Successful Home & School Fundraisers
Home & School’s recent fundraisers were wildly successful. The candy bar sale netted around $7,500. Let’s see about getting that new scoreboard this summer! The kickball tournament had 85 students playing, and 50 students in the spirit squad dance. Around $1,200 was made from this event. The “Dine & Donate” at Jersey Mike’s earned the school $738! Thanks for your support!
Locals Love Us
Have you voted for JFK yet? We are in three categories: Child Care, Private Schools K-8, and Preschool. Here’s the link to vote.
Judy Calcari/Home & School 8th Grade Award
Applications for the Judy Calcari/Home & School 8th Grade Award were emailed to 8th grade families last week. Students’ applications are due on May 19th.
Youth and Family Engagement Committee of OLV
As part of the bishop’s synodal process, each parish was tasked with creating a Youth and Family Engagement Committee. OLV’s has been doing some great work and using your ideas on how to bring youth and families back to church. This committee will actually become a standing committee under OLV’s parish council. More members, including those who can fill “officer” positions are needed. If interested, please complete our sign up form by June 1st so we can begin communications and logistics. Link here: https://forms.gle/tvP2WUewjPwvfa5P6
Thanks to those who attended the Teaching Masses. In case you missed it, here is the recording – https://youtu.be/2v7Aj8_XFz8?si=jpbyXem5japqNbrs .
New “busy bags and activity table” were launched on May 18th. These are designed to help those little ones (ages 0-5) who are always moving about. For those who want to keep your little ones in the pew, grab a busy bag to help keep their little learning hands busy during Mass. They will be in hanging bags, back by the children’s bookshelf near the main doors of the sanctuary. If the little ones need to walk, there is a small, dedicated activity table in the gathering space with some quiet, church toys so that parents can still listen in while the kids play. Please remember to return the bags at the end of Mass and put away any toys taken out in the gathering space. Special shouts to Girl Scout Troop 1612, who graciously donated some trinkets for the busy bags, and Jack T., who 3-D printed fidgets for the bags.
Lastly, we are having a soft launch of our new Second Sunday Family Mass on Sunday June 8th. This special mass will offer the chance for kids of ALL AGES to get more involved in Mass, whether it’s singing, serving or greeting those as they enter. To sign up to participate in these Masses, please complete the sign up form by Friday May 30th; form link here: https://forms.gle/Z27iTG4Lbhc5sUSGA. More details will be sent to interested families later.
If you do not have access to a computer or otherwise find yourself unable to complete the ESA application independently, you may email martha.korneisel@sccsiowa.org or rose.strickland@sccsiowa.org or call Martha at 563.326.5313 ext. 223 or Rose at 563.326.5313 ext. 269.
The application for the FTP is available at: www.assumptionhigh.org/familytuitionplan.
Parish Subsidized Student: $ 6,075. Total parent cost after ESA = $150 registration fee.
Non-Parish Subsidized Student: $8,505. Total parent cost after ESA = $ 522 tuition and $150 registration fee. (Families facing economic barriers may apply to the Family Tuition Plan for assistance with tuition.)
Registration Fee for 2025-26 Due
If you have not finished the registration process by paying the registration fee, please do so as soon as possible. Directions for paying the registration fee are on the front page of our website, www.olvjfk.com.
Positions Open for 2025-26
Interventionist: JFK has been authorized to hire an additional full-time interventionist for 2025-26. The person in this position will work with small groups or even one-on-one with students, primarily in reading and math. An Iowa teaching licenses is needed.
For more information, please contact me at chad.steimle@olvjfkmail.com.
Leaps & Bounds – One Session
JFK will only be offering one session of Leaps & Bounds this summer. There were not enough students registered for the June session. L & B focuses on reading and math for students currently in K-5th grade. Students spend about two hours on reading activities, one hour on math activities and then 30 minutes on snack and recess. Space is limited, but there are still some spots available for the July/August session. Currently, ESA funds are not able to be used for the $200 L & B fee. To register, please complete the registration forms and return to the school office with the registration fee. L & B Registration Forms
Session II: July 28-Aug 1 & Aug 4-8 (8:00-11:30)
Standards/Evidence-Based Assessment and Reporting
A letter regarding the diocesan and SCCS elementary schools’ transition to more standard/evidence-based assessment and reporting was emailed around the beginning of November. It is also available below:
Here, again, is the link to the instructions for parents to check their 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.
8th Grade Graduation at JFK
JFK’s graduation Mass is actually on Thursday, May 29th. The downloadable academic calendar for SCCS elementary schools lists the 30th as graduation. OLV/JFK is making an exception so I can be at graduation on that Thursday and my daughter’s wedding rehearsal on Friday.
JFK Facebook Pages
JFK has three Facebook pages:
- John F. Kennedy Catholic School (public)
- JFK Preschool (public)
- JFK Moms & Dads (closed group. If you would like to be a part of this group, please message Angie Hillebrand.)
Photos and video are posted to these pages.
Proud of Staff
I had one of those “proud of the staff” moments the other night at the JFK concert. When my son, Thomas Day, and I checked in on all of the “holding rooms,” he was greeted with loud and enthusiastic exclamations, “Mr. Tom! Mr. Day!” The kids were happy to see him at their concert. Then, watching the passion with which Mrs. Corcoran and Ms. Che directed the students was also uplifting.
On Friday, a few of us were talking with another educator, and I commented that I try to surround myself with people better than me. There’s so many things that they do so much better than I ever could! They are like my own children or siblings, and I am so proud of them. Here’s just a few shout-outs for them:
- Mrs. Putnam for taking on a new position this year, being willing to bounce ideas around, and bringing a great perspective to administrative tasks.
- Ms. Angie and Ms. Cris in the office for being able to attend to so many different needs of students of all ages and their parents.
- Ms. Wolf as our student support specialist for being one who is so often on the front end whenever kids are having difficulty.
- Ms. Siefers for keeping our technology and so many other things running smoothly. I spend more time with her than almost anyone else!
- Mrs. Baker for not only running our library but also working in a variety of roles with ECLC and aftercare.
- Ms. Casey, Ms. Miranda, Mrs. Zeimet, Mrs. Blocker, Ms. L, Ms. V, Ms. Natalie, and Ms. Katie for making the youngest little ones feel welcome and loved at school.
- Mrs. Inskeep, Mrs. Neuberger, Ms. Epping, and Mrs. Youngerman in kindergarten and 1st grade for being amazing at teaching the structured literacy with the science of reading.
- Mrs. Creech, Mrs. Moya, Mrs. Herrera, and Mrs. Andresen for being so helpful in K-2 WIN groups each morning.
- For Mrs. Mawell and Mrs. Poster for giving the most/best hugs at the end of the hallway as students of all ages (including older ones!) come into the building or leave the building for the day.
- Mrs. Logan and Mrs. Weiser for filling in so well to give 4th graders stability in what started off kind of rough with staff absences this year.
- Mrs. Everhart, Mrs. Vogel, Ms. Estes, and Mrs. Carlson in 3rd and 5th grades for having such strong and cooperative teaching teams.
- Mrs. Nicoletto, Mrs. Thomas, and Mrs. Potter in the upper grades for having such good relationships with the students that it’s hard to get the kids to go to class as they’d much rather talk with their teachers.
- Mrs. Runyan for bringing so many interesting and fun activities into upper grade science.
- Mrs. Clark for making understandable the 7th/8th grade math concepts that I can’t even pronounce or figure out what is being discussed!
- Mrs. Lundquist for anchoring everything that happens in the crazy, active filled 8th grade year.
- Mrs. Burke and Mrs. Blake for being our resident experts in all things related to FAST screening and interventions.
- Mrs. Tilkens for being so creative with field day and making it so much fun. I can’t wait for the kick-off staff video we’ll make for the kids!
- Mr. Ryan for showing all kids that they can really do art.
- Mrs. Ash, Mrs. Flores, Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. Gutierrez for dealing with all of our rambunctiousness, hunger, and sometimes even messiness at lunches each day.
- Mr. Sweeney and Mr. Kisner for keeping our building clean and well maintained. We also wish Mr. Kisner well in his retirement that will begin at the end of the school year.
Highlighted Events
The following events are highlighted. For all of our events and more information, please see the calendars on our website and communications from individual teachers:
- May 19: 8th Gr Field Trip
- May 20: Out of Uniform Fundraiser for Student Council
- May 22: 3 YO PS Conferences. 8th Gr Field Trip. Youth & Family Engagement Mtg
- May 23: Band to Adventureland. 2nd Gr Field Trip. 4th Gr Field Trip
- May 26: Memorial Day. No Classes. ECLC Closed
- May 28: Last Day of PS Classes. 4/5 YO PS Family Events
- May 29: 3 YO PS Family Event. JFK 8th Gr Graduation Mass
- May 30: Field Day. Last Day of K-8. 2 Hr Early Dismissal (12:40). Last Day of ECLC. JFK Night at the Ballpark
- June 7/8: Wellness Book Sale (prepare for the summer!)
- June 7: Altar Server Training
- June 8: Youth & Family Engagement Programming
- Aug 25: First Day of PS-8 Classes
Chad
