A New Approach to Catholic Education

John Paul the Great Montessori Academy

“Do not be afraid. Do not be satisfied with mediocrity. Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” – Pope John Paul II

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Colleen Hencken

Colleen Hencken

Head of School

A Word from our

Head of School

JPGMA came into existence after many hours of prayer and discernment as well as the many incredible families that support it. This collaboration as well as our focus on meeting the needs of the child and their formation makes us unique. Every lesson we teach is grounded in our fundamental goal:  to present God and Truth to each child in every subject.  Here Religion is not a subject. It is imbued in everything we do. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd weaves into the Academic curriculum.  Our school shield sums up so much of what we stand for as an Academy. The offset cross with an “M” honors the legacy of Pope John Paul the Great as our patron.  The cross is central to the mystery of Redemption and the “M” reminds us of Mary at the foot of the cross where she became our mother.  The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the Eucharist are the heart of our Academy.  The unconditional love that God has for each one of us calls us to enter into a relationship with Him.  Grounded in this Divine Love and humility, we are called to enter into that same relationship with the child.  The vine and branches weave throughout the shield and they pay tribute to the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.  The parable of the vine and branches is central to teaching the children about the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Holy Communion.  It is a call to relationship with Christ and with each other.  The Trinity symbol appears at the upper left corner.  This symbolizes our curriculum.  It is based on the Trinity and the Trinity of curriculums: CGS, Montessori, and Classical.