Principal’s Page February 2021School Virtue: Hope

Growth Mindset:.

“Mistakes are proof I am trying.”

Kimberly Stevenson, Principal Email address: kstevenson@jfkcatholic.comWebsite: jfkcatholic.com Phone Number: 724-225-1680

©Ashley Magee, First Grade Brain graphics © Thistle Girl Designs

SCRIP GIFT CARDSOur gift card sales have

increased tremendously. Need Valentine’s Gifts?

Remember to purchase your SCRIP gift cards for gifts, groceries and

home improvements.

Purchase $300 or $500 in gift cards and your family earns 1 or 2 dress

down days for March.

Download the Raise Right app and receive ecards immediately.

If you have not used this fundraiser, why not make it a

New Year's resolution?

School HoursStudent Arrival Time is

7:45 am – 8:00am.

Dismissal Preschool is at 2:15pm.

Dismissal for the school is 2:35pm.

The season of Lent Begins on February 17th with Ash

Wednesday mass. Lent is one of the many journeys we

walk each year as Catholics. Lent gives us a chance to

walk with Jesus to witness his trials and temptation and

to witness that our Christian journey offers many

challenges.

This journey offers many promises, the greatest of

which is everlasting life. As you make your way

through the Lenten Season remember that you walk

with Christ and Christ walks with you each step of the

journey.

For the students to grow to understand the sacrifice

that Jesus made for us by dying on the cross, the

students will participate in these religious activities. We

will attend Stations of the Cross each Friday of Lent at

1:00pm beginning on February 19th. Parents are

welcome to attend. The student in grades 2-8 will

alternate attending Stations of the Cross. See the

calendar for dates.

The Middle School students will participate in a Cross

Walk All students will be observing silent hallways

between classes.

©Ashley Magee, First Grade Brain graphics © Thistle Girl Designs

Turn your child into a stronger student by creating the right support structure and expectations.

Fundraising Letter

& Summary

Report

Please take time

to read the

attached letter and

fundraising

summary report.

It contains

important

information.

Cupid’s Kisses

The school will be selling

Cupid’s Kisses for

Valentines. Cupid’s Kisses

are a cute way to show

someone how special they

are. The gift is a white

mesh drawstring bag with

shredded white tissue

paper and 3 Hershey

kisses. Cupid’s Kisses will

be sold February 4th-

February 12th. The cost is

$1.00.

Please see the

attached order forms.

School Registration

2021-2022

The priority enrollment period for existing school

families will begin on Friday, January 30th and end

on February 15th. The re enrollment admission

form for the 2021 – 2022 school year was emailed

to all family today. It is very important to complete

the required form and return it to the school office

with your $75.00 nonrefundable family registration

fee by February 15th. This will secure a spot for

your child(ren) before our open enrollment period

begins on Tuesday, February 16th. Several

classes are near capacity. At this time, we are not

able to set tuition ( see the letter our Regional

Administer, Sharon Brown). The tuition increase

at JFK should be in line with prior increases. If you

have any questions on how the enrollment process

works or need any additional information, please

contact the school office.

Virtual Open HouseJohn F. Kennedy Catholic School will launch our 1st Open House video for new families and current Preschool families who want to learn more about our school for the 2021– 2022 school year.

Tours of the school can be arranged by contacting Laurie Bodart at lbodart@jfkcatholic.com Please share this information with your friends and family members who have school aged children. Remember, our best form of marketing is you. All registration forms for registration of new families are also on the website jfkcatholic.com

©Ashley Magee, First Grade Brain graphics © Thistle Girl Designs

Turn your child into a stronger student by creating the right support structure and expectations.

Calling All Realtors: Are you

or a family member a realtor?

The JFK Marketing committee is

interested in speaking with you

concerning a marketing idea.

We are working to prepare a

flyer about our school and were

hoping they could be placed in

the real estate folder. Many

families who are planning to

move into the area chose the

school first and then look for

housing. Please contact

Amanda Coffman or Meredith

Liddle if you can help us with this project.

Ash Wednesday

The Bishop of Pittsburgh (along with the U. S. Bishops) has

decided to modify the distribution of ashes for this year

because of the COVID. The United States tradition is to put

ashes on the forehead in the form of the cross. The

European tradition is to sprinkle ashes on the crown of the

head. The Bishop has mandated that we follow the European

tradition and to omit the words usually spoken, “Remember

you are dust and unto dust you shall return.”

Who should receive ashes: Ashes are a sign of repentance

and so those who have yet to make their First Reconciliation

(which usually happens around age seven) do not receive

them; they are not capable of sin.

The priest or the deacon distributing the ashes will be more

than willing to give a special blessing to children under the

age of reason.

Blessing of Throats: Because of the virus the blessing of

throats will also be modified this year in the following way as

prescribed by the U.S. Bishops, “a priest or deacon may give

the St. Blaise blessing to all assembled by extending hands,

without the crossed candles, over the people while saying the

prayer of blessing.” Unlike years in the past, we will not be

blessing individuals with crossed candles held on their

throats.

The parish has elected not to do the Fish Fry this year and kindly

offered it to the school. We are excited to have this additional

fundraising event and excited to keep the Fish Fry continue this

tradition St James Parish.

This event takes a lot of manpower to run, so we need your help.

We will need about 17 workers per shift. This event is for take out

orders only. If you interested in helping, please call the school

office at 724-225-1680 or email fishfry@jfkcatholic.com .

Working this event is a great way to fulfill your volunteer obligation.

Maybe parents of each sports team can volunteer to work

together for a few weeks. Many of the teacher and I

will be volunteering as well.

Together JFK School can accomplish great things!.

JFK FISH FRY

Warm Up To Kindergarten:

Preschool parents who want to

learn more about Kindergarten

are invited to join a zoom

meeting on Monday, February 8th

at 3:30pm. The Kindergarten

teachers will share with you what

a JFK Kindergartner’s day will be

like. If you are unsure about

continuing your child’s education

at JFK than please join this

informative meeting.

Please call the school office to

RSVP and you will receive a link

for the meeting. A personnel

invitation will come home with

your Preschooler in their

Warmup to Kindergarten Bags

on Wednesday, February 3rd.

Outdoor Recess Volunteers &

Cafeteria Volunteers

We need 2 volunteers for outdoor

recess and 2 volunteers for the

cafeteria. Volunteers must have

clearances to be on school grounds.

1. Buzz in at the main door wearing a

mask .

2. Your temperature will be taken.

3. You will report to playground area

or the cafeteria.

4. The length of time you will be

needed is 1.5 hours.

5. If there are any concerns please

report them to the principal.

©Ashley Magee, First Grade Brain graphics © Thistle Girl Designs

Turn your child into a stronger student by creating the right support structure and expectations.

John 4:7-12. Dear friends: let us love

one another, for love comes from

God. Everyone who loves has been

born of God and knows God.

Whoever does not love does not

know God, because God is love.

Valentine’s Day Parties

Valentine’s Day parties will be JFK

will be celebrated on February 14th

from 1:30PM – 2:30 PM. Your child’s

homeroom parent will send the out

the party details. The children may

dress down and wear pink, white, and

red.

Valentines should be sent to school

on Monday, February 8th. Do not put

classmates’ names on the envelopes.

Several students each day will place

the cards in boxes. All cards will sit

for 24 hours before the students open

them.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Bottle Filling Stations

Thanks to the incredible

generosity of a JFK family

and the 8th grade class, we

now have 4 bottle filling

stations. Three bottle filling

stations have been placed

on each floor of the school

and the fourth one was

placed in the gym. The

students will now be able to

refill their water bottle at

school.

Thank you, Donor family

and the 8th grade class, for

these gifts.

AND SUDDENLY THERE CAME A SOUND FROM HEAVEN, AS OF A MIGHTY WIND COMING, AND IT FILLED THE WHOLE HOUSE WHERE THEY WERE SITTING. AND THERE APPEARED TO THEM PARTED TONGUES AS IT WERE OF FIRE, AND IT SAT UPON EVERY ONE OF THEM: AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.... ACTS 2: 24

Congratulations to our 8th grade students who were confirmed on

January 20, 2020. Alex Almeida, Ayla Altman, Abby Bodart, Ava

Carroll, Ava Coffman, Miriam Hardy, Abby Higgins, Becca

Krofcheck, Zoe Kumpfmiller, Isabella Moyer, Rylee Ondrejko,

Nick Preteroti, Jacob Rieg, Clare Ruffing, Dominic Thomas, and

Ty Wheeler

©Ashley Magee, First Grade Brain graphics © Thistle Girl Designs

IT IS BASKETBALL SEASON!Basketball at JFK has begun. We wish all our teams a safe and

wonderful season. Let’s Go Comets!

Good sportsmanship is knowing that it is a game, that we are only as a good as our opponents, and

whether you win or lose, to always give 100 percent. Sue Wicks