Working Toward JFK Being Fully Open in the Fall
JFK is developing its plan to be fully open for PS-8th grades in the fall. While I have mentioned in previous Principal’s Posts that our Return to Learn planning is actually three plans in one with provisions for face-to-face in the building instruction, remote learning, and a hybrid between the two, we are anticipating being able to have all students at JFK in the building in the fall.
Guiding our conversations for re-opening, again, are the following primary principles, quoted from CDC documentation:
- “Promote healthy hygiene practices such as hand washing and employees wearing a cloth face covering, as feasible
- Intensify cleaning, disinfection, and ventilation
- Encourage social distancing through increased spacing, small groups and limited mixing between groups, if feasible
- Train all employees on health and safety protocols”
A fifth area is the screening of students and employees, and the latest guidance seems to be that this task can be something that is done at home before students or staff arrive at school in the morning.
At last week’s meeting with representatives from the Scott County and Clinton/Jackson Counties Health Departments and Dr. Louis Katz, a local infectious disease expert, it was stated that we are on a good trend with COVID-19 in our area. As long as this positive trend continues, they did not see any reason why we would not be able to open schools in the fall. School practices and procedures will likely look different next year than “normal” years, but all signs are looking toward opening.
In future Principal’s Posts, I’ll share more details about what school will look like in the fall. Whatever I share will, of course, be subject to change by the time we start the school year in late August.
Please note that our conversations are also guided by the fact that we are responsible for other people’s children. What we might do within our own families may not be the same when charged with the responsibility to care for other people’s children. The conversations are also influenced by differences between optional and mandatory activities. Having one’s children in summer sports, for example, is optional. Having one’s children receive an education is not optional; education is legally compulsory. Add in that enrollment in our Catholic schools is exercising an educational choice, however, and our conversations get really interesting!
School Calendar Distributed Late This Week or on Weekend
JFK will distribute a one page school calendar summary late this week or over the weekend. The OLV/JFK board of education will meet on Thursday and consider a proposal based upon the DCSD’s calendar that was approved tonight. The proposed starting date continues to be August 24th, and the school calendar will look much like every other year’s calendar.
An Unpack Your Backpack/Meet Your Teacher event will be scheduled with families on August 19th and 20th. The date and format of Back to School Sunday/Back to School Registration typically held the last weekend in July or first weekend in August has yet to be determined.
End of the Year Drop Off and Pick Up of Items
If you still have materials that belong to JFK at your house, please return them to JFK as soon as possible. The school office is typically open Monday-Thursday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Summer Instructional Programming
Schools have been given guidance on how to hold on site summer instructional programming. We will be offering two sessions of Leaps & Bounds this summer. Leaps & Bounds focuses on reading and math for students currently in kindergarten – 5th grade. The student to teacher ratio is 7:1 or lower, and no more than 10 students will be in the room. Students are encouraged to bring cloth face masks each day from home and return home with them for laundering or replacement with clean ones for the next day. Face shields may at times be used and will be provided by the school. Session I is weekdays July 6 – 17, and session II is July 20 – 31. The program runs from 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. The cost is $190 per student per session. Sign up for one or both sessions. A minimum number of students is needed to financially support each session. Registration information was emailed. Please contact the school office or Mrs. Temming at kitty.temming@olvjfkmail.com to register.
We are also offering one-on-one tutoring this summer. Dates and times can be arranged individually. The cost is $22 per hour. Information regarding tutoring was also emailed. Contact Mrs. Temming at kitty.temming@olvjfkmail.com to register.
Registration for Next Year
The deadline for payment of the registration fee and deadline for receiving the discount is June 30th. The discounted fee is $100 per child with a maximum of $200 per family. On July 1st, the discount ends, and the fee will return to $125 per child with a maximum of $250 per family. If you turned in a tuition contract without the registration fee, please send us the registration fee by June 30th so you can take advantage of the discount.
If you are concerned about finishing your tuition and other payments for the 2019-20 school year, please contact Fr. Jake (greinerj@diodav.org or 563-391-4245) or Emily Sanderson (emily.sanderson@olvjfkmail.com or 563-391-3030) so a payment plan can be arranged.
Chad
