Travel and COVID-19

We have had a few questions regarding COVID and traveling over the holidays.  Most notably, people want to know if they have to quarantine after traveling.  Iowa does not currently have travel restrictions or specific orders, like some other locations.  Chicago, for example, requires visitors to quarantine and residents of Chicago to quarantine when they return from traveling themselves.  Davenport and Iowa do not have similar restrictions.

The following is guidance from the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html) and would be most applicable to Iowa and JFK.  Please note that for international travel, there are not too many countries that are not at the highest level (4) of restrictions.  Even the U.S. itself is a level 4.

Domestic and International Travel:

“You may have been exposed to COVID-19 on your travels. You and your travel companions (including children) may pose a risk to your family, friends, and community. Regardless of where you traveled or what you did during your trip, take these actions to protect others from getting COVID-19 for 14 days after travel:

• Stay at least 6 feet/2 meters (about 2 arm lengths) from anyone who did not travel with you, particularly in crowded areas. It’s important to do this everywhere — both indoors and outdoors.
• Wear a mask to keep your nose and mouth covered when you are in shared spaces outside of your home, including when using public transportation.
• If there are people in the household who did not travel with you, wear a mask and ask everyone in the household to wear masks in shared spaces inside your home.
• Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness.
• Watch your health: Look for symptoms of COVID-19, and take your temperature if you feel sick.”

International Travel:

“If you participated in higher-risk activities during your international travel, take the actions listed above AND do the following after travel:

• Get tested 3-5 days after travel AND stay home for 7 days after travel.
  • Even if you test negative, stay home for the full 7 days.
  • If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected.
• If you don’t get tested, it’s safest to stay home for 10 days after travel.
• Avoid being around people who are at increased risk for severe illness for 14 days, whether you get tested or not.”

“Higher Risk Activities

The following are some activities that put you at higher risk for COVID-19:

• Travel from a country or U.S. territory with a Level 2, Level 3, or Level 4 Travel Health Notice.
• Going to a large social gathering like a wedding, funeral, or party.
• Attending a mass gathering like a sporting event, concert, or parade.
• Being in crowds like in restaurants, bars, fitness centers, or movie theaters.
• Taking public transportation like trains or buses or being in transportation hubs like airports.
• Traveling on a cruise ship or river boat.”

If you have questions, please email them to angie.hillebrand@olvjfkmail.com.  She and I will work together to get your questions answered.

Last Push for Funding Financial Assistance:  Donations Still Needed by December 31st Deadline

Donations to the Mississippi Valley School Tuition Organization (MVSTO) are still needed.  The deadline to receive the tax benefits for 2020 is December 31st.

The MVSTO provides tuition assistance to more than 620 students in Scott County.  In 2019-20, that figure represented about 35% of all students, and JFK had 36% of its K-8 students receiving financial assistance.  The need only increased in 2020, and no one really knows what 2021-22 will bring.

In order to provide the level of financial assistance needed each year, donations are also needed each year.  Donations to the MVSTO are unique in that they benefit both students and donors.  Students receive the financial assistance needed by their families so they can attend Catholic/private schools, and donors receive a 65% tax CREDIT, not deduction, off of their Iowa taxes, AND the other 35% is a charitable deduction on their federal taxes.  A $500 donation to the MVSTO, for example, allows one to reduce one’s Iowa tax bill by $325, and, at the 32% federal income tax bracket, one might be able to reduce one’s tax bill by about $56.  If you follow the math, a student receives the $500 benefit in financial assistance while the donor has a net cost of, not $500, but only $119!

Donations for this year’s taxes must be made by December 31st.  Act now!  Use the following link for more information and the forms needed:  https://www.mvsto.org/

Mississippi Valley School Tuition Organization (MVSTO) Help Us Keep Scott County Students in Catholic Schools MVSTO is providing tuition assistance to 627 Scott County K-12 Catholic School students this year, including 8 participants in Assumption’s basketball program, 50 fifth graders attending one of our 4 Catholic elementary schools, and 12 members of the AHS Choir.   MVSTO has recorded $221,000 in increased gifts and pledges over the past week. We had a good week, but we’re running out of runway! There is still a need to raise an additional $245,500 to reach our state allowed cap of $1,324,143 by December 31.  If you have given in the past, you know how tax efficient this gift is, and we need your help again.

Everyone Wins! Iowa taxpayers contributing to Mississippi Valley School Tuition Organization (MVSTO) receive an Iowa tax credit equal to 65% of their contribution. The remaining 35% is eligible to be deducted from the donor’s federal tax return. The MVSTO remains the most generous tax credit in the State of Iowa! Please check out our video for an explanation of the gift.

Everyone Wins When You Give to MVSTO! HELP SCOTT COUNTY STUDENTS TODAY! Donate Now

What is the Mississippi Valley School Tuition Organization (MVSTO) and how does it work? Watch this short video to find out more.

Civic Oration Finalists

Watching civic oration speeches last week was a little weird.  Due to our COVID-19 mitigation practices for social distancing and to make a level playing field for students going into and out of remote learning, all 5th-8th graders submitted their speeches on video.  I was able to get into some 6th-8th grade classes while they watched speeches.  I am always amazed at civic oration, and this year was no different.  Students adapted to this new presentation method quite well.  Next year, if we can be back to normal, we’ll change things up a little bit too with civic oration and begin to add in some visual aspects, such as a few PowerPoint type slides.  It’s rare for people to give speeches without a few slides these days, and we’ll have civic oration evolve in that direction too.

Congratulations to the following students, listed in no particular order in their category, whose videos are advancing to the final round of competition.  For the final round of competition, speeches will be judged by outside-the-building guests.  Students compete in two divisions:  5th/6th grades and 7th/8th grades.  We do not expect to have results until mid-January.

Finalists in 5th grade:  Alison J., Peyton W., Natalie S., Hailey E., Noah F., and Priya K.

Finalists in 6th grade:  Quinn C., Rachel A., Payten P., Julia M., Ava S., and Maggie A.

Finalists in 7th grade:  Olivia F., Brooklyn M., Adam W., Aubrey R., Barbie K., and Ben A.

Finalists in 8th grade:  Lucy N., Dru D., Jacey M., Amalie Y., Seamus D., Braeden M.

COVID Data

Below is a link to a .pdf file that shows several graphs of Scott County and JFK data.  We did make two adjustments that updated some data points back to about November 24th for the JFK specific data.  I’ve also changed intervals on a couple of graphs so we can continue them better into the future.  To originally illustrate how fast things can change, I had used some daily data points, for example.  Some of these will be changed to the Tuesday and Friday data points that are used with some of the other graphs.  Scott County graphs reflect the data shared at our Wednesday meetings with the health department.  The time of day when the health department pulls its data can also make a difference in the numbers.  We did not have a meeting on December 23rd so our next update with the health department will be December 30th.

I’ll add a few comments below as well.

COVID Data, December 23, 2020

• One of our big discussions on 12/16 with the health department was regarding vaccinations.  Educators are in in group 1-B, and speculation was that they would be able to receive vaccination in February-March.  Students, however, are way after that time period, and there’s not even a vaccination yet approved for those under 16 years old.  That means that mitigation efforts like mask wearing, social distancing, contact tracing and quarantining, etc. will continue all school year.  Schools and school districts will also need to continue with remote learning options, intermittent whole class or building shut downs, and hybrid educational models throughout the rest of the school year.
• At JFK, we have also begun speculating about next year.  With budgeting beginning for next year, we’re trying to make decisions about what will be needed in the fall.  Will we need Zoom accounts for teachers?  Will we need to purchase additional online storage for recorded Zoom sessions of instruction as we’ve done for this year?  Can we afford to maintain a 1 to 1 student to Chromebook/tablet ratio in all of K-8?  (One time federal funding helped us get there.)  What will enrollment look like?

Upcoming Dates

• See the school calendar on our website regarding ECLC over the break.
• Jan 4:  School starts again
• Jan 14:  Parent University via Zoom.  Topic:  Screen time (How fitting?!)
• Jan 18:  Martin Luther King Day, no classes.
• Jan 21:  Home & School
• Jan 29:  End of 2nd Quarter
• Jan 30 – Feb 6:  Catholic Schools Week

Catholic Schools Week

Almost all of our normal Catholic Schools Week activities involved large gatherings that just won’t be possible this year.  Along with themed attire each day, below are some of our ideas:

• Movie day with candy suckers
• Bingo day
• Pizza and Virtual Field Trip Day
• Minute to Win It Day
• Class Act (recorded) and Ice Cream Day

Stay Well

I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas holiday.  It was, indeed, different than normal, but we were able to make ours special anyway.  On to New Year’s!

Chad

Last Week Before Christmas Break

This is our last week before Christmas break, and there is no early dismissal on December 18th.  There is, however, a red, green, white, and Christmas attire out of uniform dress day on Friday.  School starts after the break on January 4th.  See the school calendar regarding ECLC over the break.

Last week, I mentioned that it was going to be harder for me to really get into the Christmas spirit without being able to watch the little ones all dressed in their Christmas clothes singing Christmas songs in the church with all the decorations lit up.  Maybe that challenge is a good thing for me.  It’s definitely easier to do the same thing each year perhaps even as if they’re on auto-pilot.  This year, I have to really think about things and be deliberate.  Maybe that will be good for me.  And, maybe I’ll appreciate it even more when we can do the annual traditions we’ve cherished for so many years!

Below is a link to a .pdf file that shows several graphs of Scott County and JFK data.  I’ll add a few comments below as well.

COVID Data, December 11, 2020

• A pondering from the Scott County Health Department on Wednesday was whether or not we were “bottoming out” with our COVID rates.  The Scott County 14 Day Positivity Rate, for example, declined from 26-27% about three weeks ago and has hovered between about 18-19% for the last two weeks.  The positivity rate is the “big” data point used by the Iowa Department of Education for schools.
• The CDC risk of transmission in schools slides show Scott County’s numbers are still falling but have a long way to go to return to even a moderate risk level in the first two core indicators.
• Please remember that the maps with rates of positive cases per school district boundaries are not just student counts.  They include residents of any age who live within the boundaries of the four school districts in Scott County.
• The second JFK graph shows the percent of absences due to people being “sick” with something that is reportable to the health department and can be transmitted from one person to another.  I have added a note in the graph regarding the figure that may be examined by the Iowa Department of Education should a school/district apply for a two week closure.  The DE would be looking for a 10% illness absenteeism rate.  Our rate on Friday was about 1.5% up from 1% the previous Friday.
• The third JFK graph shows the percentage of students and staff that are quarantining either because they are required to because they are close contacts or they are “voluntarily” quarantining, which usually occurs as they wait for another family members’ tests results and they are not yet required to quarantine.  On Friday, we had about 3% of students and staff quarantining.
• The fourth JFK graph combines some of the sickness and quarantining data.  On Friday, we had approximately 4.38% of students and staff who were expected to be in the building absent due to illness or quarantining.  I have added notes regarding which figures we would be looking at for shorter term closures for the building or for classrooms.
• The fifth JFK graph shows the total percent of staff and students who are expected to be in the building but were absent.  Even during a pandemic, other things continue, and people are absent for a variety of other reasons.  Our total absenteeism rate was 7.79% on Friday up from 7.13% the previous Friday.  The graph also shows the total percent of enrolled students and employed staff who were not in the building:  14.64% on Friday, including the long-term remote learners.
• Meaning needs to be attributed to the numbers and can sometimes be relative.  In Iowa, we’re glad to see our numbers falling.  Others in my own family, however, are getting much more anxious about COVID in their states/counties as their rates are increasing, and their rates are still significantly less than ours!  My youngest daughter will be coming home from college for Christmas next weekend, and, even though she’s been quarantining as best she can in preparation to come home, she’s nervous about possibly bringing COVID home with her.  I want to tell her, “Do you know where you’re coming from and where you’re going to?  You’re more likely to get COVID here than you are in bringing it with you.”  On a personal note, my prayers are also with our extended family members who lost a relative to COVID this week.

End of the Mid-Quarter Was Friday

The end of the 2nd mid-quarter was Friday.  Mid-quarter reports should be emailed to families before Christmas break.

Online JFK Spirit Store

Click HERE for the online JFK spirit store developed by Home & School.  Winter hats and scarves are now available, as well as some great stocking stuffer ideas.

What Happens to Financial Assistance if the STOs Are Not Fully Funded?

That’s a question we’d rather not face in Scott County.  More than 620 students in Scott County are benefiting from financial assistance through the Mississippi Valley School Tuition Organization (MVSTO).  In 2019-20, that figure represented about 35% of all students, and JFK had 36% of its K-8 students receiving financial assistance.  The need only increased in 2020, and no one really knows what 2021-22 will bring.

In order to provide the level of financial assistance needed each year, however, donations are also needed each year, and we are significantly behind where we need to be.  Donations to the MVSTO are unique in that they benefit both students and donors.  Students receive the financial assistance needed by their families so they can attend Catholic/private schools, and donors receive a 65% tax CREDIT, not deduction, off of their Iowa taxes, AND the other 35% is a charitable deduction on their federal taxes.  A $100 donation to the MVSTO, for example, allows one to reduce one’s Iowa tax bill by $65, and, at the 32% federal income tax bracket, one might be able to reduce one’s tax bill by about $11.  If you follow the math, a student receives the $100 benefit in financial assistance while the donor has a net cost of, not $100, but only $24!

Donations for this year’s taxes must be made by December 31st.  Act now!  Use the following link for more information and the forms needed:  https://www.mvsto.org/

Chad

Free Lunches to Continue

Free school lunches for all students will now continue through the end of the school year or until federal funding runs out.

Civic Oration Looks Even More Different this Year

As we looked at the numbers of students who are doing long-term remote learning and of students who are moving in/out of short-term remote learning, we have decided to make even more changes to civic oration this year.  To try to “level the playing field” for everyone, all speeches will be submitted by recording.  There will be no “live” rounds of competition.  I’m not sure it will be any easier.  Based upon my limited experience of just trying to make a few videos myself, making a recording with no audience at all to speak to is even harder than speaking in front of people!  Students will submit their recordings before Christmas break, and staff will determine the finalists.  Guest judges will view the finalists’ speeches over Christmas break.

Davenport Community School District Continues Online

The DCSD’s application to extend their 100% remote learning was approved for two weeks.  They will be 100% remote through December 16th.

End of the Mid-Quarter is Friday

The end of the 2nd mid-quarter is Friday.  Mid-quarter reports should be emailed to families before Christmas break.

Two Weeks Until Christmas Break — Can We Make It?

There are two full weeks of school until Christmas break, and there is no early dismissal on December 18th.  Personally, I’m not sure how I’m going to make it without a K-2 Christmas show in the church this year!  I never really get into the Christmas spirit until watching the little ones all dressed in their Christmas clothes singing Christmas songs in the church with all the decorations lit up.

So far, we have not seen a rise in our absences since Thanksgiving.  In fact, they were lower this week than they have been for several weeks.  The Scott County Health Department is very cautiously optimistic and hoping it isn’t just a “calm before the storm” situation.  Please continue to think about what your plans would be until Christmas break, if  your students cannot continue with face-to-face instruction.  This past week we were discussing options with our own staff members who have children.  It’s hard for them to be teaching remotely too when they have their own children who are also supposed to be online at the same time with remote learning.

Below is a link to a .pdf file that shows several graphs of Scott County and JFK data.  I’ll highlight a couple of things below as well.

COVID Data, December 4, 2020

• Confirmed and epi-linked cases 14-day moving average:  Note how vertical the red line was in the beginning of November.
• The Scott County 14 Day Positivity Rate is the “big” data point used by the Iowa Department of Education for schools.  The most recent peak was just a little higher than the graph shows as the graph shows data for about every Wednesday.  Today, the rate is even lower at 18.7%.  However, that is still considered by Iowa’s definitions to be “substantial controlled” for the community.  It should be noted that definitions are somewhat locally determined.  New York City, for example, closed schools when they hit a 3% positivity rate.  New York has recently changed that position as more research is available regarding schools since they chose that figure before the school year began.
• The CDC risk of transmission in schools slides show Scott County’s data has a long way to go to return to even a moderate risk level in the first two core indicators.
• The maps with rates of positive cases per school district boundaries are not just student counts.  They include residents of any age who live within the boundaries of the four school districts in Scott County.
•  The first graph for JFK specific data shows how fast our long-term remote learners increased in November.  These are students for whom their parents have chosen remote learning as the regular instructional method.  That percentage doubled in about two weeks.
• The second JFK graph shows the percent of absences due to people being “sick” with something that is reportable to the health department and can be transmitted from one person to another.  I have added a note in the graph regarding the figure that may be examined by the Iowa Department of Education should a school/district apply for a two week closure.  The DE would be looking for a 10% illness absenteeism rate.  Our rate on Friday was below 1%.
• The third JFK graph shows the percentage of students and staff that are quarantining either because they are required to because they are close contacts or they are “voluntarily” quarantining, which usually occurs as they wait for another family members’ tests results and they are not yet required to quarantine.  At our peak before Thanksgiving, more than 10% of students and staff were quarantining.  This figure may be a bit misleading before Thanksgiving, however, as there were some families that were just taking extra precautions before Thanksgiving, and a short week meant kids would not miss as much as usual.
• The fourth JFK graph combines some of the sickness and quarantining data.  On Friday, we had approximately 5.5% of students and staff who were expected to be in the building absent due to illness or quarantining.
• The fifth JFK graph shows the total percent of staff and students who are expected to be in the building but were absent.  Even during a pandemic, other things continue, and people are absent for a variety of other reasons.  Our total absenteeism rate was 7.13% on Friday.  The graph also shows the total percent of enrolled students and employed staff who were not in the building:  14.86% on Friday, including the long-term remote learners.
• The last JFK graph illustrates, again, how fast things can change.  On Friday, November 13th, we had 4.26% of the staff absent.  On Monday, November 16th, that figure jumped to 14.9%.  Two days later it was at 19.1%, and we were doing day-to-day scrambling to determine substitutes and other duty coverages.  Those figures did not even take into consideration a maternity leave or an absence due to surgery recovery.  Then, it was over.  On the first work day after Thanksgiving, staff absenteeism fell to 6.38%.

Below is the document, again, that we are using for guidance regarding a face covering requirement and building/grade/class closures.

COVID Metrics for building closure, face masks, 11-26-2020

Online JFK Spirit Store

Click HERE for the online JFK spirit store developed by Home & School.  Winter hats and scarves are now available, as well as some great stocking stuffer ideas.

Virtual Book Fair

It doesn’t look like we’ll be able to have our annual book fair during Catholic Schools Week in January.  Instead, we are hosting an online book fair before Christmas.

Shopping for books for your children for Christmas?  Come see our online Scholastic holiday book fair.  Our online book fair will be available through Friday, December 11th.  Purchases will be shipped directly to your home.  A portion of sales goes to JFK and allows us to buy new books for our library.

Mississippi Valley School Tuition Organization (STO)

More than 620 students in Scott County are benefiting from financial assistance through the Mississippi Valley School Tuition Organization (MVSTO).  In order to provide the level of financial assistance needed, donations are needed each year.  Donations to the MVSTO are great because they benefit both students and donors.  Students receive the financial assistance needed by their families so they can attend Catholic/private schools, and donors receive a 65% tax CREDIT, not deduction, off of their Iowa taxes, AND the other 35% is a charitable deduction on their federal taxes.  A $100 donation to the MVSTO, for example, allows one to reduce one’s Iowa tax bill by $65, and, at the 32% federal income tax bracket, one might be able to reduce one’s tax bill by about $11.  If you follow the math, a student receives the $100 benefit in financial assistance while the donor has a net cost of, not $100, but only $24!

Donations for this year’s taxes must be made by December 31st.  Act now!  Use the following link for more information and the forms needed:  https://www.mvsto.org/

Chad