New/Updated Information

JFK GROWS Students of the Month for March

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. Each month, except December, this year, we are recognizing one student from each homeroom whose teachers have observed them exhibiting these traits particularly well at school during the past month:

KE – Lucas R: Lucas comes to school ready to learn and tries his best each day. He is thoughtful toward classmates and often helps friends when they need it.

KI – Alice W: Alice shows God’s love through her actions and her words. She is attentive and loves to learn.

KN – Auden P: Auden is a great friend by his kind words and including others when he plays. He is an independent worker and figures things out on his own. At the end of the school day, Auden always tells me to have a nice day!

1B – Akim K: Akim is always following the JFK difference by following the school rules and working hard. He works hard, makes safe choices, and includes others.

1Y – Annika L: Annika knows when to have fun and when to focus. She tries hard in class and has a kind heart.

2M – Griffin: Griffin is a shining light in our room. He always has a smile for anyone who needs it and is happy to help with any task. Griffin keeps us all in great spirits, is a friend to every student and adult in the school, and works hard to reach goals each day.

2P – Rowan D: Rowan is the first to help his teachers and classmates.He has a kind heart and feels others’ hurt and reaches out to comfort them.

3E – Jude T: Jude has worked hard this year to improve all subjects, especially reading, and consistently puts forth great effort to better himself. He has a great sense of humor and is a good friend and example of what a wonderful classmate can be.

3V – Rey H: Rey is a wonderful example of what it means to be a dedicated learner and a kind classmate. She consistently treats her classmates and teachers with respect and is always one of the first to follow directions. Rey makes our classroom a better place!

4F – Henly M: Henly is more than willing to help others whenever they need it. She remains focused during class instruction and works hard on her assignments. She has a positive attitude and is a friend to anyone in need.

4L – K is for kind, I is for intelligent, N is for nice, G is for great, S is for stupendous, T is for terrific, O is for outstanding, and N is for nifty. Put it together and you have KINGSTON!! A great choice for student of the month.

5C – Jaxon R: Jaxon is new to JFK this year and has fit in seamlessly. He comes in every day with a smile, is always willing to help, and is a good friend to others around him. We are so happy to have him at JFK.

5E – Elaina K: Elaina is an excellent student who always puts forth her absolute best effort. She is always wanting to improve and learn. She asks the best questions and treats all staff and classmates with utmost respect. Elaina always volunteers to help and stays involved, being someone everyone can truly count on. She is an awesome example for all to follow.

6N – AJ J: AJ is a very hard worker and strives to do well in his classes. He is polite and kind and exhibits our JFK GROWS ideals. This is his first year with us, and he has fit in seamlessly.

6T – Kai D: Kai is a hardworking and dependable student who always strives to do his best. He demonstrates kindness by helping his classmates and teachers.

7P – Jace H: Jace has really stood out during the month of March! His work ethic has been spot on, and he’s been on top of everything, even if he happens to be absent. He has done a good job working with his classmates, remaining patient and encouraging to group members who may be struggling or off task. He tries to make sure the classroom is back in order when he leaves it, picking up trash that wasn’t his, etc. Overall, Jace has had a positive March, and you can see the JFK Difference demonstrated through him!

7R – Caleb P: Caleb is a positive and valued member of our classroom community. He works well with others and consistently contributes to group activities with a cooperative attitude. Caleb participates in class discussions and is always willing to help his classmates when they need support. One of the things that stands out most about Caleb is that he always has a smile on his face, which helps create a welcoming and encouraging atmosphere in the classroom. His kindness, teamwork, and positive attitude make him very deserving of being recognized as Student of the Month.

8C – Belle M: Belle participates well on assignments and follows along with instructions. She develops and illustrates the habits of a good student.

8L – Jolee: Jolee has a big heart, is an all around delight and tries her hardest in class. She his eager to help peers and staff.

ISASPs

ISASP tests are right around the corner: the week of April 20th for students in grades 3-8. If your child has an appointment for that week, and it can be moved, please do so. We’d really like everyone to complete the testing with their class. Eighth graders who go to AHS for Algebra will report to JFK instead on April 21st and 23rd so they have fewer “make-ups” and special scheduling. We also want to emphasize that students should be on time during ISASP week. Once we start testing in the morning, students are not allowed to interupt their class. School starts at 7:25 a.m.

Still Relevant

Teaching Jobs Open at JFK for 2026-27

There are two teaching positions now open at JFK for 2026-27. Adjustments of teaching assignments will take place so we are currently looking for anything between 1st – 5th grades and a reading interventionist. To apply for a teaching position at JFK, please submit your resume and transcripts to Logan Ahnquist at logan.ahnquist@sccsiowa.org. You can find more information and the online application that needs to be completed at the following website https://davenportdiocese.schoolspring.com/

I-Ready Math Requirements

I-Ready use can help your child’s math skills.

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 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.

Registration for 2026-27

If you haven’t been able to use your leftover ESA funds to pay registration fees, please note that it seems to be an issue more with the 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.

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.

Instructions

📚Learning Habits Matter

Vocabulary Growth

Students can’t understand what they read if they don’t understand the words.

Vocabulary plays a major role in reading comprehension. Research synthesized by the National Reading Panel and subsequent studies suggests that steady, intentional vocabulary growth matters more than isolated memorization:

K–2: about 5–8 new words per week
Grades 3–5: about 8–10 new words per week
Grades 6–8: about 10–15 new words per week

Vocabulary grows best through repeated exposure and use—not worksheets alone. Reading widely, hearing rich language, and discussing ideas are the primary drivers of long-term vocabulary growth.

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:

Mar 30: Chrism Mass at the cathedral
Apr 2: Holy Thursday. Youth & Family Engagement Mtg.
Apr 3: Good Friday. No Classes. ECLC Closed
Apr 4: Parishioners Helping Parishioners
Apr 5: Easter
Apr 6: In-service. No Classes. ECLC Closed.
Apr 7: 3rd Field Trip. 5/6 to JA BizTown.
Apr 13: Butter Braid/Cookie Dough Pickup
Apr 14: 6th Field Trip

Personal Sharing

It was great to get outside and do yard work on Saturday. I’ve so missed being outside in the back yard during winter!

Chad