JFK Parent News

JFK Families,

What an amazing first few days of school we had at JFK! When I am outside in the morning, I constantly see smiles from our students as they anxiously wait for the bell to ring. Thank you, parents, for adjusting to our earlier start time with the first bell ringing at 7:35 a.m. As a parent of four children myself, I understand how busy and sometimes late an evening can get with various activities. By being on time to school, students start their day on a positive note as they walk into the building with their classmates.

Teachers and students have been busy practicing and discussing rules, expectations, and procedures. This helps build a positive school and classroom culture in which everyone feels welcomed, allowing students to do their best. Already, our students have made tremendous growth and it will be exciting to see everything they will learn and accomplish this year!

With our new parking lot, we have been updating and working through various obstacles with drop-off and pick-up. We greatly appreciate your patience and attention to safety as we work to ensure everyone remains safe. For those who walk to school, a reminder that according to District Policy IMG-R, animals may not be brought onto school grounds between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on days school is in session.

Our JFK Spiritwear store is open now through Sunday, September 11th. All orders are placed and paid for online at this link: https://cleverthreadsofsd.com/cart

Orders will be delivered to JFK and sent home with your student. We plan to open the store again prior to the holiday season.

School Picture Day is Wednesday, September 14th. Picture packets will come home early next week and can be returned with your student on Picture Day. Pictures can be ordered online at https://www.scherling.preorderphotos.com . JFK's access code is M97RE3. This code is valid through Thursday, September 15.

Our JFK Fun Run fundraiser kicks off on September 19th. We shared our Fundraiser budget in the last newsletter, and we are hoping to raise $24,750 to support the learning environment at JFK Elementary. More information will be coming home as the fundraiser kickoff approaches.

We look forward to communicating and working with all JFK families this year. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our staff with any questions you may have. I am looking forward to working together as a JFK community!

Sincerely,

Mr. Wright, Principal

The 22-23 JFK Parent Handbook is filled with information about daily routines, general school rules and expectations, as well as the required annual policy notifications.

As a reminder, elementary school students who require medication during the school day must have orders from a doctor on file for the medication to be given by staff. Please contact Linda Sutter, JFK School Nurse with any questions at 605-362-2784, or by e-mail linda.sutter@k12.sd.us.

It’s time! - Time to update your parent/student information for Fall Enrollment!

Parents/Guardians of students currently enrolled in the Sioux Falls School District can now complete the Annual Information Update for EACH of their students through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. It is important that household information for ALL students is reviewed and updated prior to the start of each school year.

Please log in to your Parent Portal account using this link. https://parentview.sf.k12.sd.us/campus/portal/siouxfalls.jsp

After logging into the Parent Portal, select the ‘More’ option from the left Menu and then select the link for Annual Student Information Update. If you have forgotten your password, please call your school or Central Services at 605-367-8432 to reset your password.

If you have recently changed addresses, proof of residency must be supplied. Documents acceptable for proof of residency are lease agreement, mortgage documents, utility bill, property tax payment/receipt, homeowner’s insurance policy, or state/government agency mail. This information can be dropped off to the school your student attends.

Any student in grades 7-12 who intends to participate in activities at the high school level MUST have their information completed online before the first day of practice.

If you do not have access to a computer, one is currently available at all school offices. Please note that the Annual Student Information update must be completed on a desktop computer or laptop. This update does not work on cell phones.

Please contact the JFK Office (605-362-2784) if you need assistance.

As indicated in a message sent last spring, the federal government is ending free meals that were granted during the pandemic to all students. It is imperative that families who MAY qualify for free/reduced meal prices complete the application each year.

Good News! That application can now be found in the Parent Portal of Infinite Campus. Simply use the same login where you check grades and where you provided the annual information update to complete the application. From the left menu, click More, then Meal Benefits, then on the link that says Meal Application. An electronic signature PIN is required to submit your Meal Benefits Application. If you do not have an electronic signature PIN created, you will be prompted to do so prior to starting your online Meal Benefits Application. It takes 5 to 10 minutes to complete the application.

Parents/Guardians will incur meal costs in the 2022-23 school year, unless the Free/Reduced Application is approved based on income guidelines. Completing the form now will allow your child a seamless start to the school year. Thank you!

Please see the linked document above if you have a student who is receiving special education services through an IEP.

The Sioux Falls School District offers free developmental screenings for children from birth to age five who reside within the district’ boundaries. We will check your child’s development in the areas of motor skills, concepts, and language. We also complete a free vision and hearing check. Screenings are done throughout the year from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Friday. We can also get your child registered for Head Start if you meet eligibility requirements. For information or to schedule a free appointment, call the Early Childhood screening office at 367-8488. The Early Childhood Screening office is located at 2205 N. Career Avenue.

The Sioux Falls School District holds student and staff safety as its highest priority. Our schools have always displayed care and concern remarkably well, but especially so since March 2020 when the global COVID-19 pandemic impacted nearly every aspect of life. Since that time, we have created, revised, adapted, and closely followed plans that have kept our schools open and operating; allowing students to learn while their parents continued to meet community needs through their work. Information contained in this plan is current and overall reflects the best-practices and expectations of our community, region, state, and nation. If necessary, this plan will be revised in consultation with local medical partners if/when our community experiences changing COVID-19 conditions

We encourage our families whose students will walk to and/or from school to find a safe route to school and practice it several times prior to the first day. The map below shows streets that are well traveled, and that may have crosswalks or stop lights for added safety.

It is important to teach your children about best practices as a pedestrian, and for elementary students this includes crossing only at corners, and never midblock. While it may save a few steps, it can be very dangerous in high traffic areas, or in areas with cars parked on the street. Staff on duty at JFK will redirect students that they see crossing improperly, but it is important that the same message is given at home.

Supply lists are ready! Check them out by clicking the button above. When you are ready to buy, you can have your child's list automatically added to a cart through Amazon, Target, Staples or Walmart.

JFK School Hours are 7:40am-2:25pm

The JFK office is open from 7am-3:45pm Monday-Friday.

Website: https://www.jkes.sf.k12.sd.us/o/jkes
Location: 4501 South Holbrook Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
Phone: 605-362-2784
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jfkelementaryschool/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel