Month: April 2018

Discounted Registration Fees End on April 30th

Discounted registration fees for next school year end on April 30th.  Return your tuition contract and registration fee now to reserve your spot for next year.

Who wouldn’t want to be at JFK where Confirmation and First Communion are part of who we are?

Or where students donate their lemonade stand money to help Mrs. Tilkens and her family’s care for little CJ?

Mrs. Tilkens continues to be out of school to care for CJ and his treatment for Neuroblastoma.  If you would like to help the Tilkens, please consider donating through GoFundMe.  Click CJ Cancer Fight or use the following link/url:  https://www.gofundme.com/CJCancerFight

Campus Safety Listening Sessions

Intended audience:  Parishioners, JFK parents, and staff who have an interest in how our parking lot, field, and campus are used or developed.

After a campus safety review this fall, the most common concerns were related to keeping students safe when outside the building but on campus property, including the parking lot.  How we respond has the potential to impact how we use the entire campus on all days of the week.

Two listening sessions of about 1 ½ hours remain:

Monday, April 30th:  6:30 p.m. (PC)

Thursday, May 3rd:  6:30 p.m. (PC)

Please contact the parish or school office, if you are unable to attend but would like to share your feedback.  Someone from the steering group will respond to your request.

• Areas of Focus for the Listening Session:

1. 1. Parking Lot Safety:
      1. Safety concerns relating to traffic in the parking lot during drop off and dismissal times:
         • Drivers are too inattentive, and some, particularly those who are not “regulars” to the campus, are confused by the cones and may even drive through them.
         • Parents who have “picked up” their kids but are still standing and conversing in the parking lot often have their children playing around them, and the children are not as careful about staying within the coned area.
         • Cones would not stop a driver intent on doing harm or one who has an accident (confusing brake/accelerator, etc.)
      2. Safety concerns related to children being in the parking lot before/after school and recesses:
         • When the grass is wet, recesses are in the parking lot.
         • Drop off and pick up is in the northern part of the parking lot.
         • Cars enter at the northwest 42nd Street entrance and may drive past the church to get to preschool drop off or go toward the school to park in visitor spots, including times when children are at recess.
         • Cars are sometimes parked in the north part of the lot, and then children come outside to play for recess on the blacktop, and the car is right in the way.
         • The parking lot is directly across from apartment buildings.
         • Neighbors cut across the parking lot during the school day or during after school programming.
   2. Short-term visitor and handicapped parking is a long way from the main school doors.
   3. When buses are on 42nd Street, and with the regular parking on the north side of 42nd, the street only can accommodate traffic in one direction at a time.

There have been some great ideas shared so far.  We want to hear from everyone and use the information to make final recommendations.

Additional information, some that would relate to the above, can be found in the March 14th Principal’s Post, available by clicking HERE.

Bell and Bus Times for Next Year — Waiting Right Now

The Davenport Community School District (DCSD) has postponed the bell time issue until the DCSD Board’s May 14th meeting to allow the consultant more time to investigate other options.  He said he’d need until the first week of May.  If you’d like the DCSD’s board members to hear the personal stories about how the changes to bell times will affect families, please email the board:  BoardComments@Davenportschools.org.  Communications that contain your name and address will be distributed to all board members; anonymous messages are not distributed.

Scott County Catholic Schools Strategic Planning

The group that interviewed the consultants will be making its recommendation to pastors, board presidents, administrators, and representatives from the AHS Foundation (which operates the financial assistance program for Scott County Catholic schools and has agreed to pay for strategic planning) on May 15th.  With the end of the school year fast approaching, I anticipate parent surveys, conversations, and focus groups taking place in the late summer or early fall.

Gala on Saturday!

Don’t miss out on this year’s Gala!  The Gala is Saturday!  It’s time to purchase your tickets to attend or raffle tickets for $1,000 off of tuition or both!  If you can’t do either, please consider a donation toward underwriting.  Having all the expenses of the Gala covered by donations means all the proceeds the night of the event can go toward our educational needs!

The Gala is the largest fundraiser of OLV and JFK and supports all of our educational needs.  This year we’re trying to do a “super Gala” with funds raised above our normal net of $25,000 – $30,000 to go toward establishing the seed money for an air conditioning project.  The Gala is May 5th beginning at 5 p.m. at the Elks’ Lodge on Central Park Avenue near Emeis Golf Course.  The Gala includes amazing food, fun and fellowship with live and silent auctions.  The Funktastic 5 will also be performing at this year’s Gala.  Tickets are $40.  For the flyer, please click HERE.

To view a few of the items for the auction, check out our JFK Facebook page.

Preschool and Childcare Registration for 2018-19

3, 4, and 5 year old preschool and/or childcare registration  continues but waiting lists for some classes have been formed.  Please contact the school office before the spots you want are no longer available.

Home & School

Last Day of Classes

May 31:  3 and 4 year old pre-school.  Four year olds have their programs on the 31st, and 3 year olds have their family activity on June 1.

June 1:  K-8.  This differs from the DCSD which is having classes on June 4.

June 1:  Last day of ECLC

Campus Safety Listening Sessions

Intended audience:  Parishioners, JFK parents, and staff who have an interest in how our parking lot, field, and campus are used or developed.

After a campus safety review this fall, the most common concerns were related to keeping students safe when outside the building but on campus property, including the parking lot.  How we respond has the potential to impact how we use the entire campus on all days of the week.

Three listening sessions of about 1 ½ hours will be conducted:

Saturday, April 28th:  11:00 a.m. (PC)

Monday, April 30th:  6:30 p.m. (PC)

Thursday, May 3rd:  6:30 p.m. (PC)

Please contact the parish or school office, if you are unable to attend but would like to share your feedback.  Someone from the steering group will respond to your request.

• Areas of Focus for the Listening Session:

1. 1. Parking Lot Safety:
      1. Safety concerns relating to traffic in the parking lot during drop off and dismissal times:
         • Drivers are too inattentive, and some, particularly those who are not “regulars” to the campus, are confused by the cones and may even drive through them.
         • Parents who have “picked up” their kids but are still standing and conversing in the parking lot often have their children playing around them, and the children are not as careful about staying within the coned area.
         • Cones would not stop a driver intent on doing harm or one who has an accident (confusing brake/accelerator, etc.)
      2. Safety concerns related to children being in the parking lot before/after school and recesses:
         • When the grass is wet, recesses are in the parking lot.
         • Drop off and pick up is in the northern part of the parking lot.
         • Cars enter at the northwest 42nd Street entrance and may drive past the church to get to preschool drop off or go toward the school to park in visitor spots, including times when children are at recess.
         • Cars are sometimes parked in the north part of the lot, and then children come outside to play for recess on the blacktop, and the car is right in the way.
         • The parking lot is directly across from apartment buildings.
         • Neighbors cut across the parking lot during the school day or during after school programming.
   2. Short-term visitor and handicapped parking is a long way from the main school doors.
   3. When buses are on 42nd Street, and with the regular parking on the north side of 42nd, the street only can accommodate traffic in one direction at a time.

Additional information, some that would relate to the above, can be found in the March 14th Principal’s Post, available by clicking HERE.

Bell and Bus Times for Next Year — Waiting Right Now

The Davenport Community School District (DCSD) has postponed the bell time issue until the DCSD Board’s May 14th meeting to allow the consultant more time to investigate other options.  We appreciate the willingness of Dr. Tate and his administration to continue to look for other ways to reduce routes and reduce transportation costs by the $300,000 or more the DCSD needs to save next year in transportation.

I am actually a little more concerned about bell times this spring than in the summer of 2014, the last time bell times were significantly changed in the DCSD.  In 2014, it was the ONLY issue that threatened major disruption to the DCSD, and several public hearings were held throughout the community.  It was a BIG issue.  This time around, moving bell times seems to almost be a minor issue when compared to other elements of the district’s Vision 2020 plan, which includes cutting millions of dollars, closing one to two schools, and changing the district’s school structures such that elementaries are either PS-6 or K-6 and the middle schools are only grades 7-8.  The DCSD has actually scheduled three listening sessions regarding its Vision 2020 plan, but all of them, I believe, are after the bell time decision will be made.  Having the most significant bell time changes affect only those who are already not in the DCSD’s schools might be something the district is willing to tolerate.

For these reasons, it is even more important that the DCSD’s board hear from both public school and faith-based school parents.  They need to hear the personal stories about how changes to bell times will affect families.  Board members are real people too.  If they are presented with ways to save the needed money and not upset the apple cart for everyone, they will respond.

Please consider contacting the DCSD board.  To email the board, you can use the following address:  BoardComments@Davenportschools.org.  Communications that contain your name and address will be distributed to all board members; anonymous messages are not distributed.

As we wait for the DCSD consultant’s work, we have begun other discussions with Durham, the bus company, to determine if they have other options (and costs, of course) available to us.

Scott County Catholic Schools Strategic Planning

Additional information requested from the consultants that were interviewed to do strategic planning for Scott County Catholic schools  is being obtained.  A decision regarding a consultant should be made by the end of the month.

Back in November, I had mentioned that pastors, board presidents, and representatives from the AHS Foundation (which operates the financial assistance program for Scott County Catholic schools and has agreed to pay for strategic planning) agreed to pursue a consultant/consulting firm that could help determine how Catholic school education in Scott County can be made stronger and meet the needs for the future.  A sub-group was formed to interview the consultants.  On this sub-group are Fr. Richard Adam (Sacred Heart), Rosie Barton (foundation member with connections to St. Paul’s and now Holy Family where her husband serves as a deacon), Andy Craig (president of AHS), Joe Creen (foundation member and member of OLV), Matt Henning (AHS board president and member of OLV), and me.

Strategic planning for Scott County Catholic schools is born out of the diocesan strategic plan for Catholic school education which called for separate strategic planning to be done for Scott and Johnson Counties.  Gone are the days of dramatically falling enrollment and widespread school closures and consolidations.  It’s time to plan for how Catholic schools can be strong and prosper in the future.  With the end of the school year fast approaching, I anticipate parent surveys, conversations, and focus groups taking place in the late summer or early fall.

Get Your Gala Tickets — Tickets Selling Fast!

Don’t miss out on this year’s Gala!  The Gala is only two weeks away, and tickets are selling fast.  It’s time to purchase your tickets to attend or raffle tickets for $1,000 off of tuition or both!  If you can’t do either, please consider a donation toward underwriting.  Having all the expenses of the Gala covered by donations means all the proceeds the night of the event can go toward our educational needs!

The Gala is the largest fundraiser of OLV and JFK and supports all of our educational needs.  This year we’re trying to do a “super Gala” with funds raised above our normal net of $25,000 – $30,000 to go toward establishing the seed money for an air conditioning project.  The Gala is May 5th beginning at 5 p.m. at the Elks’ Lodge on Central Park Avenue near Emeis Golf Course.  The Gala includes amazing food, fun and fellowship with live and silent auctions.  The Funktastic 5 will also be performing at this year’s Gala.  Tickets are $40.  For the flyer, please click HERE.

The Gala still needs people who can help with many different activities — everything from making phone calls, setting up a stage for the band, decorating, and cleaning up, Please contact Angie Hillebrand at the school office.

Donations are also being accepted.  Just mark them OLV/JFK Gala.

To view a few of the items for the auction, check out our JFK Facebook page.

Discounted Registration Fees Coming to an End Soon!

Tuition contracts are due, and the discounted registration fee ends next week.  Return your tuition contract and registration fee now to reserve your spot for next year.

Preschool and Childcare Registration for 2018-19

3, 4, and 5 year old preschool and/or childcare registration  continues but waiting lists for some classes have been formed.  Please contact the school office before the spots you want are no longer available.

2018-19 School Calendar

Our school calendar on our website is filling up fast.  The 2018-19 school year looks like it will be just as busy as this year!  Check it out HERE.

Home & School Dates

Information Knight at Assumption

April 25, 5:30-6:30 p.m.  All grades invited!

Congratulations to 2nd Graders and 8th Graders

First Communion was today, and Confirmation is Friday.  Two major steps in one’s faith journey.  Congratulations to the 2nd and 8th graders!

National Speaker:  Silent Strength

National speaker Doug Reavis will share his Silent Strength presentation with middle school students in the Catholic schools of Scott County on April 27^th.  A high school presentation will be held on the 26th, and a parent presentation is in the evening on the 26th (6:30-8 in the AHS auditorium). Silent Strength centers on kindness and, in faith-based settings, seeing God in every other person. It has been said that he gives the best anti-bullying message out there without ever using the word “bullying.”  Many thanks to AHS for sponsoring Doug Reavis and providing transportation to the Catholic elementary schools.

Last Day of Classes

May 31:  3 and 4 year old pre-school.  Four year olds have their programs on the 31st, and 3 year olds have their family activity on June 1.

June 1:  K-8.  This differs from the DCSD which is having classes on June 4.

June 1:  Last day of ECLC

Bell and Bus Times for Next Year

Prior to the April 9th Davenport Community School Board meeting, I received word that the bell time issue has been postponed now until the May 14th meeting to allow the consultant more time to investigate other options.  That’s a good sign.  We appreciate the willingness of Dr. Tate and his administration to continue to look for other ways to reduce routes and reduce transportation costs by $300,000 or more.

Honestly, I am more concerned about bell times this spring than in the summer of 2014, the last time bell times were significantly changed in the DCSD.  In 2014, it was the ONLY issue that threatened major disruption to the DCSD, and several public hearings were held throughout the community.  It was a BIG issue.  This time around, moving bell times seems to almost be a minor issue when compared to other elements of the district’s Vision 2020 plan, which includes cutting millions of dollars, closing one to two schools, and changing the district’s school structures such that elementaries are either PS-6 or K-6 and the middle schools are only grades 7-8.  Having the most significant bell time changes affect only those who are already not in the DCSD’s schools might be something the district is willing to tolerate.

For these reasons, it is even more important that the DCSD’s board hear from both public school and faith-based school parents.  They need to hear the personal stories about how changes to bell times will affect families.  Board members are real people too.  If they are presented with ways to save the needed money and not upset the apple cart for everyone, they will respond.

Please consider contacting the DCSD board.  To email the board, you can use the following address:  BoardComments@Davenportschools.org.  Communications that contain your name and address will be distributed to all board members; anonymous messages are not distributed.

Scott County Catholic Schools

Another step was taken toward strategic planning for all of Scott County Catholic schools last week.  A small group interviewed three consultants, and each was impressive.  Follow-up questions will be submitted to the consultants this week, and a decision should be made by the end of the month.

Back in November, I had mentioned that pastors, board presidents, and representatives from the AHS Foundation (which operates the financial assistance program for Scott County Catholic schools and has agreed to pay for strategic planning) agreed to pursue a consultant/consulting firm that could help determine how Catholic school education in Scott County can be made stronger and meet the needs for the future.  A sub-group was formed to interview the consultants.  On this sub-group are Fr. Richard Adam (Sacred Heart), Rosie Barton (foundation member with connections to St. Paul’s and now Holy Family where her husband serves as a deacon), Andy Craig (president of AHS), Joe Creen (foundation member and member of OLV), Matt Henning (AHS board president and member of OLV), and me.

Strategic planning for Scott County Catholic schools is born out of the diocesan strategic plan for Catholic school education which called for separate strategic planning to be done for Scott and Johnson Counties.  Gone are the days of dramatically falling enrollment and widespread school closures and consolidations.  It’s time to plan for how Catholic schools can be strong and prosper in the future.  With the end of the school year fast approaching, I anticipate parent surveys, conversations, and focus groups taking place in the late summer or early fall.

Time to Buy Gala Tickets — Still Time to Volunteer

The Gala is only three weeks away!  It’s time to step forward to purchase your tickets to attend or raffle tickets for $1,000 off of tuition or both!  I never know what to donate for auction at the Gala so I always just provide money ahead of time that can be used by others to develop class packages or to go toward underwriting.  Having all the expenses of the Gala covered by donations means all the proceeds the night of the event can go toward our educational needs!

The Gala is the largest fundraiser of OLV and JFK and supports all of our educational needs.  This year we’re trying to do a “super Gala” with funds raised above our normal net of $25,000 – $30,000 to go toward establishing the seed money for an air conditioning project.  The Gala is May 5th beginning at 5 p.m. at the Elks’ Lodge on Central Park Avenue near Emeis Golf Course.  The Gala includes amazing food, fun and fellowship with live and silent auctions.  The Funktastic 5 will also be performing at this year’s Gala.  Tickets are $40.  For the flyer, please click HERE.

The Gala still needs people who can help with many different activities — everything from making phone calls, setting up a stage for the band, decorating, and cleaning up, Please contact Angie Hillebrand at the school office.

Donations are also being accepted.  Just mark them OLV/JFK Gala.

To view a few of the items for the auction, check out our JFK Facebook page.

Survey from the Iowa Department of Education:  Response Rates Monitored

The Iowa Department of Education is conducting a survey of parents of all students in public and non-public schools.  While the survey is intended to fulfill reporting requirements under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), which require that states report the percent of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with IEPs, the data is being gathered as a census for both students with and without an IEP using a brief (four question) survey.  Below are the survey questions:

• How old was your child on January 1, 2018? (choose 3-21)
• What is your child’s race or ethnicity? (choose American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Two or More Races, White)
• Does your child have an Individualized Education Program – IEP? (y/n)
• Did the school your child is currently attending facilitate (request, encourage or initiate) your involvement as a means of improving services and results for your child? (y/n)

The survey should be completed once for each child in the family.  You can access the survey by using the following link/url   https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2018AEA9.

The survey is open through June 30th, and the DE has indicated that it will be monitoring response rates throughout the survey window.

Tuition Contracts for 2018-19 and Kindergartners Still Being Accepted

Take advantage of an early bird registration discount by returning your family’s tuition contract ASAP.  Kindergarten spots are also still available.  Please contact the school office, to reserve your spot for next year.

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.

2018-19 School Calendar

Our school calendar on our website is filling up fast.  The 2018-19 school year looks like it will be just as busy as this year!  Check it out HERE.

Home & School Dates

National Speaker:  Silent Strength

National speaker Doug Reavis will share his Silent Strength presentation with middle school students in the Catholic schools of Scott County on April 27^th.  A high school presentation will be held on the 26th, and a parent presentation is in the evening on the 26th (6:30-8 in the AHS auditorium). Silent Strength centers on kindness and, in faith-based settings, seeing God in every other person. It has been said that he gives the best anti-bullying message out there without ever using the word “bullying.”  Many thanks to AHS for sponsoring Doug Reavis and providing transportation to the Catholic elementary schools.

Bell and Bus Times for Next Year

On Friday, Andy Craig, president of Assumption, and I met with several representatives of the Davenport Community School District:  Mike Maloney (DCSD’s Director of Operations), Beth O’Dette, and Kristy Kleinsmith.  On the phone was the consultant whom the district is paying to find ways to reduce transportation costs.  None of the options the consultant had tried in the week since our last meeting were resulting in the reduction of five bus routes, the number of routes needed to be eliminated to save the $300,000 the district is planning on saving in transportation costs.  This $300,000 reduction is part of the budget that the DCSD will be looking to pass on April 9th.

While these results are disappointing, the DCSD is not done looking at options.  Dr. Art Tate, DCSD’s superintendent, has directed the consultant to do more work.  One idea that we discussed at length was to increase the number of riders that are scheduled for a bus route.  JFK, for example, has about 160 students signed up to ride a bus before school, after school, or both.  Routes have to be determined as if all 160 are riding every day.  Our actual daily ridership, however, is about 80-90 students.  If routes were designed for the buses to carry more students with the realization that 50% won’t actually be riding every day, fewer routes may actually be needed.  Of course, if all the students were to ride each day, then there could be issues.  It is also possible that the longer routes would increase the amount of time spent on a bus.  Currently, the average ride time is 35 minutes, and state law caps it at 60 minutes for K-6 and 75 minutes for 7-12.  Other ideas that were discussed were to change faith-based schools’ start times to an earlier time than currently and tweak public school times.

While we all recognize that some changes are likely to take place, the DCSD also recognizes that the fewest changes not only for us but also for its own schools and families are probably the most desirable.  However, $300,000 still needs to be found.  It is likely that the budget, which includes the $300,000 cut in transportation costs, will be passed on April 9th before the consultant can run more scenarios, which he indicated might take him until the end of April or beginning of May.  It is possible that the DCSD will pass a budget with $300,000 in cuts to transportation before it takes up the details for how the $300,000 in cuts will be made.

The bell times are not on the agenda for DCSD’s April 9th board meeting.  The current intention is to have them on the April 23rd agenda.  It is time to let our voices be heard.  We need to encourage the DCSD to find ways to make the transportation work for us.  Please consider attending the DCSD’s board meeting at 6:00 p.m. on April 9th and/or April 23rd in the Jim Hester Board Room on the 3rd floor of the Achievement Services Center located at 1606 Brady Street.  You may sign up to speak before the meeting.  You will likely have 2-3 minutes to speak, as set and timed by the board.  Board members will not respond to comments made in Open Forum (but they still listen!)  To email the board, you can use the following address:  BoardComments@Davenportschools.org.  Communications that contain your name and address will be distributed to all board members; anonymous messages are not distributed.

To see the video of the DCSD board meeting at which the bell time proposal was presented, click HERE .  The bell time issue is at about 1:22 – 1:34 of the video.

Iowa Assessments This Week

Students in grades K-8 will be taking the Iowa Assessments this week.  Plenty of sleep and a good breakfast as always in order.  Ask students what the best part of Iowa Assessment week is, and they’ll probably tell you it’s the snacks that teachers at many grade levels allow the students to have in between tests!

Time to Buy Gala Tickets — Still Time to Volunteer

It’s time to buy Gala tickets.  The Gala is the largest fundraiser of OLV and JFK and supports all of our educational needs.  This year we’re trying to do a “super Gala” with funds raised above our normal net of $25,000 – $30,000 to go toward establishing the seed money for an air conditioning project.  The Gala is May 5th beginning at 5 p.m. at the Elks’ Lodge on Central Park Avenue near Emeis Golf Course.  The Gala includes amazing food, fun and fellowship with live and silent auctions.  The Funktastic 5 will also be performing at this year’s Gala.  Tickets are $40.

The Gala still needs people who can help with many different activities — everything from making phone calls, setting up a stage for the band, decorating, and cleaning up, Please contact Angie Hillebrand at the school office.

Donations are also being accepted.  Just mark them OLV/JFK Gala.

Survey from the Iowa Department of Education:  Response Rates Monitored

The Iowa Department of Education is conducting a survey of parents of all students in public and non-public schools.  While the survey is intended to fulfill reporting requirements under Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), which require that states report the percent of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with IEPs, the data is being gathered as a census for both students with and without an IEP using a brief (four question) survey.  Below are the survey questions:

• How old was your child on January 1, 2018? (choose 3-21)
• What is your child’s race or ethnicity? (choose American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Two or More Races, White)
• Does your child have an Individualized Education Program – IEP? (y/n)
• Did the school your child is currently attending facilitate (request, encourage or initiate) your involvement as a means of improving services and results for your child? (y/n)

The survey should be completed once for each child in the family.  Attached electronically is the letter from the Department of Education or you can click here for the survey itself:  IDEA Parent Survey – Letter to Parents.  You can also use the following link/url to reach the survey:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2018AEA9.

The survey is open through June 30th, and the DE has indicated that it will be monitoring response rates throughout the survey window.

Tuition Contracts for 2018-19 and Kindergartners Still Being Accepted

Take advantage of an early bird registration discount by returning your family’s tuition contract ASAP.  Kindergarten spots are also still available.  Please contact the school office, to reserve your spot for next year.

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.

Civic Oration Winners

Congratulations to the following students:

5th/6th Grade Division:  Macie R. 1st place, Cole M. 2nd place, and Elexa A. 3rd place

7th/8th Grade Division:  Sophia M. 1st place, Allie A. 2nd place, and Anastasha M. 3rd place

We would also like to thank our panel of judges:  Andy Burman, Lynn Day-Steimle, Andy Craig, Connie Creen, Denny Prior, and Tracy VerMulm

2018-19 School Calendar

The DCSD has posted its calendar for next school year.  Click HERE or use the following link/url:  http://www.davenportschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/2018-19-FINAL-ACADEMIC-CALENDAR-2.pdf.  We’re in the process of entering all of our activities onto the olvjfk.com  website calendar.

National Speaker:  Silent Strength

National speaker Doug Reavis will share his Silent Strength presentation with middle school students in the Catholic schools of Scott County on April 27^th.  A high school presentation will be held on the 26th, and a parent presentation is in the evening on the 26th (6:30-8 in the AHS auditorium). Silent Strength centers on kindness and, in faith-based settings, seeing God in every other person. It has been said that he gives the best anti-bullying message out there without ever using the word “bullying.”  Many thanks to AHS for sponsoring Doug Reavis and providing transportation to the Catholic elementary schools.

Policy Committee Members Sought for Spring 2018

Each year we examine about 1/3 of the policies contained in the Parent & Student Handbook.  We have also been looking at the four policies relating to dress code on an annual basis, and our policies regarding cell phones and Internet usage also seem to need yearly review.  We can usually accomplish our work for the year in 2-3 spring meetings.  If interested in serving on the policy committee this spring, please contact me via email.

Shadow Stations

Here is a photo from Holy Thursday’s Shadow Stations of the Cross presented by the 8th graders.  What an amazing activity!  The 8th graders did a fantastic job, and, as usual, students in all grades responded and behaved so well at the service.

Last Week for Plant Sale

Did you order your spring flowers and plants yet from Home & School?  (Yes, I know it’s hard to think spring when ten inches of snow is falling!)  Home & School is conducting a plant sale this spring.  Sales end on April 6th.  Pick up will be on campus on May 3rd and 4th from 2 – 7 p.m.

Gala Needs Volunteers

The Gala needs people who can help with many different activities — everything from making phone calls to setting up a stage for the band and decorating to just donating funds.  Please contact Angie Hillebrand at the school office.  The Gala is the largest fundraiser of OLV and JFK and supports all of our educational needs.  This year we’re trying to do a “super Gala” with funds raised above our normal net of $25,000 – $30,000 to go toward establishing the seed money for an air conditioning project.  The Gala is May 5th beginning at 5 p.m. at the Elks’ Lodge on Central Park Avenue near Emeis Golf Course.  The Gala includes fun and fellowship with live and silent auctions, a live band, and dancing.

Survey from the Iowa Department of Education

Part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) requires states to report the percent of parents with a child receiving special education services who report that schools facilitated parent involvement as a means of improving services and results for children with IEPs.  The Iowa Department of Education is gathering these data as a census for both students with and without an IEP using a brief (four question) survey.  The survey should be completed once for each child in the family.  Attached electronically is the letter from the Department of Education or you can click here for the survey itself:  IDEA Parent Survey – Letter to Parents.  The survey is open through June 30th.

Campus Safety Review:  School Update

The Campus Safety Review: School document was updated with the latest quotes and distributed to parish council and finance council.  In every setting where it has been discussed, it is clear that a formal process for gathering feedback and for making decisions will be needed, and I will be asking the board of education to appoint an ad hoc committee to help lead this process.  (The possibility of a hard surface play area away from the parking lot for about $55,000, for example, is generating a lot of discussion.)

Two grant applications were submitted during spring break:

1. SCRA: Request for $21,700 toward a $24,130 security camera project with 12 exterior and nine interior cameras
2. RDA: Request for $5,300 toward a $6,305 windows and doors project, which would include changes to the band room doors so they can be locked from the interior, an electronic lock and access system for the upper south stairwell door, and safety film/frames for windows around the doors and vestibule.

We have also received a commitment to a multi-year anonymous donation of about $12,000 for safety purposes.

Tuition Contracts for 2018-19 and Kindergartners Still Being Accepted

Take advantage of an early bird registration discount by returning your family’s tuition contract ASAP.  Kindergarten spots are also still available.  Please contact the school office, to reserve your spot for next year.

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.

Civic Oration:  Who Advanced to Tuesday’s PC Round?

Congratulations to the following students who have advanced to Tuesday’s parish center round of competition:

5th/6th Grade Division:  Elexa A., Matthew M., Cole M., Macie R., Emerson S., Max S.

7th/8th Grade Division:  Allie A., Alison B., Isabella K., Sophia M., Anastasha M., JJ S.

2018-19 School Calendar

The DCSD has posted its calendar for next school year.  Click HERE or use the following link/url:  http://www.davenportschools.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/2018-19-FINAL-ACADEMIC-CALENDAR-2.pdf.  JFK’s board voted to accept this calendar with two minor changes that only affect staff.

National Speaker:  Silent Strength

National speaker Doug Reavis will share his Silent Strength presentation with middle school students in the Catholic schools of Scott County on April 27^th.  A high school presentation will be held on the 26th, and a parent presentation is in the evening on the 26th (6:30-8 in the AHS auditorium). Silent Strength centers on kindness and, in faith-based settings, seeing God in every other person. It has been said that he gives the best anti-bullying message out there without ever using the word “bullying.”  Many thanks to AHS for sponsoring Doug Reavis and providing transportation to the Catholic elementary schools.

Bell and Bus Times for Next Year

I’m sure you received my mid-week emails with bell times that the DCSD is proposing for next year in order to save on transportation costs.  JFK has approximately 40% of its students registered to ride a bus in the morning and/or the afternoon.  Actual ridership counts are currently being taken but are more in the 20% – 30% rate.

Andy Craig, president of AHS, Lee Morrison, superintendent of the Diocese of Davenport, and I met with Mike Maloney, DCSD Director of Operations on Friday after watching the video of the issue being discussed at the DCSD board meeting on March 26.  Click HERE for the video; the bell time issue is at about 1:22 – 1:34 of the video.

While Mr. Maloney indicated that the bell times are still open for discussion, the DCSD does need to cut expenses, including transportation expenses, as its enrollment continues to fall.  The bell time proposal will allow the DCSD to cut five bus routes and save about $300,000 per year.  The DCSD does do some things that are very good to our families but also cost it quite a bit.  For starters, and for all of Davenport, the DCSD provides free busing for K-5 students if they live 1.5 miles or more from their school of attendance.  Because the law uses 2.0 miles as the cut off for elementary and middle school students, the DCSD is actually providing busing for more students than required.  The DCSD also sends multiple buses into the same neighborhoods and doesn’t require a mixing of students from different schools.   In one neighborhood, for example, the DCSD may be running a Harrison route, a JFK route, an ASCS route, a Trinity route, and a SPS route.  The DCSD also runs routes for our faith-based schools throughout the entire city, which is probably more than they do for their own schools.  For example, the DCSD likely does not run a bus to southeast Davenport even if a Harrison student were to live there.  The DCSD will, however, run a bus there to pick up a JFK, ASCS, or Trinity student (or three buses, if necessary).

Mr. Maloney indicated that he would go back to the consultant they hired to see if there are other options, particularly options that keep the faith-based schools relatively close to our current bell times.  We will meet again this Friday.  Stay tuned.