Eleven simple words from Saint Benedict’s Rule, written more than 1,500 years ago, about how to great visitors. It would be easy to interpret them as little more than a call to good manners, a simple instruction to be nice or polite or friendly to guests. That, however, would vastly understate their deeper and richer meaning. Yes, they demand a spirit of friendliness and openness to the people we meet and greet each day. But they ask much more than that from us. To truly welcome someone requires a profound commitment to empathy and understanding. To look beyond first impressions and superficial judgments. To put yourself in their shoes to try to understand their experience and even your own. To approach others first from the vantage point of honor. To move beyond “hello and how are you” niceties.

For 164 years, the call to welcome has served as a sentinel value at Saint John’s Prep. As a community of students, families, faculty, and staff, we are called not only to sincerely greet all but more importantly to engage deeply and profoundly the people we encounter each day. Saint Benedict’s call to welcome demands deep listening with the ear of our heart to the voices of all those around us, particularly the voices of the suffering and the oppressed. It teaches us to actively open our hearts – to ourselves, to others, and to our God. We are called to do all of this through the prism of love: love of neighbor, love of self, and love for creation, which together define a well-lived life and a commitment to a common goodness.

We believe that an exceptional education requires an understanding and appreciation of cultural differences and values many voices, perspectives, and experiences. We have dedicated ourselves to a learning experience rooted in the Catholic Benedictine tradition that reflects respect for all people, honors each person’s dignity and gifts, and teaches our students to discover new truths by engaging others across difference.

At Saint John’s Prep, we strive each day to embrace the unique identity of every person, guiding our students to develop the cultural agility and moral foundation to live, lead, and thrive as individuals and in community. We know that when we act this way, when we truly welcome and support each other, we can begin to make a bigger difference to the people and communities around us. We can indeed change the world.

Jon McGee
Head of School

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It was beyond inspiring to watch the students rise to an unexpected and premature performance as e-learning was suddenly imminent for the remainder of the semester.�� Their dedication and focus in that moment is why I got into teaching in the first place.

The Saint John’s Prep String Orchestra celebrates the season and presents “The Bells of Christmas,” narrated and introduced by Abbot John Clausen, OSB (SJP Class of ’67).�� Through words and pictures, we tell the story of the bells of Saint John’s Abbey, from 1857 to the present day, accompanied by the sounds of the Saint John’s Prep String Orchestra.

The Saint John’s Prep Middle School Orchestra presents a celebration of Christmas through music. Introduced by Br. Paul-Vincent Niebauer, you can see the students rise to the occasion as, weeks ahead of schedule, they were suddenly asked to perform as if it was concert night in the middle of their normal school day. It was to be the last day we would see them in person in 2020.

Jeff Engholm
Music Faculty
Saint John’s Preparatory School

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The popular narrative for Thanksgiving this year has framed it through the lens of loss – the inability to gather in large family or friend groups and celebrate as we otherwise would.�� That certainly is true; the pandemic has made it so.�� However, that somber view risks ignoring what makes Thanksgiving so special:�� the opportunity to reflect in gratitude on the blessings and goodness present daily in our lives.�� Unlike other years, where we may have been tempted to take those blessings for granted, Thanksgiving 2020 offers us a special, perhaps even poignant opportunity to reflect on the many things for which we are grateful – family, friends, home, experiences – through a different more considered lens that lifts us up, offers us hope, and helps us to see beyond the fears and anxieties that have reshaped our lives since last spring.

We have much to be thankful for at Saint John’s Prep, particularly in this most unusual of years. I am grateful for our students, who bring energy, joy and curiosity to school each day, whether in-person or online. I am grateful for our talented faculty and staff, who create wonderful learning experiences for our students and daily share their gifts to mentor and teach.�� I am grateful for the parents and families who support our students and our school and have entrusted us with the care of their children.�� And I am grateful for the alumni and friends who support and sustain our school, ensuring that Prep continues to provide vibrant, transformational experiences for generations to come.

Fr. Don Talafous, OSB, daily writes marvelous about the challenges and triumphs of everyday life.�� He recently wrote that “[i]f we start with the basic premise that life itself is a gift, not something we produced, we have a basis for looking at everything with thanksgiving.�� And the result of that is happiness…[H]appiness is the by-product of work well done, life well lived, love and appreciation generously given.”�� What a wonderful antidote to challenging times.�� And a reminder that we must embrace thanksgiving and gratitude with a spirit of love and hope.

In this season of gratitude, I wish our entire community the joy of thanksgiving, the happiness of family, the blessings of life and the grace of hope.

Head of School
Saint John’s Preparatory School

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Perhaps now is the time to recall technology entrepreneur Steve Jobs’ Think Different campaign that launched Apple on a trajectory to become one of, if not, the most entrepreneurial and innovative companies of a generation. Think Different. While grammatically incorrect, don’t let that bother you as difficult as it may be. Rather, let it sink in. Think Different. It is helping us define this pandemic and our future.

COIVD-19 has forced us all to not only think differently but to act differently. In doing so, we have discovered new and perhaps more effective and efficient ways of teaching and learning. Faculty have discovered technologies that allow them to deliver their content across a digital platform. They have adjusted their teaching methodologies and instructional strategies, acknowledging that delivering content in a digital world cannot be the done as if students are seated in front of you in a classroom. Students have had to assume higher levels of responsibility and accountability for their learning as teachers did not always require one to be online and in class every day. Rather, students were provided the opportunity to work with classmates during scheduled class periods, schedule times with teachers to conference on areas they were not comprehending and join classmates in breakout rooms via Zoom to discuss topics pertinent to the content being studied. In a remote learning environment, it is fair to say that engagement and the opportunity for regular and consistent engagement are critical for success. That recognition helped shape our plan to think and act differently.

Think Different. As we prepare to open 2020-21 academic year with in-person instruction in just two and a half weeks, we are taking steps to ensure that regular and consistent engagement occurs. We know that the school year is not likely to be like a “normal” year where students and faculty arrive at school daily and interact in ways that they would during non-pandemic times. We are actively preparing the building for socially distanced classes, developing protocols and safety measures that assist us in mitigating risk of exposure for students and faculty while preparing for likely interruptions that will occur. Building on the success of the spring, we know that not only can we deliver content remotely, but we can do it very well. The immediacy of closing school this spring forced us to be reactionary. Knowing we would begin a school year in the midst of a pandemic has allowed us to be deliberate and planful. Guided by the mantra of Think Different, we have developed a plan and are working tirelessly to implement that plan.

Wanting to offer an educational experience for our students and faculty that minimizes disruption to continuous instruction while providing high-level learning opportunities, we have developed a multi-modal learning model that will allow students to interact and learn in a safe environment. Ideally, students will be in class with their teachers and peers. However, should they not be able to attend class for an extended period of time, we have that covered. Every class offered this year at Saint John’s Prep will be live streamed via Zoom. This will allow a student who may find herself at home because of quarantine or the need to isolate, but healthy enough to engage, the ability to “sit in” classes with her classmates. Should a student be unable to join the class live, recordings of all classes will be available to students for review at a time that is convenient for them. In fact, as a global school, the Prep School has students from around the world, a number of them opting to take courses asynchronously from their home countries as they ride out this global pandemic with their families from afar. This creative approach and flexible learning model will provide both students and faculty the opportunity to maintain normalcy in an all but normal period of time.

With a mask requirement for anyone who enters the building, teachers will be equipped with voice amplification devices to ensure that their instruction in the classroom is optimal. Classrooms will be equipped with new technology, allowing teachers to interact with students in the classroom and those who may find themselves at home. While we cannot predict how the school year will progress, what we are confident in is our preparedness to deliver an outstanding experience for our students. None of this would be possible without members of the Prep School community stepping up to see that investments were made in technology, which we have all come to appreciate that much more during the current pandemic. Parents, alumni, members of the Board of Regents, and friends of Prep have generously committed nearly $60,000 to ensure that our faculty have the tools they need to deliver the very best instruction possible not only this year but into the future.

Education, and therefore Saint John’s Prep, has been anything but immune from COVID-19. In fact, one might contend that this pandemic has severely infected the educational system, revealing underlying conditions in educational models and instructional practices that require immediate attention and care. In our effort to address these challenges that face the educational world, we are working hard to Think Different. Doing so will move Prep Forward. Not just today, but forever.

Aaron Miller
Vice President of Advancement
320-363-2098
amiller001@sjprep.net

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Ronne Turner, Vice Provost for ������s and Financial Aid at Washington University, and Todd Rinehart, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment at the University of Denver, discussed how the pandemic has changed and reshaped admission practice at their own institutions and at schools across the country.They took questions ranging from college visits to test-taking to holistic admission review and grading.

In a decidedly unusual year, it is more important than ever that students and parents think carefully about their interests, their academic and co-curricular life beyond just their grades and test scores, and how well particular colleges of interest truly fit or match their needs and aspirations. Because opportunities to visit colleges will be more limited than in a typical year, families should take full advantage of virtual tours and admission outreach. And students and parents should keep in mind that the only bad question is the one that goes unasked!

JON MCGEE
Head of School
320-363-2010
jmcgee@sjprep.net

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An added element to the tournaments that has provided a lot of fun and entertainment over the last couple of weeks is the live streaming of the matches and the running commentary by Mr. Grandy, our chess advisor, and Mr. Miller, esport enthusiast. Their insights on the games are not to be missed and are no doubt entertaining to our growing number of viewers. The live streaming has given those who are more comfortable viewing, instead of competing, a chance to participate as well. The tournament has been very well-received, and hopefully it has provided our community with entertainment during these unpredictable times.

All ages and ability levels are welcome, so if you would like to try your hand at a Tuesday afternoon of chess just let us know. You can watch live or watch past events on the Saint John’s Prep esports twitch page: .

Alton Mies
Class of 2021
Saint John’s Preparatory School

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I’ve had the opportunity to support the Prep community through my role as the Student Council advisor.�� In that role, get to support the success of students and give them an channel to voice their opinions.�� Before we moved to e-learning, I was impressed with how seriously the student representatives took their responsibility to lead their peers and create unique experiences.�� Now that we are e-learning, I’m astounded by them.�� It would have been easy to simply walk away from the responsibility of representing their peers, but instead, the students that I have the pleasure of working with have embraced the challenge of leadership.

After our first week of e-learning, I met with the Student Council and asked them how their experience had been so far, focusing on three main questions.�� First, I asked them what was going well.�� Second, I asked them where they needed help and support.�� Finally, I asked them how they were feeling.�� Their responses were genuine, articulate, and constructive.�� I gathered their feedback and presented it to faculty, and it helped shape the educational decisions we made during the transition.�� The response from faculty was overwhelmingly positive as well, a true testament to the care that they show for our students and the partnership in learning that our students and teachers share.

After the first week, the strength of our community really started to show.�� My representatives expressed how much they missed their friends and teachers and how important our live Zoom sessions were for keeping our sense of community.�� Furthermore, they suggested that we start organizing after-school events.�� I invited both students and teachers to participate and take on leadership roles, and we have had opportunities for community almost every day after school. ��Our chess and e-sports groups have been active, and we have had language learning activities, cooking lessons, drawing parties, and book clubs.�� Even though our community is separated by the social distancing restrictions that are in place, there is joy in seeing each other, not only for school, but also for fun afterward.

This year could have ended sadly. ��We cancelled Spring Formal, postponed the spring musical, and have lost some of the daily contact that students and faculty alike miss so much.�� The Prep community, however, has proven to be strong and resilient, unwilling to let a global pandemic keep them from the relationships they have developed over time.�� While we won’t see each other in person for some time, our community continues to thrive.

Matt Beck
German Teacher
320-363-3331
mtbeck@sjprep.net

Matt Beck is originally from Buckman, MN. He teaches German at Saint John’s Preparatory School. Matt earned his B.A. in English and German from Saint John’s University and M.A. In Educational Leadership from Saint Mary’s University. He has taught English at the Hauptschule Insel Schütt and Willstätter Gymnasium in Nürnberg, Germany as well as the Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology in Jilin City, China. He also spent three years working in Residential Life at Saint John’s Prep.

In 2016, Herr Beck was named Minnesota German Teacher of the Year by the Minnesota Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of German. Herr Beck appreciates the students at Saint John’s Prep because they are dedicated to academics, yet they stretch themselves in multiple different directions. It’s not uncommon for one student to spend his or her week doing homework, competing in sports, and preparing for a concert or musical while managing to succeed in everything.

In his spare time, he enjoys running, skiing, working with technology, and traveling. What excites Matt about Saint John’s Prep is the diversity of the students, the dedication of the staff and faculty, and the warm, cooperative learning environment.

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First, the life of the Benedictine is a life of structure. As a creative and perhaps mildly chaotic person, I find structure difficult. It is precisely because of this that I have learned that I need it in my life. Monastic men and women lead structured lives. Prayer, meals, and recreation are all built into the schedule. For students, faculty, staff, and parents that have grown accustomed to going off to school and work, the regularity of the bells and the punch-in clock,�� it might be helpful to create an horarium much like the monastics use. Stick to it. Create some normalcy in your own lives. And by create – I mean be creative! Don’t forget to set aside time for fun, hobbies, exercise, and keeping up with the people you need in your life.

Meditation is also very helpful because it trains the mind to deal with intrusive, negative, and impulsive thoughts. During meditation, it is important to remember that thoughts will come. They are not good or bad. They are just thoughts. When they come, name them. Say, “this is a thought,” and let it pass by like a leaf on a river. Without delving too much into the mystery of what happens during meditation, by this very simple practice I believe that we tap into a deeper sense of who we are beyond our passing thoughts. Often, we realize the thoughts were about trivial things, external objects, relationships, or worries that did not really deserve the attention they seemed to demand. With practice, this very habit will spill over into our active life: when we are working,�� and speaking with friends and family.

The Rule of Benedict is clear about the stewardship we should practice when it comes to the tools of our occupation. Stewardship is all about caring for things so that they will last, and so that other people can use and enjoy them as well. I would extend this to, not only the tools we need to do our job well, but also to our own bodies, minds, and spirits. Care for your house with gentleness. Care for the people that make it a home. Care for yourself.

Watch all of “ episodes on our YouTube Channel for daily inspiration!

Br. Lucian Lopez, OSB
Director of Campus Ministry
Saint John’s Preparatory School

Br. Lucian Lopez, OSB is the Director of Campus Ministry. He brings a wealth of experience to the position as well as a deep love of Saint John’s Prep. Br. Lucian taught Theology, Spanish, and ESOL at Prep from fall 2013 to spring 2016 and rejoined our faculty in 2020. He holds Master’s degrees in Theology and History and studied Philosophy and Spanish as an undergraduate student. In addition to his Campus Ministry responsibilities, he also teaches Philosophy��for our International Baccalaureate Programme.

In his spare time, Br. Lucian is an amateur herpetologist and arachnologist. He has over 12 different species of snakes and tarantulas.

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I asked the students what topics interested them most and reached out to several of the top professionals in their field from around the world to ask if they would be willing to join us via Zoom meeting. In the end, many were gracious enough to say “yes”.

First, we were visited by Dr. John Gastil, Professor of Communications and Political Science at Penn State University. He spoke with the students about the role of language in Political Science, as well as the way the pandemic has changed the political landscape.

Next, we asked Saint John’s Prep Alumnus Chris Sebas to visit. He is a medical student at St George’s University, currently doing his rotations in Chicago. He spoke with the class about the role of perception in diagnosis, as well as how his classmates are handling social isolation in their medical training.

In late April, we were joined by Dr. Miriam Meyerhoff, Professor of Linguistics at Victoria University of Wellington, NZ. She spoke with students about the field of linguistics, how culture determines language and vice-versa, and how gender plays a role in social status in various cultures.

Finally, in May, we were joined by Mr. Paul Choi, a freelance science journalist and science fiction author from NYC, NY. Mr. Choi wrote an article for Tor about the Three-Body Problem, the book our class chose to read to finish the semester. He discussed the book, the Cultural Revolution in China and it’s effect on his family and science generally, his travels around the globe, and why he chooses to live at the intersection of the Arts and Science.

All four speakers spent the majority of their time answering questions the students had. The speakers were gracious with their time and lavish with their praise of the level of questions the students asked. We have a couple more guest options that may play out before the year ends in May. It may not have been exactly the ToK class we had originally envisioned, but it has certainly proved a great lesson of taking the lemons life sometimes has to offer and making lemonade. I’m proud to have been a part of this special year, and proud of the students for their dedication to the pursuit of knowledge.

If you would like to watch any of the classroom visits, they are available below. Chris Sebas visited each section of ToK separately, his video has been edited to show the scope of his two talks. The other guests spoke with all 18 ToK students at once.

CHARLES MILLER
Science Teacher and Knowledge Bowl Coach
320-363-2010
c1miller@sjprep.net

Mr. Miller grew up in New York City but attended High School and College in Tulsa, OK. He has his BS in Biology and his BA in Philosophy, both from Tulsa University. He also has a Master of Science in education from Bemidji State University, MN. Mr. Miller has been teaching since 1997 and has been at Saint John’s Prep since 2005 where he teaches Physics and Astronomy, as well as Theory of Knowledge (IB Course).

He is also the coach for the Knowledge Bowl team, which has taken 1st at State five times, and the League of Legends eSports Team, which finished 2nd in the state in its inaugural��2020 season. In May 2013, Mr. Miller was named the grade 9-12 “Honor Teacher” of the year at the Minnesota Independent School Forum (MISF) Private Education Awards Celebration.

He loves teaching at Saint John’s Prep because the students are such dynamic, inquisitive kids, and he feels honored to be a part of their successes.

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Now, it is��easy��for me to remain optimistic during this time as��I��am��fortunate��enough��to continue��to��work��from home��and have��the necessary resources to��work remotely.��Whether you are��in��a��similar��situation or are facing��hardships��in these uncertain times, I��encourage you to reflect on what you are grateful for��in your life. The below poem has been circulating online and I was struck by its��alignment��with Prep’s values. I hope it brings light into your lives and hearts:
��

And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.

And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.

And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.

– Kitty O’Meara��

��

Zoe Davis
Assistant Director of ��������

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