I’m So Blessed!
I am so blessed to have known and worked alongside Fr. Andrew for the past three years. He has an amazing ability to connect with the young and old and bring the Lord to us all. Beginning July 1st, he will move on from OLV to become the parochial administrator (similar to pastor) of St. Mary’s in Iowa City. The Church is blessed to have him as a priest.
Text Message Communications Back with SchoolMessenger
SchoolMessenger requires families to “opt in” to receive text messages. All families who want to receive text messages will need to “opt in.” Two weeks ago a flyer was sent that directed families to type “Y” or “Yes” to 67587.
On Thursday (delayed from Wednesday), SchoolMessenger sent families who had not already opted in a text message directing people to type “Y” if they want to receive further text messages. Again, you will not receive text messages any more unless you respond to that one message or take the initiative yourself to type “Y” or “Yes” to 67587.
While we don’t do mass “text blasts” often, you don’t want to miss a message from JFK! Take action now.
Chronic Absenteeism
Mrs. Wemhoff is in the process of sending letters home to families who have a child who was “chronically absent” in the third quarter. Chronic absenteeism is typically defined as missing at least 10 percent of school days, or 18 days in a year, for any reason, excused or unexcused. For a quarter of school, chronic absenteeism would be about five days. While no one is saying that there may not be good reasons for students to be absent such as illnesses, trips, funerals, athletic events, etc., we do want families to make sure that their decisions are thoughtful. Chronic absenteeism can affect students’ ability to read, and the ripple effect of reading difficulties can be felt for many, many years. Chronically absent students also have difficulty engaging with learning in general and with connections to peers and other caring adults.
School Calendar for 2024-25
The academic calendar for the Davenport SCCS elementary schools for 2024-25 has been linked on the front page of our website. It is also available here: SCCS – Davenport Elementary School 2024-2025 Academic Calendar
April 8th is now an in-service day for JFK and all the SCCS elementary schools in order to accommodate a joint training session. The DCSD was already going to have an in-service day on this date.
Registration Letters Have Now All Been Emailed
Registration acceptance or waiting list letters have now been emailed to all families who have children who will be in 3 YO PS through 8th grade at JFK next school year. This letter is another point of confirmation that your registration was received. Communication will now begin for those who have not paid the registration and/or 4 YO PS extra time fees. The link to pay the fees is available on the front page of our website.
The registration fee, except for those Iowa residents applying for four year old preschool, is now $125 per child. The registration fee should be paid at the time of registration/application. The link also allows new families the options for paying the extra time fee for 4 YO preschools and the wraparound registration/deposit fee. The K-8 registration fee button can also be used to pay for 3 YO preschool registration and 4 YO Non-qualifying preschool registration.
ESAs: The target date for ESA applications to become available for the 2024-25 school year is April 16th. Even if you received an ESA in 2023-24, you have to apply again.
- Families must apply each year! The application is through Odyssey, the state’s vendor.
- Eligible families in 2024-25 are the following:
- All kindergartners and first graders
- New transfer students
- Students who already received an ESA this year due to transferring to JFK for 2023-24
- Families whose income is less than 400% of poverty, which is just over $120,000 for a family of four
- (In 2025-26, all families, regardless of income will be eligible for ESAs)
Third Quarter Report Cards Yet to Be Emailed
Third quarter final report cards have yet to be emailed. I noticed an issue with some of the standards marks, and we are working to get them cleaned up.
More About My Childhood Library
Last week, I mentioned how blessed I am to live so close to a library now and how often I would go to the library while growing up. I grew up in South Milwaukee, WI, a working-class suburb, get this, south of Milwaukee. The big plant right in the center of the city was Bucyrus-Erie, which made huge construction shovels, the type that were used for the Panama Canal and large mining operations. (B-E was bought by Caterpillar about 10 years ago.) Directly across the street from the plant was the library. While we went to the library for the books, there was many a time we’d then sit by the windows and watch the overhead yard cranes move metal from one location to another!
Another industrial claim to fame for South Milwaukee, that I really only learned about in my teenage years as the plant was more “hidden,” was Everbrite, LLC. They made outdoor signs. The number of McDonald’s “golden arches” stored on their property was staggering!
Although considered an “industrial city,” so much of my personal experience of South Milwaukee was related to the park system. We lived about a half block from the Oak Creek Parkway, which would be similar to living near Duck Creek. Once in the park system, there were bike paths, trails, picnic areas, etc. that wound all through the city, opened up to a lagoon that was near a waterfall that had once powered a grain mill, and then flowed into Lake Michigan. Traveling north along the shores of Lake Michigan, one could even reach downtown Milwaukee without seeming to have to exit the park system for very long. I outgrew a few bikes riding through the park system!
There must also have been something special in the small (1200-1500 sq ft) brick houses in our neighborhood. Of the 15 “notable people” listed on Wikipedia for South Milwaukee, five of them lived within a one block radius of our house. My sister graduated with a future NBA basketball player, I played basketball and football in the yards with a future comedian, a professional wrestler was the backyard neighbor with us, and two politicians lived right around the corner. It’s a small world.
Speaking of a small world, did you see JFK mentioned in passing in the QCTimes article this weekend about Kate Martin on the University of Iowa basketball team?
Calendar Highlights
Here are just a few items highlighted from the detailed online school calendar:
- Apr 8: In-service. No Classes. ECLC Open. Middle School Youth Night. 2nd Grade Sacramental Prep Activity
- Apr 9: Putnam Museum Programming at JFK. Home & School Mtg
- Apr 11: Jersey Mike’s Night. Confirmation Practice. Putnam Museum Programming at JFK. K-2 Dance Clinic
- Apr 12: Confirmation
- Apr 16: Ned Show Assembly
- Apr 17: 6th to AHS
- Apr 18: 7th Confirmation Prep Activity
- Apr 19: Kickball Tournament
- Apr 21: Ignite Sunday
