Juan Diego Catholic High School

08/26/2026

We’re excited to share that our Chamber Orchestra earned a Gold Plaque and a Superior Rating at last year’s state competition! 👏🎻

Qualifying for the state competition is a major feat in and of itself, but earning the highest rating overall makes it even more special.

These students come in early several times throughout the week to learn and rehearse, and their hard work has certainly paid off. Congratulations to Ms. Janson, and the entire JDCHS Chamber Orchestra!

08/25/2026

The start of a new school year brings new traditions here at JD. This year, one of those traditions is Convocation: a weekly gathering of our entire student body every Monday morning.

For 30 minutes, students and faculty come together as one community to build school spirit, celebrate one another, and start the week with intention. While Convocation was soft-launched last school year, it has officially become a mainstay of our weekly schedule.

Best of all, Convocation is entirely planned, organized, and led by our Student Government leaders. Each week, they:
1. Lead their peers in prayer, often connected to the week’s theme.
2. Share upcoming events, athletic games, and important reminders.
3. Recognize student accomplishments and celebrate birthdays.
4. Lead their peers in a fun activity designed to bring the student body together.

At yesterday’s Convocation, our student leaders asked for 16 volunteers to play in a heated volleyball match, resulting in a win for the west bleachers section and earned them first to lunch.

Convocation is a tradition embraced by many renowned Catholic schools across the country as a way to build school spirit and foster friendship and community. For Juan Diego students, it also provides a welcome opportunity for a digital detox during the school day, something our Administration intentionally planned during the time leading into and throughout lunch.

We’re already so impressed by the first two Convocations and the leadership our students have shown. We can’t wait to see how this new tradition continues to strengthen our school community and evolve over time.

08/24/2026

Parents! Please join us this Wednesday evening at 6:00pm for Meet the Teacher’s night. 🍎

You’ll have the chance to talk with your student’s teachers, hear from our Administration, learn about expectations for the school year, and ask your burning questions. See you there!

08/24/2026

Senior, CJ Starks spoke with the Salt Lake Tribune on his and his family’s conversion to Catholicism after feeling inspired by the Theology classes he took here at JD. ✝️

Hit the link below to read the Starks Family story. 💙

After years of trying to make a home in the Mormon fold, the Starks family converted to Catholicism — and it was their teenage son who led them down the path.

"[The LDS Church] didn’t feel like home, like Catholicism does.”

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2026/08/22/becoming-catholic-utahns-share/

08/24/2026

Welcome back, JD!

The first week of school is officially in the books, and there is already so much energy across campus.

As we begin a new year together, our Principal shares a few words about the excitement, opportunities, and community that make Juan Diego such a special place.

This is just week one, and we have a great year ahead of us.

Let’s soar, JD!

08/20/2026

Congratulations to Senior Cross Country athlete, Seamus Arndt, who had a fantastic run at the first meet of the season on August 8th.

Seamus placed 8th overall in the 4A Division and set a new school record for the Premier Invitational with a time of 16:35 for the 2.95 mile course. 👏

Way to go, Seamus, keep smashing those records!

08/17/2026

Welcome back, JD! 💙

It’s been a long summer without you in our halls. We hope you had a wonderful first day of school and a great start to the 26/27 school year. Together, we can make it a good one!

08/14/2026

After years of serving our community in a variety of roles, Mrs. Jennifer Johnston is taking on a new challenge at JDCHS as our new Director of Student Leadership.

Mrs. Johnston has been at the Skaggs Catholic Center for 15 years now, beginning when her daughters, Avery (‘24) and Hadleigh (‘26), started school. She’s served in our libraries, main offices, and most recently, Campus Life Leadership. Prior to that, she worked in hospitality management and traveled the country as a corporate trainer.

Last year, Mrs. Johnston joined our Campus Life Leadership team, learning the ropes of everything from Kairos retreats to morning SFL meetings. She also played a big role in our year end Rites and Rituals for our Junior and Senior students.

“I’m looking forward to helping create a more involved campus. I hope by connecting with the students, while also creating memorable experiences that will bring them together, I will be able to create a positive impact on the entire campus and our community.”

Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Johnston!

08/13/2026

JDCHS is thrilled welcome aboard our new Director of Athletics, Mr. Julius Barnes.

Mr. Barnes boasts an impressive 14 year career in the college athletics arena, serving as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach for the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California.

Prior to that, he played collegiate basketball for Stanford University, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. During his time at Stanford, he was named Team Captain as well as Stanford Male Athlete of the Year.

Mr. Barnes believes that success is not measured merely by the scoreboard, but by the integrity, humility, and faith of the young men and women we send out into the world. He is excited to get to work and build upon a strong foundation of competitive athletics at JDCHS.

Please join us in welcoming, Mr. Julius Barnes!

08/01/2026

August is here which means we are just a few short weeks away from the start of the school year!

Stay up to date with all that is happening this month. See you on the 17th, JD!