Grade Level Parent Meetings Begin this Week
Each grade level or homeroom has a beginning of the year parent meeting where teachers will go over some of the basics. Students do not need to attend. Dates and times are on the detailed calendar on our website. See communications from your child’s teacher regarding the location.
Calendars
Multiple calendars are available on our website, www.olvjfk.com. On the school side of the website, a one-page summary calendar is on the front page. Detailed calendars can also be reached by clicking on the calendars heading toward the upper right corner of the website. Use these detailed calendars, for example, to check when your child’s K-8 parent meeting is scheduled. Anything underlined on the calendar can be clicked on, and more details will open for you.
Principal’s Posts
Principal’s Posts are written each weekend and posted on our website, available off the front page. I also send a link via email and post it to the school’s Facebook accounts. You will also receive numerous email communications from teachers. Email is probably the number one form of communication in schools.
We also utilize our main JFK Facebook page, a JFK preschool Facebook page, and a closed Facebook group, JFK Moms & Dads, where people can post to others in the group. JFK’s Facebook page can be accessed from the front page of our website. If you’d like to be a member of the JFK Moms & Dads group, please let Angie Hillebrand, in the school office know via a Facebook request or even via email.
Social media is not the best venue for voicing a concern, and posts that appear to do so will be removed while we try to reach out to address the concern through a better means. Social media, including our Facebook pages, are great ways to share your photos and connect with other JFK families. Photos from an event are often posted to these pages by families before we can even get photos taken by staff posted. Please remember, however, that not all parents are comfortable with photos of their children being on social media.
Cell Phone Articles and Policy/Procedural Shifts
I’ve been reading the series of articles regarding cell phones in schools in the Quad City Times. Referencing a US News & World Reports in 2022, the Times this Sunday cited a New Jersey high school teacher’s experiment in class. For the 40-minute class period, the teacher let students turn on the notifications for their smart phones: 600 notifications in 40 minutes. Making a simple assumption of 25 students per class, that yields one notification per student about every 1-2 minutes. No wonder phones can be so distracting!
At JFK, our policy states that cell phones, smart watches, and other electronic devices will not be used by students between 7:00 a.m. and until students leave the building. During school hours, phones, smart watches and other electronic devices must be kept turned off in one’s locker.
The QCTimes editorial page on Sunday also stated “Smart phones didn’t arrive in our classrooms after some thoughtful consideration weighing their benefits and disadvantages. They just started showing up” (page A12). Many times, that’s what happens with things that prompt policy or procedural changes; we respond to things that occur. We may try to get ahead of the latest trends or develop procedures ahead of time for what we foresee, but reality often causes shifts. Dress code is a great example and seems to have tweaks every year. We were reactionary with “tinseling” but hopefully ahead of “fake” eyelashes and unusually long fake fingernails.
Spirt Wear/Green & White Day
On Friday, students can be out of uniform, if they are wearing JFK spirit wear and/or green/white. Out of uniform dress guidelines apply.
ALICE/Run-Hide-Fight Training for Kids
As part of our regular safety procedures, teachers talk to students about ALICE, which is an acronym used to help people remember what to do in the event of a violent situation in a school. We also use the Run-Hide-Fight phrasing. The materials we’ve used/developed over the years and the approaches we take are targeted for specific grade strands as what one says and does with three-year-olds in preschool is entirely different than with 13-year-olds in 8th grade. Our work with ALICE complements our other conversations and drills, such as those for fire or tornado/inclement weather.
PS Through Age 12 Aftercare and Wraparound Care/ECLC
After school care and wrap around care/ECLC are licensed by the Department of Health & Human Services and provide supervised activities for students who have not yet turned thirteen. The preschool wrap around rate is included in your tuition bill for either full-time (20 hours or more) or part-time care (less than 20 hours). There is an hourly rate for K through age 12. A childcare registration form is required for each student. Below are the links to the forms needed:
Preschool Wraparound Care forms
PS-8 Immunization Records
Preschoolers, kindergartners and other students new to JFK need to provide evidence of immunizations prior to school beginning. There are also two boosters, TDaP and meningococcal conjugate vaccine, required for 7th graders prior to school beginning. We can accept faxed or emailed copies. Iowa law says that students cannot be enrolled without up-to-date immunization information provided to the school, and schools must exclude students without proper immunizations. There are minimal exceptions. Those interested in religious exemptions should note that because the Catholic Church does not object to immunizations, a religious exemption for Catholics should not be possible.
Bus Times
It seems like it always takes a little time for the bus company to smooth things out at the beginning of the school year. There are eleven buses serving JFK, All Saints, Trinity Lutheran and Assumption students this year. In the afternoon, ten buses pick up students at ASCS, then pick up students from Trinity, and finally come to JFK. One bus comes from AHS to JFK with any AHS students needing to transfer to other buses before leaving JFK. With the start of the new school year, and the construction on Central Park and Marquette, I don’t think our last bus even left JFK on Friday until almost 3:15. That will improve, but it will take still take some time until things start operating more smoothly. Employees of JFK can work as liaisons, but we have no control over busing. Please be patient with us and the bus company as well.
PE Uniform for 5th-8th Grades
Fifth-8th graders wear their PE clothes rather than their school uniform on days when they have PE. The PE uniform must be purchased from the school identified vendor, Empowering Abilities (formerly known as Handicapped Development Center): http://handicappeddevelopment.org/jfk/
Water Bottles Must Be Able to be Sealed/Closed
Due to how often students move about the building and classrooms, as well as other issues experienced last spring, students’ water bottles must be able to be sealed/closed. Large mugs with straws sticking out are not water bottles and should be left home. Students are encouraged to have water bottles at school. We added one more bottle filling station this summer and now have four throughout the building.
Policy Changes Highlighted
There were numerous policy changes or new policies added over the summer. Several of these changes/new policies are highlighted below:
- Policy 213.1, Parent Code of Conduct: What’s expected of parents’ behavior. Diocesan policy required to be in local handbooks
- Policy 213.5, Custody: Equal parental rights unless documentation shows otherwise
- Policy 360.10, Safety Regulations Regarding Drop-off & Dismissal of Children: Pets prohibited
- Policy 501.2, Managing Enrollment: Prioritized admissions/enrollment order for when space is limited. Diocesan policy required to be in local handbooks. Includes Covenant of Trust Between Parents and the Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Davenport
- Policy 520.15, Probation: General academic and behavioral statement.
- Policy 540.1, Discipline Policy & Procedures: Added consequences for the accumulation of Level I detentions in a quarter. Probation language added
- Policy 541.2, Out of Uniform Dress Day Guidelines: Clarification that hoodies are acceptable as long as hoods are not up. Clothing used to hide cell phones jeopardizes permission to participate in future out of uniform days.
- Policy 580.20, Athletic Policy: Eligibility shift from GPA and/or failing grades to missing assignments
- Policy 580.30, Special Events: Snack list
- Policy 615.10, Technology and Internet Safety and Acceptable Use Policy: With the elimination of a parent-funded insurance program, full costs will be borne by families for lost/damaged equipment.
- Policy 680, Wellness Policies on Nutrition and Physical Activity: Snacks, including those brought in by students, are “regulated” and must be from the approved snack list.
- Statement of Receipt and Agreement: Continued enrollment implies agreement to abide by all policies.
Open Support Positions at JFK
A week ago, we had all but one support position filled. This week, we have three open support positions. I saw last week that the DCSD has the same issue and has “paused” their after-school programs for McKinley and Truman. JFK is not quite at that point yet, but support staff are just as important as teachers, and three openings puts stress on everyone. We may be able to adjust some of schedule for the aide positions.
Instructional aide/support position: Working primarily with preschool children in wraparound care and/or kindergarten through age 12 students in aftercare. About 37 hours per week, $13.50 per hour.
- 10:25-5:30 on Mondays and Fridays
- 7:10-4:30 on Tuesdays
- 9:15-5:30 on Wednesdays and Thursdays
Instructional aide/support position and lunch program worker: Working to help in the lunch program, supervise several recesses along with other staff and supervise kindergarten through age 12 students in aftercare. About 38 hours per week, $13.50 per hour.
- 9:15-5:30 on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays
- 10:00-5:30 Tuesdays
- 8:30-5:30 on Wednesdays
Food service worker: Working primarily in the kitchen and cafeteria to help with our lunch program. About 18-20 hours per week, $13.50 per hour.
If interested, please send me a cover letter, resume, and references, and/or stop by the school office for an application.
Substitutes: Needed for both long-term assignments (like maternity leaves) and short-term assignments (like when a teacher needs to stay home with his/her own sick child). Although a teaching degree is the most ideal qualification, you do not need one to work as a substitute. A bachelor’s/associate’s/60 hrs of college course work meets the educational qualifications. The process to become a substitute teacher includes completion of a 15-20 hour workshop, multiple background checks, and applications with the Iowa Board of Education Examiners and JFK. The easiest way to progress toward the teaching authorization license is to take the self-paced online course. We would also like to thank our current substitutes: Kayla Mason, Jen Kira, Diana Longenecker, and Thomas Day.
New Roles and New Staff
Alicia Andresen: Moved as an instructional aide to 1st grade with Ms. Epping
Bety Herrera: Moved to an instructional aide position with Ms. Youngerman in 1st grade
Kari Lystiuk: Moved as an instructional aide to 4 YO preschool with Ms. Zeimet
Miranda Labora: Became even more FT in 3 YO preschool as an aide
Casey Smith: Moved to the lead teacher role for 3 YO preschool and ECLC
Cris Bowden: Moved to an administrative assistant role in the office
Billie Inskeep: Moved to kindergarten, which she had taught prior to coming to JFK
Jodi Weiser: Moved to an interventionist position
Caitlin Putnam: Moved to the building coordinator/school improvement strategist position. A member of JFK’s Building Leadership Team for almost ten years, Mrs. Putnam has been deeply involved in nearly every initiative at JFK.
Laura Corcoran: Joined the staff as the music teacher after several years of teaching in schools and privately
Michelle Che: Joined the staff as the band teacher after several years of band and music teaching experience
Stefanie Carlson: Joined the staff as a 5th grade teacher after several years of experience in 4th grade and special education
Bailey Estes: Joined the staff as a 5th grade teacher after experience in both 6th and 4th grades
Katie Woods: Joined the staff as a “floating” aide in 4 YO preschool and ECLC/wrap-around care
Text Message Communications
If you would like to receive text messages from JFK, type “Y” or “Yes” to 67587. While we don’t use “bulk” text messages often, you don’t want to miss them for a snow day, for example. Families must opt in to receive text messages.
Bulk messaging to the whole school actually goes out on a per student basis. If you have three students at JFK, you get the same message three times. It’s probably a “better safe than sorry” scenario, however. Would you rather sign up for text messaging and get three messages saying school is cancelled due to weather or none at all?
Parking Lot Traffic Patterns
It’s not too early to review the parking lot traffic patterns. A few reminders are below:
- Proceed SLOWLY and cautiously through every location. Little kids are hard to see by cars. What one makes up in time by speeding through the lot will matter little if someone is hit by a car!
- Be attentive to your driving. Talking on a cell phone, even handsfree, can be a distraction when one’s attention is needed most to watch for kids and pedestrians.
- Only use handicapped parking spots if qualified. Handicapped parking spots are reserved for those who need them throughout the entire day, including morning drop off, mid-day pre-school pick up and drop off, and pick up at the end of the day. We reserve one of our handicapped spots, in particular, for wheelchair access for a student.
- Accompany younger students to/from the barriers, if you park in the lot and are not using the drive-through lanes. Parents who are standing and waiting for their little ones should stand on the school side of the barriers. All children should be supervised. Pets should not be among the children.
A photo of the parking lot patterns can be found using the following link: Parking lot traffic patterns
- Red arrows are the drop off/pick up zones. Note that the main one is at the north, but there is also one that can be used at the south.
- Blue arrows are the one-way pick-up lanes.
- Orange arrows are one-way lanes.
- Green arrows indicate where traffic goes in both directions.
- Note that in some areas there are two lanes going in the same direction: one lane is just driving through (orange arrows) and the other lane is the pick up lane leading to the drop off/pick up zone (blue and red arrows).
OLV Masses and Altar Servers
The beginning of a new school year and new schedules is the perfect time to renew and/or adjust your weekend Mass attendance schedule. OLV has four weekend Masses: 4:30 on Saturdays and 7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., and 11:00 a.m. on Sundays. Each Mass has a slightly different “feel” as well, if that aspect is more important than the time of day.
OLV is also in need of altar servers.
Chad
