St. John the Baptist Catholic School
Newsletter from Our Principal
March 19, 2026
Dear SJB Families,
Happy St. Joseph’s Day! This week has been filled with meaningful faith experiences and the joyful beginning of our spring musical. Today’s beautiful weather has us looking forward to tomorrow’s first day of spring. We are excited to watch the season unfold around us and can’t wait to see the bulbs our students planted last year bloom once again. Hope springs eternal!
Please save the dates of May 15 and May 16 for our spring play, The Wizard of Oz. The first practice was held yesterday after school. We indeed are so fortunate to offer performing arts opportunities at SJB. SJB’s production of The Wizard of Oz will be such a treat!
As we enter the fifth week of Lent, our school community continues to live out our core value of being formed in faith. On Tuesday, following Mass, our eighth grade faith family leaders guided their faith families in a beautiful reflection on Our Lady of Sorrows. They introduced the seven sorrows Mary experienced alongside her son, Jesus, helping students deepen their understanding of Mary’s profound compassion and strength.
Afterward, the leaders prayerfully led their faith families in the Litany of Our Lady of Sorrows. In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, each student also received a chocolate gold coin to enjoy.
In service and almsgiving for Lent, our third, fourth, and fifth grade students packed 52 boxes, providing enough meals to feed 31 children for an entire year, at Feed My Starving Children yesterday. When combined with the 133 boxes packed by our junior high students last week, our school community packed an incredible 185 boxes total, enough to feed 109 children for a full year.
What an extraordinary impact our students made together. Their hands-on service is a beautiful reflection of faith in action and truly living out the Gospel message, “For I was hungry and you gave me food” (Matthew 25:35).
A heartfelt thank‑you to all the parents and loved ones who chaperoned and assisted with this effort. Your presence and generosity helped make this experience meaningful for our students and life‑changing for the children who will receive these meals.
As you may know, Miles, Maisy, and Marcus have been preparing for the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation) at Easter and they are in their final stages of preparation this Lent. As part of that, they participate in three “scrutinies” during which we pray for them. Last week, the first scrutiny took place in the church with their classes. On Tuesday, during school Mass, we shared in the second scrutiny. The last scrutiny will take place on the Fifth Sunday of Lent, this Sunday, at the 10:00 AM Mass. Please consider attending Mass at 10:00 AM to join for the last scrutiny. Miles, Maisy, and Marcus, we are praying for you!
After the 10:00 AM Mass, Fr. Dan invites the parish to St. John the Baptist’s St. Joseph Table in Sebahar Hall to gather in celebration of the beautiful tradition honoring St. Joseph. There will be Italian pastries, cookies, breads, fruit, and egg casseroles to enjoy.
Our fifth grade students will be assisting with the Stations of the Cross tomorrow at 2:00 PM in the church. As always, you are welcome to join us. Please also note, that some of our 8th grade students will be leading the parish Stations of the Cross tomorrow, Friday, March 20, at 7:00 PM in the church.
If you haven’t been to a Knights of Columbus Lenten Fish Fry, consider going tomorrow night from 5:00 to 7:00 PM in Sebahar Hall (below Church). The food is terrific, the fellowship is great, and the money raised from the dinner is for the KOC Charities. It was great to see so many school families at the last one. Afterwards, please consider attending Stations of the Cross, led by some of our 8th grade students.
In closing, we honor the Feast of St. Joseph with this prayer:
Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
To you God entrusted his only Son, in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man.
Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life.
Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage, and defend us from every evil.
Amen.
Wishing you a blessed week!
In His Service,
Joanne Policht
0S259 Church Street
Winfield, IL 60190
P: 630.668.2625, ext. 617 F: 630.668.1074
Email: jpolicht@stjohnwinfield.org
