Month: December 2024

Early Dismissal on Friday – No Afternoon PS

Dismissal for K-8 is at 12:40 on Friday. Bus transportation is available. Aftercare and wraparound care (ECLC) are available. There are no afternoon preschool classes.

Classes resume on January 6th.

Say Yes

This year’s theme for JFK is “Say Yes,” and the related song we used is Kim Walker Smith’s “I Say Yes.” I was reminded of it again when Mrs. Corcoran mentioned it in the Christmas programs last week, thanking me for “saying yes” to music, finger lights, props, schedules, and types of programs that we’ve never done before. While the meaning was originally targeted for its religious meaning, we have been having fun when people remind me of the theme when asking for another “jeans day,” more sand for science projects, books for preschoolers, etc. Of course, it’s also worked both ways, and I’ve asked staff to do extra duties when a colleague is absent!

How have you said, “Yes,” to Jesus lately?

Books for First Graders and State Investments in the Science of Reading

Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education announced a statewide investment of over $3.5 million to provide every first grader in Iowa with Just Right Reader decodable book packs to take home and keep there as a reinforcement of classroom instruction. These decodable book packs are grounded in the Science of Reading and also include a QR code with access to video lessons for family engagement. The books will be distributed before Christmas break.

These book packs are part of a larger initiative to continue to push the Science of Reading across the state of Iowa. Many Iowa teachers, including eleven at JFK and each of the other SCCS elementary schools, are undergoing a two-year training program in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling based upon the Science of Reading paid for by the Department of Education. Several other teachers at JFK have already completed the training and/or are taking the training through a different cohort/funding source. On Thursday, I will be relatively unavailable as I conclude with the last day long session of LETRS for administrators training.

Highlighted Special Activities this Week

The Davenport Deanery is offering all day Reconciliation opportunities at Our Lady of Lourdes on December 17th from 7 am – 7 pm.

Our K-2 Christmas concert is in the church at 6:00 p.m. Doors will be unlocked at 5:45 p.m. Staff will be in the church prior to that time finishing with the reservation of seats for students, the transformation of the church from primarily a place of worship to a place for a religious Christmas concert, etc. Participating students will sit with their classmates. Please remember that we will still be in a church – no playing in the baptismal font or running around the pews or altar.

Wednesday is the three-year-old preschool event. That will start at 7:30 a.m. in the parish center.

After the special 7:40 a.m. all school Mass on Friday, the kindergarten through 2nd graders will present their Christmas concert to the student body in the church. There is limited seating for additional guests in the very back of the church. Please remember that once students are in the church for Masses, we lock the church doors for safety. Guests planning on viewing the concert should probably plan on attending the 7:40 Mass as well.

Participating Member of Our Lady of Victory or Other Catholic Parish

We do have a definition for being considered a participating member of OLV:

An OLV registered and participating member or member of another supporting Catholic parish, at a minimum, follows the precepts of the Church and is called to go far beyond the minimum in the love of God and neighbor.  Below are the precepts of the Church:

• Attend Mass at OLV or a supporting Catholic parish on Sundays and holy days of obligation. Members of OLV are expected to fulfill the majority of those obligations at OLV to help ensure that the parish and families develop their relationship together as disciples of Christ.
• Confess one’s sins at least once per year.
• Receive Holy Communion at least once per year, during the Easter season.
• Observe the days of fast and abstinence.
• Provide for the needs of the Church, including OLV or the supporting Catholic parish to which one has membership. The use of envelopes or electronic funds transfer should be used by OLV registered and participating members to facilitate this obligation.  If this obligation is too much of a hardship, an individualized plan for donated services/voluntarism may be agreed upon.  Those who are members of another supporting Catholic parish should utilize methods desired by the supporting parish.

In addition, the following are also included in the definition of an OLV registered and participating member, and similar requirements are often made by other supporting Catholic parishes:

• Register in the parish by completing the parish registration form.
• Participate in and help with parish/school activities.

Registration/enrollment for 2025-26 will be available first to participating members of OLV. Families who are members of OLV “in name only” may not be given as high of a priority. Registration/enrollment for 2025-26 is slated to begin January 22nd.

Are you saying “Yes” to weekend Mass worship?

Civic Oration

With sports as this year’s theme, all students in grades 5-8 delivered their “civic oration” speeches last week based upon their research papers. Tobogganing, lacrosse, gymnastics, ice skating, and more were all topics. The following students advanced to the second round of the speech contest:

5th grade: Crue N, Lillian N, Henry S, Stevens F, Gracelyn S, Daniel A

6th grade: Addelyn A, Levi F, Caleb P, Elyas R, Mia V, JaDaiveies W

7th grade: Paloma S, Lilly S, Marshall N, Audrey J, Gideon O, Will C

8th grade: Caitlyn C, Anthony C, Darian M, Derek C, Lincoln M, Sylvia R

Advancing to the “parish center” round of competition in two divisions are the following. Parents/relatives of parish center round contestants are invited to attend the parish center round of competition at 9:00.

5/6: Stevens F, Daniel A, Addelyn A, Elyas R, Mia V, JaDaiveis W

7/8: Anthony C, Caitlyn C, Lilly S, Derek C, Lincoln M, and Darian M

Amazon Wish List

Do you want to help your student get something for their teacher as a Christmas present? Many of the teachers have an Amazon Wish List on their JFK webpage. Find the teacher on the Contact Us section of our website, www.olvjfk.com.

Safe Snack List

Snacks, including those brought in by students, are “regulated” and must be from the approved snack list. Please review the list before sending treats to school. Note that the goal was to identify “safe” snacks/food items, not necessarily “healthy” items.

CSW Talent Show

It’s time to start thinking about the talent show for Catholic Schools Week. Information was released last week so students could start thinking about their act and practice over Christmas break.

Standards/Evidence-Based Assessment and Reporting

A letter regarding the next step in the diocesan and SCCS elementary schools’ transition to more standard/evidence-based assessment and reporting was emailed two weekends ago. It is also available below:

SBAR Letter

Here, again, is the link to the UPDATED instructions for parents to check their students’ “in progress” standards grades. It also includes directions for checking missing assignments and Algebra grades for students taking the class at Assumption. The directions cover how to use both the PowerSchool portal on a computer and the PowerSchool app.

Instructions 

Parking Lot Traffic Patterns

Please only use the designated pick up and drop off areas. Things have gotten a little lax with traffic coming down a lane toward the school at the north end of the parking lot and dropping kids off in the lane rather than along the barriers.  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).

Please remember the following as well:

• 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.
• 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.

Religious Activities this Week

The Vatican has stated that the obligation to attend Mass for the holy day, The Feast of the Immaculate Conception, has been transferred to December 9th. Students will attend an all school Mass on Monday. OLV has Masses at 7:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. (livestreamed and in-person), and 6:00 p.m. on Monday. JFK also has Mass on Thursday for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and third through 8th graders will receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Wednesday during the day. The Davenport Deanery is offering all day Reconciliation opportunities at Sacred Heart on December 12th and Our Lady of Lourdes on December 17th from 7 am – 7 pm.

Participating Member of Our Lady of Victory or Other Catholic Parish

We do have a definition for being considered a participating member of OLV:

An OLV registered and participating member or member of another supporting Catholic parish, at a minimum, follows the precepts of the Church and is called to go far beyond the minimum in the love of God and neighbor.  Below are the precepts of the Church:

• Attend Mass at OLV or a supporting Catholic parish on Sundays and holy days of obligation. Members of OLV are expected to fulfill the majority of those obligations at OLV to help ensure that the parish and families develop their relationship together as disciples of Christ.
• Confess one’s sins at least once per year.
• Receive Holy Communion at least once per year, during the Easter season.
• Observe the days of fast and abstinence.
• Provide for the needs of the Church, including OLV or the supporting Catholic parish to which one has membership. The use of envelopes or electronic funds transfer should be used by OLV registered and participating members to facilitate this obligation.  If this obligation is too much of a hardship, an individualized plan for donated services/voluntarism may be agreed upon.  Those who are members of another supporting Catholic parish should utilize methods desired by the supporting parish.

In addition, the following are also included in the definition of an OLV registered and participating member, and similar requirements are often made by other supporting Catholic parishes:

• Register in the parish by completing the parish registration form.
• Participate in and help with parish/school activities.

Registration/enrollment for 2025-26 will be available first to participating members of OLV. Families who are members of OLV “in name only” may not be given as high of a priority.

Flag Essay Winner

Congratulations to Kai D. in 5th grade. His flag essay was judged a winner.

Amazon Wish List

Do you want to help your student get something for their teacher as a Christmas present? Many of the teachers have an Amazon Wish List on their JFK webpage. Find the teacher on the Contact Us section of our website, www.olvjfk.com.

Safe Snack List

Snacks, including those brought in by students, are “regulated” and must be from the approved snack list. Please review the list before sending treats to school. Note that the goal was to identify “safe” snacks/food items, not necessarily “healthy” items.

CSW Talent Show

It’s time to start thinking about the talent show for Catholic Schools Week. Information was released last week so students could start thinking about their act and practice over Christmas break.

Standards/Evidence-Based Assessment and Reporting

A letter regarding the next step in the diocesan and SCCS elementary schools’ transition to more standard/evidence-based assessment and reporting was emailed two weekends ago. It is also available below:

SBAR Letter

Here, again, is the link to the UPDATED instructions for parents to check their students’ “in progress” standards grades. It also includes directions for checking missing assignments and Algebra grades for students taking the class at Assumption. The directions cover how to use both the PowerSchool portal on a computer and the PowerSchool app.

Instructions 

 

JFK GROWS Students of the Month for November

Each morning, students and teachers at JFK recite the JFK Difference:  JFK GROWS.  We put God first, use Respectful behaviors, find Opportunities to serve, are Welcoming to all, and make Safe choices.  Each month, we recognize one student at each grade level, alternating each month between the two homerooms, whose teachers have observed exhibiting these traits particularly well at school during the past month:

• Kindergarten:  Sara D.
  • Sara is a leader in the classroom and always puts God first. She works hard and demonstrates the JFK GROWS daily.
• 1st Grade: Maverick F.
  • Maverick comes to school ready to learn and is a great example to others.
• 2nd Grade: Luci T.
  • Luci is new to our JFK family, and she fits right in. She always has a positive and helpful attitude and is always looking to do the right thing. No matter what we are doing, Luci is ready to participate, learn, or help.
• 3rd Grade: Brinsley S.
  • Brinsley is a hard-working student who shows respect in the classroom by following directions and staying on task. She is a kind friend, and we are happy she has joined our JFK family.
• 4th Grade: Stella P.
  • Stella deserves recognition for her exceptional kindness, respect, and dedication to academic excellence. She is always willing to help teachers and classmates and is a model student.
• 5th Grade: Kaylee B.
  •  Kaylee is very respectful and follows expectations. She is quick to include others who are without a partner during group work. Kaylee well-mannered and greets those around her with a smile.
• 6th Grade: Mia V.
  • Mia always strives to do her best.  She is kind to peers and teachers alike and is always very helpful.
• 7th Grade: Natalie R.
  • Natalie is not only a great student, but a great person. She always comes to class prepared, sometimes even over-prepared! This works in favor of her classmates as she is always willing to share. She is kind, genuinely caring, and even tries to make her teachers smile. She has high expectations for herself and her classmates. JFK is very lucky to have her.
• 8th Grade: Kenya H.
  • Kenya is very respectful. Kenya is always willing to step up and volunteer in class.

Internationally Acclaimed Speaker for SCCS

Chris Stefanick, an internationally acclaimed speaker, will be presenting his message of Living Joy to SCCS 6th-12th graders this week at AHS. Mr. Stefanick is a recipient of the Papal Benemerenti Medal given by the pope for achievement in ministry and recent keynote at the National Catholic Youth Conference,

CSW Talent Show

It’s time to start thinking about the talent show for Catholic Schools Week. Look for a flyer and more information to be released before Christmas break.

Standards/Evidence-Based Assessment and Reporting

A letter regarding the next step in the diocesan and SCCS elementary schools’ transition to more standard/evidence-based assessment and reporting was emailed two weekends ago. It is also available below:

SBAR Letter

Here, again, is the link to the UPDATED instructions for parents to check their students’ “in progress” standards grades. It also includes directions for checking missing assignments and Algebra grades for students taking the class at Assumption. The directions cover how to use both the PowerSchool portal on a computer and the PowerSchool app.

Instructions 

Annual Progress Report to the Community

JFK’s Annual Progress Report to the Community, summarizing the 2023-24 school year, has been posted to our website. Many thanks to Emma Wolf for her design work.