🆕New/Updated Information
Don’t Be Stuck with the Bill – ESA Next Steps – Sept 30th Deadline
Families need to verity the tuition amount SCCS entered in your student(s) ESA Odyssey account. The deadline is September 30th so the school can be paid tuition from the State of Iowa. If families do not verify the tuition, they will not be eligible for any funds for all of 2026-27, and they will be responsible for the entire tuition amount themselves. Take action now.
Receiving the Principal’s Post Via Text?
If you would like to receive text messages from JFK, type “Y” or “Yes” to 67587. I have started to send the Principal’s Post link out by text and email. We also use text messages for things like snow days, for example. Families must opt in to receive text messages.
Locals Love Us
JFK was again a Locals Love us favorite. Thank you for your support.
Altar Servers Needed
Sign your student up to altar serve at a weekend Mass.
How’s the AC at JFK?
On Friday, the other Davenport Catholic schools closed early due to the heat. Window AC units at St. Paul’s and All Saints weren’t keeping up to the demand, and some areas do not have AC at all. Assumption only has AC in a few locations. One of the schools was registering a morning inside temperature of 90 degrees in a room.
JFK has four rooms with a roof-top unit that is currently not working. We’ve spent a good deal of money on repairs this spring/summer, and now it might be facing repairs costing as much as $12,000-$18,000 with a new unit at about $34,000. While we pursue additional quotes, we have been able to rotate students to the cafeteria, both sides of the parish center, and other air-conditioned classrooms. With the rest of the building having AC, these rooms were also only about 80 degrees in the morning.
Each of our two VRF systems operates with three inter-connected units. One of the units is awaiting warranty replacement, and teachers have to keep “manually” turning their classroom components on/off.
With nine different systems for air-conditioning at JFK, it seems like there’s always something in need of repair or maintenance!
Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures
We continue to evaluate our new drop-off and pick-up procedures, and we appreciate the feedback families have provided. The changes from last year have already produced some important safety improvements. Moving the buses to Sturdevant at pick up time has allowed two-way traffic in front of the school and improved sight lines there. Eliminating the south-side drive-through near the PS/ECLC canopy has also reduced conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians crossing there. The barriers along ECLC and the single exit lane near the front of the school onto 42nd Street have further improved safety in higher risk areas.
I am anticipating at least a tweak or two, but I really don’t want to do anything until traffic is normal on Kimberly Road again. Here’s what we are currently watching. Does or when does traffic back up onto Division as some days it does, and other days it doesn’t? Is it too difficult to reach the south lot? Does the lane by the rectory really need to be exit only? Is the south lot too congested? Are there too many pedestrian crossing points in the north lot? Do we need some differences between drop off procedures and pick up procedures? What do we do when staff are not by the 3W doors because they are helping a preschooler make it to class?
Safety and convenience are not always perfectly compatible, and we may never develop a completely effortless system for a campus that, within 15-20 minutes, moves nearly 500 chlldren ages 3-14 to aftercare, eleven buses, nearby homes, and family vehicles. We will continue observing the procedures and considering adjustments, with safety remaining the first priority.
A few additional reminders are below:
- Proceed SLOWLY and cautiously through every location. Little kids are hard to see by cars. What one makes up in time by speeding through the lot will matter little if someone is hit by a car!
- Be attentive to your driving. Talking on a cell phone, even handsfree, can be a distraction when one’s attention is needed most to watch for kids and pedestrians.
- Only use handicapped parking spots if qualified. Handicapped parking spots are reserved for those who need them throughout the entire day, including morning drop off, mid-day pre-school pick up and drop off, and pick up at the end of the day. We reserve one of our handicapped spots, in particular, for wheelchair access for a student.
- Parents who are standing and waiting for their little ones should stand on the school side of the barriers. All children should be supervised. Pets should not be among the children and stay in cars.
- Students, even with their parents, should not be crossing 42nd Street. With buses, parked cars, and moving traffic, it is just too dangerous!
One of the most consistent themes brought up in discussions about parking lot safety is that no matter what we do and what procedures and patterns we put into place, it depends upon parents. Please join together to make the parking lot safe.
Protect Kids from Real Threats so They Can Continue to Just be Afraid of Imaginary Ones
I particularly like the videos coming out of Sandy Hook Promise. Here’s one we used with staff this year: Monsters Under the Bed. Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, and Uvalde all have particularly touching meaning for me as an educator. Sandy Hook Promise videos are rather poignant.
Last year’s ad hoc safety committee felt it important to remind families about gun safety as this is no different than other safety reminders we give children like wearing a helmet, buckling one’s seat, etc. If there are firearms in your home, please make sure they are stored securely: unloaded, locked, and inaccessible to children, with ammunition stored separately. Secure storage significantly reduces the risk of shootings involving children. Whether or not we personally own firearms, we can all agree on the goal: children should never have access to an unsecured, unsupervised gun.
📌Still Relevant
Save the Date: “Made for More: Visions of the Promised Land”
OLV is hosting the multimedia event, “Made for More: Visions of the Promised Land,” featuring national author/speaker Christopher West and musician Mike Mangione on Thursday, November 12, 2026 from 7:00-9:30 pm in the church. Cost is $30 per person.
This program explores life, love, and human destiny through the lens of Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body. It weaves together live music, spoken word, sacred art, and video clips into a reflective multimedia experience. CLICK HERE for a video clip.
Want to Become Catholic, Receive the Rest of Your Sacraments, Learn More About Your Faith?
If you answered yes to any part of the above question, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) may be right for you. OCIA is a friendly, low stress setting that helps you learn and experience the Catholic faith. OCIA is led by a dedicated group of trained volunteers who teach and pass on the knowledge, traditions and meaning of the Catholic faith. There are no tests to take and no pressure, but you will be surprised at how satisfying it can be to learn about God in such a supportive group setting. Children are welcome to accompany their parents.
OCIA sessions are held on Sunday mornings in the Gathering Space Meeting Room (GSMR) at the church. Sessions start on September 13th after the 9:00 am Mass.
If you cannot do the group sessions for some reason, reach out anyway. We don’t want scheduling issues to prevent a richer participation in the Catholic faith.
For questions or more information, contact
Deacon John at 563-343-2968,
Chris at 563-505-3126/[email protected]
or the PARISH OFFICE at (563) 391-4245.
Junior Achievement Volunteers
JFK has Junior Achievement in almost every grade level but only because there are enough volunteers to provide students with the experience. See the flyer below regarding being a JA volunteer. Here is the link to volunteer.
Dress Code
As we settle in to a regular routine, more attention will be paid to the dress code. Make sure the shorts/skirts/jumpers have all been adjusted to the correct lengths. I’ve never seen an “off the rack” skirt that’s too short. Girls will also want to check earrings: “No more than 2 post earrings in each ear. No hoop earrings. No earrings that dangle.” Boys’ biggest dress code issue is forgetting to wear belts. Belts are required for all pants/shorts with belt loops.
Cell Phones and Smart Watches
Students’ cell phones should be turned off and unavailable in a student’s bookbag in their locker from 7:00 a.m. until they leave the building. Texting your child about a change in their afternoon transportation method may not work very well as they may not receive it soon enough. Those changes should be communicated through the office.
Smart watches and/or other devices that we use to know where our children are these days will be kept in students’ backpacks in their lockers while kids are at school. Students can put them on/take them out when they are dismissed from school. Staff members are not knowledgable about every device on the market and will not be making determinations of what is a communication device and what is just some other form of tracker or “just a fitness tracker,” for example.
Mock Trial Coach Needed
Students in grades 6-8 can participate in Mock Trial, if we have a coach. Our long-time coach, Districtt Associate Judge Mike Motto, has kids already in high school. Please let us know if you would like more information about coaching or helping to coach.
Mock trial is designed to introduce students to our legal system by providing a challenging, academic competition. The program offers students an opportunity for personal growth and achievement, emphasizing the importance of research, presentation and teamwork.
This year’s case will be a civil case. Our regional competition in Monday, November 9th at SAU. The state level competition is November 30-December 2 in Altoona and Des Moines.
PS Through Age 12 Aftercare and Wraparound Care
After school care and wrap around care are licensed by the Department of Health & Human Services and provide supervised activities for students who have not yet turned thirteen. The preschool wrap around rate is included in your tuition bill for either full-time (20 hours or more) or part-time care (less than 20 hours). There is an hourly rate for K through age 12, and the registration fee can be paid through Blackbaud. A childcare registration form is required for each student. Below are the links to the forms needed:
Wrap Around Childcare Registration For Preschool Age Students 2026-27
After Care Registration for K-8 School Age Students 2026-27
Students cannot attend aftercare or wrap around care without the DHHS program paper/pencil forms complete.
Approved Snack List
Snacks must be from the approved snack list. The updated list also shares some of the criteria used to determine the snack list.
I-Ready Math Requirements
I-Ready use can help your child’s math skills.
I-Ready Math is an online program we use to better understand each student’s math strengths and learning needs. It begins with a short diagnostic/screener that helps identify what skills a student has mastered and where additional support or challenge is needed. Based on those results, i-Ready provides personalized math lessons that adjust to each child’s level, allowing students to work at an appropriate pace while building confidence and understanding. At school, students use i-Ready Math for at least 30 minutes per week as part of their regularly scheduled instructional time. That should be enough time to at least do one i-Ready lesson per week. Students not finishing the lesson at school will have it assigned as homework. In addition, students who are not proficient in math based upon screeners or ISASPs will be required to work with i-Ready outside of school hours, reinforcing the school/home partnership. Students may always voluntarily do i-Ready lessons at home as well.
Checking Students’ Grades and Missing Work
Below is a link to the instructions for parents to check 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.
Important notes:
- There are some things that just cannot be done on the app. You will have to use a computer for them.
- There is a message that says “Grades disabled by school.” IGNORE this message. It references a certain type of grade and not the standards-referenced grades we are using.
📚Learning Habits Matter
Calculator Use
Calculators should do the calculating—not the thinking.
Calculators are valuable math tools, but knowing when to use one matters. Students also need number sense and mental math skills so they can recognize whether an answer is reasonable.
PK–2
• Build number sense and basic skills without relying on calculators
Grades 3–5
• Develop fluency with basic operations
• Estimate an answer before reaching for a calculator
Grades 6–8
• Use calculators to handle complex calculations while focusing on problem solving
• Ask, “Does that answer actually make sense?”
The goal isn’t to avoid calculators. It’s to make sure the student—not the calculator—is doing the mathematical thinking.
🗓️ Highlighted Events
Multiple calendars are available on our website, www.jfkcatholic.org/. 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. Anything underlined on the calendar can be clicked on, and more details will open for you. Below are a few highlighted events:
- Sept 8: Reading/math screenings continue
- Sept 10: Pap Murphy Dine & Donate
- Sept 14: No bus service
- Sept 15: Home & School Mtg. Picture Day
- Sept 16: Picture day for T/Th 3 YO and make-up day
- Sept 17: Constitution Day. Papa Murphy Dine & Donate
- Sept 18: Candy Bar Sale Begins. H & S Outdoor Movie Night
- Sept 21: Host VB games. Music Boosters
- Sept 24: Papa Murphy Dine & Donate
- Sept 25: Out of uniform fundraiser. 2 hr early dismissal. No pm PS classes
- Oct 2: Candy Bar Sale Ends
- Oct 3: Confirmation Retreat
💭Personal Sharing
I finally finished the staining of my decks this weekend. I don’t care if the can says the stain is good for 4-6 years on decks, staining my decks is really an every other year project. I innovated this year, however, and saved a lot of time. I duct-taped a big 4″ brush to a long pole and was able to stain while standing up. It was more like “swabbing the deck!”
Chad