Month: February 2018

Only in a Catholic School?

We had to readjust the proportion of regular milk and chocolate milk we buy for the lunch program due to the number of students who gave up chocolate for Lent.

Kindergarten Round-Up and Tuition Contracts for 2018-19

If you missed kindergarten round-up, please contact the school office ASAP so we can get all of your children on a tuition contract for next school year.  Tuition contracts should be mailed in early March.

Preschool and Childcare Registration for 2018-19

3, 4, and 5 year old preschool and/or childcare registration has begun.  Please contact the school office before the spots you want are no longer available.

Educational Savings Accounts and STOs

While Iowa legislation to establish education savings accounts for K-12 educational needs seems to be an extremely long shot, attention needs to turn toward School Tuition Organization legislation.  Currently, the amount of tax credits, and, thus, tuition assistance that is available in the state is $12 million.  From this amount, more than $1 million is given in Scott County.  Increasing the maximum that the law allows us to raise would allow us to not only increase financial assistance but also expand eligibility requirements as well, and more middle class families could receive financial assistance.  Legislation currently has been introduced through the Iowa Senate’s budget bill to increase the STO cap by $1 million and expand the eligibility limit to 400% of poverty.  While these changes would be a step in the right direction, we really need the STO cap raised to $20 million or more to meet the needs once eligibility is expanded.  Contact your Iowa state senator or legislator to let them know the importance of STOs for Iowa families.

“Tuition Tax Credit”

Do not forget to take advantage of the Iowa “tuition tax credit.”  For the first $1,000 spent on each dependent’s education, $250 in tax credits are available on your Iowa taxes.  No special forms are required any more.  Please remember when doing the calculations, however, that we often think of education expenses in terms of a school year while taxes are completed on a calendar year basis and split two school years.

Read Across America Day

Friday is Read Across America Day.  How will your family celebrate?  (Buying a Hallmark card doesn’t count — unless you’re standing at the store and reading all of them to find the best!)

Spirit Day on Friday

Friday is also a JFK and/or AHS spirit day.  Students may wear any JFK or AHS spirit wear along with uniform pants/skirts/bottoms.

AHS Musical

The Addams family’s nightmare has come true:  Wednesday Addams has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family.  And guess who’s coming to dinner?  In one fateful, hilarious night, secrets are disclosed, relationships are tested, and the Addams family must face the one horrible thing they’ve managed to avoid for generations — change.

The musical is at 7:00 p.m. on March 9th and 10th and 2:00 p.m. on March 11th.  Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and students.

JFK Moms and Dads

Did you see the post on Feb 20th that polo shirts were selling for $1 at the Walmart on Elmore Avenue?  Request to be added to the closed group, JFK Moms and Dads, and “like” us on Facebook!

Congratulations to Mrs. Thomas

Mrs. Thomas’ baby came a few days early.  Congratulations to Mrs. Thomas and her family on the addition to their family.

Preschool and Childcare Registration for 2018-19 Has Begun

Sacrament of Reconciliation

Preschool and Childcare Registration for 2018-19 Begins Feb 12th

Ash Wednesday Mass at 8:15

Msgr. James Parizek Passes Away

Msgr. James Parizek, retired pastor of Our Lady of Victory, passed away yesterday in Chicago.  Details are pending at Halligan-McCabe-DeVries.

Please join me as we pray after every lunch, “May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.”

Msgr. Parizek, affectionately just called Msgr., came to OLV in 2002 as the 4th pastor in the history of OLV.  He retired in 2016 after serving 14 years as pastor of Our Lady of Victory.  He deeply touched the lives of many people, including my wife and four children.  I was always proud to stand by him as a member of his staff, and I can only hope that he, too, was proud of me as a father might be of his children (or is that Father with an uppercase F).

Below is the message I gave him when he retired two years ago:

Msgr.,

“I rarely know how to start these types of things or what to say.  I don’t consider myself to be all “mushy,” although my kids and some others may disagree, especially when it comes to writing, but I’m not sure I can adequately really capture my thoughts and feelings regarding your retirement.

I have worked with a number of priests over the years at Assumption and OLV/JFK.  There’s always a little trepidation when the “new priest” comes in.  What will he be like?  Will he be easy to work with?  Will we live up to his standards?  Will he accept the rest of us?  I knew we’d be OK at OLV/JFK when we started to get the wink of your eye.  That was our assurance that things would be OK!

Speaking of winks, I can remember at the last all school Mass for a school year about 8-12 years ago.  In the back of my mind, I was wondering if it was time to move along professionally.  Before I left for school that morning, I had written a few things on a note card that I wanted to mention at Mass.  Unbeknownst to me, you had changed the readings for the day, and based your homily then on the new readings.  When I heard the readings and your homily and realized that they matched almost word for word what I had been planning on saying, a calm came over me, and I knew OLV/JFK was still the place for me.  Barb Rohlf referred me to a book that described these types of coincidences, called “God-winks.”  A wink from you and a God-wink made all the difference for me.  This was where I belonged.

Over the years, we have emphasized our motto, “There is a difference in education.”  Your role has been fundamental in making this difference real.  You have celebrated class Masses, all school Masses, and Masses with students at Ridgecrest, and your flexibility to accommodate and reach the students of nine grade levels has been remarkable.  You’ve attended numerous shows and concerts and have been a part of the “life” of the school.  You have devoted so much of your schedule to class visits and tried to make them up when your schedule changed.  You have concelebrated at Assumption’s Baccalaureate Mass and, sometimes as the only pastor, attended every Assumption graduation.  I was proud last year to move up a row to sit next to you at the graduation so you wouldn’t have to sit by yourself!  As the only pastor and principal in attendance, we probably really sent a visual message together!  There is a difference in education at JFK because YOU have made it a difference.  We couldn’t be more appreciative.

When I put on my school badge every morning, I am proud to be associated with not just any Catholic school, but the Catholic school of Our Lady of Victory, the parish under your guidance, direction, and shepherding.

All four of my children, Colleen, Tom, Kirsten, and Caitlin have split feelings [about your retirement] as they have indicated that, really, you are the only pastor that they have really ever known.  They don’t know what it will be like without you.  All of us, including Lynn and I, are glad to have had you in our lives.  We wish you well in your retirement.”

Eternal rest, grant unto him, O LORD.  And let perpetual light shine upon him.

Preschool and Childcare Registration for 2018-19