Parish Picnic
Join together for the OLV parish picnic next Sunday from 12 – 4 p.m. behind the school and in the gym/cafeteria.
Grandparents Day
Today is Grandparents Day. Take a moment to thank these special people for being in our lives. I’m so glad my children have been able to have a relationship with their grandparents!
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. This morning, for example, I noticed that a 1/4 to 1/5 page ad was in the Quad City Times with the lead, “Iowa Republicans Threw Public Schools Under the Bus.” 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? Want one for your own driveway? Check out the flyer, or view it on the JFK Facebook page for more information.
Difficulty Viewing Grades in PowerSchool
We’ve noted that there has been some difficulty with parents being able to see students’ grades through the parent portal of PowerSchool and/or the PowerSchool App. Please look for a separate email this week with directions and screenshots.
Calendars
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. Use these detailed calendars, for example, to check when your child’s K-8 parent meeting is scheduled. Anything underlined on the calendar can be clicked on, and more details will open for you.
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.
Two Open Support Positions at JFK
We currently have two open support positions at JFK. Not only this staffing shortage, but the numbers in aftercare are taxing our staff. I saw the other week that the DCSD has the same issue and has “paused” their after-school programs for McKinley and Truman. JFK is not quite at that point yet, but support staff are just as important as teachers, and open positions puts stress on everyone.
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
Instructional aide/support position and lunch program worker: Working to help in the lunch program, supervise several recesses along with other staff and supervise kindergarten through age 12 students in aftercare. About 38 hours per week, $13.50 per hour.
- 9:15-5:30 on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays
- 10:00-5:30 Tuesdays
- 8:30-5:30 on Wednesdays
If interested, please send me a cover letter, resume, and references, and/or stop by the school office for an application.
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. We would also like to thank our current substitutes: Kayla Mason, Jen Kira, Diana Longenecker, and Thomas Day.
Chad
