School Counselor
St. John Regional Catholic School is fortunate to have a full-time school counselor on staff who assists students that are in need of educational support. As the liaison between Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) and St. John's regarding educational testing. The counselor conducts meetings with individual students; as well as group meetings. The Counselor also works with whole classes of students on topics such as friendship, study skills, and organizational skills. The school counselor also works closely with parents as they apply for scholarship opportunities for their children.
The school counselor helps with the testing of new students and assists with their transition to a new school. She is also the moderator for our school safety patrols.
School Nurse
St. John Regional Catholic School has a fully furnished health suite that is overseen by a full-time registered nurse who provides first aid for our students throughout the day.
The nurse is on hand to administer prescribed medications as needed. The school nurse schedules and facilitates vision and hearing testing with the Frederick County Health Department. She arranges annual visits from area dentists who speak to our primary grade students about dental health and on a variety of topics from healthy eating to personal hygiene.
PRIDE Program
The SJRCS PRIDE (Pupils Receiving Inclusive Diversified Education) program, serves children in grades 3-8 who have been diagnosed with mild to moderate learning disabilities. The program is taught by a certified special education teacher, who provides specialized instruction in language arts and math coupled with inclusion in general education classes within the larger student body.
PRIDE allows the community as a whole to learn more about the diversity of learners and learning styles and to appreciate the gifts and talents of all students. A personalized Progress Plan is developed for each PRIDE student. Special educators use the PPP to plan Language Arts and Math instructional times and accommodations.
PRIDE serves the mission of Catholic schools to educate the whole child, affirm their unique gifts, and nurture them to reach their full potential.
To view a video about the PRIDE program click here.
Keeping Your Child Safe
The faculty, staff, and administrators of St. John Regional Catholic School help to ensure a safe school environment for all students. All classes up to grade 3 have a teacher and teaching assistant. In grades 4-8, there is a teaching assistant assigned to each grade level.
All school personnel must successfully complete a background check and submit fingerprints to Criminal Justice Information Services Division (CJIS). Additionally, all faculty and staff members, as well as school volunteers, must be VIRTUS certified. VIRTUS Training is mandatory training for all those wishing to work in ministry with youth and children. This process ensures the safety, protection, and care of minors and is an Archdiocesan requirement for anyone interacting with children in the Church, professionally or voluntarily
Fire drills are practiced monthly and fire evacuation procedures are displayed in all classrooms. Emergency procedures, aligned with Archdiocesan policies, are clearly articulated to all staff members.
In the event of an emergency school closing, SJRCS uses the SWIFT K-12 communication system as an emergency notification system. We also use the school webpage as a means of communication.
Lead Water Testing
The state of Maryland has mandated that all schools have their lead levels tested. We are pleased to report that all 74 water outlets in our building are lead free.