 10, our students in Grades 4–8 attended engaging and informative Cyber Awareness assemblies led by Sergeant Clay Cranford of Cyber Safety Cop. With real-world stories and an interactive approach, Sergeant Cranford captivated our students while educating them about the importance of staying safe and making smart choices online.

From understanding the risks of social media to recognizing the impact of digital behavior, students walked away with valuable tools for navigating the online world. He closed each session with a powerful message: If you’re going to do anything on social media, choose to do good. Use your voice to lift others up and make a positive difference.

We are grateful to Sergeant Cranford for equipping our students with practical knowledge and inspiring them to lead with kindness—both on and offline.

Save the Date: Elementary Spring Concert is Tuesday, May 20
Join us for our Elementary Spring Concert for grades K-5 on Tuesday, May 20, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Cardinal Gym! For details, click here. We can’t wait to see you there!

Middle Division

We're thrilled to share that in last week's JSerra Battle of the Rockets Competition, SJES proudly secured **2nd place** among all seven competing middle schools and achieved the highest score in the competition in our first launch — an impressive 89% accuracy in landing and flight time!

A huge congratulations to Jason Tse, Kayla Wabs, and Clifton Black for their outstanding dedication and teamwork. Your hard work truly paid off!

Special thanks to our Engineering teacher Dr. Li for his expert coaching on flight stability and strategic guidance throughout the competition — your support made a big difference.

Go Cardinals!

IMPORTANT: End of Year Information
On Monday, you received an email with important information regarding the End-of-Year activities for your Middle Division student(s). Please take a moment to carefully review the emails, as they contain important information about upcoming events, dismissal times, and testing schedules during the final week of school.

Click here to read the 6^th and 7^th grade email
Click here to read the 8^th grade email

Class of 2025 Slideshow
Attention all 8th grade parents: Please submit your photos for the 8th grade slideshow to Beth Sarachman by Friday, May 16. Click here for specifics! Questions? Contact Beth Sarachman in the Middle Division.

April Cardinal Character Awards
Each month, the Middle Division recognizes a 6th, 7th, and 8th grader who exemplifies a specific Cardinal Character Trait. The Cardinal Character Trait for April is Caring. Caring Cardinals foster empathy and compassion toward others through kindness and generosity, along with commitment to service. In April, the World Language department highlighted three students who showed the Cardinal Character Trait “Caring” in class. Students received their award during Cardinal Community Time (CCT) last Friday, April 11.

Congratulations to our Caring Cardinals: Hannah Fahami, Ainsley Boyd, Maddie Chang

Congratulations to our Student of the Week Winners!
Click on each name below to learn a little more about them.

8th grade: Zack Schimmelpfenig
7th grade: Brynn Casey
6th grade: Liam Murphy

Rising Seventh and Eighth Grade Families: Preview Evening
Current sixth and seventh grade parents and students are invited to our Rising Seventh and Eighth Grade “Preview” Evening on Wednesday, April 30, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Cardinal Gym. This evening is set aside to give you and your child an overview of the Middle Division curriculum, provide information about the Middle Division Course of Study and course selections, share details regarding Middle Division field studies in October, and discuss the high school process. We will also be reviewing important updates to the Middle Division schedule for 2025–26 at this meeting.

Church

Holy Week at St. John’s Church
As we prepare to enter Holy Week, we invite you to join us in worship at St. John’s Church. Click here for more information including all worship dates and times.

Maundy Thursday, Thursday, April 17 at 7:00 p.m. - We will commemorate the Last Supper with Holy Eucharist at a Maundy Thursday service.
Good Friday, Friday April 18 from 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. - The church will be open for a self-guided walk through the Stations of the Cross or join Fr. Jerry at 12:00 p.m. for guided prayer to commemorate Jesus's passion and death on the cross. At 7:00 p.m. Good Friday service we will retell the passion story.

We will celebrate Jesus’ resurrection Easter Sunday morning, April 20 at 8:00 a.m. with organ and 10:00 a.m. with choir and an Easter Egg Hunt following worship.

Please Join us for a Mother’s Day Celebration!
Please join St. John's Church on Sunday, May 11 at 10:00 a.m. for a unique Mother's Day celebration. To honor mothers around the world, St. John's School parents will be performing a dance during church service as seen at this year's International Festival. Let's make this Mother's Day truly special with the gift of dance, service, and fellowship. Please stay for coffee afterwards.

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