Kindergarten Round-up and Pre-registration
Kindergarten Round-up, once again, has two options:
- Informational Session and Pre-registration: 6:30-8:00 p.m., Thursday, February 10, 2022 in the gym (adults only)
- Pre-registration and forms only: Drop in any time between 6:30-8:00 p.m., Thursday, February 10, 2022 in the school lobby. This adults only session is intended for families who already have children at JFK and/or do not need the informational session.
Future kindergartners who are already in our preschool will tour the kindergarten rooms, meet the teachers, etc., at a later date.
See the K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022
Pre-school and Daycare Registration
For parishioners and JFK community members with siblings already at JFK: Begins 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. on Monday, February 7, 2022
Open registration: Begins 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 10, 2022 in the school cafeteria
Do not delay, especially if you want a morning pre-school slot. Those slots go fast!
See the K, pre-school, daycare roundup flyer, 2022
Tuition and Textbook Tax Credit
As you prepare your 2021 income taxes, don’t forget that Iowa doubled the tuition/textbook tax credit. The maximum one can now receive is 25% of the first $2,000. The only trick is to remember that tax years run from Jan 1 – Dec 31, while school years run from roughly July 1 – June 30. If using tuition amounts paid, you need to look at what you paid in 2021, which splits the 20-21 and 21-22 school year.
Dress Code
Now that our five days of themed attire for CSW has concluded, we will be back to dressing according to our policies. We have been pretty lax, and things need to be tightened up. Below are some things for which we need to do better. Some are perennial issues, and some are more recent issues. Note that the below is not the entire dress code; it’s parts of the dress code for which we need to do better:
- Skirt lengths should be no shorter than 2″ above the knee
- Shirts should be tucked in
- No hooded clothing is allowed to be worn inside the building
- Belts are worn in grades 4-8 with clothing that has belt loops
- Grades 5-8 when they have PE: Non-white solid colored plain t-shirts or t-shirts with a JFK or AHS logo. Over their t-shirts, students may also wear sweatshirts, fleeces, and long-sleeve dry fits that meet the regular uniform policy.
Dress code demerits in grades 5-8 do lead to detentions.
Volunteer Opportunities
Great programming, like Lego League, doesn’t happen without parent volunteers. Volunteers are still needed for the following:
- Junior Achievement’s Finance Park: Finance Park is the capstone program for personal finance and career exploration held at JA’s facility in downtown Davenport. Eight or more adult volunteers are needed for the time period of 8:15-1:00 on Friday, February 25th. The first 45 minutes is an overview and training for the adults. Although we do Finance Park with 7th graders, the volunteers are not limited to 7th grade parents. Please contact Bridget Parr (bridget.parr@olvjfkmail.com) or me if you can help.
- Scott County Catholic Schools and St. Ambrose University 8th Grade Career Fair: Friday, March 4, 2022. While most presenters operate a booth/station for the full day, the full day is not a requirement. Representatives from small businesses would be a great addition to the career fair. If you can help, please contact our Student Support Specialist, Emma Wolf (emma.wolf@olvjfkmail.com).
Scott County Catholic School System
As I mentioned at Masses last weekend, the unification efforts to form the Scott County Catholic Schools System continues. Recent decisions are mentioned below. The system should be fully in place July 1, 2023, about one and a half years from now.
- Because decisions need to start being made from a system-wide perspective, local boards of education will begin transferring their power on July 1, 2022.
- Some finance work will begin to be done on a centralized basis during the 2022-23 school year.
- Tuition payments for the 2022-23 school year will begin July 1, 2022 and match the fiscal year for schools, July 1 – June 30. JFK was the only school that began tuition payments in August and ran its 12 month payment option across fiscal years. For some JFK families, therefore, who are on a 12 month payment plan, they will be making their last payment for the 2021-22 school year in the same month when their new payments begin for the 2022-23 school year.
- More social media posts and marketing will begin to be done on a system-wide basis in the next few weeks.
Upcoming Events
- Feb 14: Red, White, and Pink Dress Day (Out of Uniform if wearing one of our themed colors)
- Feb 17: Orange Out Day
- For a $1 or more donation, students and staff can be out of uniform, if they wear orange. Orange is the color representing leukemia. Proceeds will support Natalie Paulsen, a recent JFK graduate and Assumption student, who is battling leukemia.
- Feb 18: In-Service. No classes. ECLC is open.
- Feb 21: President’s Day. No classes. ECLC is open.
Ignite Sundays
See below for the list of IGNITE Sundays. There is no cost or registration required to participate. Come to as many of the opportunities listed below as you are able on IGNITE Sundays. Families are encouraged to participate together. There are small group activities and family activities at each session.
Typical schedule for IGNITE Sundays:
- 4:30-5:30pm Mass
- 5:35-6:05pm Meal in the Parish Center
- 6:10-7:15pm Group Gatherings
Ignite Sundays:
- Feb 13: Anawim (Hebrew word meaning “poor one”) Poverty and the dignity of work
- March 6: “I thirst” Lent
- March 20: “I hunger” Eucharist
- April 10: Family: The foundation of society
- April 24: What does God want me to do?
COVID Guidance for 2021-22
Click on the JFK COVID FAQ, 2021-22 to have your questions answered. Please note that the information is, however, subject to change. The most recent changes were made on January 2 and 5, 2022.
COVID Data and Comments
Below is a link to a .pdf file that shows several graphs for Scott County and JFK. Below are also some comments related to the pandemic.
- Nearly all of Scott County’s COVID numbers have dropped since the record highs three weeks ago. We are still firmly entrenched in “high” community transmission, however. The last time we were even at “substantial” community transmission was August, and “moderate” community transmission was in July.
Chad
