Principal’s Post for May 9, 2021

Rock the Lot Gala

Buy your tickets now for a socially distanced (COVID friendly) rockin’ Gala event in our parking lot on May 15th!

 

Tuition Contracts for 21-22 Can Be Considered Past Due

With the end of the discounted registration period for the 2021-22 school year, the return of tuition contracts can be considered past due.  Completed tuition contracts represent the official registration document that hold a spot for the next school year.

Preschool registration for 3, 4, and 5 year olds and ECLC (childcare) does remain open.  We will likely need to make staffing adjustments given the high interest in three year old preschool!  If you have not yet registered for these programs, please contact the school office ASAP.

Tuition Increases Partially Offset by Reduced Fees and School Supplies

Tuition increases for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years have been about $50 higher than normal but offset with $50 reductions in fees typically charged at the back to school registration in late July/early August.  This transfer of $50 per year from fees to tuition has been done for three reasons: (1) it reduces the amount of fees owed in August at the same time when tuition payments start, (2) it allows the fees, as then part of tuition, to be eligible for tuition assistance, and (3) it allows what used to be fees to be spread out over monthly payments.  In addition to these moves done in unity with the other Catholic elementary schools in Scott County, JFK has also now removed things like Kleenix, Clorox wipes, and paper towels from the JFK supply lists of things that parents are expected to provide each fall.  While removing these items from the supply lists saves families money in August, it also allows the school to better control inventory.  Finding storage space for over a thousand boxes of tissues, tubs of wipes, and rolls of paper towels each August just became too challenging.

Tuition Transfer Credit Program

JFK and the other Catholic schools in the Scott County will be participating in a new Tuition Transfer Credit Program designed to boost enrollment in our Scott County Catholic School System.

Families with students entering grades 1 – 8 this fall not currently enrolled in a Catholic school may be eligible to receive a tuition grant.  The program aims to help offset financial barriers for families considering Catholic education so they can experience the Catholic school difference!  Eligible families receive a discount on tuition for each of their children grades 1 – 8 (as space permits) for the first two years of enrollment.

• Year one enrollment = $1000 discount on *full tuition for each eligible student.
• Year two enrollment = $500 discount on *full tuition for each eligible student.

* Full tuition for a Catholic student or full tuition for a non-Catholic student as each case dictates.

Certain restrictions apply. The goal of this program is to fill empty seats in our schools. If a grade level is already at capacity, transfer students in that grade level will not be eligible for this grant as additional students would lead to the need for another teacher. Additionally, new families receiving tuition assistance through the Family Tuition Plan are not eligible for this program. The Tuition Transfer Credit Program is a low-cost way to welcome new families into our school community while strengthening enrollment at our Catholic schools.

The Tuition Transfer Credit Program benefits currently enrolled families too. When our schools fill empty seats, we add income without adding the cost of additional staff. This helps to keep tuition costs lower for current families and helps our schools flourish. Other dioceses have successfully implemented this program with a 90%+ retention rate among new families! Many times, once a family experiences Catholic education, they appreciate the Catholic school difference and make one of our schools an educational home for their children.

Registration for JFK’s Summer Leaps & Bounds and Vacation Bible School

Due to federal funding, Leaps & Bounds will be free this summer.  We have three sessions on the calendar.  Each two week session runs from 8:00 – 11:30 a.m.  Two hours are for reading, one hour is for math, and 30 minutes is for recess and other fun.

June 21 – July 2

July 19 – July 30

August 2 – August 13

The registration process for Leaps & Bounds will be released soon.

Vacation Bible School is for students entering kindergarten – 5th grade for the 2021-22 school year.  The dates are July 15 & 16 from 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. with special activities also at the 11:00 Mass on July 18.  There is no cost to VBS this year.  Questions may be directed to Kaye Meyers, Coordinator of Faith Formation for OLV Parish, 563-391-8384.

COVID Data

Below is a link to a .pdf file that shows several graphs of Scott County and JFK data.

COVID Data, May 7, 2021

• With other meetings and activities on Friday, Angie Hillebrand and I did not have a chance to review together JFK’s attendance data for Friday.  The graphs linked above, thus, only include Tuesday’s JFK data and the Scott County weekly Wednesday data.
• At our bi-weekly meetings with Scott County health department representatives, we tried to press for predictions for the fall.  Of course, no one is willing to predict that far out yet.  With the rate of vaccinations falling, there is also wonder of what “normal” might look like without herd immunity achieved through vaccination.  The “risk equation” — balancing risks from infection against risks from mitigation strategies — is also changing and differs around the world, in states and local communities, and even within families.
• With the CDC’s update on methods of COVID-19 transmission to place more emphasis on aerosol particles, it is clear that our efforts to keep windows open, have fans running, and utilize portable air purifiers were good moves.  Our summer HVAC project will also provide mechanical ventilation and an ionization air purification system for the 1964 and 1987 parts of the building.  The 2011 parts already have mechanical ventilation.

Chad