Friday, August 2nd

Welcome to the 2024-2025 School Year!

The FriYAY blog is back for the 2024-2025 school year! I will do my best to keep you updated and informed with all the information you need for the upcoming week. 

Our theme for our retreat on Monday is "Remain in Me" from John 15:5. Throughout the year you will hear us reference this often. You will also hear us reminding everyone that we are the "good soil" for our JPII Cardinal Family from Matthew 13.

Dennis Uniform Tax-Free Weekend

Dining Hall Price Update

As you know, we have had to price things differently this year for our families. I am sure you are all aware of the increase in food prices over the last few years. This year, for faculty and staff, all meals will be $6 instead of $5. It will be the same price for all meals. 

Diocese In-Service Information

On August 30th, everyone from the Diocese will be in Professional Development together! This PD-Day in August will take place at Bishop Lynch. The keynote speaker will be Deacon Burke-Sivers and in the afternoon we will be broken up into grade levels. When I receive more information, I will pass it along! 

Events Next Week

Monday, August 5th

• Faculty and Staff Retreat - HERE are the details that Nicholas sent out this week. 

Tuesday, August 6th

• 8:00 Breakfast Provided in Athenaeum 
• 8:45 - Welcome Casey Buckstaff 
• 9:15 - Capturing Kids’ Hearts Year 2 - Kayla Brown - Dining Hall
• Social Contracts 
• CKH Process Champions 
• 9:45 - Communication Refresher - Kayla Brown - Dining Hall 
• Foundational Ideas
• Feedback 
• 10:30 - Break 
• 10:45 - Instructional Focus for the Year, Laura Ripley - Dining Hall 
• Student Engagement
• Checking for Understanding
• 11:45 - Lunch - Dining Hall 
• 12:45 - 2:00 - Department Chair Meeting - Sophomore Presentation Hall 
• Teacher Professional Portfolio (Everyone else can work in their classrooms.)
• 2:00 - 2:45 - Athletics Department Meeting - Senior Presentation Hall (Everyone else can work in their classrooms.)

Wednesday, August 7th

• 8:00 - Breakfast Served in the Athenaeum 
• 8:45 - Student/Parent Handbook Updates and Reminders, Allie Choiniere - Dining Hall 
• Discipline
• Attendance
• Duty
• Cohorts
• 10:00 - Break
• 10:15 - Partnering with Athletics - Michael Browning - Dining Hall 
• Discipline Policies 
• Partnership
• Communication 
• 10:45 - Break 
• 11:00 - Academic Expectations - Laura Ripley - Dining Hall 
• Grading
• Posting
• Feedback 
• 11:45 - Admissions Updates - Lauren Westerfield - Dining Hall 
• 12:00 - Lunch - Dining Hall 
• 1:00 Student Activities and Clubs, Erin Harper & Tiffany Russell - Dining Hall 
• Quick Reference Guide
• Club Expectations
• Chaperone Duties 
• 1:30 - Safety and Security Protocols, Auggie Trevino & Plano PD - Dining Hall 
• CRASE Training 
• 3:30 - Dismissed

Thursday, August 8th

• 8:00 - Breakfast Provided in Athenaeum 
• 8:45 - 9:30 - Athletics Department Meeting - Sophomore Presentation Hall (all other staff - work time)
• 10:00 - Updates from Athletics (all faculty and staff attend)- Dining Hall 
• Academic Peer Tutoring Program - John Griffin
• Transportation Reminders - Jeanne Larson 
• CWA (Cardinal Womens’ Auxiliary) Update - Jeanne Larson
• 10:30 Week Ahead & Reminders -, Kayla Brown - Dining Hall 
• Confidentiality and Professionalism 
• Mandated Reporting 
• Orientations
• First Day of Classes (12345678)
• All-School Mass 8.15.24
• 10:45 - Introduction of Student Inclusion Formation Council (SIFC)
• 11:00 Self-Study Accreditation Prep Year - Dr. Veronica Alonzo - Dining Hall
• 12:00 - Lunch - Dining Hall 
• 1:00 - 1:45 - New Purchasing Card Process - Dining Hall - Ashley McCarty & Finance Team 
• 1:45 - Break
• 2:00 - 2:45 - Parent Square Training, Dining Hall - Kris Thurston & Ashley Falloure

Friday, August 9th

• 8:00 - Breakfast Served in the Athenaeum 
• 8:45 AM - Department Meetings (locations set by Department Chair)
• Teacher Professional Portfolio 
• Work on Individual Goals 
• 10:30 - 11:15 - Athletics Department Meeting - Sophomore Presentation Hall (Everyone else can work in their classrooms.)
• 12:00 - New School Year Celebration! 
• TDI BBQ! 
• 2:00 Wedding Showers for Susan and Julia! 

Saturday, August 10th 

• In-Service (Online)

Handbooks

You can find the 2024-2024 JPII Faculty/Staff Handbook HERE. PLEASE read it. If anything is in red, that means it was updated last year. If it is in purple, it was updated this year.

HERE is the 2024-2025 CSO Handbook Policies and Procedures. You are expected to read both.

There are other documents and agreements you also are expected to read: 

• Computer Systems, Internet Usage, and Security Policy
• Internet School Safety Policy
• Social Media Policy

Mark Crawford will have signature agreements for you to sign next week during in-service for all of the documents above. 

In-Service Reminders

• HERE is the in-service schedule for next week. 
• On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we will provide snacks during some of the break times. 
• We will provide breakfast and lunch every day. 
• Dress is casual for the week. Feel free to wear jeans! 

New Employee Bios 

In case you missed my summer letter, below you can read about all of our new employees. Also, in my summer letter, I mistakenly did not include Lillian Ramos who will be teaching Spanish this year! 

Dawn Bracket (Service Coordinator)

Dawn Bracket is originally from the Philadelphia area and has lived all over the United States.  She graduated from Vanderbilt University and has a J.D. from Stetson University College of Law. Dawn spent over 10 years working as an attorney before taking on leadership and fundraising roles with the Lewisville Independent School District.  She is excited to be working with students to find meaningful service opportunities and grow in their faith. Dawn and her husband Joe are parents to Rebecca (JPII Sophomore) and Thomas (8th grade) and are parishioners at St. Catherine of Siena in Carrollton. She is grateful to be part of the Cardinal Family!

Casey Buckstaff (President)

A native of Mt. Prospect, IL, Casey joins the Cardinal family after 21 years of service to the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Before her professional career, she attended the University of Notre Dame and was captain of the women’s rowing team. Casey continued her own education earning a Masters in the Art of Teaching from Notre Dame of Maryland University and later a Master of Nonprofit Administration from Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame. As a Catholic school educator, she has been a teacher of elementary and middle school, coach, choir director, campus minister, and the last sixteen of her years were in school leadership in three different schools, most recently finishing her ninth year as principal at St. John the Evangelist in Severna Park. Ms. Buckstaff also worked as a leader within the Archdiocese, serving on committees for curriculum, instruction, and assessment and working to develop tools for both teacher and principal evaluations. Casey and her husband arrived in the Dallas area July 1st and despite the many boxes to be unpacked, she has been busy at work getting to know people on campus and starting to settle in at JPII.

Ashley Falloure (Instructional Technologist)

Although originally from New Jersey, Ashley spent most of her childhood in North Texas, and considers it her home. After attending Plano Senior High, she went on to play college soccer and get a B.S. in Graphic Design at John Brown University and furthered onto A&M-Texarkana to coach soccer, complete her M.S. in Curriculum & Instruction, and receive her teaching certification. Since then, she has been coaching soccer and teaching a range of CTE courses in Garland ISD, Forney ISD, and Rockwall ISD over the past 14 years. She is a mom of two young children, Addy (6) and Oliver (3), and a wife of a fellow teacher/coach. In their free time, they love traveling, camping, and seeking new adventures. She is so excited to start this new adventure of serving the Cardinal family in the realm of instructional technology and sharing her passion for tech and problem-solving. She is mostly looking forward to making the switch to a Christ-centered environment and serving the Cardinal community! 

Alison Garlock (Math)

Alison Garlock is from Buffalo, New York and recently got engaged to her college sweetheart, who is from Dallas, hence the relocation. She has been teaching for two years and is really excited to continue her teaching journey at JPII in the fall! When she is not in school she loves to read, go on walks with her family, and do yoga. 

Rosa Jara-Simmons (Spanish)

Ms. Jara-Simmons was born in Chile, South America, and moved to the USA at an early age. She has been a language professional all her life. She started teaching English as a second language but soon after transitioned to teaching Spanish, Culture, Civilization and Literature in various universities in the United States upon completion of her graduate and post-graduate studies. She is passionate about teaching and sharing her knowledge with others. She enjoys serving the community in any capacity she can. Her favorite vacation is by the ocean, enjoying long walks by the beach, and her favorite TV shows are those about animals.

John Klassen (Speech and Debate Coach)

John Klassen is an Iowa native. He is a graduate of the University of Tulsa and Columbia Law School in New York City. He practiced law for 26 years, mostly as a federal prosecutor in West Texas (Midland). In 2017, he started a second career as a teacher at Trinity School of Midland.   He is thrilled to be associated this year with JP II's excellent speech and debate team, and firmly believes that forensics is the most fun and most rewarding activity in which a high school student can engage. John and his wife Stephanie, who works for Hunt Energy, are proud parents of botanist Katherine, 24, of Wisconsin, and college student Mary, 22, of Dallas.  They are parishioners at Holy Trinity in Oak Lawn.

Daniel Ledbetter (Director of Advancement)

Danny Ledbetter has had a rich educational journey starting from his hometown of McKinney, Texas. He pursued both his bachelor's and master's degrees at Texas A&M University before beginning his career as a teacher and coach in Frisco and Round Rock ISD. After earning his doctorate from the University of Texas at Dallas, he transitioned into public school administration serving seven years in McKinney ISD, where he served in roles at both middle school and high school levels. Danny then transitioned to the Catholic school community serving the last four years as principal at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Sherman. He is married to Anne Ledbetter, and they are proud parents to three children: Emily, Tristan, and George, aged 12, 10, and 8 respectively. The Ledbetter family are active parishioners at St. Gabriel in McKinney.

Kristen McCaffrey (Director of Donor Relations)

Kristen McCaffery '07 is thrilled to return to John Paul II High School as the Director of Donor Relations. With over twelve years of experience in fundraising, Kristen most recently held the position of Director of Advancement at St. Patrick Catholic School. Her expertise includes working extensively with annual giving, stewardship, parent volunteers, and capital projects. As a student at John Paul II High School, Kristen developed a passion for nonprofits through service learning projects. As the Director of Donor Relations, she is looking forward to reconnecting with the school's vibrant community. Outside of work, Kristen enjoys cheering on her stepdaughter at sporting events, indoor cycling, and spending quality time with her husband.

Cecilia Mewa (Spanish)

From Caracas, Venezuela, Cecilia Mewa has 30+ years of teaching experience in modern languages both here and in her home country. She is currently pursuing a doctorate of Education at her alma mater (Venezuela). She is a lifelong learner, enthusiastic, and a positive person who loves to travel and enjoy the ocean breeze anytime of the year!

Cindy Mills (Visual Arts)

Cindy Mills is thrilled to join the Cardinal family this year as our 2D Visual Arts teacher. After many years of running a handmade art business with her husband, Saylor, Cindy made a return to the classroom this past school year. As a proud mom of two daughters, Mia, who's a sophomore at Tarleton State University, and Nora, a fourth-grader, Mrs. Mills is passionate about teaching students to think like artists, fostering creativity, and encouraging problem-solving. She's excited about the year ahead and can't wait to meet everyone!

Fr. Mark Vu Nguyen (Chaplain)

Fr Mark Vu Nguyen was ordained to the priesthood in 2023 and serves as parochial vicar at St. Rita parish and school in Dallas. Born and raised in Carrollton, he completed undergraduate studies at the University of Notre Dame and worked in marketing for 8 years before entering seminary. He plays fiddle and classical violin, and enjoys playing squash, hiking, and martial arts!

Gerardo Olivares (Choir Director & Theology)

Gerardo Olivares is excited to join the staff at John Paul II High School. He received his bachelor's in Music Education from Wayland Baptist University and is currently working on his Master's in Theology and Christian Ministry through the Franciscan University of Steubenville. He has served as a public and Catholic school choral director and teacher for nine years. He has also been blessed to serve as a Music Ministry Director prior to joining St. Monica Catholic Church as Director of Youth Faith Formation five years ago. As St. John Paull II once said: "We must have music. It is good for our souls. It reminds us of the beauty of God's world. And through music, through making music or listening to it, we can thank God. Music is one of the best ways to pray." St. John Paul II, Pray for us. 

Reed Proctor (Theology)

Reed Proctor was born and raised in Grapevine, TX, and attended Holy Trinity Catholic School and Nolan Catholic High School in Ft. Worth. He graduated with a BA in Philosophy from Holy Apostles College & Seminary in 2021. He has spent five years in priestly formation as a seminarian and as a Jesuit novice, during which he gained experience in teaching and a variety of ministries, in the U.S. and abroad in Belize. He has a love for music which includes experience with drumline as well as singing with a number of Church choirs. He is passionate about building and fostering community and is looking forward to being part of the JPII Cardinal Family. 

Lillian Ramos

Lillian Ramos will join the John Paul II High School faculty as a new Spanish teacher. Mrs. Ramos has served as the Head of the Modern and Classical Language Department at Greenhill School, where she taught Spanish for four years. Earlier this year Mrs. Ramos completed her second Master’s degree in Spanish and Spanish Culture from Universidad de Salamanca in Spain. Prior to her tenure at Greenhill, Lillian taught English at Colegio Puertorriqueño de Niñas, an all-girls college preparatory school in Puerto Rico. As a proud parent of a Class of 2021 alumni and a current JPII Senior, Lillian is excited to join the Cardinal family this time as a faculty member and looks forward to meeting her new students and contributing to their academic success in the upcoming school year.

Caryn Rooke (Social Studies)

Caryn Rooke is entering her ninth year of teaching. She graduated cum laude from the University of Texas at Dallas. She is certified to teach 4-8 Core Subjects, 7-12 Social Studies, AP World History, AP US History, and AP Human Geography. She has taught 5th grade through 11th grade in various subjects, but a concentration on both history and gifted and talented. She and her husband, Chris, are celebrating their 25th anniversary next month. They have two boys who both attend the University of Oklahoma, with the oldest finishing next month and will be off to SMU for graduate school. They are all avid soccer fans! If they are not playing, they are watching or reading about it. She is excited to join John Paul II High School and bring her passion and excitement for learning to her students.

Lauren Royle (Theology)

Lauren Royle is super excited to be joining John Paul II High School. Before joining JPII she was a youth minister for three years serving in both the Dallas and Houston areas. She is originally from Ohio, but made the big move to Texas with her family in 2008. She earned her Theology degree from the University of Dallas, and she is looking forward to sharing her passion for theology and the Catholic faith within the classroom.

Adam Ruiz (English)

Adam Ruiz has been teaching English abroad for a decade, so he is thrilled to finally be back in the US! Originally from Houston, Adam went to UNT and discovered an opportunity for teaching while there, making this something of a homecoming for him. He got into AP teaching last year and is eager to help the Cardinal family tackle these challenges, knowing he will be supported every step of the way. He has also been quite active in extracurricular activities and is looking forward to participating with students and staff, and maybe introduce a few more!

Jennifer Rumery (Math) 

Jennifer Rumery is coming to JPII after 29 years in public education. She graduated from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX with a BA in Mathematics and Spanish and spent the last 16 years teaching mathematics at Liberty High School in Frisco. She is the mother of three wonderful young adults and enjoys reading and board games in her spare time. She is looking forward to this new adventure!

Gil Stulting-Flores (Band Director)

Gil Stulting-Flores comes to us having served as the Director of Bands at Prosper High School and at McKinney High School prior to that appointment. Gil’s first band assignment was as an assistant band director in Katy ISD. Under his leadership, he has helped guide his students to success on and off of the field. He is a product of west Texas and grew up in Odessa. He attended Angelo State University where he received a Bachelor of Music Education. He is married to his wife Julia, who is a trumpet lesson instructor in McKinney, Frisco and Prosper. They have three children, two of which attend the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!). Gil’s youngest child attends Prosper HS, where she plays French horn in the band. He is excited to be a part of the Cardinal Family!