Month: November 2021

Last Week for Survey

We have begun working with Marzano Resources on the national High Reliability Schools framework.  There are five levels in which schools or districts can be involved.  The first level examines a safe, supportive, and collaborative culture.  To help us explore Level I at JFK, we are conducting a survey of JFK’s older students, parents, and staff.  Please respond to the survey between November 14 and December 4.  High Reliability Schools Survey

5 Levels of the High Reliability Framework

Highlighted Events — Busy 3 Weeks Until Christmas Break

Both a summary and detailed school calendars for JFK are available on our website.  Highlighted events are below:

• Nov 28:  First Sunday of Advent
• Nov 30:  End of 2nd mid-qtr.  Skate Night.
• Dec 2:  First Reconciliation
• Dec 6:  St. Nick’s Treats from Assumption
• Dec 8:  Feast of the Immaculate Conception
• Dec 9:  3/4 Christmas concert
• Dec 10: 4/5 yr old PS parent/child events.  JFK 3rd-8th grade Reconciliation during the day.
• Dec 14:  Band concert
• Dec 15:  3 yr old PS parent/child event
• Dec 16:  K-2 Christmas concert
• Dec 17:  Last day of school before Christmas break begins.  Red/Green/White/Christmas attire.  Special dismissal at 12:40.  No pm PS classes.
• Jan 3:  Classes resume after Christmas break

Ignite Sundays

See below for the list of IGNITE Sundays.  There is no cost or registration required to participate. Come to as many of the opportunities listed below as you are able on IGNITE Sundays.  Families are encouraged to participate together.  There are small group activities and family activities at each session.

Typical schedule for IGNITE Sundays:

• 4:30-5:30pm Mass
• 5:35-6:05pm Meal in the Parish Center
• 6:10-7:15pm Group Gatherings

Ignite Sundays:

• Dec 12:  Finding your place in the Advent story
• Feb 13:  Anawim (Hebrew word meaning “poor one”)  Poverty and the dignity of work
• March 6:  “I thirst” Lent
• March 20:  “I hunger” Eucharist
• April 10:  Family: The foundation of society
• April 24: What does God want me to do?

COVID Guidance for 2021-22

Click on the JFK COVID FAQ, 2021-22 to have your questions answered.  Please note that the information is, however, subject to change.

COVID Data and Comments

Below is a link to a .pdf file that shows several graphs for Scott County and JFK.  Below are also some comments related to the pandemic.

COVID Data, Nov 26, 2021

• COVID shots are now available for the 5-11 year old age group.  They now join those aged 12 and up who can receive the COVID vaccination.  Booster shots are also available for those 18 and over.
• Here is a link to the Scott County Health Department.  On its website is a link to a conversation among area pediatricians: Area Pediatricians Discuss COVID Vaccination
• COVID numbers continue to rise in Scott County, and concerns are being raised about the after effect of Thanksgiving and then the impact of Christmas.  Case counts, positivity rates, and the percentage of hospital beds occupied by COVID patients are all trending upward.  The latest COVID variant is also starting to catch people’s attention.  While COVID numbers are rising in Scott County, we still haven’t seen that at JFK yet.
• As we began to do some planning for Catholic Schools Week at the end of January, the conversation quickly broadened to the following questions:  When will we loosen or reduce other mitigation strategies?  What will the criteria be, for example, when we no longer have classrooms set up with at least four feet of social distancing?  When will we not have every other stool seating in the cafeteria?  When will we resume all school Masses once per week rather than “half school” Masses twice per week?  There’s a good deal of thought that once we make it past the holidays and, with vaccination now available for those ages five and up and boosters also available for those 18 and over, we can begin to think about other mitigation strategies.

Returning to the Building?

I am hoping to return to the building regularly after Thanksgiving after being out of the building for non-COVID related reasons.  I’m not sure how it will go, but I’ll give it a try!

Chad

Short Week

There are no classes at JFK beginning this week on Wednesday, except for those 8th graders taking Algebra at Assumption.  ECLC will be open on Wednesday but will also be closed on Thursday and Friday.

Survey

We have begun working with Marzano Resources on the national High Reliability Schools framework.  There are five levels in which schools or districts can be involved.  The first level examines a safe, supportive, and collaborative culture.  To help us explore Level I at JFK, we are conducting a survey of JFK’s older students, parents, and staff.  Please respond to the survey between November 14 and December 4.  High Reliability Schools Survey

5 Levels of the High Reliability Framework

Highlighted Events

Both a summary and detailed school calendars for JFK are available on our website.  Highlighted events are below:

• Nov 23:  Thanksgiving Food Color Day:  Students should dress in the color of their favorite Thanksgiving food.  Students may be out of uniform on this day if they participate in the special theme but need to follow the out of uniform guidelines. No costumes are allowed as it is also an all school Mass day.
• Nov 24:  Thanksgiving break.  ECLC open.
• Nov 25-26:  Thanksgiving break.  ECLC closed.
• Nov 30:  End of 2nd mid-qtr.  Skate Night.
• Dec 2:  First Reconciliation
• Dec 9:  3/4 Christmas concert
• Dec 10: 4/5 yr old PS parent/child events.  JFK 3rd-8th grade Reconciliation during the day.
• Dec 14:  Band concert
• Dec 15:  3 yr old PS parent/child event
• Dec 16:  K-2 Christmas concert
• Dec 17:  Last day of school before Christmas break begins.  Red/Green/White/Christmas attire.  Special dismissal at 12:40.  No pm PS classes.
• Jan 3:  Classes resume after Christmas break

Ignite Sundays

See below for the list of IGNITE Sundays.  There is no cost or registration required to participate. Come to as many of the opportunities listed below as you are able on IGNITE Sundays.  Families are encouraged to participate together.  There are small group activities and family activities at each session.

Typical schedule for IGNITE Sundays:

• 4:30-5:30pm Mass
• 5:35-6:05pm Meal in the Parish Center
• 6:10-7:15pm Group Gatherings

Ignite Sundays:

• Dec 12:  Finding your place in the Advent story
• Feb 13:  Anawim (Hebrew word meaning “poor one”)  Poverty and the dignity of work
• March 6:  “I thirst” Lent
• March 20:  “I hunger” Eucharist
• April 10:  Family: The foundation of society
• April 24: What does God want me to do?

COVID Guidance for 2021-22

Click on the JFK COVID FAQ, 2021-22 to have your questions answered.  Please note that the information is, however, subject to change.

COVID Data and Comments

Below is a link to a .pdf file that shows several graphs for Scott County and JFK.  Below are also some comments related to the pandemic.

COVID Data, Nov 19, 2021

• COVID shots are now available for the 5-11 year old age group.  They now join those aged 12 and up who can receive the COVID vaccination.
• Here is a link to the Scott County Health Department.  On its website is a link to a conversation among area pediatricians: Area Pediatricians Discuss COVID Vaccination
• While COVID numbers are rising in Scott County, we still haven’t seen that at JFK yet.
• Expect the absence rates to be rather high for this short week.  Many families start to travel early for Thanksgiving.

I’m Going Remote?

I am hoping to return to the building regularly after Thanksgiving after being out of the building for non-COVID related reasons.  Education, including administration, is not the same when done remotely!

Chad

Survey

We have begun working with Marzano Resources on the national High Reliability Schools framework.  There are five levels in which schools or districts can be involved.  The first level examines a safe, supportive, and collaborative culture.  To help us explore Level I at JFK, we are conducting a survey of JFK’s older students, parents, and staff.  Please respond to the survey between November 14 and December 4.  High Reliability Schools Survey

5 Levels of the High Reliability Framework

Highlighted Events

Both a summary and detailed school calendars for JFK are available on our website.  Highlighted events are below:

• Nov 19:  Butter braid bread delivery.  Nothing Bundt Cake “pop up” sale.
• Nov 24:  Thanksgiving break.  ECLC open.
• Nov 25-26:  Thanksgiving break.  ECLC closed.
• Nov 30:  End of 2nd mid-qtr.
• Dec 2:  First Reconciliation
• Dec 17:  Last day of school before Christmas break begins
• Jan 3:  Classes resume after Christmas break

Ignite Sundays

See below for the list of IGNITE Sundays.  There is no cost or registration required to participate. Come to as many of the opportunities listed below as you are able on IGNITE Sundays.  Families are encouraged to participate together.  There are small group activities and family activities at each session.

Typical schedule for IGNITE Sundays:

• 4:30-5:30pm Mass
• 5:35-6:05pm Meal in the Parish Center
• 6:10-7:15pm Group Gatherings

Ignite Sundays:

• Nov 21:  What’s my motivation to go to Mass?
• Dec 12:  Finding your place in the Advent story
• Feb 13:  Anawim (Hebrew word meaning “poor one”)  Poverty and the dignity of work
• March 6:  “I thirst” Lent
• March 20:  “I hunger” Eucharist
• April 10:  Family: The foundation of society
• April 24: What does God want me to do?

Budgeted Cost Per Pupil

The budgeted cost per K-8 pupil in the 2021-22 school year for  JFK is $6,409.  The difference between cost per pupil and tuition ($3,970 for OLV parishioners for the first child) is made up by the parish, fundraising, and other sources.  OLV is budgeted to contribute nearly $2,000 per pupil to the education of students at JFK this year.

Labor of Love

Teachers and support staff at JFK perform a labor of love.  While non-public school teachers in Iowa averaged 1.5 more years of experience than Iowa’s public school teachers in 2019-20, the last year data was available, JFK teachers made on average about $15,000 less than their public school counterparts ($43,450 vs. $58,110).  The average support staff member pay rate at JFK is currently $14.11 per hour, but this is skewed by a few who make significantly more than even the median of $13.42 per hour.  Support staff members include custodians, office personnel, library/media associate, technology coordinator, lunch program employees, and instructional and supervisory aides.

COVID Guidance for 2021-22

Click on the JFK COVID FAQ, 2021-22 to have your questions answered.  Please note that the information is, however, subject to change.

COVID Data and Comments

Below is a link to a .pdf file that shows several graphs for Scott County and JFK.  Below are also some comments related to the pandemic.

COVID Data, Nov 12, 2021

• The charts for JFK do not yet include November 12th data or the averages, thus, for week 12 of the school year.
• COVID shots are now available for the 5-11 year old age group.  They now join those aged 12 and up who can receive the COVID vaccination.
• Here is a link to the Scott County Health Department.  On its website is a link to a conversation among area pediatricians: Area Pediatricians Discuss COVID Vaccination
• Some of the administrators at this week’s health department meeting were concerned that things are starting to increase to about where they were last year before the surge that went from before Thanksgiving until after Christmas.  We haven’t seen that yet in JFK’s COVID data.

I’m Going Remote?

I continue to be out of the building for non-COVID related reasons for several days.  Thank you to everyone who has wished me well, including the students in Mrs. Motto’s kindergarten class who made cards for me.

Chad

Parade of Saints

JFK’s 18 “saints” and two 8th grade readers:

Highlighted Events

Both a summary and detailed school calendars for JFK are available on our website.  Highlighted events are below:

• Nov 11:  No buses.  (JFK has school, but the DCSD does not.)
• Nov 19:  Butter braid bread delivery.  Nothing Bundt Cake “pop up” sale.
• Nov 24:  Thanksgiving break.  ECLC open.
• Nov 25-26:  Thanksgiving break.  ECLC closed.
• Nov 30:  End of 2nd mid-qtr.
• Dec 2:  First Reconciliation
• Dec 17:  Last day of school before Christmas break begins
• Jan 3:  Classes resume after Christmas break

Ignite Sundays

See below for the list of IGNITE Sundays.  There is no cost or registration required to participate. Come to as many of the opportunities listed below as you are able on IGNITE Sundays.  Families are encouraged to participate together.  There are small group activities and family activities at each session.

Typical schedule for IGNITE Sundays:

• 4:30-5:30pm Mass
• 5:35-6:05pm Meal in the Parish Center
• 6:10-7:15pm Group Gatherings

Ignite Sundays:

• Nov 21:  What’s my motivation to go to Mass?
• Dec 12:  Finding your place in the Advent story
• Feb 13:  Anawim (Hebrew word meaning “poor one”)  Poverty and the dignity of work
• March 6:  “I thirst” Lent
• March 20:  “I hunger” Eucharist
• April 10:  Family: The foundation of society
• April 24: What does God want me to do?

Welcome Kayla Mason

JFK welcomes Kayla Mason to the staff as a “permanent substitute.”  She works everyday for JFK in whatever position she is needed.  JFK is averaging about 2-4 staff members, which includes both teachers and support staff, absent per day.

Budgeted Cost Per Pupil

The budgeted cost per K-8 pupil in the 2021-22 school year for  JFK is $6,409.  The difference between cost per pupil and tuition ($3,970 for OLV parishioners for the first child) is made up by the parish, fundraising, and other sources.  OLV is budgeted to contribute nearly $2,000 per pupil to the education of students at JFK this year.

Labor of Love

Teachers and support staff at JFK perform a labor of love.  While non-public school teachers in Iowa averaged 1.5 more years of experience than Iowa’s public school teachers in 2019-20, the last year data was available, JFK teachers made on average about $15,000 less than their public school counterparts ($43,450 vs. $58,110).  The average support staff member pay rate at JFK is currently $14.11 per hour, but this is skewed by a few who make significantly more than even the median of $13.42 per hour.  Support staff members include custodians, office personnel, library/media associate, technology coordinator, lunch program employees, and instructional and supervisory aides.

COVID Guidance for 2021-22

Click on the JFK COVID FAQ, 2021-22 to have your questions answered.  Please note that the information is, however, subject to change.

COVID Data and Comments

Below is a link to a .pdf file that shows several graphs for Scott County and JFK.  Below are also some comments related to the pandemic.

COVID Data, Nov 5, 2021

• COVID shots are now available for the 5-11 year old age group.  They now join those aged 12 and up who can receive the COVID vaccination.

I’m Going Remote?

I will be out of the building for non-COVID related reasons for several days beginning this week.  Staff members have been kidding me that I’m going remote.  They even prepared a crate of books and materials that I might “need.”

Chad