April 30, 2026

Dear Wildcat Families,

Congratulations to the following students who received the Sacrament of First Holy Eucharist on Saturday, April 25: Christopher Barton,
Daphne Buchmann, Liam Centeno, Lilliana Click, Mila Click, Blake Collings, Angel Coss, Neil Galla, Joanna Gorski, Eleanor Katzenberger,
Nicholas Machalek, Victoria Mang, Ava Martin, Bianca Mateo Scarpa, Julia Mikrut, Nicholas Mung, Charlize Naugle, Olivia Par, Aliyah Perez,
Richard Pierscionek, Rafferty Schoenborn, Anastasia Schuhriemen, Leonardo Silva, Anali Soto, Victoria Soto, and Francis Tuang Samte.

IIt was a beautiful day, and the Lord was surely watching over these children and their families. At the end of Mass, Father Dan blessed handmade rosaries which were gifts from him to commemorate this sacrament for those receiving Jesus for the first time.

It has been a true joy to welcome them more fully into the life of the Church, and we were especially blessed to have them join us for Communion at our School Mass this week.

Yesterday, professional energy auditor Caryn Turrel, accompanied by our Facilities Manager, Aaron Simpson, worked alongside a team of this team of students: Nicholas Barrett, Elli Hoppe, Charlotte Reed, Sofia Farin, Hannah Jonsson, Hudson Novak, Teddy LaDuca, Luca Genuardi, Danielle Borner, and Maddie Buchmann to conduct an energy audit of our school.

The students began by learning how to carry out an energy audit and then applied their training as they traveled throughout the building, evaluating various spaces for energy efficiency. We look forward to receiving their findings.

Western Catholic Educational Association- SJB is accredited!

I am pleased to share that St. John the Baptist Catholic School has recently been granted accreditation status by the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA). This recognition reflects the dedication of our faculty, staff, students, and families to academic excellence and faith formation.

We received the following notification from our WCEA Commissioner, Nikki Kanzia, confirming this status: “Congratulations on achieving accreditation! This accomplishment is a true testament to your dedication, excellence, and steadfast commitment to the mission of Catholic education. Accreditation affirms what so many already know—St. John the Baptist is a community where faith, learning, and service thrive together.”

As we move into the month of May, we look forward to coming together as a school community for several special events honoring our
Blessed Mother. We will pray the rosary outdoors in the Mary Garden (weather permitting) at 2:15 PM on May 1, May 8, and May 22, led by
Deacon Joe with assistance from SJB students. Deacon Joe will also lead the rosary on May 15 and May 29. As always, you are welcome to
join us.  We also look forward to crowning our Blessed Mother, Mary, as a school community on Tuesday, May 5, at the conclusion of our
School Mass outdoors in the Mary Garden. 

Our eighth-grade students and recent First Communion recipients will have special roles in this beautiful tradition. First Communicants will be wearing their First Communion attire for this meaningful devotion, and our eighth-grade students will be dressed in their Sunday best.

You are warmly welcome to join us for Mass at 8:45 AM. Following the crowning, our second grade students and their parents will enjoy breakfast, served by our eighth grade students.

Preschool News

Preschool Moms have been invited to a Mommy and Me Spa Day, tomorrow, May 1. The morning time together will include a Glamor Shot photo station with a backdrop. Students in Preschool and PK4 classes are encouraged to dress nicely for your photo opportunity. Preschool Moms,
please enter door 9 at 8:00 AM on tomorrow. We can’t wait for you to come and be pampered!

Catholic Schools Office Event – Rosary Across the Diocese – May 7

Don’t miss the opportunity to pray the rosary with others across the diocese in the Beyond the Books event on Thursday, May 7 at 6:30 PM via ZOOM. 

Please see the flyer in the attachments for more information. 

Musical – The Wizard of Oz

Please plan to join us for our spring musical, The Wizard of Oz! Performances will take place on Friday, May 15, and Saturday, May 16 in
St. Cecilia Hall.

Our talented director, cast, tech crew, and many dedicated parent volunteers have been working incredibly hard to bring this beloved story to life. Their creativity and commitment truly shine in this delightful production. You won’t want to miss it! It’s sure to be an unforgettable experience for all!

Tickets are on sale: Cur8- WOZ  Please note that online sales end 24 hours before each performance. 

✨ Help Bring the Magic of The Wizard of Oz to Life! ✨

The SJB Theater Department is gearing up for an amazing production, and we’d love your support! We’re currently collecting items for our concession stand—every purchase helps raise funds for the school and supports our talented cast and crew. 🎭

If you’re able, please consider donating just one item—it truly makes a difference! It’s quick and easy through our Amazon wish list: “SJB Theater 🎭 OZ ⏳✨”. All items ship to the school: SJB THEATER DEPT 0S233 Church Street Winfield, IL 60190

If you would prefer to commit to purchasing any of these items outside of Amazon, you’re more than welcome-just make sure all the sizes are correct (example: 12oz soda cans, 6.75oz juice boxes, 16.9oz water bottles, etc.). If you are committing, then text Kiera at 630-607-8530 and let her know what you’re committing to and she will mark it off the Amazon list. 

Just one purchase can help make this show extra special. Thank you for supporting the arts and our incredible students—we couldn’t do it without you! 💛Thank You! 

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/28FNJZMHDC59Z?ref=cm_sw_em_r_un_un_EqTRS8kzLzmqA 

Thank you to all who have already made donations! Your generosity is truly appreciated

Field Day – Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Looking ahead to our Field Day, we once again will be treating our Wildcats (K-7) to a free hot dog lunch on Wednesday, May 27. Please see the posting for the order form. For your convenience, your K-7 grade child received a paper form last week. If you are interested in helping with Field Day, please email Mrs. Slowinski at MSlowinski@sjbwinfield.org  Volunteers will need to have a Vitus account  www.virtusonline.org, have taken Protecting God’s Children, and have an active background check on file. If you want to know if you are compliant with the requirements, please contact me. I can help you with the process. 

Help Prevent the Summer Slide

With summer approaching, it is not too early to think about how to prevent the summer slide for your children. There are many options available. Summer reading programs at the public libraries are always helpful in motivating children to read and nourish a love for reading. There are also a variety of camps in the area. If you are looking for a tutor for your child this summer, several teachers will be offering tutoring services. Please see the attached form for more information. Completed forms should be returned to your child’s teacher and the teacher(s) you are interested in working with your child this summer will contact you. 

Spirit Day Tomorrow

Don’t forget that tomorrow is a spirit wear day to show that we are SJB proud! As a reminder, if shorts are worn, they must be of appropriate length (fingertip). Crop tops cannot be worn. Next Thursday, May 14, is our Student Council Hawaiian Dress Down Day.

Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast on Sunday

Lastly, the Knights of Columbus will be hosting a pancake breakfast from 8:00 – noon in Sebahar Hall on Sunday. The food is delicious and never disappoints!

Have a lovely weekend and week,



Joanne Policht

0S259 Church Street
Winfield, IL 60190
P: 630.668.2625, ext. 617 F: 630.668.1074
Email: jpolicht@stjohnwinfield.org