New/Updated Information
Career Fair To Be Restructured
The annual SCCS 8th grade career fair at St. Ambrose has been cancelled in its present form. There just weren’t enough presenters for our gathering of 170+ students. For this year, we made arrangements for three of the schools to attend Junior Achievement’s career fairs in Muscatine or Clinton. (The remaining option they had did not work for any of our schools, and we, being the primary architect of career fair, decided that JFK could figure out some alternate activity.)
Next year, the four schools will attend JA’s career fair in the QCA. Mrs. Wolf and I attended it a couple of years ago to check it out but liked our more personal way of doing a career fair at SAU. Our future task, thus, will be to determine how we can structure our time at the JA career fair so it’s more productive for students.
We would like to thank those who did volunteer to be presenters at career fair. Perhaps there’s still a way we can take advantage of your willingness to spend time with our students.
Registration for 2026-27
Thanks for the last push to get current students registered for 2026-27. We’re probably down to about 30 families, which is a number that we can reach out to manageably and help get registered individually. Preferred re-enrollment ends on February 20th. After that time, your child will no longer be guaranteed a spot for 2026-27.
A few families are having difficulty using leftover ESA funds to pay registration fees. This issue seems to be more a timing on Odyssey’s part than anything else. Please keep checking periodically in your Odyssey account.
Directions for online registration/application are on the front page of our website, www.olvjfk.com. There are different directions for those who are “re-enrolling” and those who are entirely new to SCCS.
Below are some important dates:
Feb 13: Deadline for Preferred Re-Enrollment of K-7 Students Going into Grades 1-8
- After this date, current SCCS families are not guaranteed a spot for next school year
Feb 20: Review of Applications for Preschoolers, Kindergartners, and Students New to Grades 1-8
Week of Feb 23: Verification Letters Distributed for Re-enrollment, Preschoolers, Kindergartners, and New 1-8 Students
Still Relevant
I-Ready Math Requirements
I-Ready Math is an online program we use to better understand each student’s math strengths and learning needs. It begins with a short diagnostic/screener that helps identify what skills a student has mastered and where additional support or challenge is needed. Based on those results, i-Ready provides personalized math lessons that adjust to each child’s level, allowing students to work at an appropriate pace while building confidence and understanding. At school, students currently use i-Ready Math for at least 30 minutes per week as part of their regularly scheduled instructional time. That should be enough time to at least do one i-Ready lesson per week. Students not finishing the lesson at school will have it assigned as homework. In addition, students who scored below benchmark in math at both the fall and winter screenings will be required to work with i-Ready outside of school hours, reinforcing the school/home partnership. Students may always voluntarily do i-Ready lessons at home as well. More information will be mailed the week of January 26th.
OLV Strategic Plan
OLV’s Parish Council passed a new Strategic Plan and moved into the prioritization and implementation phase.
2026-27 K-8 Tuition Rates
Parish supported: $6,930
Non-parish supported: $8,930
2025-26 ESA: $7,988
Estimated 26-27 ESA: $,8,148 The legislators have not approved any increase in funding for any schools yet.
Make Sure ESAs Stay – Take Action Now
The opposition to ESAs may be fierce this legislative session. Please consider taking action to support ESAs. You can see several options through connections with Parents for Educational Choice by Iowa ACE.
Checking Students’ Grades and Missing Work
Below is a link to the instructions for parents to check 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.
Important notes:
- There are some things that just cannot be done on the app. You will have to use a computer for them.
- There is a message that says “Grades disabled by school.” IGNORE this message. It references a certain type of grade and not the standards-referenced grades we are using.
Now Hiring: President – Scott County Catholic Schools (SCCS)
Scott County Catholic Schools is seeking a visionary and faith‑driven President to serve
as the Chief Administrative Officer of our vibrant, multi‑school Catholic system located in
the Diocese of Davenport. This is a unique and rewarding leadership opportunity to
shape the future of Catholic education for students, families, and parishes across Scott
County.
About the Role
The President is responsible for advancing our Catholic mission, ensuring excellence in
academic and operational leadership, and guiding the long‑term success and vitality of
the school system. Serving as the executive leader, the President collaborates closely
with the SCCS Board of Directors and Trustees, pastors, principals, and the broader
community.
Key Responsibilities
- Mission & Catholic Identity
• Champion and model the Catholic identity of SCCS.
• Ensure Catholic values, teachings, and traditions are integrated into all school
programs, policies, and practices.
• Lead the development and ongoing review of SCCS’s mission, vision, and philosophy.
• Foster a culture of dignity, respect, and spiritual growth for students, families, faculty,
and staff. - Institutional Leadership
• Provide strategic leadership to principals and department heads.
• Build strong relationships with stakeholders.
• Represent SCCS across the diocese and broader community. - Operational & Academic Excellence
• Oversee instructional quality, business operations, and system‑wide administration.
• Ensure compliance with all diocesan, state, and federal education guidelines.
• Support continuous improvement and school advancement initiatives. - Stewardship & System Viability
• Collaborate with the Board on long‑range planning and policy implementation.
• Ensure sound fiscal stewardship and budget oversight.
• Lead hiring, supervision, evaluation, and formation of key personnel.
• Promote strong partnerships with parishes, families, and community organizations.
Qualifications
• Practicing Roman Catholic committed to the mission of Catholic education.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience in Catholic education or organizational leadership preferred.
To apply or learn more, contact: logan.ahnquist@sccsiowa.org
Highlighted Events
Multiple calendars are available on our website, www.olvjfk.com. On the school side of the website, a one-page summary calendar is on the front page. Detailed calendars can also be reached by clicking on the calendars heading toward the upper right corner of the website. Anything underlined on the calendar can be clicked on, and more details will open for you. Below are a few highlighted events:
- Feb 16: President’s Day. No Classes. ECLC Open. Applebees Dine & Donate.
- Feb 18: Ash Wednesday
- Feb 19: Jump for JFK Funstation
- Feb 20: Pajama Out of Uniform Fundraiser
- Feb 20-22: Women’s CEW
- Feb 24: Supply store.
- Feb 25: Ice skating at The Landing
- Feb 26: Crusader Theater Tryouts. H & S Meeting
- Feb 28/Mar 1: Treasure Renewal Weekend at OLV
- Mar 3: 7th to Finance Park
- Mar 5: 4th to Symphony. 5/8 to AHS musical dress rehearsal
- Mar 6: Adoration
- Mar 6-8: Men’s CEW. “Spring forward” time change
- Mar 9/10: Solo/Ensemble
- Mar 11: K Vision/Dental. 3rd Vision screening. JFK Reconciliation
- Mar 13: Green/White Dress Day.
- Mar 14-22: Spring Break
Personal Sharing
I don’t think I could make it as a carnivore. Lynn and I had the carryout for Youth Ministry’s Sweetheart Dinner on Saturday. The salad and vegetable helpings were small, but the three servings of meat styles were huge. So huge that just looking at the big slabs of meat almost made my stomach turn. I need my meat to be ground and indistinguishable!
You can view my Catholic Schools Week address to the parish with the theme, “No Fear: The mighty power of Jesus is fighting for me here” with the following Mass recording. My address starts at about minute 17:30.
Chad
