🆕New/Updated Information

Principal’s Posts

Welcome to the first Principal’s Post for the 2026-27 school year. 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 accounts in the late afternoon or early evening on Sundays.  I use the Principal’s Post to reach the whole school community and sometimes highlight happenings in particular grades.  You will also receive numerous email communications from teachers.  Email is the number one form of communication in schools.

We also utilize our main JFK Facebook page, a JFK preschool Facebook page, and 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.  Please remember, however, that not all parents are comfortable with photos of their children being on social media.

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.

Unpack Your Backpack/Meet Your Teacher

August 20

-3 YO PS and K-8, 5:15-7:15

-4/5 YO preschoolers and parents have scheduled individual meetings with the teachers

If your 4/5 preschooler is in ECLC, feel free to bring your ECLC supplies and meet ECLC staff in the evening as well.

Although these are “drop in” sessions, we would like to stagger people throughout the whole evening so each family can have some individual attention.  We, therefore, ask families to “drop in” any time within the 30-minute time slot according to the students’ last names.  If your family is large, and you can’t make it to each homeroom within your 30 minutes, don’t panic; it will be OK to dribble over into another time slot:

• A-E 5:15-5:45
• F-K 5:45-6:15
• L-R 6:15-6:45
• S-Z 6:45-7:15

Drop-Off and Pick-Up Procedures

There are new drop-off and pick-up procedures this school year. Last year’s safety committee of law enforcement and other safety/security professionals (who are also parents) helped us draft this document. We vetted it with several parents without any safety/security credentials as well. The big push is to separate those who are pulling up to drop-off and pick-up, which will be done on the north side of the parking lot, and those who are parking and walking their children to or from the school, which will be done on the south side of the parking lot. Entrances/exits to the parking lot will also be restricted to allow better traffic flow.

In addition to these new safety procedures, we also added additional barriers and planters at various locations around campus to better separate vehicles from pedestrians. Finally, you will notice at pick-up time, we’ve moved as many buses as possible onto Sturdevant Street rather than having them all on 42nd Street. This should make sight lines and traffic flow easier in front of the school at pick-up time.

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.

PS-8 Immunization Records

Preschoolers, kindergartners and other students new to JFK need to provide evidence of immunizations prior to school beginning.  There are also two boosters, TDaP and meningococcal conjugate vaccine, required for 7^th graders prior to school beginning.  We can accept faxed or emailed copies.  Iowa law says that students cannot be enrolled without up-to-date immunization information provided to the school, and schools must exclude students without proper immunizations. Although minimal in number, there are exceptions.  Those interested in religious exemptions should note that because the Catholic Church does not object to immunizations, a religious exemption for Catholics should not be possible.

More information about immunizations and exemptions can be found on our website: immunizations

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. 

5th-8th Band and 7/8 General Music or Choir

Band: Use this link to let us know whether or not your 5th-8th grader will be in band. There is no additional band fee aside from instrument rental.

General Music/Choir: Use this link to let us know if your 7th/8th grader will be in general music or choir.

Supply List and Dress Code

It’s a good time to review the supply list and 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.

Fifth-8^th graders need to wear the school approved PE uniforms. The elementary schools are using Empowering Abilities as our vendor.  JFK is transitioning from the grey cotton t-shirts to a dri-FIT colored shirt. Both will be acceptable for PE. The colored shirt will be needed as the uniform for cross country and track. Orders must be placed online:  https://www.empoweringabilities.org/stores/jfk-gym-uniforms/. Make sure you use the sizing chart available on the website. Sizes tend to run big.

Smart watches and/or other devices that we use to know where our children are these days will be kept in students’ backpacks while kids are at school. Students can put them on/take them out when they are dismissed from school.

Approved Snack List

Snacks must be from the approved snack list. The list also shares some of the criteria used to determine the snack list. This list is actually from January 2026; the list has yet to be updated for fall 2026. Nothing was removed, but there are some more options that will be added.

Water Bottles Must Be Able to be Sealed/Closed

Students are encouraged to have appropriate water bottles throughout the day. Due to how often students move about the building and classrooms, as well as other issues that can arise, students’ water bottles must be able to be sealed/closed. Large mugs with straws sticking out are not water bottles and should be left home. We have four bottle filling stations throughout the building.

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.

Gun Safety

Our safety committee also 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.

Gun safety also matters when our children are away from home. Before your child spends time at a friend’s or relative’s house, it is entirely appropriate to ask, “Are there any guns in the home, and if so, are they securely stored?” It may feel like an awkward question, but we routinely ask other questions to keep our children safe—who will be supervising, whether there is a pool, or how they will be transported. This is no different. Whether or not we personally own firearms, we can all agree on the goal: children should never have access to an unsecured, unsupervised gun.

National School Lunch Program

JFK participates in the NSLP. Below are two links for more information and to apply for free/reduced lunches:

Free and Reduced Lunch Parent Letter 2026-27
Free and Reduced Lunch Application 2026-27

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement: In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online or from any USDA office by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA.

The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by: 1. mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or 2. fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or 3. email: [email protected].  This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Iowa Nondiscrimination Statement
It is the policy of this CNP provider not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or religion in its programs, activities, or employment practices as required by the Iowa Code section 216.6, 216.7, and 216.9. If you have questions or grievances related to compliance with this policy by this CNP Provider, please contact the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Grimes State Office building, 400 E. 14th St. Des Moines, IA 50319-1004; phone number 515-281-4121, 800-457-4416; website https://icrc.iowa.gov.

📌Still Relevant

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.

Instructions 

📚Learning Habits Matter

Reading Aloud Still Matters

Just because your child can read silently doesn’t mean you should never hear them read.

Occasionally hearing your child read aloud can tell you things you might otherwise miss. Listen for smooth reading, natural pauses at punctuation, expression, and the ability to figure out unfamiliar words.

PK–2
Reading aloud regularly is an important part of learning to read.

Grades 3–5
Occasionally reading aloud helps build fluency and lets adults hear how reading is progressing.

Grades 6–8
Most reading is silent, but reading a difficult passage aloud can help students slow down and make sense of it.

Fluency isn’t just about sounding like a good reader. The more automatic reading becomes, the more students can focus on understanding and thinking about what they read.

🗓️ 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:

• Aug 21: Back to School Pool Party for JFK families only at Whitewater Junction, 6-8 pm. $10 per swimmer with non-swimming spectators being free. Bring your own food and drink – Concessions are also available for purchase. Cash or Check only. Checks payable to Scott County Catholic Schools (SCCS)
• Aug 23: Chalk the Walk – Back to School! 3-4 pm at JFK. “Chalk the Walk” with uplifting words and fun drawings to welcome students and teachers back for the school year. Adults only, please — we want to keep this a surprise for the students! Bring your own chalk and your best creative ideas.
• Aug 24: School starts!

💭Personal Sharing

One week to go!

Chad