Category: Principal’s Post

Early Dismissal on Friday

There is a 2 hour early dismissal (12:40) on Friday for the end of the 3rd quarter. There is no afternoon preschool. ECLC and aftercare are available.

School Calendar for 2025-26

The academic school calendar for the Davenport elementary schools in SCCS has been passed and is available on the front page of our website.

Teaching Masses

One of the results of the youth and family engagement survey was a need for more learning about Mass itself, especially for parents who wanted to be able to explain things better for their children. OLV is having two “teaching Masses:” March 26 at 6:00 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. on March 29. The Saturday Mass is followed by pizza in the parish center.

Candy Bar Sale Ends Friday

March 28th is the end of the candy bar sale. There’s still time to sell another box!

Registration Fee for 2025-26 Due

If you have not finished the registration process by paying the registration fee, please do so as soon as possible. While JFK had the highest percentage of returning families registered for next school year among SCCS (above 95%), we also had the lowest percentage of families that have paid the registration fee (below 60%). Directions for paying the registration fee are on the front page of our website, www.olvjfk.com.

JFK Spiritwear Spring Sale

The online spiritwear store will be open until March 31st. This is the last time to get JFK spiritwear this school year. Use promotion code “JFK” at checkout and receive 10% off your order.

Teaching Positions Open Now

JFK has several teaching positions open now:

Long-term and short-term substitutes: Through February, we have been short about one substitute teacher per day. Persons with teaching licenses, substitute licenses, and/or a substitute authorization are encouraged to apply.

Reading interventionist: We have been authorized to hire a full-time teacher immediately to work as a reading interventionist for the rest of the school year. A person in this position would likely be offered a job in an SCCS elementary building next school year regardless of whether or not there was a position to be filled at JFK next year. An Iowa teaching license is required.

K-6 teacher: With the addition of a third section of kindergarten, JFK will be looking for an additional licensed teacher. The exact grade level may depend upon reassignment of current staff and/or qualifications and interests of new candidates.

Instructional aide: JFK is seeking at least one additional instructional aide for the 2025-26 school year.

For more information, please contact me at chad.steimle@olvjfkmail.com.

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 around the beginning of November. 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 

Highlighted Events

Shark Tank 

Seventh graders had their “Shark Tank” experience last week. Modeled after the television show, JFK’s 7th graders identified a problem and developed a product to solve it. Then, they pitched it to the sharks, played by five Assumption High School students. This STEM project, combined with ELA, is an amazing educational experience for students, and it’s fun!

The third place group, with the Reel-in Remote, was Grant S. and Keaton F. Their product makes it difficult to lose the remote control. In second place was Connor S. and Anthony S. with The Bright Bella, a lighted umbrella that also came with a flashlight. The first place group was Laney G. and Corinne N. with The Delicious Distractor, which helps you keep your dog distracted with a treat while you can trim its toenails.

We’d also like to congratulate the following groups that advanced to the final round of competition:

• Claire A. and Madison H.
• Morgan F. and Brooklyn S.
• Lilly S. and Audrey J.
• Trace M. and Greyson C.
• Natalie R. and Elliana S.

Lunch Program Audit 

A shout out goes to Meredith Ash for successfully leading SCCS schools through an Iowa Department of Education audit of lunch programs. Mrs. Ash has been working on coordinating the National School Lunch Programs of JFK and All Saints and the lunch program at Assumption. Next year, the new St. Joan of Arc Catholic School will also join the NSLP.

Acceptance Letters All Sent Via Email

The big project last week was the review of student applications and re-enrollments for 2025-26. Kindergarten led to the greatest discussions. After speaking with multiple parties, it was determined that we could do three sections of kindergarten next year and have a way to sustain that cohort as three sections throughout their time at JFK. Currently, there are 450 K-8 students registered for JFK for 2025-26. That is the most that have ever been at JFK.

Our preschool numbers are low, however. If you know of families with three or four year olds, send them our way.

Acceptance letters were emailed to all families now. If you have not received yours, please contact the school office.  If you have not finished the registration process by paying the registration fee, please do so as soon as possible.  Unfortunately, we do not have “on demand” access to financial information at JFK. My last update, which is now about two weeks old, had registration fees paid for about 58% of the students. Directions for paying the registration fee are on the front page of our website, www.olvjfk.com.

Teaching Positions Open Now

JFK has several teaching positions open now:

Long-term and short-term substitutes: Through February, we have been short about one substitute teacher per day. Persons with teaching licenses, substitute licenses, and/or a substitute authorization are encouraged to apply.

Reading interventionist: We have been authorized to hire a full-time teacher immediately to work as a reading interventionist for the rest of the school year. A person in this position would likely be offered a job in an SCCS elementary building next school year regardless of whether or not there was a position to be filled at JFK next year. An Iowa teaching license is required.

K-6 teacher: With the addition of a third section of kindergarten, JFK will be looking for an additional licensed teacher. The exact grade level may depend upon reassignment of current staff and/or qualifications and interests of new candidates.

Instructional aide: JFK is seeking at least one additional instructional aide for the 2025-26 school year.

For more information, please contact me at chad.steimle@olvjfkmail.com.

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 around the beginning of November. 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 

Highlighted Events

No Buses March 3

There is no bus transportation on Monday, March 3rd. The DCSD is not in session.

JFK GROWS Students of the Month for February

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, except December, 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:  Annika L.
  • Annika works hard and is very good at asking questions. She helps those sitting near her and does very well with following directions.
• 1st Grade: Avery B..
  • Avery always works very hard, and she takes great pride in her work. She is willing to help her teacher and classmates.
• 2nd Grade: Kinsley J.D.
  • Kinsley is a bright smile in our classroom. Every day she comes in happy and ready to learn. She perseveres when schoolwork gets tough and is always there when friends need her. One can always count on Kinsley to be a helper.
• 3rd Grade: Collins H.
  • Collins is sweet and always finds the best in everyone. She is quick to make sure everyone is included, welcome and part of a group. She creates a warm environment for her classmates.
• 4th Grade: Reese I.
  • Reese is very polite and well-mannered. She is helpful and kind to everyone. She is patient and respectful and can always be counted on to follow the JFK difference on a daily basis.
• 5th Grade: Peyton R.
  • Peyton is always eager to greet everyone she comes across. Peyton is someone you can count on to volunteer to help, or she will help without being prompted or asked.  She’s respectful to those around her and encourages others to join in on various activities.
• 6th Grade: Mason F.
  • Mason is very respectful and tries to do his best in class. Mason is kind to his classmates and has been seen to encourage those around him.
• 7th Grade: Abel H.
  • Abel brings an air of positivity into whatever he’s doing, including to things of which he’s not particularly fond. He likes to keep things light and fun and tries his best to get along with all of his peers.
• 8th Grade: Zander S.
  • Zander is always respectful to his peers and teachers, and he picks up the slack wherever it is needed. He always puts in his full effort into assignments and stays on task.

Lenten Mission at OLV

We invite you to join us for our Lenten Mission at OLV: Lent: A Love Story on Monday, March 3 and Tuesday, March 4 from 6:00-7:30 pm in the church.

Attend one or both nights of the Mission and look at Lent through the lens of Love this year. Journey with us as we explore scripture, song, and personal stories of God’s love story for each of us.  On Monday evening, we will explore “Trusting in God’s Love” and “Embracing God’s Promise.”  Tuesday will feature the topics of “Persevere in Faith” and “Giving Ourselves to the Lord.”

Re-Enrollment and New Student Applications for 2025-26

The target date to review and begin to accept applications for families new to SCCS schools with students in grades 1-8, students wanting to transfer to JFK from other SCCS schools, and all kindergarten and preschool students is Monday. Roster spots are going to be tight for at least K, 1, 3, and 5 with grades 2 and 4 right behind them. In fact, I have never seen so many students applying for kindergarten! Just the pool of kindergarten eligible students at OLV alone is remarkably high, and that doesn’t necessarily count students already in our preschool, siblings of other enrolled students, students from other Catholic parishes, and interested community members. On the other hand, the number of four-year-old PS eligible students at OLV is about the lowest I’ve ever seen. We continue to discuss how we might be able to accommodate everyone and hope to be able to start sending confirmation or wait list emails beginning tomorrow or Tuesday.

Through what has been already done online, our retention rate for K-7 is projected to be around 99%. (Eighth grade students will going on to high school and are not included in this figure.) One thing that might help is for families to finish the registration process by paying the registration fee. I do not have “on demand” access to financial information. My last update, which is now about a week old, had registration fees paid for about 59% of the students. Directions for paying the registration fee are also on the front page of our website, www.olvjfk.com.

Teaching Positions Open Now

JFK has several teaching positions open now:

Long-term and short-term substitutes: Through February, we have been short about one substitute teacher per day. Persons with teaching licenses, substitute licenses, and/or a substitute authorization are encouraged to apply.

Reading interventionist: We have been authorized to hire a full-time teacher immediately to work as a reading interventionist for the rest of the school year. A person in this position would likely be offered a job in an SCCS elementary building next school year regardless of whether or not there was a position to be filled at JFK next year. An Iowa teaching license is required.

For more information, please contact me at chad.steimle@olvjfkmail.com.

Registration/Re-Enrollment and Application for 2025-26 is Live

Below is the timeline for registration/re-enrollment and application for the 2025-26 school year in SCCS elementary schools. The registration fee is $150 per student. ESA funds may not be used for registration.

Jan 22:

• Registration/re-enrollment and new application link went live on the front page of the JFK website. There are different directions for those who are “re-enrolling” and those who are new to SCCS. The most often seen error is that some families that already have a student in an SCCS school are clicking on “Get Started” instead of “Log In.” If you have any student in any SCCS school, you click on the “log in” button.
• Current K-11th grade students may re-enroll for 2025-26
• Students who will be kindergartners or pre-schoolers in 2025-26 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions
• New families with students in grades 1-8 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions

Mar 3:

• Applications for families new to SCCS schools with students in grades 1-8 for next year begin to be reviewed and accepted
• Kindergarten and preschool applications begin to be reviewed and accepted for SCCS schools

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 around the beginning of November. 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 

Highlighted Events

Preferred Re-Enrollment Deadline for 2025-26 Has Passed

Teaching Positions Open Now

JFK has several teaching positions open now:

Long-term and short-term substitutes: Through February, we have been short about one substitute teacher per day. Persons with teaching licenses, substitute licenses, and/or a substitute authorization are encouraged to apply.

Reading interventionist: We have been authorized to hire a full-time teacher immediately to work as a reading interventionist for the rest of the school year. A person in this position would likely be offered a job in an SCCS elementary building next school year regardless of whether or not there was a position to be filled at JFK next year. An Iowa teaching license is required.

For more information, please contact me at chad.steimle@olvjfkmail.com.

Youth and Family Engagement Survey

The OLV/JFK Youth and Family Engagement Team would like to hear from you about barriers to attending Mass and ideas you may have to better engage families at Church!

Please take a couple minutes to complete this survey by Friday, Feb 28th. As a thank you for completing, each of your children will receive an out of uniform pass! All responses will be kept confidential within the YFE group. We appreciate your help and honesty in providing feedback.

https://forms.gle/UZQrgPxQna3HpGjS9

Yearbook Sales End this Week

Yearbook sales are done online directly with the yearbook/picture company. Below is the link to place your order. The order deadline is February 28th.

https://yearbookforever.com/school-store/vneLSdV2TF8hbu6644R2ihoi

Registration/Re-Enrollment and Application for 2025-26 is Live

Below is the timeline for registration/re-enrollment and application for the 2025-26 school year in SCCS elementary schools. The registration fee is $150 per student. ESA funds may not be used for registration.

Jan 22:

• Registration/re-enrollment and new application link went live on the front page of the JFK website. There are different directions for those who are “re-enrolling” and those who are new to SCCS. The most often seen error is that some families that already have a student in an SCCS school are clicking on “Get Started” instead of “Log In.” If you have any student in any SCCS school, you click on the “log in” button.
• Current K-11th grade students may re-enroll for 2025-26
• Students who will be kindergartners or pre-schoolers in 2025-26 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions
• New families with students in grades 1-8 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions

Feb 10:

• JFK’s preschool open house, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and our preschool and wrap around care programs
  • Receive help with the online application
    • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used. Morning preschool slots fill up fast throughout SCCS!

Feb 13:

• JFK’s kindergarten round-up, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and kindergarten
  • Activities for future JFK kindergartners
  • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used

Feb 21:

• Deadline for preferred re-enrollment of current K-7 students who are going into grades 1-8. After this date, current SCCS families are not guaranteed a spot for next school year. Re-enrollment is not complete without the $150 per student registration fee.

Mar 3:

• Applications for families new to SCCS schools with students in grades 1-8 for next year begin to be reviewed and accepted
• Kindergarten and preschool applications begin to be reviewed and accepted for SCCS schools

Are You a Participating Member of Our Lady of Victory or Other Catholic Parish?

The diocese has asked us to clean up some data/questions for this 2024-25 school year, and families are being contacted individually. Please make sure the information you enter/update for 2025-26 is accurate as well.

I imagine we will be having more conversation at OLV this month about how we are verifying whether families are actually participating members of OLV. Below is the definition within our handbook:

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.

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 around the beginning of November. 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 

Highlighted Events

Yearbook Sales Have Started Online

Everything is done online directly with the yearbook/picture company. Below is the link to place your order. The order deadline is February 28th.

https://yearbookforever.com/school-store/vneLSdV2TF8hbu6644R2ihoi

Registration/Re-Enrollment and Application for 2025-26 is Live

Below is the timeline for registration/re-enrollment and application for the 2025-26 school year in SCCS elementary schools. The registration fee is $150 per student. ESA funds may not be used for registration.

Jan 22:

• Registration/re-enrollment and new application link went live on the front page of the JFK website. There are different directions for those who are “re-enrolling” and those who are new to SCCS. The most often seen error is that some families that already have a student in an SCCS school are clicking on “Get Started” instead of “Log In.” If you have any student in any SCCS school, you click on the “log in” button.
• Current K-11th grade students may re-enroll for 2025-26
• Students who will be kindergartners or pre-schoolers in 2025-26 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions
• New families with students in grades 1-8 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions

Feb 10:

• JFK’s preschool open house, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and our preschool and wrap around care programs
  • Receive help with the online application
    • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used. Morning preschool slots fill up fast throughout SCCS!

Feb 13:

• JFK’s kindergarten round-up, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and kindergarten
  • Activities for future JFK kindergartners
  • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used

Feb 21:

• Deadline for preferred re-enrollment of current K-7 students who are going into grades 1-8. After this date, current SCCS families are not guaranteed a spot for next school year. Re-enrollment is not complete without the $150 per student registration fee.

Mar 3:

• Applications for families new to SCCS schools with students in grades 1-8 for next year begin to be reviewed and accepted
• Kindergarten and preschool applications begin to be reviewed and accepted for SCCS schools

Are You a Participating Member of Our Lady of Victory or Other Catholic Parish?

The diocese has asked us to clean up some data/questions for this 2024-25 school year, and families are being contacted individually. Please make sure the information you enter/update for 2025-26 is accurate as well.

I imagine we will be having more conversation at OLV this month about how we are verifying whether families are actually participating members of OLV. Below is the definition within our handbook:

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.

Dress Code

We seem to have become a little lax with dress code after Christmas. It’s the usual issues: shirts untucked, missing belts, trying to wear hoodies, and skirts that are too short. Please note that the dress code does not have provisions for the height of a student or trying to avoid having to spend money on dress code acceptable clothing when the older clothing is starting to get too small.

The latest thing I saw right before Catholic Schools Week in the older grades has to do with earrings. Below is the relevant section from our handbook: “K-8: No more than 2 post earrings in each ear. No dangle or hoop earrings.” There is no mention about certain sizes of hoops being acceptable.

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 around the beginning of November. 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 

Highlighted Events

JFK GROWS Students of the Month for January

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, except December, 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:  Briggs B.
  • Briggs works hard to follow the rules and expectations in the classroom. He listens and pays attention during instruction and tries his best on classroom work. He is helpful and kind to his classmates.
• 1st Grade: Griffin W.
  • Griffin has a kind heart and is a friend to all. He puts forth his best effort even when things are hard. Griffin is extremely polite and is always smiling.
• 2nd Grade: Jude T.
  • Jude is a great leader in the classroom. He guides his classmates in positive directions and is a great example of kindness, respect, and responsibility. He is a light to all those around him.
• 3rd Grade: Grace T.
  • Grace demonstrates a love of learning and consistently receives good grades. She is kind, respectful and helpful to classmates and teachers.
• 4th Grade: Elaina K.
  • Elaina is a hardworking student who takes her school work seriously. She is always kind and respectful to her teachers and her classmates. Elaina makes a difference in our classroom.
• 5th Grade: Crue N.
  • Crue is new to JFK this year, but he has been an awesome addition to the JFK family. He is an incredibly hard worker and always tries to do his absolute best. He treats all of his classmates, the faculty, and the staff with immense kindness. He illustrates diligence, a growth mindset, kind-heartedness, a love for learning, and virtuous actions/values.
• 6th Grade: Hanna S.
  • Hanna is very respectful and follows classroom rules and procedures. She is always willing to help out her classmates and teachers.
• 7th Grade: Marshall N.
  • Marshall is a hard worker who is always available to help out others who need it. He always has a positive attitude and a smile on his face.
• 8th Grade: Alayna A.
  • Alayna puts in great effort on assignments and participates well with her peers. She is a pleasure to have in class.

Absences

This weekend’s Quad City Times had a feature on chronic absenteeism. Chronic absenteeism is defined as a student missing 10% or more of the school days FOR ANY REASON. The state average is currently 22%. Bettendorf has a chronic absenteeism rate of 23%, Davenport’s at 38%, North Scott’s at 19%, and PV is at 9%. JFK’s chronic absenteeism rate is 7%.

Registration for 2025-26 Update

The deadline for preferred re-enrollment of current students who will be returning for a grade at JFK next school year is February 21st. I would encourage families to do the online re-enrollment and/or application for a new student as soon as possible. It looks like there will be wait lists for some grade levels, particularly at lower grade levels.

Yearbook Sales Have Started Online

Everything is done online directly with the yearbook/picture company. Below is the link to place your order. The order deadline is February 28th.

https://yearbookforever.com/school-store/vneLSdV2TF8hbu6644R2ihoi

Registration/Re-Enrollment and Application for 2025-26 is Live

Below is the timeline for registration/re-enrollment and application for the 2025-26 school year in SCCS elementary schools. The registration fee is $150 per student. ESA funds may not be used for registration.

Jan 22:

• Registration/re-enrollment and new application link went live on the front page of the JFK website. There are different directions for those who are “re-enrolling” and those who are new to SCCS. The most often seen error is that some families that already have a student in an SCCS school are clicking on “Get Started” instead of “Log In.” If you have any student in any SCCS school, you click on the “log in” button.
• Current K-11th grade students may re-enroll for 2025-26
• Students who will be kindergartners or pre-schoolers in 2025-26 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions
• New families with students in grades 1-8 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions

Feb 10:

• JFK’s preschool open house, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and our preschool and wrap around care programs
  • Receive help with the online application
    • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used. Morning preschool slots fill up fast throughout SCCS!

Feb 13:

• JFK’s kindergarten round-up, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and kindergarten
  • Activities for future JFK kindergartners
  • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used

Feb 21:

• Deadline for preferred re-enrollment of current K-7 students who are going into grades 1-8. After this date, current SCCS families are not guaranteed a spot for next school year. Re-enrollment is not complete without the $150 per student registration fee.

Mar 3:

• Applications for families new to SCCS schools with students in grades 1-8 for next year begin to be reviewed and accepted
• Kindergarten and preschool applications begin to be reviewed and accepted for SCCS schools

Are You a Participating Member of Our Lady of Victory or Other Catholic Parish?

The diocese has asked us to clean up some data/questions for this 2024-25 school year, and families are being contacted individually. Please make sure the information you enter/update for 2025-26 is accurate as well.

I imagine we will be having more conversation at OLV this month about how we are verifying whether families are actually participating members of OLV. Below is the definition within our handbook:

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.

Dress Code

We seem to have become a little lax with dress code after Christmas. It’s the usual issues: shirts untucked, missing belts, trying to wear hoodies, and skirts that are too short. Please note that the dress code does not have provisions for the height of a student or trying to avoid having to spend money on dress code acceptable clothing when the older clothing is starting to get too small.

The latest thing I saw right before Catholic Schools Week in the older grades has to do with earrings. Below is the relevant section from our handbook: “K-8: No more than 2 post earrings in each ear. No dangle or hoop earrings.”

With our CSW out of uniform days past, we will move back toward regularly looking at dress code.

Career Fair Presenters Needed

Presenters are needed for the annual SCCS 8th grade career fair at St. Ambrose. This year’s fair is March 7th. We are looking for people in all types of professions: sales, plumbing, nursing and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing, firefighting, law enforcement, child care services, education, military, entrepreneurs, hair care, office management, insurance, accounting, etc.

Presenters are asked for a time commitment of 8:15am-1:30pm. We ask you to prepare a booth with information about your career (job duties, professional expectations, hours, required education/training, technology, general salary range, likes and dislikes, etc). We are requiring that you bring a hands-on activity for students. The students will rotate in groups and complete a career questionnaire about each booth they visit. A thank you lunch for all presenters will be provided. Additionally, all presenters are invited to join us for the celebration
of Mass at 1:30 in the Christ the King Chapel on campus.

If you are interested in being a presenter or know of someone that we should contact, please reach out to Emma Wolf at JFK: emma.wolf@olvjfkmail.com

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 around the beginning of November. 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 

Highlighted Events

February 3rd In-Service

There are no classes on Monday, February 3rd, and ECLC is closed. Teachers and staff will have professional development on the science of reading, curriculum mapping, and/or other meetings.

Yearbook Sales Have Started Online

Everything is done online directly with the yearbook/picture company. Below is the link to place your order. The order deadline is February 28th.

https://yearbookforever.com/school-store/vneLSdV2TF8hbu6644R2ihoi

Inclement Weather Announcements for JFK

If there should be a weather related late start, early dismissal, or school closure, this information will be sent out via automated email, text, and phone call.  The automated message goes to all primary contacts and is shared as soon as we can.  We also put the information on our website and main Facebook page.  Typically, we will follow the Davenport Community School District, due to bus transportation.

If school is cancelled, we will just let it be a snow/inclement weather day; students will not have to go online for instruction.  We have enough instructional time built into our school calendar to accommodate some snow days.

On two-hour early dismissals, we do operate our after school childcare programs, but we ask that everyone try to pick up as soon as possible so all can travel safely.

Text Message Communications

If you would like to receive text messages from JFK, type “Y” or “Yes” to 67587. While we don’t use “bulk” text messages often, you don’t want to miss them for a snow day, for example. Families must opt in to receive text messages.

Bulk messaging to the whole school actually goes out on a per student basis. If you have three students at JFK, you get the same message three times. It’s probably a “better safe than sorry” scenario, however. Would you rather sign up for text messaging and get three messages saying school is cancelled due to weather or none at all?

Registration/Re-Enrollment and Application for 2025-26 is Live

Below is the timeline for registration/re-enrollment and application for the 2025-26 school year in SCCS elementary schools. The registration fee is $150 per student. ESA funds may not be used for registration.

Jan 22:

• Registration/re-enrollment and new application link went live on the front page of the JFK website. There are different directions for those who are “re-enrolling” and those who are new to SCCS. The most often seen error is that some families that already have a student in an SCCS school are clicking on “Get Started” instead of “Log In.” If you have any student in any SCCS school, you click on the “log in” button.
• Current K-11th grade students may re-enroll for 2025-26
• Students who will be kindergartners or pre-schoolers in 2025-26 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions
• New families with students in grades 1-8 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions

Feb 10:

• JFK’s preschool open house, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and our preschool and wrap around care programs
  • Receive help with the online application
    • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used. Morning preschool slots fill up fast throughout SCCS!

Feb 13:

• JFK’s kindergarten round-up, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and kindergarten
  • Activities for future JFK kindergartners
  • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used

Feb 21:

• Deadline for preferred re-enrollment of current K-7 students who are going into grades 1-8. After this date, current SCCS families are not guaranteed a spot for next school year. Re-enrollment is not complete without the $150 per student registration fee.

Mar 3:

• Applications for families new to SCCS schools with students in grades 1-8 for next year begin to be reviewed and accepted
• Kindergarten and preschool applications begin to be reviewed and accepted for SCCS schools

Are You a Participating Member of Our Lady of Victory or Other Catholic Parish?

The diocese has asked us to clean up some data/questions for this 2024-25 school year, and families are being contacted individually. Please make sure the information you enter/update for 2025-26 is accurate as well.

I imagine we will be having more conversation at OLV this month about how we are verifying whether families are actually participating members of OLV. Below is the definition within our handbook:

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.

Dress Code

We seem to have become a little lax with dress code after Christmas. It’s the usual issues: shirts untucked, missing belts, trying to wear hoodies, and skirts that are too short. Please note that the dress code does not have provisions for the height of a student or trying to avoid having to spend money on dress code acceptable clothing when the older clothing is starting to get too small.

The latest thing I saw right before Catholic Schools Week in the older grades has to do with earrings. Below is the relevant section from our handbook: “K-8: No more than 2 post earrings in each ear. No dangle or hoop earrings.”

With our CSW out of uniform days past, we will move back toward regularly looking at dress code.

Career Fair Presenters Needed

Presenters are needed for the annual SCCS 8th grade career fair at St. Ambrose. This year’s fair is March 7th. We are looking for people in all types of professions: sales, plumbing, nursing and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing, firefighting, law enforcement, child care services, education, military, entrepreneurs, hair care, office management, insurance, accounting, etc.

Presenters are asked for a time commitment of 8:15am-1:30pm. We ask you to prepare a booth with information about your career (job duties, professional expectations, hours, required education/training, technology, general salary range, likes and dislikes, etc). We are requiring that you bring a hands-on activity for students. The students will rotate in groups and complete a career questionnaire about each booth they visit. A thank you lunch for all presenters will be provided. Additionally, all presenters are invited to join us for the celebration
of Mass at 1:30 in the Christ the King Chapel on campus.

If you are interested in being a presenter or know of someone that we should contact, please reach out to Emma Wolf at JFK: emma.wolf@olvjfkmail.com

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 around the beginning of November. 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 

Highlighted Events

Last Few Days Remaining for Those Receiving ESAs This School Year

Action is needed by January 31st!

Tuition amounts for the second semester have been uploaded to Odyssey.  Please log in to your account and approve the tuition.  It should only take a few minutes. Then, the State of Iowa will be able to pay Scott County Catholic Schools (SCCS) for your students’ tuition.  This needs to be done by January 31, 2025. Failure to take action will result in you being responsible for the tuition without the benefit of state funding; you will have to pay it yourself.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please call the SCCS business office at (563) 326-5313.

Get to Know the Bishop

Bishop Dennis Walsh will be on campus on Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. in the parish center. Come meet and listen to our new Bishop share about his personal faith journey and what led him to Davenport! We look forward to welcoming all parish middle school students, as well as any other students or parishioners who would like to attend.

Play Try-Outs

Middle school play try-outs are after school on Tuesday. This year’s play is based upon a Junie B. Jones story.

February 3rd In-Service

There are no classes on Monday, February 3rd, and ECLC is closed. Teachers and staff will have professional development on the science of reading, curriculum mapping, and/or other meetings.

Inclement Weather Announcements for JFK

If there should be a weather related late start, early dismissal, or school closure, this information will be sent out via automated email, text, and phone call.  The automated message goes to all primary contacts and is shared as soon as we can.  We also put the information on our website and main Facebook page.  Typically, we will follow the Davenport Community School District, due to bus transportation.

If school is cancelled, we will just let it be a snow/inclement weather day; students will not have to go online for instruction.  We have enough instructional time built into our school calendar to accommodate some snow days.

On two-hour early dismissals, we do operate our after school childcare programs, but we ask that everyone try to pick up as soon as possible so all can travel safely.

Text Message Communications

If you would like to receive text messages from JFK, type “Y” or “Yes” to 67587. While we don’t use “bulk” text messages often, you don’t want to miss them for a snow day, for example. Families must opt in to receive text messages.

Bulk messaging to the whole school actually goes out on a per student basis. If you have three students at JFK, you get the same message three times. It’s probably a “better safe than sorry” scenario, however. Would you rather sign up for text messaging and get three messages saying school is cancelled due to weather or none at all?

Registration/Re-Enrollment and Application for 2025-26 is Live

Below is the timeline for registration/re-enrollment and application for the 2025-26 school year in SCCS elementary schools. The registration fee is $150 per student. ESA funds may not be used for registration.

Jan 22:

• Registration/re-enrollment and new application link went live on the front page of the JFK website. There are different directions for those who are “re-enrolling” and those who are new to SCCS. The most often seen error is that some families that already have a student in an SCCS school are clicking on “Get Started” instead of “Log In.” If you have any student in any SCCS school, you click on the “log in” button.
• Current K-11th grade students may re-enroll for 2025-26
• Students who will be kindergartners or pre-schoolers in 2025-26 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions
• New families with students in grades 1-8 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions

Feb 10:

• JFK’s preschool open house, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and our preschool and wrap around care programs
  • Receive help with the online application
    • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used. Morning preschool slots fill up fast throughout SCCS!

Feb 13:

• JFK’s kindergarten round-up, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and kindergarten
  • Activities for future JFK kindergartners
  • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used

Feb 21:

• Deadline for preferred re-enrollment of current K-7 students who are going into grades 1-8. After this date, current SCCS families are not guaranteed a spot for next school year. Re-enrollment is not complete without the $150 per student registration fee.

Mar 3:

• Applications for families new to SCCS schools with students in grades 1-8 for next year begin to be reviewed and accepted
• Kindergarten and preschool applications begin to be reviewed and accepted for SCCS schools

Are You a Participating Member of Our Lady of Victory or Other Catholic Parish?

We do have a definition for being considered a participating member of OLV. When one does a quick scan of weekend Masses and doing a little extrapolation and estimation, about 20%-33% of JFK’s students are probably at an OLV weekend Mass. Just over half the children who actually are in attendance at a weekend Mass are JFK students, which seems low considering about 70%-85% of all children in the parish actually attend JFK. Would anyone consider you to be a participating member?

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.

Catholic Schools Week

Catholic Schools Week is underway. Below is an outline:

Sat, Jan 25

• 4:30 school Mass
  • Wear JFK spirit wear or green/white
• 5:30 Pizza dinner in the parish center (prepaid is ideal)
• 6:00-8:00 Family Fun Night & Book Fair

Mon, Jan 27

• Dodgeball for Diapers fundraiser by grades 3-8
• K-2 Special classroom activities
• Dress: Athletic attire with fancy/crazy socks

Tues, Jan 28

• Talent show in the afternoon
  • Information/sign up sheets were distributed prior to Christmas break. Contact your child’s homeroom teacher or Mrs. Putnam for extra copies. Returned information goes to Mrs. Corcoran
  • K class act begins at 12:00. Individual/group acts will follow but be grouped by the type of act rather than grade level this year. Guests are welcome, but we cannot anticipate the time of the performers.
  • Students may also bring a pillow to sit upon
• Dress: Wacky Tacky Dress Day

Wed, Jan 29

• All school Mass
• Bring an adult guest to lunch day
  • K: 10:40-11:10
  • 3/4: 11:10-11:40
  • 1/2: 11:40-12:10
  • 5/6: 12:10-12:40
  • 7/8: 12:10-1:10
  • Lunch flyer/form was emailed and sent home via hard copy. The child’s lunch account will be charged for the adult meal. Just make sure there are funds in your child’s lunch account; no separate funds are needed for the adults.
  • After lunch, students and their adult guests are welcome to attend the book fair in the library
  • Parents may take their children home for the day after lunch but must check their children out through the office and let the homeroom teacher know as well.
• Dress: Spirit wear or green/white out of uniform

Thurs, Jan 30

• Mass at AHS for students in grades 2-12 in SCCS schools
  • The first set of buses will leave JFK around 8:45. Mass will conclude around 10:30. The last students should be back at JFK by around 11:30. There is no separate permission slip as long as you gave permission for your child to attend field trips during the online registration last spring.
• Drop Everything and Read
  • Students can bring a pillow to sit upon
• Science Fair showcase for 8th grade
• Dress: Take pride in your uniform day. All students in SCCS will be in dress code (even those upper grade students who may have PE today)

Fri, Jan 31

• 8th grade vs. staff volleyball games with other grades cheering them on or doing special activities determined by teachers
• Dress: Teacher/Student Flip Day. Students dress like teachers (Mrs. Tilkens excluded), and staff dress like students

Sat, Feb 1

• Tubing at Snowstar, 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Dress Code

We seem to have become a little lax with dress code after Christmas. It’s the usual issues: shirts untucked, missing belts, trying to wear hoodies, and skirts that are too short. Please note that the dress code does not have provisions for the height of a student or trying to avoid having to spend money on dress code acceptable clothing when the older clothing is starting to get too small.

Presenters are needed for the annual SCCS 8th grade career fair at St. Ambrose. This year’s fair is March 7th. We are looking for people in all types of profes

Career Fair Presenters Needed

Presenters are needed for the annual SCCS 8th grade career fair at St. Ambrose. This year’s fair is March 7th. We are looking for people in all types of professions: sales, plumbing, nursing and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing, firefighting, law enforcement, child care services, education, military, entrepreneurs, hair care, office management, insurance, accounting, etc.

Presenters are asked for a time commitment of 8:15am-1:30pm. We ask you to prepare a booth with information about your career (job duties, professional expectations, hours, required education/training, technology, general salary range, likes and dislikes, etc). We are requiring that you bring a hands-on activity for students. The students will rotate in groups and complete a career questionnaire about each booth they visit. A thank you lunch for all presenters will be provided. Additionally, all presenters are invited to join us for the celebration
of Mass at 1:30 in the Christ the King Chapel on campus.

If you are interested in being a presenter or know of someone that we should contact, please reach out to Emma Wolf at JFK: emma.wolf@olvjfkmail.com

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 around the beginning of November. 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 

Highlighted Events

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Thursday evening and Friday during the day have scheduled conferences for 4 YO preschool. There are no 4 YO preschool classes on Friday.

K-8 drop-in conferences are 4:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday in teachers’ classrooms. Report cards should be available to pick up. 4F conferences are scheduled.

Inclement Weather Announcements for JFK

If there should be a weather related late start, early dismissal, or school closure, this information will be sent out via automated email, text, and phone call.  The automated message goes to all primary contacts and is shared as soon as we can.  We also put the information on our website and main Facebook page.  Typically, we will follow the Davenport Community School District, due to bus transportation.

If school is cancelled, we will just let it be a snow/inclement weather day; students will not have to go online for instruction.  We have enough instructional time built into our school calendar to accommodate some snow days.

On two-hour early dismissals, we do operate our after school childcare programs, but we ask that everyone try to pick up as soon as possible so all can travel safely.

Text Message Communications

If you would like to receive text messages from JFK, type “Y” or “Yes” to 67587. While we don’t use “bulk” text messages often, you don’t want to miss them for a snow day, for example. Families must opt in to receive text messages.

Bulk messaging to the whole school actually goes out on a per student basis. If you have three students at JFK, you get the same message three times. It’s probably a “better safe than sorry” scenario, however. Would you rather sign up for text messaging and get three messages saying school is cancelled due to weather or none at all?

Action Needed by Those Receiving ESAs

Tuition amounts for the second semester have been uploaded to Odyssey.  Please log in to your account and approve the tuition.  It should only take a few minutes. Then, the State of Iowa will be able to pay Scott County Catholic Schools (SCCS) for your students’ tuition.  This needs to be done by January 31, 2025. Failure to take action will result in you being responsible for the tuition without the benefit of state funding.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please call the SCCS business office at (563) 326-5313.

Registration/Re-Enrollment and Application for 2025-26 Link Scheduled to be Live on January 22

Below is the tentative timeline for registration/re-enrollment and application for the 2025-26 school year in SCCS elementary schools. The registration fee is $150 per student. ESA funds may not be used for registration.

Jan 22:

• Registration/re-enrollment and new application link goes live. Look for communication on January 22nd. Information will also be available on the front page of our website. There are different directions for those who are “re-enrolling” and those who are new to SCCS.
• Current K-11th grade students may re-enroll for 2025-26
• Students who will be kindergartners or pre-schoolers in 2025-26 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions
• New families with students in grades 1-8 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions

Feb 10:

• JFK’s preschool open house, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and our preschool and wrap around care programs
  • Receive help with the online application
    • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used. Morning preschool slots fill up fast throughout SCCS!

Feb 13:

• JFK’s kindergarten round-up, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and kindergarten
  • Activities for future JFK kindergartners
  • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used

Feb 21:

• Deadline for preferred re-enrollment of current K-7 students who are going into grades 1-8. After this date, current SCCS families are not guaranteed a spot for next school year. Re-enrollment is not complete without the $150 per student registration fee.

Mar 3:

• Applications for families new to SCCS schools with students in grades 1-8 for next year begin to be reviewed and accepted
• Kindergarten and preschool applications begin to be reviewed and accepted for SCCS schools

Are You a Participating Member of Our Lady of Victory or Other Catholic Parish?

We do have a definition for being considered a participating member of OLV. When one does a quick scan of weekend Masses and doing a little extrapolation and estimation, about 20%-33% of JFK’s students are probably at an OLV weekend Mass. Just over half the children who actually are in attendance at a weekend Mass are JFK students, which seems low considering about 70%-85% of all children in the parish actually attend JFK. Would anyone consider you to be a participating member?

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.

Are you saying “Yes” to weekend Mass worship?

Catholic Schools Week

Catholic Schools Week is underway. Below is an outline:

Sat, Jan 25

• 4:30 school Mass
  • Wear JFK spirit wear or green/white
• 5:30 Pizza dinner in the parish center (prepaid is ideal)
• 6:00-8:00 Family Fun Night & Book Fair

Mon, Jan 27

• Dodgeball for Diapers fundraiser by grades 3-8
• K-2 Special classroom activities
• Dress: Athletic attire with fancy/crazy socks

Tues, Jan 28

• Talent show in the afternoon
  • Information/sign up sheets were distributed prior to Christmas break. Contact your child’s homeroom teacher or Mrs. Putnam for extra copies. Returned information goes to Mrs. Corcoran
  • K class act begins at 12:00. Individual/group acts will follow but be grouped by the type of act rather than grade level this year. Guests are welcome, but we cannot anticipate the time of the performers.
  • Students may also bring a pillow to sit upon
• Dress: Wacky Tacky Dress Day

Wed, Jan 29

• All school Mass
• Bring an adult guest to lunch day
  • K: 10:40-11:10
  • 3/4: 11:10-11:40
  • 1/2: 11:40-12:10
  • 5/6: 12:10-12:40
  • 7/8: 12:10-1:10
  • Lunch flyer/form was emailed and sent home via hard copy. The child’s lunch account will be charged for the adult meal. Just make sure there are funds in your child’s lunch account; no separate funds are needed for the adults.
  • After lunch, students and their adult guests are welcome to attend the book fair in the library
  • Parents may take their children home for the day after lunch but must check their children out through the office and let the homeroom teacher know as well.
• Dress: Spirit wear or green/white out of uniform

Thurs, Jan 30

• Mass at AHS for students in grades 2-12 in SCCS schools
  • The first set of buses will leave JFK around 8:45. Mass will conclude around 10:30. The last students should be back at JFK by around 11:30. There is no separate permission slip as long as you gave permission for your child to attend field trips during the online registration last spring.
• Drop Everything and Read
  • Students can bring a pillow to sit upon
• Science Fair showcase for 8th grade
• Dress: Take pride in your uniform day. All students in SCCS will be in dress code (even those upper grade students who may have PE today)

Fri, Jan 31

• 8th grade vs. staff volleyball games with other grades cheering them on or doing special activities determined by teachers
• Dress: Teacher/Student Flip Day. Students dress like teachers (Mrs. Tilkens excluded), and staff dress like students

Sat, Feb 1

• Tubing at Snowstar, 6:00-9:00 p.m.

Career Fair Presenters Needed

Presenters are needed for the annual SCCS 8th grade career fair at St. Ambrose. This year’s fair is March 7th. We are seeking presenters from area businesses, the trades, colleges and universities, health care professionals, law enforcement agencies, public and private sector agencies, etc. to join us in educating our 8th grade students about the varied employment opportunities available to them.

Presenters are asked for a time commitment of 8:15am-1:30pm. We ask you to prepare a booth with information about your career (job duties, professional expectations, hours, required education/training, technology, general salary range, likes and dislikes, etc). We are requiring that you bring a hands-on activity for students. The students will rotate in groups and complete a career questionnaire about each booth they visit. A thank you lunch for all presenters will be provided. Additionally, all presenters are invited to join us for the celebration
of Mass at 1:30 in the Christ the King Chapel on campus.

If you are interested in being a presenter or know of someone that we should contact, please reach out to Emma Wolf at JFK: emma.wolf@olvjfkmail.com

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 around the beginning of November. 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 

Highlighted Events

Special Calendar Events

Wed, Jan 15: Special dismissal at 12:40. End of 2nd Qtr. No afternoon PS classes. Buses and aftercare available

Mon, Jan 20: No classes. ECLC open

Thurs, Jan 23: Drop in K-8 conferences. 4F conferences will be scheduled.

Thurs/Fri, Jan 23/24: 4 YO PS scheduled conferences. No 4 YO PS classes on Jan 24

Action Needed by Those Receiving ESAs

Tuition amounts for the second semester have been uploaded to Odyssey.  Please log in to your account and approve the tuition.  It should only take a few minutes. Then, the State of Iowa will be able to pay Scott County Catholic Schools (SCCS) for your students’ tuition.  This needs to be done by January 31, 2025. Failure to take action will result in you being responsible for the tuition without the benefit of state funding.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please call the SCCS business office at (563) 326-5313.

Registration/Re-Enrollment and Application for 2025-26

Below is the tentative timeline for registration/re-enrollment and application for the 2025-26 school year in SCCS elementary schools. The registration fee is $150 per student. ESA funds may not be used for registration.

Jan 22:

• Registration/re-enrollment and new application link goes live
• Current K-11th grade students may re-enroll for 2025-26
• Students who will be kindergartners or pre-schoolers in 2025-26 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions
• New families with students in grades 1-8 may apply
  • Acceptance is not automatic due to space/class size restrictions

Feb 10:

• JFK’s preschool open house, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and our preschool and wrap around care programs
  • Receive help with the online application
    • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used. Morning preschool slots fill up fast throughout SCCS!

Feb 13:

• JFK’s kindergarten round-up, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
  • Learn more about JFK and kindergarten
  • Activities for future JFK kindergartners
  • We encourage families to complete the online application even prior to round-up as time/date stamps may also be used

Feb 21:

• Deadline for preferred re-enrollment of current K-7 students who are going into grades 1-8. After this date, current SCCS families are not guaranteed a spot for next school year. Re-enrollment is not complete without the $150 per student registration fee.

Mar 3:

• Applications for families new to SCCS schools with students in grades 1-8 for next year begin to be reviewed and accepted
• Kindergarten and preschool applications begin to be reviewed and accepted for SCCS schools

Are You a Participating Member of Our Lady of Victory or Other Catholic Parish?

We do have a definition for being considered a participating member of OLV. When one does a quick scan of weekend Masses and doing a little extrapolation and estimation, about 20%-33% of JFK’s students are probably at an OLV weekend Mass. Just over half the children who actually are in attendance at a weekend Mass are JFK students, which seems low considering about 70%-85% of all children in the parish actually attend JFK. Would anyone consider you to be a participating member?

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.

Are you saying “Yes” to weekend Mass worship?

Catholic Schools Week

Catholic Schools Week is underway. Below is an outline.

Sat, Jan 25

• 4:30 school Mass
  • Wear JFK spirit wear or green/white
• 5:30 Family meal (prepaid is ideal)
• 6:00-8:00 Family Fun Night

Mon, Jan 27

• Dodgeball for Diapers fundraiser by grades 3-8
• K-2 Special classroom activities
• Dress: Athletic attire with fancy/crazy socks

Tues, Jan 28

• Talent show in the afternoon
  • Information/sign up sheets were distributed prior to Christmas break. Contact your child’s homeroom teacher or Mrs. Putnam for extra copies. Returned information goes to Mrs. Corcoran
  • K class act begins at 12:00. Individual/group acts will follow but be grouped by the type of act rather than grade level this year. Guests are welcome, but we cannot anticipate the time of the performers.
  • Students may also bring a pillow to sit upon
• Dress: Wacky Tacky Dress Day

Wed, Jan 29

• All school Mass
• Bring an adult guest to lunch day
  • K: 10:40-11:10
  • 3/4: 11:10-11:40
  • 1/2: 11:40-12:10
  • 5/6: 12:10-12:40
  • 7/8: 12:10-1:10
  • Lunch flyer/form was emailed and sent home via hard copy last week. The child’s lunch account will be charged for the adult meal. Just make sure there are funds in your child’s lunch account; no separate funds are needed for the adults.
  • After lunch, students and their adult guests are welcome to attend the book fair in the library
  • Parents may take their children home for the day after lunch but must check their children out through the office, and let the homeroom teacher know as well.
• Dress: Spirit wear or green/white

Thurs, Jan 30

• Mass at AHS for students in grades 2-12 in SCCS schools
  • The first set of buses will leave JFK around 8:45. Mass will conclude around 10:30. The last students should be back at JFK by around 11:30. There is no separate permission slip as long as you gave permission for your child to attend field trips during the online registration last spring.
• Drop Everything and Read
  • Students can bring a pillow to sit upon
• Science Fair showcase for 8th grade
• Dress: Take pride in your uniform day. All students in SCCS will be in dress code (even those upper grade students who may have PE today)

Fri, Jan 31

• 8th grade vs. staff volleyball games with other grades cheering them on or doing special activities determined by teachers
• Dress: Teacher/Student Flip Day. Students dress like teachers (Mrs. Tilkens excluded), and staff dress like students

Career Fair Presenters Needed

Presenters are needed for the annual SCCS 8th grade career fair at St. Ambrose. This year’s fair is March 7th. We are seeking presenters from area businesses, the trades, colleges and universities, health care professionals, law enforcement agencies, public and private sector agencies, etc. to join us in educating our 8th grade students about the varied employment opportunities available to them.

Presenters are asked for a time commitment of 8:15am-1:30pm. We ask you
to prepare a booth with information about your career (job duties, professional
expectations, hours, required education/training, technology, general salary range, likes and dislikes, etc). We are requiring that you bring a hands-on activity for students. The students will rotate in groups and complete a career
questionnaire about each booth they visit. A thank you lunch for all presenters will
be provided. Additionally, all presenters are invited to join us for the celebration
of Mass at 1:30 in the Christ the King Chapel on campus.

If you are interested in being a presenter or know of someone that we should contact, please reach out to Emma Wolf at JFK: emma.wolf@olvjfkmail.com

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 

Highlighted Events