Great Job in First Week
Everyone’s done a great job in our first week of school! There have been a ton of new procedures and protocols, and everyone has done a great job of adjusting to them. Maybe the weather will cooperate with us this week, and we’ll get to go outside for recesses!
Parent Zoom Meetings
Homeroom teachers will conduct Zoom parent meetings beginning September 14th so you can find out more information about your child’s grade. Invites will be sent from homeroom teachers.
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- Mon, Sept 14: 6:00 K; 6:45 1st
- Tues, Sept 15: 6:00 2nd; 6:45 3rd
- Thurs, Sept 17: 6:00 4th; 6:45 5th
- Mon Sept 21: 6:00 6th; 6:45 7th
- Tues, Sept 22: 6:00 8th
Frequently Asked Questions
A new Frequently Asked Questions document was created in relation to our complete Return to Learn Plan.
Revised School Calendar for 2020-21
A revised school calendar for 2020-21 is available. Now that we have the basics, this information will be entered on the calendars on our website. We will also start to enter other details on the calendars.
Communications
Are You Registered to Receive Text Messages from JFK?
If you are not registered to receive text messages from JFK (primarily families new to JFK and/or preschool), type “Y” or “Yes” to 67587. You will not receive text messages from JFK if you do not take action yourself. There is no action required to receive email or phone messages.
Principal’s Posts are written each weekend and posted on our website, available off the front page. I also send a link via email and post it to the school’s Facebook account. It then gets sent home via hard copy via “backpack mail” with the “youngest or only child” in a family at the beginning of each week. I use the Principal’s Post to reach the whole school community and sometimes highlight happenings in particular grades. It does not replace the many communications you will receive from your children’s teachers.
We also utilize a JFK Facebook page, and there is a closed Facebook group, JFK Moms & Dads, where people can post to others in the group. JFK’s Facebook page can be accessed from the front page of our website. If you’d like to be a member of the JFK Moms & Dads group, please let Angie Hillebrand, in the school office know via a Facebook request or even via email. Social media is not the best venue for voicing a concern, and posts that appear to do so will be removed while we try to reach out to address the concern through a better means. Social media, including our Facebook pages, are great ways to share your photos and connect with other JFK families. Photos from an event are often posted to these pages by families before we can even get photos taken by staff posted. Make sure you “like” us on both Facebook pages!
Handbook Sign-Off
Please read the parent and student handbook, available HERE, and on our website: https://www.olvjfk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/JFK-Parent-and-Student-Policy-Handbook-2020-21.pdf. Then, print off the last page, sign it, and return it to the school office — one per family. Thank you for helping us to reduce our printing costs.
Home & School Meeting
Home & School will have a meeting on September 24th at 6:30 p.m. Using social distancing, we can have the meeting in the cafeteria for about 35-45 people, and we will have a Zoom option also available. The invite will be sent via email.
Substitutes Needed
JFK is in need of substitutes. Many conversations across districts and schools have focused on having enough staff to staff open. Not only do staff members get sick, possibly have to quarantine, or have an emergency plumbing need at their homes, they also have their own children who get sick, have to quarantine, etc.
You do not need a teaching degree to work as a substitute. A minimum of an associate’s degree may be enough to qualify. 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. Workshops are being held almost every week throughout the state, and many of them are virtual so geography does not need to be a limiting factor.
Recognizing the need for substitute teachers, JFK’s board has authorized a $450 bonus at the pay period following the fifth day of substituting at JFK to the first five people to take advantage of this offer. The bonus will essentially cover the workshop fee, license application fee, background check fee, and pay an amount for the workshop time.
If you are interested in being a substitute, please contact me and/or the Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency at 563-359-1371.
Band Room Space
Space for 3-4 band students at a time.
Affected by COVID-19?
The longer the pandemic goes on, the more “real” it seems to be as it impacts more people whom we know. Quarantining seems to be affecting more and more people. For quarantining, the definition of a close contact is key: being within 6 feet for more than 15 consecutive minutes with a positive COVID-19 case during the infectious period. The infectious period for a symptomatic case is 2 days before symptoms started until 10 days after their symptoms started, they have been fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication, and all other symptoms have improved. The infectious period for an asymptomatic case is 2 days before they are tested until 10 days after they are tested. The health department clarified this week that household contacts are automatically considered to be close contacts. Household contacts are those living within the same household.
Stay well! Wear your mask, practice social distancing, use good face/hand hygiene, and stay home when ill. We can beat this thing down.
Chad
