JFK GROWS Students of the Month
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. Below are the students being recognized at each grade level who have exhibited these traits particularly well in March:
- Kindergarten: Daniel K.
- Daniel has a sweet personality and is kind to his friends. He is always willing to share. He is a hard worker and always has a smile on his face. Daniel is a good helper and a great example of the JFK Difference.
- 1st Grade: Sofia B.
- Sofia has made great academic strides this year due to her hard work and never give up attitude! She has a kind heart and is a good friend to all her classmates. Sofia is a very responsible student.
- 2nd Grade: Annie W.
- Annie always has a smile on her face and will help anyone in need. Her assignments are always done neatly and well. She participates in class and can always be counted on for anything that is needed!
- 3rd Grade: Dallas M.
- Dallas is very determined to accomplish her best work on all of her assignments and takes the time to think things through. When she needs help, she always raises her hand to ask a question to assist her in the goal of coming up with the correct answer. Her determination and hard work are outstanding!
- 4th Grade: Maggie C.
- Maggie never hesitates to help a teacher or a classmate in need. She participates in class and is always on task. Maggie models the JFK Difference by choosing to welcome all and behave respectfully.
- 5th Grade: Grant S.
- Grant demonstrates the JFK Difference daily. He is responsible and brings positivity and pride to the classroom. His leadership skills are unparalleled, and he is always willing to help others.
- 6th Grade: Howie E.
- Howie is a hard worker and always tries his best. His quiet sense of humor keeps everyone laughing, and he is always willing to help out.
- 7th Grade: Aiden N.
- Aiden’s consistency makes him stand out. If he says he’s going to do something, he’s going to do it. He listens carefully to directions and participates in class with thoughtful responses. With his kind heart, he is extremely helpful, often volunteering to do things or even taking the initiative to do them without being asked.
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8th Grade: Marissa B.
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Marissa comes into the room from Algebra in a quiet manner. She is willing to help the teacher and her peers and always participates well in assignments. Marissa has a positive attitude that helps the class stay focused and works well with her peers.
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New Information for Registration
More details are available for the registration process for 2023-24:
- All preschool, kindergarten, returning, and new families will need to enter information through the pre-registration/application survey. A QR Code and link/url are available on the front page of our website. Submissions are time/date stamped. For those unable to complete the pre-registration/application survey online, physical copies will be available at school. Enrollment decisions will be made based upon pre-registration information. JFK currently has only 74% of its current students pre-registered for next school year. Waiting lists and the number of sections needed for each grade level will be based upon completed pre-registrations. Current families will not want to lose a spot because they waited too long.
- Pay the registration fee for K-8, three year old preschool, or “non-qualifying” four/five year old preschool* OR the extra time fee for an “IA preschool” four year old preschool. The registration fee is regularly $125 per PK-12 student for a maximum of $375 per family. The early bird fee rate has been extended until May 1st. If paid prior to May 1st, the early bird amount is $100 per PK-12 student for a maximum of $300 per family. The extra time fee for four year old preschoolers is $250 per child. These fees can be paid online by following the link in the pre-registration/application survey. You can also go directly just to this payment link, without having to pre-register your child, which is especially handy if you already pre-registered but did not make the payment initially. Scroll down to the one time payment option to pay registration or extra time fees. Checks can also be made payable to JFK and sent to the school office.
- *A non-qualifying preschooler is a non-Iowa resident or student who turns 5 on or before Sept 15th. Tuition is charged for this student, and there is a registration fee. There is no extra time fee.
- Complete a more detailed online process that will take the place of the collection of paper Student Information Sheets in August. Due to delays in the computer app development, this process will likely not be available until at least April 20th.
- Online tuition contracts to establish the payment plan agreement will be made available to those who have completed the pre-registration process. The availability of the online tuition contracts is targeted for May. Being in good-standing with one’s tuition and fees may also impact the timing of receiving a tuition contract and finalizing enrollment. Those families who agreed to one or two tuition payments should be finished paying. Those who are on the ten month payment plan should finish in April. (The payment period began in July.) Please remember that, in addition to tuition, payments should be up to date for all fees, like aftercare, band, athletics, etc. and for lunches.
K-12 Tuition Rates for 2023-24
Tuition rates for K-12 have not yet been finalized for 2023-24 as we are still waiting for state guidance regarding Educational Savings Accounts. It appears that as the rules are being written there have been a couple of questions come up that they are determining if they can be addressed through the rules writing process or if the legislators must take action again. These questions are not substantive and may even benefit families more.
Tuition rate increases will likely not exceed historical trends: 5% for the grade schools and 3% for the high school. The 2022-23 tuition rate for a parish supported child was $4,170 and $6,170 for a non-parish supported child. Please note that the average cost per pupil for a child in a SCCS elementary school is over $8,000. The difference between cost per pupil and tuition is made up by parish subsidy and fund-raising/donations.
Scott County Catholic School tuition rates for preschool, with or without wraparound care, have been set. They are in the linked document: Preschool Tuition Rates JFK
Educational Savings Accounts
Once the state produces the ESA guidelines and application process, eligible families will want to move quickly. It will be to families’ advantages to have their taxes completed as line items will likely be referenced on the application.
Who is eligible for an ESA in 2023-24?
- All kindergartners
- Students who were not in a private school the year prior
- All students whose family income is below 300% of poverty
| Persons in family/household | Poverty guideline | 300% Poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $14,580 | $43,740 |
| 2 | $19,720 | $59,160 |
| 3 | $24,860 | $74,580 |
| 4 | $30,000 | $90,000 |
| 5 | $35,140 | $105,420 |
| 6 | $40,280 | $120,840 |
| 7 | $45,420 | $136,260 |
| 8 | $50,560 | $151,680 |
| For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $5,140 for each additional person. | ||
Family Tuition Plan Financial Assistance
Current families who do not qualify for ESAs should apply for financial assistance through our Family Tuition Plan Application. When applying, please make sure you use the drop down menu to select the 2023-24 school year. There may be more financial assistance available for next year or more families may be able to receive assistance as ESAs will provide assistance for our families who are below 300% of poverty. (There are still income guidelines and other restrictions to stay within the legal parameters of the Student Tuition Organization rules that will apply.)
Current families who know they are not eligible for ESAs or who might be on the edge should apply for the Family Tuition Plan. Parents can even submit the FTP application before tuition rates have been set. Having the application in place will just speed things up once rates are set.
How Much Time Does Your Child Spend on Social Media?
A 2022 report by Common Sense Media indicates that children between the ages of 8 and 12 spend about 5 1/2 hours PER DAY on social media. Teenagers spend even more time on social media: a little over 8 1/2 hours PER DAY.
Gala is Sneaking up on Us
The 2023 OLV/JFK Gala is sneaking up on us. It’s April 15th. Celebrate the completion of your taxes! Proceeds above the normal budgeted amount will go toward new playground equipment out back.
SCCS Davenport Elementary School Academic Calendar for 2023-24
JFK’s board will vote on a unified academic calendar for the Davenport Catholic elementary schools for 2023-24 on Tuesday. Lourdes, dealing with the Bettendorf school district and its transportation, and Assumption, which has different scheduling needs than the elementary schools, will have schedules slightly different than JFK, All Saints, and St. Paul’s.
New Future School Name for Lourdes
Bishop Zinkula announced on Saturday the name for the new school that will be built in Bettendorf and replace Lourdes: St. Joan of Arc. With the creation of the regional Scott County Catholic School system, a future replacement for Lourdes, and ESAs, it is truly an exciting time to be in Catholic school education.
Planning for New Playground at JFK
We have begun design conversations for a new playground at JFK, replacing the equipment behind the school. We are appreciative of the feedback provided by representatives from Home & School, student council, and JFK staff. The design process, ordering, securing of funds, etc. will take some time. It is not anticipated that any work will be done prior to 2024. All of our current equipment “out back” is more than 22 years old and shows its age.
Text Messages from JFK
If you are not registered to receive text messages from JFK, type “Y” or “Yes” to 67587. You will not receive text messages from JFK if you do not take action yourself.
Middle School Position, with Math Emphasis, Open for 2023-24
JFK is seeking a middle school, primarily math, teacher for 2023-24. Mrs. Clark will be moving back to Utah where family resides. Interested applicants should send a letter of interest, resume, copy/link of one’s Iowa license, and list of references to chad.steimle@olvjfkmail.com. More information is on TeachIowa.gov
Highlighted Events
See the calendars on our website for more complete information as the below are only some of the highlights.
- Apr 6: Holy Thursday school activities, 8:55. Special seating in the church
- Apr 7: Good Friday. No School/No ECLC.
- Apr 9: Easter
- Apr 10: Easter Monday. No School/No ECLC
- Apr 11: 7th to Finance Park
- Apr 14: Kickball tournament
- Apr 15: Gala
Chad
