Author: csteimle

Formal Registration for K-8 Has Begun

Tuition contracts for K-8 were mailed to families two weeks ago.  The return of the tuition contract and the registration fee, discounted for OLV parishioners and returning families from $150 to $100 per student when returned before April, is the formal enrollment process for 2022-23.  Please contact the school office or Fr. Jake right away if you did not receive your contract.

Pre-school and Daycare Registration

Registration for all sections of 3 year old preschool, 4/5 year old preschool, and ECLC is underway for all families.  Morning classes fill up quickly, in particular, so do not delay PS registration.

See the  K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022

Crusader Theater Try-outs for 6th-8th Graders

This year’s Crusader Theater production is Encyclopedia Brown.  Encyclopedia Brown is a series of books staring young detective “Encyclopedia” Brown who solves all sorts of mysteries for his friends, the neighbors, and even the police.  Spanning publication dates of nearly 50 years, the series has led to a comic strip, a TV series, and other related items.  Crusader Theater is open to all 6th-8th graders.  Performances are scheduled for May 13 at 6:30 p.m. and May 14 at 3:00 p.m.

Upcoming Events

Keep an eye on the school calendar on our website.  It’s filling up with so many activities in April and May, it makes one’s head spin!  We should have a year-at-a-glance 2022-23 school calendar passed by our board on Tuesday.  Look for it on our website soon thereafter.

• April 5:  Crusader Theater Try-outs for 6th-8th
• April 6:  Crusader Theater Try-outs for 6th-8th, as needed
• April 7:  Crusader Theater Callbacks, as needed.  5/6 Spring Show, 6:30
• April 11:  SCCS 8th grade mixer
• April 14:   Holy Thursday school activities, 1:20
• April 15:  Good Friday.  No classes.  ECLC closed
• April 17:  Easter Sunday
• April 18:  Easter Monday.  No classes.  ECLC closed
• April 21:  Hearing Screening.  Parent University w/Anne McNelis via Zoom.
• April 25-29:  Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress for grades 3-8
• April 27:  SCCS Mass at AHS for grades 2-12
• April 28-30:  Plant Sale Pick Up

Leaps & Bounds

Registration for our free sessions of summer Leaps & Bounds has begun.  Please refer to the email from Kitty Temming.  Registration is first-come, first-served.  With two classes running simultaneously for the three sessions, we have 90 spots available, and 2/3 of the spots are already filled.

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:

• April 10:  Family: The foundation of society
• April 24: What does God want me to do?

Chad

Formal Registration for K-8 Has Begun

Tuition contracts for K-8 were mailed to families late last week.  The return of the tuition contract and the registration fee, discounted for OLV parishioners and returning families from $150 to $100 per student when returned before April, is the formal enrollment process for 2022-23.

Please contact the school office right away, if you missed Kindergarten Round-up and kindergarten pre-registration.  We don’t want to miss sending you a tuition contract for next year!

Pre-school and Daycare Registration

Registration for all sections of 3 year old preschool, 4/5 year old preschool, and ECLC is underway for all families.  Morning classes fill up quickly, in particular, so do not delay PS registration.

See the  K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022

Upcoming Events

• April 1:  Two hour early dismissal (12:45).  End of 3rd quarter.  No afternoon PS
• April 7:  5/6 Spring Show, 6:30
• April 11:  SCCS 8th grade mixer
• April 14:   Holy Thursday school activities, 1:20
• April 15:  Good Friday.  No classes.  ECLC closed
• April 17:  Easter Sunday
• April 18:  Easter Monday.  No classes.  ECLC closed

Leaps & Bounds

Registration for our free sessions of summer Leaps & Bounds began last week.  Please refer to the email from Kitty Temming.  Registration is first-come, first-served.  With two classes running simultaneously for the three sessions, we have 90 spots available, and half of them are already filled.

COVID Comments

Please continue to take care of yourselves and your family.  We haven’t seen an increase in COVID numbers yet this spring, but we’re not entirely out of the woods yet.  COVID guidance continues to emphasize the following strategies:

• • Recommending vaccination, including boosters, for all eligible
  • Optional masking, particularly indoors and/or in crowded settings and when the vaccination status of others is unknown
  • Ventilation
  • Handwashing and respiratory etiquette
  • Staying home when sick and getting tested
    • Physical distancing and masking are important here too as they are, or perhaps should be, for any other airborne illness
  • Close contacts taking precautions, including some physical distancing and masking, to not only protect themselves but also so they do not become asymptomatic spreaders

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:

• April 10:  Family: The foundation of society
• April 24: What does God want me to do?

Civic Oration Topic:  Inspirational Persons

As I mentioned to the 4th-8th graders gathered to watch the final round of our civic oration competition, all of the 5th-8th graders inspire me just by being able to give public speeches at their ages.  I know I couldn’t do it.  When I was in 2nd grade, we did a “big” show:  The Circus.  I had an important role as the ringmaster.  (Imagine that!)  By the time I was in 6th grade at my K-6 school, however, I had lost my confidence and tried to avoid public speaking.  Our big play was Robin Hood.  I didn’t even bother trying out for the large roles of Robin Hood, Little John, or Friar Tuck.  I played a guard.  I had no speaking lines!  EVERY student in 5th-8th grade at JFK inspires me because every one of them gives their civic oration speeches.

Some students do win our competition as well.  Results are below for first, second, and third places:

5th/6th grade division:  Caitlyn C., Natalie S., and Ava W.

7th/8th grade division:  Marissa B., Julia M., and Adam W.

Our judges have a tough job, and we’d like to thank them:  Andy Burman, Monica Flathman, Fr. Jake Greiner, Aaron Gunnare, Kaye Meyers, and Kitty Temming.

Chad

Formal Registration for K-8 Begins this Week

Tuition contracts for K-8 will be mailed to families this week.  The return of the tuition contract and the registration fee, discounted for OLV parishioners and returning families from $150 to $100 per student when returned before April, is the formal enrollment process for 2022-23.

Please contact the school office right away, if you missed Kindergarten Round-up and kindergarten pre-registration.  We don’t want to miss sending you a tuition contract for next year!

Pre-school and Daycare Registration

Registration for all sections of 3 year old preschool, 4/5 year old preschool, and ECLC is underway for all families.  Morning classes fill up quickly, in particular, so do not delay PS registration.

See the  K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022

Position Change and Opening for Next School Year

We are pleased to announce that Ethan Connors will assume the position of Assistant Principal/Director of Special Programs in the 2022-23 school year.  Ethan has taught band at JFK since 2013 and has served on the Building Leadership Team/Professional Development Team for the last several years.  He also completed his administrative internship at JFK several years ago.  As a member of our Gospel Values/School Climate committee, he has statistically analyzed parents’ and teachers’ survey data and examined open-ended question responses to provide meaning to the raw numbers.  He has become immersed in the minutia of schools, like scheduling and providing coverage when short-staffed, and he can also see the broader picture of Catholic school education.  Ethan Connors is an asset to the school and will be in his new position as well.

Band Position:  Our middle school band position is open for next school year.  An Iowa teaching license with a K-8 or 5-12 music endorsement, or the ability to obtain one of the endorsements within a year or two, is required.  Interested parties should contact me at chad.steimle@olvjfkmail.com.

Upcoming Events

• Mar 21:  Classes resume
• Mar 22:  Penny War for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation begins
• Mar 24:  Final round of civic oration
• Mar 25:  Dress in your favorite color day
• Mar 26:  Confirmation retreat (8-11 with sponsors or a parent)
• April 1:  Two hour early dismissal (12:45).  End of 3rd quarter.  No afternoon PS
• April 15:  Good Friday.  No classes.  ECLC closed
• April 17:  Easter Sunday
• April 18:  Easter Monday.  No classes.  ECLC closed

COVID Comments

The vast majority of our remaining COVID mitigation strategies will be removed by the time we come back from spring break.  More noticeable changes are mentioned below:

• Masses are back to “normal” including the requirement that Catholics attend Mass on the weekend.
• One all school Mass on Wednesdays at 7:40 a.m. will be restored.  Arriving at school on time will be even more critical on Wednesdays as students who arrive late may find that their class has already left for the church.  Singing will return to Masses, but students as song leaders will take a while longer.  (They haven’t sung at school Masses for over almost two years!)
• Any seating arrangement without regard to the physical distancing that had been used for COVID mitigation will be allowed in school.  (Tables for preschoolers will not likely return until we can figure out where to store the 60 desks that would have to come out of classrooms.)
• Rugs in preschool, ECLC, and kindergarten, in particular, will return, and students can be gathered together on them for instruction and story time.
• Singing will more regularly be a part of music classes.  A more regular spring show and 7/8 grade spring showcase will return.
• Clear partitions have been removed in the cafeteria, art  room, library, and resource rooms.
• Zig-zag seating with an open seat between students in the cafeteria is no longer required in grades 1-8.
• The exclusion of students from school due to illnesses returns to the normal procedures outlined in our regular handbook.  (Kids still should not be at school when they are sick and not feeling well.)  There will be no more discussion of COVID “high risk” or two or more “low risk” symptoms.  COVID-19 itself has been entered on the Iowa Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) longer list of illnesses for which exclusion is required, and the 5 with or 10 day without mask exclusions still apply.
• Notification letters regarding a positive case of COVID in a homeroom will end.  There are very few illnesses on the Iowa Department of Public Health’s list that require notification.  COVID is not one of them.
• Large assemblies will return, as opportunities arise.  The Scott County Catholic Schools’ Mass at AHS for grades 2-12 is scheduled for April.
• Field trips are returning.
• Water fountains will be turned back on once our supply of bottled water is at a more reasonable level for storage.  We still have about 140 cases (a pallet and a half) and are distributing about three cases worth of bottles each day.

Please continue to take care of yourselves and your family.  It is possible that we will see another slight increase in COVID numbers after spring break like we did last year.  COVID guidance that we have been receiving lately seems to emphasize the following strategies:

• • Recommending vaccination, including boosters, for all eligible
  • Optional masking, particularly indoors and/or in crowded settings and when the vaccination status of others is unknown
  • Ventilation
  • Handwashing and respiratory etiquette
  • Staying home when sick and getting tested
    • Physical distancing and masking are important here too as they are, or perhaps should be, for any other airborne illness
  • Close contacts taking precautions, including some physical distancing and masking, to not only protect themselves but also so they do not become asymptomatic spreaders

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:

• April 10:  Family: The foundation of society
• April 24: What does God want me to do?

Changes in Weather – How Many Jackets?

When there are changes in the weather around here, people always say that it’s Iowa, and one should just wait a few hours.  Iowa’s weather, however, is nothing compared to the weather along Lake Michigan in the Milwaukee area where I grew up.  As storms would move across the country from west to east, they would also swirl clockwise, and we’d have lake effect snow with moisture being picked up from the lake even though we were on the west side of the lake.  We’d also face 20 degree or more changes in temperatures within minutes when the wind shifted and would come from the east across the lake.  What we needed in the morning as we walked to school was often not what was needed at recess time or after school.   We learned to dress in layers and always have jackets available, even tying them around our waists, if need be.   In our family, we rarely talked about the weather in terms of the temperature.  We talked about it in terms of the jackets or sleeves.  What’s the weather supposed to be today?

• Short sleeves
• Long sleeves
• Light jacket
• Two jackets with your light sweatshirt jacket
• Two jackets with your insulated sweatshirt jacket
• Winter jacket

At Marquette University in Milwaukee and the University of Chicago, where I earned my BA and first MA, you could always tell those who grew up along Lake Michigan from those who didn’t.  When the wind shifted, those who grew up along the lake would just pull out another jacket.  Those who didn’t grow up in the area would run indoors because they were so cold.  Amateurs!

Chad

Kitty Temming:  60 Years with Catholic Schools

Not having attended kindergarten, because that would have meant going to a public school for a year in her Indiana hometown, Kitty Temming began her journey with Catholic schools in first grade.  For sixty years now, she has been intimately involved in Catholic schools as a student, teacher, administrator, parent, and even grandparent.  At the end of this school year, she will be retiring.

I first learned of Kitty’s contribution to Catholic school education in our area when she was the principal at Lourdes in Bettendorf in the early 1990s, and I was teaching at Assumption.  Some of our beginning-of-the-year in-services used to be held in Lourdes gym.  Everything, of course, was meticulously well-organized by Kitty’s team and led to a great kick-off for the school year.

In 1997, Kitty began teaching at JFK, after having stepped down from Lourdes to focus more on her daughters for a few years.  In the 2000-01 school year, Kitty served as both teacher and interim principal of JFK when the principal of the time experienced several health challenges.  When I arrived in 2001, I was a bit intimidated by her.  I was a “rookie” principal, and she was an experienced principal and had experience at JFK too.  What would she think of me?  Would she be scrutinizing everything I did?  I soon realized that I had nothing to fear, or she was at least polite enough to not let me know how poorly I was probably really doing!  Kitty became a trusted “teacher voice” for me.  She didn’t always tell me what I wanted to hear, but she, thankfully, told me what I needed to hear in a way that wasn’t demoralizing but rather motivating and led to a better school.

In July 2014, JFK added the position of assistant principal/director of special programs, and I approached Kitty because you should always surround yourself with people better than you.  Her knowledge of Catholic school education as both a teacher and administrator and her institutional knowledge of OLV and JFK were invaluable.  For the past eight years, Kitty has been a force to manage the increasingly complex world of education.  From preschool to Title services for students and from standardized testing to instructional services provided by aides, everything in education seems to be getting more and more complex.  Kitty has tackled it all to help things continue to run smoothly.  When the State of Iowa split 3 year old preschool, ECLC, and aftercare from under the direction of the Department of Education and moved it to the Department of Human Services, Kitty was there to make sure our accreditation and licensure processes ran smoothly.  Every year we hear from a DHS childcare licensing consultant and from the Department of Public Health how well-organized our records and processes are and what an exemplar JFK is due to Kitty’s diligence.

Working with Kitty over the years has made so many of us better educators.  She has always been someone with whom one can confide and trust to look out for the best interests of students and staff.   Mentor to so many over the years in Catholic school education and for the last 25 years at JFK, in particular, we are so grateful to Kitty for her service.  We wish her well in retirement.

Civic Oration Speeches Rounds 1 and 2 Concluded Last Week

The culminating academic activity of the year, civic oration speeches, began last week.  Students in grades 5-8 took their their research papers and presented them in memorized speeches.  This year, students also made their presentations while using a slide deck.  (Who does public speaking these days without slides?!)  While not every student advances to subsequent rounds in the competition phase of civic oration, every student does participate in this talented and gifted activity.

There are two divisions in the competition aspect of civic oration:  5/6 and 7/8.

Students who advanced from the first round of competition in the 5/6 division were the following:

5th grade:  Anthony C., Caitlyn C., Kaitlyn E., Cooper P., Evelyn S., and McKenna T.

6th grade:  Hailey E., Noah F., Leia P., Natalie S., AvaMae W., and Haley W.

7th grade:  Maggie A., Marissa B., Cayden F., Payten P., Julia M., and Ava S.

8th grade:  Ben A., Bryce E., Olivia F., Brooklyn M., Aubrey R., and Adam W.

Advancing to the final round of competition:

5th/6th:  Caitlyn, Cooper, Evelyn, Natalie, McKenna, and AvaMae

7th/8th:  Maggie, Marissa, Cayden, Julia, Aubrey, and Adam

Formal Registration for K-8 Begins the Week of March 21

Tuition contracts for K-8 will be mailed to families the week of March 21st.  The return of the tuition contract and the registration fee, discounted for OLV parishioners and returning families from $150 to $100 per student when returned before April, is the formal enrollment process for 2022-23.

Please contact the school office right away, if you missed Kindergarten Round-up and kindergarten pre-registration.  We don’t want to miss sending you a tuition contract for next year!

Pre-school and Daycare Registration

Registration for all sections of 3 year old preschool, 4/5 year old preschool, and ECLC is underway for all families.  Morning classes fill up quickly, in particular, so do not delay PS registration.

See the  K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022

Upcoming Events

• Mar 14-18:  Spring Break.  No classes.  ECLC is open.
• Mar 15:  Keith Nester — Lenten speaker:  What is Great about Being Catholic (6:30 p.m. in the church)
• Mar 21:  Classes resume
• Mar 22:  Penny War for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation begins
• Mar 24:  Final round of civic oration
• Mar 25:  Dress in your favorite color day
• Mar 26:  Confirmation retreat (8-11 with sponsors or a parent)

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, March 11, 2022

• There were, again, no students or staff testing positive for COVID last week.

The vast majority of our remaining COVID mitigation strategies will be removed by the time we come back from spring break.  More noticeable changes are mentioned below:

• Masses are back to “normal” including the requirement that Catholics attend Mass on the weekend.
• One all school Mass on Wednesdays at 7:40 a.m. will be restored.  Arriving at school on time will be even more critical on Wednesdays as students who arrive late may find that their class has already left for the church.  Singing will return to Masses, but students as song leaders will take a while longer.  (They haven’t sung at school Masses for over almost two years!)
• Any seating arrangement without regard to the physical distancing that had been used for COVID mitigation will be allowed in school.  (Tables for preschoolers will not likely return until we can figure out where to store the 60 desks that would have to come out of classrooms.)
• Rugs in preschool, ECLC, and kindergarten, in particular, will return, and students can be gathered together on them for instruction and story time.
• Singing will more regularly be a part of music classes.  A more regular spring show and 7/8 grade spring showcase will return.
• Clear partitions have been removed in the cafeteria, art  room, library, and resource rooms.
• Zig-zag seating with an open seat between students in the cafeteria is no longer required in grades 1-8.
• The exclusion of students from school due to illnesses returns to the normal procedures outlined in our regular handbook.  (Kids still should not be at school when they are sick and not feeling well.)  There will be no more discussion of COVID “high risk” or two or more “low risk” symptoms.  COVID-19 itself has been entered on the Iowa Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) longer list of illnesses for which exclusion is required, and the 5 with or 10 day without mask exclusions still apply.
• Notification letters regarding a positive case of COVID in a homeroom will end.  There are very few illnesses on the Iowa Department of Public Health’s list that require notification.  COVID is not one of them.
• Large assemblies will return, as opportunities arise.  The Scott County Catholic Schools’ Mass at AHS for grades 2-12 is scheduled for April.
• Field trips are returning.
• Water fountains will be turned back on once our supply of bottled water is at a more reasonable level for storage.  We still have about 140 cases (a pallet and a half) and are distributing about three cases worth of bottles each day.

Please continue to take care of yourselves and your family.  COVID guidance that we have been receiving lately seems to emphasize the following strategies:

• • Recommending vaccination, including boosters, for all eligible
  • Optional masking, particularly indoors and/or in crowded settings and when the vaccination status of others is unknown
  • Ventilation
  • Handwashing and respiratory etiquette
  • Staying home when sick and getting tested
    • Physical distancing and masking are important here too as they are, or perhaps should be, for any other airborne illness
  • Close contacts taking precautions, including some physical distancing and masking, to not only protect themselves but also so they do not become asymptomatic spreaders

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:

• March 20:  “I hunger” Eucharist
• April 10:  Family: The foundation of society
• April 24: What does God want me to do?

 

Chad

Civic Oration Speeches Rounds 1 and 2 This Week

The culminating academic activity of the year, civic oration speeches, begins this week.  Students in grades 5-8 have taken their research papers and will present them in memorized speeches.  This year, students will be making their presentations while also using a slide deck.  (Who does public speaking these days without slides?!)  While not every student will advance to subsequent rounds in the competition phase of civic oration, every student does participate in this talented and gifted activity.

Junior Achievement Needs Volunteers for JFK Programs

Seventh grade was able to participate in JA’s Finance Park, a culminating activity at JA’s downtown facility, due to the gracious time of several volunteers and some creative scheduling of staff at school.  There are other JA programs at JFK that need volunteers, including those on the flyer below.

These programs typically involve someone coming into a class to lead a 30-60 minute session about once per week using the materials provided by JA.  Seldom is the JA volunteer a parent of a student in a particular grade/homeroom.    For more information, contact Monica at monica.telschow@ja.org.  See also jaheartland.org for information about JA in general.

Kindergarten Round-up and Pre-registration

Please contact the school office right away, if you missed Kindergarten Round-up and pre-registration.  These pre-registration figures are used to help determine whether or not there will be one section or two sections next year and/or how many classroom aides we’ll need.

Pre-school and Daycare Registration

Registration for all sections of 3 year old preschool, 4/5 year old preschool, and ECLC is underway for all families.  Morning classes fill up quickly, in particular, so do not delay PS registration.

See the  K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022

Upcoming Events

• Mar 7:  Civic Oration 5th-8th grade level rounds.  Music boosters (6:30 p.m. staff room in front entry)
• Mar 8:  Student Council Supply Store open
• Mar 9:  AHS and 3rd grade Lenten activity
• Mar 10:  Civic Oration round two
• Mar 11:  Green/white out of uniform dress day.  Guest speakers for grades 6-8 in relation to Blessed Carlos Acutis, a teen who passed away at the age of 15 and may be on his way to sainthood.  Sacrament of Reconciliation for grades 2-8 during the school day
• Mar 14-18:  Spring Break.  No classes.  ECLC is open.
• Mar 15:  Keith Nester — Lenten speaker:  What is Great about Being Catholic (6:30 p.m. in the church)
• Mar 21:  Classes resume
• Mar 22:  Penny War for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation begins
• Mar 24:  Final round of civic oration
• Mar 25:  Dress in your favorite color day
• Mar 26:  Confirmation retreat (8-11 with sponsors or a parent)

Campus Facilities Review: The Higher Priority Items for the School

A campus facilities review is beginning at OLV/JFK .  One of the best characteristics of OLV/JFK is it is not afraid to take on capital projects to enhance the campus and adequately maintain it.  Since I’ve been at JFK, there’s probably been around $3 million or more spent on the school.   Some of the next higher priority items for the school include the following, in no particular order.  More details are added this week:

• Parking lot sealing and striping and concrete work scheduled/contracted already for summer 2022
• Handicapped parking and access
  • It’s a long way to go from the handicapped parking spots, out to the 42nd Street sidewalk, and in the front doors.  A handicapped/short term visitor parking area on on the same level as the main doors continues to be explored.
• Window replacements and window screens
  • The 1963 windows were replaced about 20 years ago.  The 1987 windows are now 25 years old.  Several windows have had their double-pane seals go bad, and parts of the windows are foggy.  Window screens take a beating.
• Playground equipment and surfacing
  • The wood equipment is probably over 40 years old, and pieces have been taken out over the years.  The metal and plastic equipment is about 25 years old.  They are nearing the end of their life cycles.  The certified playground mulch/engineered wood fiber should probably be entirely replaced.  Rough estimates for playground work is probably $125,000 – $160,000 or more.
• Exterior gym wall repair
  • Brick on the north side of the gym wall that rises above the rest of the school roof, in particular, has deteriorating bricks.  Although identified as an issue nearly a decade ago, other projects have always had higher priority.
• Flooring replacement cycle
  • We have been without a regular floor replacement cycle for several years.  Of course, we’ve also replaced most floors with longer lasting materials so the need for replacement has been reduced.
• Warped doors and frames
  • An evaluation of some wall cracks in 2021 did not yield any concerns.  There’s just been some normal settling in 60 years that has led to some cracks and some door frames being out of square.
• Unused radiator removal and wall repairs
  • With the VRF system, unused radiators can be removed, and walls can be repaired, as needed.
• Southwest stair repairs
  • Twenty-five years of winter salt in the 1987 addition has led to pocketing on some of the stair treads.
• Self-closing fire doors
  • All classroom doors and stairwell doors should be outfitted with self-closing fire doors that are connected to the fire alarm system.
• Ceiling tiles added on lower level and replaced in nearly all other areas of 1963 and 1987 parts of the building
  • It’s not just ceiling tiles.  It’s also adjustments that then need to be made to lights, fire sprinkler heads, etc.  Would we also add sprinklers to areas of the building that do not have them?
• Additional mechanical ventilation for 2011 additions
  • This ventilation system typically only operates when the A/C is running.
• Storage for extra classroom furniture, etc. as needs change due to enrollment and as students physically grow over the 9-12 years they might be at JFK
  • Do you know how many different sizes of chairs are needed in a building for kids who are three years old through possibly 14/15 years old?  As cohorts move through the building and/or enrollment fluctuates, we move furniture in/out of classrooms.  The white garage behind the white house is full and structurally leaning.  (During COVID, we’ve also used 2 1/2 of the 4 rectory garage parking stalls in 20-21 and 1 1/2 stalls in 21-22.  We hope to greatly reduce that again over this summer.)

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, March 4, 2022

• There were no students or staff testing positive for COVID last week.

As I mentioned the possibility in previous Principal’s Posts and shared in Wednesday’s email, the vast majority of our remaining COVID mitigation strategies will be removed by the time we come back from spring break.  We have begun to make some changes already, including the following, which are more noticeable than other changes:

• Masses can be back to “normal” including the requirement that Catholics attend Mass on the weekend.
• Clear partitions have been removed in the cafeteria, art  room, library, and resource rooms.
• Zig-zag seating with an open seat between students in the cafeteria is no longer required in grades 1-8.
• The exclusion of students from school due to illnesses returns to the normal procedures outlined in our regular handbook.  (Kids still should not be at school when they are sick and not feeling well.)  There will be no more discussion of COVID “high risk” or two or more “low risk” symptoms.  COVID-19 itself has been entered on the Iowa Department of Public Health’s (IDPH) longer list of illnesses for which exclusion is required, and the 5 with or 10 day without mask exclusions still apply.
• Fire/tornado drills will return to whole school exercises rather than by homeroom exercises.
• Field trips are returning.

After spring break, the following will be noticeable:

• Any seating arrangement without regard to the physical distancing that had been used for COVID mitigation can be used in school.  (Tables for preschoolers will not likely return until we can figure out where to store the 60 desks that would have to come out of classrooms.)
• One all school Mass on Wednesdays at 7:40 a.m. will be restored.  Arriving at school on time will be even more critical on Wednesdays as students who arrive late may find that their class has already left for the church.  Singing will return to Masses, but students as song leaders will take a while longer.  (They haven’t sung at school Masses for over almost two years!)
• Singing will more regularly be a part of music classes.  A more regular spring show and 7/8 grade spring showcase will return.
• Large assemblies will return, as opportunities arise.  The Scott County Catholic Schools’ Mass at AHS for grades 2-12 is scheduled for April.
• Notification letters regarding a positive case of COVID in a homeroom will end.  There are very few illnesses on the IDPH’s list that require notification.  COVID is not one of them.
• Water fountains will be turned back on once our supply of bottled water is at a more reasonable level for storage.  We still have about 150 cases and are distributing about three cases worth of bottles each day.
• Dismissal, while still staggered, will be guided by our new bell system rather than PA announcements.
• Rugs in preschool, ECLC, and kindergarten, in particular, will return as they are cleaned after being stored for two years.

Please continue to take care of yourselves and your family.  COVID guidance that we have been receiving lately seems to emphasize the following strategies:

• • Recommending vaccination, including boosters, for all eligible
  • Optional masking, particularly indoors and/or in crowded settings and when the vaccination status of others is unknown
  • Ventilation
  • Handwashing and respiratory etiquette
  • Staying home when sick and getting tested
    • Physical distancing and masking are important here too as they are, or perhaps should be, for any other airborne illness
  • Close contacts taking precautions, including some physical distancing and masking, to not only protect themselves but also so they do not become asymptomatic spreaders

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:

• March 20:  “I hunger” Eucharist
• April 10:  Family: The foundation of society
• April 24: What does God want me to do?

 

Chad

Junior Achievement Needs Volunteers for JFK Programs

Seventh grade was able to participate in JA’s Finance Park, a culminating activity at JA’s downtown facility, due to the gracious time of several volunteers and some creative scheduling of staff at school.  There are other JA programs at JFK that need volunteers, including those on the flyer below.

These programs typically involve someone coming into a class to lead a 30-60 minute session about once per week using the materials provided by JA.  Seldom is the JA volunteer a parent of a student in a particular grade/homeroom.    For more information, contact Monica at monica.telschow@ja.org.  See also jaheartland.org for information about JA in general.

Kindergarten Round-up and Pre-registration

Please contact the school office right away, if you missed Kindergarten Round-up and pre-registration.  These pre-registration figures are used to help determine whether or not there will be one section or two sections next year and/or how many classroom aides we’ll need.

Pre-school and Daycare Registration

Registration for all sections of 3 year old preschool, 4/5 year old preschool, and ECLC is underway for all families.  Morning classes fill up quickly, in particular, so do not delay PS registration.

See the  K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022

Upcoming Events

• Mar 2:  Ash Wednesday
• Mar 4:  Scott County Catholic schools and SAU 8th Grade Career Fair:  The largest non-athletic collaborative venture with SAU in Scott County.
• Mar 7:  Civic Oration 5th-8th grade level rounds.  Music boosters (6:30 p.m. staff room in front entry)
• Mar 9:  AHS and 3rd grade Lenten activity
• Mar 10:  Civic Oration round two
• Mar 11:  Green/white out of uniform dress day.  Sacrament of Reconciliation for grades 2-8 during the school day
• Mar 14-18:  Spring Break.  No classes.  ECLC is open.
• Mar 15:  Keith Nester — Lenten speaker (6:30 p.m. in the church)
• Mar 21:  Classes resume

Campus Facilities Review: The Higher Priority Items for the School

A campus facilities review is beginning at OLV/JFK .  Some of the higher priority items for the school include the following, in no particular order:

• Parking lot sealing and striping and concrete work scheduled/contracted already for summer 2022
• Handicapped parking and access
• Window replacements and window screens
• Playground equipment and surfacing
• Exterior gym wall repair
• Flooring replacement cycle
• Warped doors and frames
• Unused radiator removal and wall repairs
• Southwest stair repairs
• Self-closing fire doors
• Ceiling tiles added on lower level and replaced in nearly all other areas of 1963 and 1987 parts of the building
• Additional mechanical ventilation for 2011 additions
• Storage for extra classroom furniture, etc. as needs change due to enrollment and as students physically grow over the 9-12 years they might be at JFK

COVID Guidance for 2021-22 Changing in Future?

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, Feb 25, 2022

• The above linked graphs/slides have been changed:
  • They now reflect the CDC’s new metrics for COVID-19 Community Level.
  • They are updated with only the Scott County data that is available to us.
  • Trendlines for the weekly averages of JFK data have been changed to 4 week moving averages.  With 25 weeks of data now available, there is certainly ample data to move to a moving average.  Daily data trendlines continue to use a 7 school day moving average.
• The CDC released its new metrics for COVID-19 Community Levels on Friday.  The new metrics analyze rates within the community and the potential to overrun health care systems (as predicted by hospital admissions and in-patient beds being used).  Under these new new metrics, Scott County has moved to a low COVID-19 Community Level.
• Looking at JFK’s graphs/data, the following are noteworthy:
  • Student absences remain too high.  Our most current weekly average absence rate is above 8.7%.  The goal is to be at 5% or less.
  • Student absences due to illness have been between about 3%-5% since Christmas.  This year, we are seeing more students absent due to reasons other than illnesses.
    • The percent of weeks in which more than half of student absences were due to illnesses is at 44%.  It has fallen since Christmas.  Before Christmas, 47% of the weeks had more than half of student absences due to illnesses.  Since Christmas that figure has fallen to 38%.
    • Students are absent for many other reasons besides illnesses.
  • The student absences due to illnesses that we are now seeing are not because of positive tested COVID cases.  Our peak was two weeks before Christmas break when 48% of student illnesses were due to positive COVID tests.  Our most current week shows 3% of student illnesses were due to students testing positive for COVID.
  • When we include quarantining for COVID and positive COVID cases together, our trend continues to go down since even before Christmas break.  Our most recent weekly average for the percent of students absent due to COVID related reasons was 0.6% (about 2-3 PS-8 grade students).  Our high was 5.4% (about 22 students).
• With JFK student absences not being related to COVID and/or the trendlines continuing to go down, it is time to discuss our remaining COVID mitigation strategies and determine when/how to reduce them or bring them to an end.  Any changes we make will be communicated to parents through the Principal’s Post and/or separate messaging.  Guidance that we have been receiving lately seems to emphasize the following strategies:
  • Recommending vaccination, including boosters, for all eligible
  • Optional masking, particularly indoors and/or in crowded settings and when the vaccination status of others is unknown
  • Ventilation
  • Handwashing and respiratory etiquette
  • Staying home when sick and getting tested
    • Physical distancing and masking are important here too as they are, or perhaps should be, for any other airborne illness
  • Close contacts taking precautions, including some physical distancing and masking, to not only protect themselves but also so they do not become asymptomatic spreaders

Dress Code

Following the dress code continues to be pretty lax, and reminders are not having much of an impact.  On two recent Wednesday school Masses, for example, approximately 25%-33% of the 4th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders were observed with shirts not tucked in or skirts too short.  Below are some things for which we need to do better.  Some are perennial issues, and some are more recent issues.  Note that the below is not the entire dress code; it’s parts of the dress code for which we need to do better:

• Skirt lengths should be no shorter than 2″ above the knee
• Shirts should be tucked in
• No hooded clothing is allowed to be worn inside the building
• Belts are worn in grades 4-8 with clothing that has belt loops
• Grades 5-8 when they have PE:  Non-white solid colored plain t-shirts or t-shirts with a JFK or AHS logo.  Over their t-shirts, students may also wear sweatshirts, fleeces, and long-sleeve dry fits that meet the regular uniform policy.

Dress code demerits in grades 5-8 do lead to detentions.

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:

• 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?

Assumption High School Musical

Assumption’s production of Howard Ashman’s and Alan Menken’s Little Shop of Horrors will be presented on March 4, 5, and 6.  Meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn can’t seem to do anything right- until he stumbles across a new breed of plant.  The growing plant attracts a great deal of business for the struggling store, but it unfortunately comes at the price of the plant eating people!  Will Seymour be able to stop  the plant before it achieves global domination?  While Little Shop of Horrors does have a PG-13 rating (assigned by Music Theatre International) for language, mild violence, and dark themes, some language has also been omitted or changed for Assumption’s production.

Tickets are officially on sale! The link is: https://www.showtix4u.com/events/78

Tickets are $10 for Adults, $8 for students and Senior Citizens, and free for AHS students and staff with their IDs. There is also a “Flexpass” that can be purchased at the above link for $20, that is good for 3 “seats.” It’s a great option for parents who want to see all 3 performances

 

Chad

Kindergarten Round-up and Pre-registration

Please contact the school office right away, if you missed Kindergarten Round-up and pre-registration.  These pre-registration figures are used to help determine whether or not there will be one section or two sections next year and/or how many classroom aides we’ll need.

Pre-school and Daycare Registration

Registration for all sections of 3 year old preschool, 4/5 year old preschool, and ECLC is underway for all families.  Morning classes fill up quickly, in particular, so do not delay PS registration.

See the  K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022

Tuition and Textbook Tax Credit

As you prepare your 2021 income taxes, don’t forget that Iowa doubled the tuition/textbook tax credit.  The maximum one can now receive is 25% of the first $2,000 per child ($500).  The only trick is to remember that tax years run from Jan 1 – Dec 31, while school years run from roughly July 1 – June 30.  If using tuition amounts paid, you need to look at what you paid in 2021, which splits the 20-21 and 21-22 school year.

Dress Code

Following the dress code continues to be pretty lax, and reminders are not having much of an impact.  At Wednesday school Masses the last two weeks, for example, approximately 25%-33% of the 4th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders can be seen to be out of dress code with shirts not tucked in or skirts too short.  Below are some things for which we need to do better.  Some are perennial issues, and some are more recent issues.  Note that the below is not the entire dress code; it’s parts of the dress code for which we need to do better:

• Skirt lengths should be no shorter than 2″ above the knee
• Shirts should be tucked in
• No hooded clothing is allowed to be worn inside the building
• Belts are worn in grades 4-8 with clothing that has belt loops
• Grades 5-8 when they have PE:  Non-white solid colored plain t-shirts or t-shirts with a JFK or AHS logo.  Over their t-shirts, students may also wear sweatshirts, fleeces, and long-sleeve dry fits that meet the regular uniform policy.

Dress code demerits in grades 5-8 do lead to detentions.

Upcoming Events

• Feb 27:  First Communion meeting
• Mar 2:  Ash Wednesday
• Mar 14-18:  Spring Break.  No classes.  ECLC is open.

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:

• 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?

Assumption High School Musical

Assumption’s production of Howard Ashman’s and Alan Menken’s Little Shop of Horrors will be presented on March 4, 5, and 6.  Meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn can’t seem to do anything right- until he stumbles across a new breed of plant.  The growing plant attracts a great deal of business for the struggling store, but it unfortunately comes at the price of the plant eating people!  Will Seymour be able to stop  the plant before it achieves global domination?  While Little Shop of Horrors does have a PG-13 rating (assigned by Music Theatre International) for language, mild violence, and dark themes, some language has also been omitted or changed for Assumption’s production.

Tickets are officially on sale! The link is: https://www.showtix4u.com/events/78

Tickets are $10 for Adults, $8 for students and Senior Citizens, and free for AHS students and staff with their IDs. There is also a “Flexpass” that can be purchased at the above link for $20, that is good for 3 “seats.” It’s a great option for parents who want to see all 3 performances

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, Feb 18, 2022

• The health department provided us with another week of data/graphs so I’ve included my usual graphs through the above link.  With data collection changing in Iowa, I do not know what information I’ll have in the future.  Things in relation to COVID are, indeed, winding down.  The weekly meetings of Scott County school administrators and health department officials have been discontinued.  COVID-19, in Iowa, will now be reported and handled similarly to illnesses like strep throat, influenza, fifth disease, chicken pox, etc.  We will also start to look at our remaining COVID mitigation strategies at JFK and determine when/how to bring them to an end.
• One challenge at JFK is that we are not yet really seeing student absences at desired levels.  The goal for schools is always to have absences below 5%.  Our average last week was 8.6%, with about 5% being due to “other” reasons:  vacations, appointments, headaches, or unknown.  Our absence rate due to illnesses, including COVID, is about 3.6%.  The good news, so to speak, is that the student illnesses are not due to positive COVID tests lately.  Only about 4.4% of student absences due to illnesses are because of positive COVID tests.  We have influenza, fevers, sore throats, stomach aches, congestion, etc., but not many positive COVID cases.  The percent of students with positive COVID cases, with two or more COVID symptoms or a new cough, or who are quarantining because they are close contacts averaged 0.4% this week.

Chad

Kindergarten Round-up and Pre-registration

Please contact the school office right away, if you missed Kindergarten Round-up and pre-registration.  These pre-registration figures are used to help determine whether or not there will be one section or two sections next year and/or how many classroom aides we’ll need.

Pre-school and Daycare Registration

Registration for all sections of 3 year old preschool, 4/5 year old preschool, and ECLC is underway for all families.  Morning classes fill up quickly, in particular, so do not delay PS registration.

See the  K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022

Tuition and Textbook Tax Credit

As you prepare your 2021 income taxes, don’t forget that Iowa doubled the tuition/textbook tax credit.  The maximum one can now receive is 25% of the first $2,000 per child ($500).  The only trick is to remember that tax years run from Jan 1 – Dec 31, while school years run from roughly July 1 – June 30.  If using tuition amounts paid, you need to look at what you paid in 2021, which splits the 20-21 and 21-22 school year.

Dress Code

Now that our five days of themed attire for CSW has concluded, we will be back to dressing according to our policies.  We have been pretty lax, and things need to be tightened up.  Below are some things for which we need to do better.  Some are perennial issues, and some are more recent issues.  Note that the below is not the entire dress code; it’s parts of the dress code for which we need to do better:

• Skirt lengths should be no shorter than 2″ above the knee
• Shirts should be tucked in
• No hooded clothing is allowed to be worn inside the building
• Belts are worn in grades 4-8 with clothing that has belt loops
• Grades 5-8 when they have PE:  Non-white solid colored plain t-shirts or t-shirts with a JFK or AHS logo.  Over their t-shirts, students may also wear sweatshirts, fleeces, and long-sleeve dry fits that meet the regular uniform policy.

Dress code demerits in grades 5-8 do lead to detentions.

Volunteer Opportunities

Great programming, like Lego League, doesn’t happen without parent volunteers.  Volunteers are still needed for the following:

• Junior Achievement’s Finance Park:  Volunteers still needed, or we’ll have to consider cancelling this capstone activity.  Finance Park is the capstone program for personal finance and career exploration held at JA’s facility in downtown Davenport.  Eight or more adult volunteers are needed for the time period of 8:15-1:00 on Friday, February 25th.  The first 45 minutes is an overview and training for the adults.  Although we do Finance Park with 7th graders, the volunteers are not limited to 7th grade parents.  Please contact Bridget Parr (bridget.parr@olvjfkmail.com) or me if you can help.  We will be having to make a joint determination with JA regarding this capstone activity soon based upon the number of adult volunteers.
• Scott County Catholic Schools and St. Ambrose University 8th Grade Career Fair:  Friday, March 4, 2022.  While most presenters operate a booth/station for the full day, the full day is not a requirement.  Representatives from small businesses would be a great addition to the career fair.  If you can help, please contact our Student Support Specialist, Emma Wolf (emma.wolf@olvjfkmail.com).

Scott County Catholic School System

As I mentioned at Masses during Catholic Schools Week, the unification efforts to form the Scott County Catholic Schools System continues.  Recent decisions are mentioned below.  The system should be fully in place July 1, 2023, about one and a half years from now.

• Because decisions need to start being made from a system-wide perspective, local boards of education will begin transferring their power on July 1, 2022.
• Some finance work will begin to be done on a centralized basis during the 2022-23 school year.
• Tuition payments for the 2022-23 school year will begin July 1, 2022 and match the fiscal year for schools, July 1 – June 30. JFK was the only school that began tuition payments in August and ran its 12 month payment option across fiscal years.  For some JFK families, therefore, who are on a 12 month payment plan, they will be making their last payment for the 2021-22 school year in the same month when their new payments begin for the 2022-23 school year.
• More social media posts and marketing will begin to be done on a system-wide basis in the next few weeks.

Upcoming Events

• Feb 14:  Red, White, and Pink Dress Day  (Out of Uniform if wearing one of our themed colors)
• Feb 17:  Orange Out Day
  • For a $1 or more donation, students and staff can be out of uniform, if they wear orange. Orange is the color representing leukemia. Proceeds will support Natalie Paulsen, a recent JFK graduate and Assumption student, who is battling leukemia.
• Feb 17:  End of the 3rd mid-quarter.
• Feb 18:  In-Service.  No classes.  ECLC is open.
• Feb 21:  President’s Day.  No classes.  ECLC is open.
• Mar 2:  Ash Wednesday
• Mar 14-18:  Spring Break.  No classes.  ECLC is open.

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:

• 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?

Assumption High School Musical

Assumption’s production of Howard Ashman’s and Alan Menken’s Little Shop of Horrors will be presented on March 4, 5, and 6.  Meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn can’t seem to do anything right- until he stumbles across a new breed of plant.  The growing plant attracts a great deal of business for the struggling store, but it unfortunately comes at the price of the plant eating people!  Will Seymour be able to stop  the plant before it achieves global domination?  While Little Shop of Horrors does have a PG-13 rating (assigned by Music Theatre International) for language, mild violence, and dark themes, some language has also been omitted or changed for Assumption’s production.

Tickets are officially on sale! The link is: https://www.showtix4u.com/events/78

Tickets are $10 for Adults, $8 for students and Senior Citizens, and free for AHS students and staff with their IDs. There is also a “Flexpass” that can be purchased at the above link for $20, that is good for 3 “seats.” It’s a great option for parents who want to see all 3 performances

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.  The most recent changes were made on January 2 and 5, 2022.

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, Feb 11, 2022

• With the emergency proclamations in Iowa related to COVID coming to an end on February 16th and the data collection completely changing, this week may be the last week that I share COVID information with families.  COVID-19, in Iowa, will now be reported and handled similarly to illnesses like strep throat, influenza, fifth disease, chicken pox, etc.
• Scott County’s COVID numbers continue to decline.  We are still firmly entrenched in “high” community transmission, however.  The county’s numbers are about the same as they were in late November or early December except trending downward now rather than upward.  I wouldn’t expect to consistently be out of “high” or “substantial” community transmission until April or May.
• JFK’s student absences seem to be declining, but staff absences rose significantly this past week due to both expected and unexpected absences.  On Monday, for example, we started the day with about 16% of staff absent and ended the day with nearly 20% out.

Chad

Kindergarten Round-up and Pre-registration

Kindergarten Round-up, once again, has two options:

1. Informational Session and Pre-registration:  6:30-8:00 p.m., Thursday, February 10, 2022 in the gym (adults only)
2. Pre-registration and forms only:  Drop in any time between 6:30-8:00 p.m., Thursday, February 10, 2022 in the school lobby.  This adults only session is intended for families who already have children at JFK and/or do not need the informational session.

Future kindergartners who are already in our preschool will tour the kindergarten rooms, meet the teachers, etc., at a later date.

See the  K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022

Pre-school and Daycare Registration

For parishioners and JFK community members with siblings already at JFK:  Begins 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Monday, February 7, 2022

Open registration:  Begins 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 10, 2022 in the school cafeteria

Do not delay, especially if you want a morning pre-school slot.  Those slots go fast!

See the  K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022

Tuition and Textbook Tax Credit

As you prepare your 2021 income taxes, don’t forget that Iowa doubled the tuition/textbook tax credit.  The maximum one can now receive is 25% of the first $2,000.  The only trick is to remember that tax years run from Jan 1 – Dec 31, while school years run from roughly July 1 – June 30.  If using tuition amounts paid, you need to look at what you paid in 2021, which splits the 20-21 and 21-22 school year.

Dress Code

Now that our five days of themed attire for CSW has concluded, we will be back to dressing according to our policies.  We have been pretty lax, and things need to be tightened up.  Below are some things for which we need to do better.  Some are perennial issues, and some are more recent issues.  Note that the below is not the entire dress code; it’s parts of the dress code for which we need to do better:

• Skirt lengths should be no shorter than 2″ above the knee
• Shirts should be tucked in
• No hooded clothing is allowed to be worn inside the building
• Belts are worn in grades 4-8 with clothing that has belt loops
• Grades 5-8 when they have PE:  Non-white solid colored plain t-shirts or t-shirts with a JFK or AHS logo.  Over their t-shirts, students may also wear sweatshirts, fleeces, and long-sleeve dry fits that meet the regular uniform policy.

Dress code demerits in grades 5-8 do lead to detentions.

Volunteer Opportunities

Great programming, like Lego League, doesn’t happen without parent volunteers.  Volunteers are still needed for the following:

• Junior Achievement’s Finance Park:  Finance Park is the capstone program for personal finance and career exploration held at JA’s facility in downtown Davenport.  Eight or more adult volunteers are needed for the time period of 8:15-1:00 on Friday, February 25th.  The first 45 minutes is an overview and training for the adults.  Although we do Finance Park with 7th graders, the volunteers are not limited to 7th grade parents.  Please contact Bridget Parr (bridget.parr@olvjfkmail.com) or me if you can help.
• Scott County Catholic Schools and St. Ambrose University 8th Grade Career Fair:  Friday, March 4, 2022.  While most presenters operate a booth/station for the full day, the full day is not a requirement.  Representatives from small businesses would be a great addition to the career fair.  If you can help, please contact our Student Support Specialist, Emma Wolf (emma.wolf@olvjfkmail.com).

Scott County Catholic School System

As I mentioned at Masses last weekend, the unification efforts to form the Scott County Catholic Schools System continues.  Recent decisions are mentioned below.  The system should be fully in place July 1, 2023, about one and a half years from now.

• Because decisions need to start being made from a system-wide perspective, local boards of education will begin transferring their power on July 1, 2022.
• Some finance work will begin to be done on a centralized basis during the 2022-23 school year.
• Tuition payments for the 2022-23 school year will begin July 1, 2022 and match the fiscal year for schools, July 1 – June 30. JFK was the only school that began tuition payments in August and ran its 12 month payment option across fiscal years.  For some JFK families, therefore, who are on a 12 month payment plan, they will be making their last payment for the 2021-22 school year in the same month when their new payments begin for the 2022-23 school year.
• More social media posts and marketing will begin to be done on a system-wide basis in the next few weeks.

Upcoming Events

• Feb 14:  Red, White, and Pink Dress Day  (Out of Uniform if wearing one of our themed colors)
• Feb 17:  Orange Out Day
  • For a $1 or more donation, students and staff can be out of uniform, if they wear orange. Orange is the color representing leukemia. Proceeds will support Natalie Paulsen, a recent JFK graduate and Assumption student, who is battling leukemia.
• Feb 18:  In-Service.  No classes.  ECLC is open.
• Feb 21:  President’s Day.  No classes.  ECLC is open.

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:

• 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.  The most recent changes were made on January 2 and 5, 2022.

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, Feb 4, 2022

• Nearly all of Scott County’s COVID numbers have dropped since the record highs three weeks ago.  We are still firmly entrenched in “high” community transmission, however.  The last time we were even at “substantial” community transmission was August, and “moderate” community transmission was in July.

Chad

 

 

Catholic Schools Week

Below is the outline for events during Catholic Schools Week.  See JFK’s Facebook or our closed Facebook group “JFK Moms & Dads” for information as well:

Monday, January 31:

• Dodgeball for Diapers fundraiser for grades 3-8
• Athletic Dress Day/Out of Uniform
• Treat from Home & School

Tuesday, February 1:

• Talent Show
  • Grades 5, 1, and 2 at 7:50 followed by an intermission and grades 3 and 4
  • Grade K at 12:50 followed by an intermission and grades 6-8
  • We will be rotating performing grades and audience grades so there is still spacing in the gym.  Those students who are not performing or in the gym will watch it live-streamed to their classrooms.  Due to privacy requests by families, the livestream will not be made available outside the building.
  • Guests are welcome, but we cannot be more particular about the time of performers.  It all depends upon how many acts there are, how long each act actually is, etc.
• Class Dress Alike Day determined by each homeroom

Wednesday, February 2:

• All School Mass with Individual Blessings of Throats
• Bingo Day
• Spirit Wear Tops or green/white tops.  Bottoms may be out of uniform.
• Home & School sponsored night at SnowStar, 5:00-8:00.  Reservations can be made online at www.skisnowstar.com.  Promo code:  JFKSCH2022.  Once a reservation is made, a waiver will be emailed to you.  One completed waiver per family is required.

Thursday, February 3:

• Minute to Win it Activities
• Wacky Tacky Dress Day/Out of Uniform

Friday, February 4:

• 8th grade vs. Staff Volleyball Games
• In-building livestream of VB or other movie in other grades
• Hat Day (Hats will not be worn in the church by those going to Mass on Fridays).  The rest of the students’ attire is “in dress code.”

Sunday, February 6:

• Donuts & More.  Pick up between 7 am – 1 pm at their Brady St. Location.  Cost is $12.99 per dozen.  Pre-order required by noon on February 4th, 563-322-5111.  $1 off specialty drinks if you mention JFK.

Kindergarten Round-up and Pre-registration

Kindergarten Round-up, once again, has two options:

1. Informational Session and Pre-registration:  6:30-8:00 p.m., Thursday, February 10, 2022 in the gym (adults only)
2. Pre-registration and forms only:  Drop in any time between 6:30-8:00 p.m., Thursday, February 10, 2022 in the school lobby.  This adults only session is intended for families who already have children at JFK and/or do not need the informational session.

Future kindergartners who are already in our preschool will tour the kindergarten rooms, meet the teachers, etc., at a later date.

See the  K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022

Pre-school and Daycare Registration

For parishioners and JFK community members with siblings already at JFK:  Begins 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Monday, February 7, 2022

Open registration:  Begins 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 10, 2022 in the school cafeteria

Do not delay, especially if you want a morning pre-school slot.  Those slots go fast!

See the  K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022

Stuffed Animal Party for Aftercare Students!

Students in aftercare on Wednesday, February 2nd will be having a stuffed animal party!  Bring your favorite, Catholic school appropriate stuffed animal or toy figurine to aftercare.

Tuition and Textbook Tax Credit

As you prepare your 2021 income taxes, don’t forget that Iowa doubled the tuition/textbook tax credit.  The maximum one can now receive is 25% of the first $2,000.  The only trick is to remember that tax years run from Jan 1 – Dec 31, while school years run from roughly July 1 – June 30.  If using tuition amounts paid, you need to look at what you paid in 2021, which splits the 20-21 and 21-22 school year.

Dress Code

Once our five days of themed attire for CSW is concluded, we will be back to dressing according to our policies.  We have been pretty lax, and things need to be tightened up.  Below are some things for which we need to do better.  Some are perennial issues, and some are more recent issues.  Note that the below is not the entire dress code; it’s parts of the dress code for which we need to do better:

• Skirt lengths should be no shorter than 2″ above the knee
• Shirts should be tucked in
• No hooded clothing is allowed to be worn inside the building
• Belts are worn in grades 4-8 with clothing that has belt loops
• Grades 5-8 when they have PE:  Non-white solid colored plain t-shirts or t-shirts with a JFK or AHS logo.  Over their t-shirts, students may also wear sweatshirts, fleeces, and long-sleeve dry fits that meet the regular uniform policy.

Dress code demerits in grades 5-8 do lead to detentions, but let’s see if we can clean things up with community reminders this week before we move toward demerits after Catholic Schools Week.

Book Fair Support

Thank you for your support for our book fair.  With sales just short of $3,000, JFK earned the value of about $1,500 for library books.

Science Fair

All students in grades 7/8 complete science fair projects at JFK.  These science fair projects are often the ONLY times in students’ K-12 educations or even college educations when they do the whole scientific method from start to finish.  For most science activities, experiments are “canned;” the teachers control the activities, students are given the materials to use, and the results are really pre-determined.  JFK’s science fair projects put students in control from the beginning.

Congratulations to the following students who will advance to compete in a science fair contest with other Catholic school students:

7th grade:  Ava S., Payten P., and Aiden N.

8th grade:  Lauren S., Kathleen Y., and Ben A.

Congratulations to JFK’s Lego League

JFK’s senior team, Atomi(K19) Fireballs won the Robot Design award, an award we have never won before!  Members are the following:  Elise B., Clara N., Brook W., Damien B., Andrew R., and Bryce E.

JFK’s junior team, the Electro Monkeys, includes the following:  Nathaniel B., Corinne N., Isaac R., Eli M., Braeden B., Ava Mae W., Wes W., and Ashton S.

Lego League is coached by JFK parent Lori Brown.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

Great programming, like Lego League, doesn’t happen without parent volunteers.  Volunteers are still needed for the following:

• Junior Achievement’s Finance Park:  Finance Park is the capstone program for personal finance and career exploration held at JA’s facility in downtown Davenport.  Eight or more adult volunteers are needed for the time period of 8:15-1:00 on Friday, February 25th.  The first 45 minutes is an overview and training for the adults.  Although we do Finance Park with 7th graders, the volunteers are not limited to 7th grade parents.  Please contact Bridget Parr (bridget.parr@olvjfkmail.com) or me if you can help.
• Scott County Catholic Schools and St. Ambrose University 8th Grade Career Fair:  Friday, March 4, 2022.  While most presenters operate a booth/station for the full day, the full day is not a requirement.  Representatives from small businesses would be a great addition to the career fair.  If you can help, please contact our Student Support Specialist, Emma Wolf (emma.wolf@olvjfkmail.com).

Scott County Catholic School System

As I mentioned at Masses this weekend, the unification efforts to form the Scott County Catholic Schools System continues.  Recent decisions are mentioned below.  The system should be fully in place July 1, 2023, about one and a half years from now.

• Because decisions need to start being made from a system-wide perspective, local boards of education will begin transferring their power on July 1, 2022.
• Some finance work will begin to be done on a centralized basis during the 2022-23 school year.
• Tuition payments for the 2022-23 school year will begin July 1, 2022 and match the fiscal year for schools, July 1 – June 30. JFK was the only school that began tuition payments in August and ran its 12 month payment option across fiscal years.  For some JFK families, therefore, who are on a 12 month payment plan, they will be making their last payment for the 2021-22 school year in the same month when their new payments begin for the 2022-23 school year.
• More social media posts and marketing will begin to be done on a system-wide basis in the next few weeks.

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:

• 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.  The most recent changes were made on January 2 and 5, 2022.

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, Jan 28, 2022

• Some of Scott County’s COVID numbers have dropped a bit since the record highs two weeks ago.  We are still firmly entrenched in “high” community transmission, however.  The last time we were even at “substantial” community transmission was August, and “moderate” community transmission was in July.
• There was another new record set within the geographic boundaries of the Davenport Community School District:  23.4 cases per 1,000 residents.  Using this statistic and with the number of students and staff at JFK at about 450, one might expect about 10 cases at JFK (45% of 23).  This week our absences due to positive cases among students and staff were below that level.  We started the week with 6 and ended the week at 3.
• A new graph this week shows how COVID cases have evolved rapidly from the original strain to Delta and now to Omicron.

“State of the School” Annual Address

Below is the script that was used at this weekend’s Masses:

“Thank you, Father.  Once per year, I address the entire parish with the “state of the school.”  Last January, I did it solely via video, and I highlighted that I thought we were going to make it through COVID as all the numbers were falling.  That was true for last January.  Now, since July 4^th , COVID cases have steadily increased, and are now at record highs.

The impact of COVID on schools, including JFK, has been tremendous.  As we stand today, nearly 1 out of every 5 PS-8^th grade students at JFK has already tested positive for COVID sometime already during this school year, and about 1/3 of student absences due to illnesses this month have been due to COVID.  Add in both teachers’ and support staff members’ illnesses, combined with teacher, substitute, and labor shortages, and COVID has taken a toll on us all.

But at JFK, we’ve survived, remained open, and have thrived.  Last year’s school theme was “I Need You,” and it was so apparent coming out of an unprecedented school closure of five months.  We all needed and continue to need one another.  I can tell you, the number of hugs I have received from students this year is beyond any other year.  We need one another to love one another, to work together, and to be a real community.

This year’s theme is “Here I Am.”  And so, “Here I Am” today to share with you how JFK has thrived over the last two years.

First, JFK’s kindergarten through 8^th grade official enrollment is up 3.5% over a year ago, and three year old preschool also saw a healthy increase.  These enrollment increases were even greater than we had anticipated so, thankfully, we had enough in our budget to add more desks, chairs, and textbooks.

Federal COVID relief funding has also helped us to deal with issues presented by a pandemic.  We have, for example, been able to purchase large quantities of portable air purifiers and cleaning supplies.  Did you know that we are on track to spend more than $11,000  for Chlorox-wipes and $6,000 for hand sanitizer over the next two years?  Those types of expenses can be mind-boggling.  But we’ve also been able to purchase science supplies, webcams, and document cameras, and we have been able to finish becoming a 1 to 1 school with tablets or Chromebooks that every K-8 student takes back and forth to school each day just like they would their pencil box.

Direct services to students have also been a result of federal funding.  Reading interventionists, who can help struggling students, were retained.  Instructional aide time for working with students in one-on-one or small group settings was increased.  Free, school-based therapy mental health services are available for every family who needs them, and our summer reading and math program, called Leaps & Bounds, has been approved to be free for all students this summer.  Finally, every student’s school lunch has been free for the last year and a half, saving families over $700 per child.  As we have scrambled to meet students’ needs during a pandemic, federal COVID relief funding has, indeed, been a God-send.

I would be remiss as well if I didn’t thank you “in person” for your support of our capital campaign at Our Lady of Victory.  You are able to hear me quite well today through the new sound system, and many of you may have participated in a live-streamed or recorded Mass at OLV.  Both sides of the campus have also benefited greatly through the work on our heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems.  While the primary reason for doing HVAC work at the school was due to the condition of the aged heating pipes, the most noticeable benefit from the students’ perspective was, honestly, the added air conditioning.  As one student so profoundly noted this fall, “…it sure is easier to focus on our schoolwork now because we’re not wiping the sweat off our heads or having sweat drip on our papers.”  JFK is now the only Catholic school in Scott County with a modern, high efficiency heating and air conditioning system and a mechanical ventilation system that meets today’s building codes.  “Here I Am” today to say how grateful we are for your pledges and payments to the Cultivating Our Future capital campaign.

During the last two years of a pandemic, JFK students have continued to thrive academically as well.  Over 20% more JFK students, for example, are at screening benchmarks or at end of the year proficiency levels for reading and math than students across the entire state of Iowa.  We have even found ways to continue with, revise, or improve upon such traditional activities as 3^rd grade can character book reports, 4^th grade organ and state reports, middle school science fair projects, and, of course, civic oration, which will be adding a PowerPoint element to it this year.  Civic oration, for those of you who don’t know, is a research paper and public speaking project that students do each year in grades 5-8.  Civic oration, I might add, is still credited by my own children, who are all now college graduates, as the single best academic activity they have ever experienced and the one that prepared them the most for their future educations.

Speaking of the future, the future of Catholic school education in Scott County is still progressing towards unification.  By the 2023-24 school year, about a year and a half from now, we will be one Scott County Catholic School system.  We would like to thank OLV parish members Andy Craig, who has been selected to be the president of the new system, Tammy Askeland-Nagle, who is serving on the new system’s board of directors, and, of course, Fr. Jake, who is on the board of trustees and board of directors, for their service.   The more we work together as one Scott County Catholic school system, the better we are able to meet our present challenges and implement a better vision for the future of Catholic school education in our area.  We want to not only survive; we want to thrive, and we can best do that when we work together as one.

Finally, “Here I Am,” as usual, before our God.  Or, maybe I should say, not quite as usual.  Through the last two years, I’ve worn masks to Mass, sat socially distant from others, and put dots on pews to indicate where students sit during school Masses.  My wife and I have become regular, if not daily, watchers of Masses online, and we have even celebrated Mass, without the Eucharist, on Christmas Eve with a family gathering of seven people and six dogs in our family room.  It certainly has not been usual.  But, through deaths in my own family and surgeries for both my wife and I, we have, as the psalmist proclaimed today, continued to turn to our Lord to be our rock and our fortress, our hope and our strength.  “Here I Am,” Lord to lay open my life in front of you.  “Here I Am,” Lord, to worship and do your will.  “Here I Am,” Lord, at John F. Kennedy Catholic School and Our Lady of Victory Parish.  As principal of JFK, I want to “thank you” for being here with us too and for your support.  May God bless you and your families.”

 

Chad