ISASP Testing This Week
Students in grades 3-8 will take the Iowa Statewide Assessments of Student Progress this week. Please make sure your students have plenty of sleep and a good breakfast. Test administration begins early each morning so being on time is also critical. Reading, ELA, and math are on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, respectively. Only 5th and 8th graders take the science assessments on Friday. Wednesday has our all school Mass in the morning. Most testing is finished by about 9:00 except on Tuesday when we finish around 9:35.
JFK Musical
JFK’s first middle school musical, Seusical, has performances this week: Friday and Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. All performances are in the Assumption auditorium.
Marzano High Reliability Schools Framework
JFK is involved in a long-term strategic planning and improvement process based upon 40 years of educational research from Dr. Robert Marzano and associates. This framework defines five key areas of school performance that a school must master in sequence to become a high reliability school where all students learn the content and skills needed to be successful in college, careers, and beyond. The five levels are the following: (1) Safe, Supportive, and Collaborative Culture, (2) Effective Teaching in Every Classroom, (3) Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum, (4) Standards-Referenced Reporting, and (5) Competency-Based Education.
Level I addresses the factors considered foundational to the well-being of a school. The most crucial step at Level 1 is to build a safe, supportive, and collaborative school culture by operating as a professional learning community (PLC). As we worked through Level I, Safe, Supportive, and Collaborative Culture, survey results from students, parents, staff, and administrators indicated that the following areas were strengths:
- Having a safe and orderly school environment
- Teachers being involved in the decision-making process regarding school initiatives
- Teacher teams and collaborative groups interacting to address common issues regarding curriculum, assessment, instruction, and the achievement of all students
- Having the fiscal, operational, and technological resources managed in a way that directly supports teachers
Relative to these areas of strengths, we indicated we wanted to do better with appropriately acknowledging our successes and with more formal ways for students, parents, community members, teachers and staff to provide input regarding the optimal functioning of the school. To help address the former, we’ve added the the JFK GROWS student of the month and the preschool focused Facebook page. To address the latter, we’ve been using more Google Form surveys and exit cards from meetings, and we’ve created formal suggestion boxes. The digital suggestion box for students, parents, and community members can be found on the Contact Us page on our website. Suggestions will be reviewed and considered regularly.
Ways To Get Involved
There are three ways for parents to currently get involved: Board of Education, Home & School, and Policy Committee.
Even as we regionalize to become Scott County Catholic Schools, there will still be an advisory board needed at JFK. A recent example of the board’s feedback was to help prioritize our next areas of focus in relation to our winter safety/security assessment. The nine member board meets monthly. Terms are for three years. If you are interested, please contact me at chad.steimle@olvjfkmail.com
We know some policies, like dress codes, will remain local rather than SCCS regional policies. JFK reviews about 1/3 of our parent and student handbook policies every year. If you are interested in participating in this year’s review, please contact me: chad.steimle@olvjfkmail.com
Our Home & School Association also needs officers and active participants. H & S plans many of the fun activities for families like the event at the pumpkin patch and Snowstar. Recently, they provided feedback regarding parameters for a new replacing our entire playground out back. If you are interested in being active with Home & School, please send a message to JFK.HomeandSchool@outlook.com
Still No ESA Administrative Rules
The large gathering of private school administrators and school choice advocates came and went last week without ESA administrative rules from the Department of Education.
Registration Information
JFK now has about 80% of its current students pre-registered for next school year. Interestingly, in two of the four elementary schools in SCCS, rates are much higher, and they are already trying to make decisions about whether one section grade levels should become two and what to do about two sections that are filling to capacity. At JFK, it seems we’re still doing our slow and steady pace. It seems a lot harder to do that in a system’s approach, however. Enrollment decisions will be made based upon pre-registration information. Waiting lists and the number of sections needed for each grade level at each building will be based upon completed pre-registrations. Current families will not want to lose a spot at JFK because they waited too long.
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.
- 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. 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. The deadline for application is June 30th, and it seems as if this deadline will be firm regardless of when the state’s application process becomes live. 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 may provide assistance for our families who are below 300% of poverty, depending upon how the ESA administrative regulations are written. (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.
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.
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 24-28: ISASP Testing
- Apr 24: Penny War for JDRF begins
- Apr 26: Info Knight at AHS, 5:30, Carroll Lab at AHS
- Apr 27: Hearing Screening for PS, K, 1, 2, 5. Plant sale pick up
- Apr 28: Plant sale pick up. JFK musical. Special dress day. Cookies and Dreams pop up sale. Penny War ends.
- Apr 29: Upon This Rock capital campaign kick off at OLV. JFK musical
- Apr 30: JFK musical
- May 1: Vision screening
- May 2: End of 4th mid-qtr
- May 4: 7/8 Showcase
What’s with this Weather?
I tried to cut some boards for a project on Saturday but got chased in when little ice crystals were coming down fairly hard at my house. (I had ignored the snowflakes!) Then, on Sunday, I was wearing my winter coat, wool hat, and winter gloves to mow the lawn. What’s with this weather in late April?
Chad
