No Bus Service on Monday, September 16th
There is no bus service on Monday, September 16th. Scott County Catholic Schools are in session this day, and the DCSD is not. We have about three of these days this school year, and they are on our various online calendars.
Text Message Communications
If you would like to receive text messages from JFK, type “Y” or “Yes” to 67587. While we don’t use “bulk” text messages often, you don’t want to miss them for a snow day, for example. Families must opt in to receive text messages.
Bulk messaging to the whole school actually goes out on a per student basis. If you have three students at JFK, you get the same message three times. It’s probably a “better safe than sorry” scenario, however. Would you rather sign up for text messaging and get three messages saying school is cancelled due to weather or none at all?
ESA Testimonials Needed
ESAs are making a difference in Scott County Catholic Schools. Since JFK opened its doors in 1964, there have been two factors that disrupted downward enrollment trends. The first was a capital campaign for tuition assistance called Embracing Our Future, which was soon joined by STO legislation. The second has been ESAs.
Last year, about 42% of JFK families received ESAs. This year, it’s around 77%. Next year, we anticipate it being about 99%. This benefit to our families, however, will not go unchallenged. Last week, for example, South Carolina’s similar ESA was put on hold by SC’s Supreme Court. I, personally, struggle with understanding the ESAs take money from public schools argument. Yes, the money doesn’t go to the public school district, but neither does the student. Actually, with Iowa’s ESA legislation, for every student receiving an ESA and attending a non-public school, the public school district still receives a small per pupil allocation.
I also don’t see the ESA issue as a public vs. private school issue. A strong, healthy community, especially one the size of the Quad Cities, needs good public schools AND good private schools. Good schools help bring people and jobs into a community. Supporting both does not need to be an either or proposition.
If you want ESAs to continue, we need to proactively let all of our Iowa state representatives and senators know. If you would be willing to make a written or recorded testimonial regarding personal benefits of ESAs, please let me know.
Love Us
Vote for JFK on Locals Love Us for Private schools, preschools, and childcare: https://localsloveus.com/quad-cities/
JFK Pride on the Drive
Did you see the sample of a JFK logo on the sidewalk by the school? It looks really good! Want one for your own driveway? Here’s a link to download the information and form. Due date is September 20th.
Viewing Grades in PowerSchool
Information regarding grades and new instructions for parents to view their students’ grades in PowerSchool were sent via email on September 10th. The link is repeated here: Instructions
ALICE/Run-Hide-Fight Training for Kids
As part of our regular safety procedures, teachers talk to students about ALICE, which is an acronym used to help people remember what to do in the event of a violent situation in a school. We also use the Run-Hide-Fight phrasing. The materials we’ve used/developed over the years and the approaches we take are targeted for specific grade strands as what one says and does with three-year-olds in preschool is entirely different than with 13-year-olds in 8th grade. Our work with ALICE complements our other conversations and drills, such as those for fire or tornado/inclement weather.
Drop-Off/Pick-Up on 42nd Street
For students’ and families’ safety, our handbook states that “Parents should not park on the north side of 42nd Street to drop children off or pick children up. Having children cross in the middle of the street is dangerous. The south side of 42nd Street is already marked for No Parking, and parents should not be using the south side of 42nd Street either.” With eleven buses, traffic moving out of our parking lot, and limited sight lines, crossing 42nd Street is just very dangerous.
Open Support Position at JFK
We still have one open support position at JFK.
Instructional aide/support position: Working primarily with preschool children in wraparound care and/or kindergarten through age 12 students in aftercare. About 37 hours per week, $13.50 per hour.
- 10:25-5:30 on Mondays and Fridays
- 7:10-4:30 on Tuesdays
- 9:15-5:30 on Wednesdays and Thursdays
If interested, please send me a cover letter, resume, and references, and/or stop by the school office for an application. If you are interested in working in a different type of position but for SCCS, please contact me or Logan Ahnquist in the SCCS business office. All of our SCCS schools still have openings.
Substitutes: Needed for both long-term assignments (like maternity leaves) and short-term assignments (like when a teacher needs to stay home with his/her own sick child). Although a teaching degree is the most ideal qualification, you do not need one to work as a substitute. A bachelor’s/associate’s/60 hrs of college course work meets the educational qualifications. The process to become a substitute teacher includes completion of a 15-20 hour workshop, multiple background checks, and applications with the Iowa Board of Education Examiners and JFK. The easiest way to progress toward the teaching authorization license is to take the self-paced online course. Substitutes are needed in all of our Catholic schools, especially at the elementary school level. You can agree to work at just one building or multiple buildings. We have also had people who requested only certain grade levels.
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:
- Sept 20: AHS Pack the Stadium
- Sept 24: Picture Day (K-8, 4 YO am PS, 3 YO T/Th PS)
- Sept 25: Picture Day (K-8 Make-ups, 4 YO pm PS, 3 YO M/W/F PS)
- Sept 27: 12:45 Dismissal. No 4 YO pm PS. Pride of the Wapsi event
- Sept 28: JFK Trivia and Karaoke Night
Chad
