What's happening this February
Hello, JFK families!
February is sure to be a fabulous month here at JFK!
We are so excited to participate in the Global School Play Day on Wednesday, February 7th, an event dedicated to raising awareness of the value of unstructured play for our students. More information was sent home in January, and your child's teacher may communicate additional details.
Please consider joining our monthly Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) meeting on Monday, February 5th at 6:00 pm. The work of our PTO brings tremendous opportunities to our students, and its success depends on our volunteers. We are excited to bring the Art to Remember fundraiser to you very soon!
Positivity Project
During the month of February, students at JFK will dive deeper into the Other People Matter Mindset, exploring the character strengths of forgiveness, love, humility, love of learning, as well as cheering others' success.
Forgiveness means you forgive those who have done wrong and you accept that people make mistakes. Forgiveness is the ability to move past being injured, and allow yourself to reconcile with the person who hurt you. Forgiveness can often be seen as a selfless act, but it also carries many benefits for those who practice it. Those who demonstrate forgiveness have the ability to move forward after someone has hurt them. Forgiveness is often rooted in the idea that all people are valuable and worthy of a second chance. Many who forgive have the ability to consider things from anotherβs perspective.
Love means you value close relationships with others and being close to people. The character strength of love represents the way we think, feel, and behave towards the people with whom we have close relationships. When one person loves another person, that person: comforts and makes the other feel safe; sacrifices on the otherβs behalf; supports the other during struggles; and places the others' needs ahead of their own. If you love a person, that person makes you feel safe and secure. You can be yourself with that person. You miss that person when they are not around.
Humility means you do not seek the spotlight. You let your actions speak for themselves. Humble people have an accurate (not underestimated) sense of their abilities and achievements. They hold the capacity to acknowledge their mistakes and limitations, and are open to advice and new ideas. They do not show off their possessions or accomplishments.
Love of learning means you master new topics on your own or in school. Those with a love of learning are intrinsically motivated and engaged in a topic regardless of achieving an external standard. They enjoy learning simply for the sake of learning. They donβt need a prize of a high grade as a reward. Their reward is the process of doing the work and improving.
Cheering others' successes means that when other people succeed, I am happy for them and cheer them on. Being happy for other people when they succeed isnβt always everyoneβs initial reaction. Often, itβs easy to become jealous or envious of othersβ victories -- or even to experience schadenfreude, which is deriving pleasure from witnessing (or learning about) another personβs misfortune. People who have these reactions to the success or misfortune of others are colloquially known as βhaters.β Itβs important to note that these are natural emotions and in small doses can be helpful in allowing us to see what we care about -- and motivate us to pursue those goals.
We hope to see you throughout the month of February at JFK!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Frank
Principal UPK-2
Mrs. Bouchard
Principal, 3-6
We hope you are excited for the JFK Student Council School Store! Students may shop on the following days of the cycle: Day 1 (UPK, Jr. Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Grade 1), Day 2 (Grade 2), Day 3 (Grade 3), Day 4 (Grade 4), Day 5 (Grade 5), Day 6 (Grade 6). Available items include pencils, fidgets, keychains, erasers, and more!
Since returning from the holiday break, our students have been busy crafting one of a kind creations in art class for our annual JFK PTO Art to Remember fundraiser. Coming the first week of March, your child will bring home a personalized order form, showing you their artwork on everything from mugs to t-shirts to keychains to pillows! Order by March 25, 2024 with proceeds supporting our PTO...and your student!
Join our PTO
The John F. Kennedy Elementary School PTO is always seeking volunteers. Meetings are held monthly, with volunteers helping to provide our harvest reading event, family sleigh rides, holiday door decorating contest prizes, Art to Remember fundraiser, Scholastic Book Fairs, and much more. PTO events are much loved by our students, and we would love your support! Our next meetings for the 2023-2024 school year will take place on the following Mondays: February 5th and March 4th at 6:00 pm in the library at JFK. Childcare is provided during each meeting. If you are interested in joining, please email Mrs. Frank at cfrank@ogdensburgk12.org or Mrs. Bouchard at sbouchard@ogdensburgk12.org, or join us at our next meeting! We are always open to new membership, new fundraising ideas, and your thoughts on what would benefit JFK. The PTO can also be reached at their new email address: johnfkennedypto22@gmail.com
JFK PTO Facebook Page
Don't forget to like the JFK PTO Facebook page for updates on fundraisers and PTO sponsored events. You can find it by clicking here, or search JFK Elementary School PTO on Facebook.
Mason Madison
Art
Mrs. Willmart
Mason Madison (Grade 1 with Miss Lalone) has a lot of creativity and he isnβt afraid to use it! Mason comes to art class excited to make work. He is always helping his classmates, or creating things to give away to someone. Mason you are a joy to have in art class, and I canβt wait to see what your imagination comes up with next! Great job Mason!
Harper Joanette
Physical Education
Mr. Sholette
Harper Joanette (Jr. Kindergarten with Ms. Lamanteer) is the PE student of the month! Harper has been doing an excellent job in gym class. She does a great job sharing and playing nicely with her friends. Harper always follows directions and is doing the right thing. Awesome job Harper!
Dominic Butterfield
Art
Mrs. Willmart
Dominic Butterfield (Grade 4 with Mrs. Morley) comes to art class with determination and lots of imagination! He truly thinks about his work and takes his time getting the details just right. He is kind to his classmates, and he is always willing to help if someone needs it. It is so fun having you in art class Dominic! Keep being brave in showing your creativity! Congratulations Dominic!
Kayla McCarney
Ms. Seymour
Library
Valerie Knowlton
Mrs. Halladay
Physical Education
Valerie Knowlton (Grade 4 with Mrs. Mousaw) is the PE student of the month. Valerie has a never quit attitude. She plays with the drive that most coaches dream about. Valerie is always up for a challenge and never backs down. Keep up the good work Valerie. You have a very bright future ahead.
Calliana Tulip
Library
Ms. Seymour
Calliana Tulip (Jr. Kindergarten with Ms. Lamanteer) loves to hear a story read to her. She has demonstrated her ability to sit on the story time carpet while enjoying a read aloud of a book. Many of her responses to the stories are wonderful! She is a delight to have in Library Class! Keep up the good work,Calliana!
Declan Heaton
Physical Education
Mr. Vernsey
Declan Heaton (Grade 2 with Mrs. Williams) is the student of the month for PE. Declan always gives 100% when in PE class. Declan is a leader and a great teammate to the others in his class. Declan has a bright athletic future ahead of him. Keep up the good work Declan!
Josephine Robb
Mrs. Halladay
Physical Education
Josephine Robb (UPK with Mrs. Wilkinson) is the PE student of the month. Josephine alway has a smile on her face and is willing to help in anyway. She follows the rules and is a great role model for her peers. Josephine is a friend to everyone. Thanks Josephine! You are appreciated more than you know.
Martin Hernandez-Jimenez
Art
Miss O'Neil
Martin Hernandez-Jimenez (Grade 2 with Mr. Dwyer) is always trying his best to complete any task given to him. He always has a smile on his face and is eager to see what comes next. I enjoy having Martin in class. Keep up the good work, Martin!
Cruz O'Brien
Instrumental Music
Mr. McAfee
For February, I would like to nominate Cruz O'Brien (Grade 6 with Mrs. Baxter). Cruz worked very hard in preparation for the SLCMEA All-County celebration, and continues to be a leader of the entire band. We would not sound so good without him, thanks Cruz!
Harrison Hull
Music
Ms. Sheats
Harrison Hull (Grade 4 with Mrs. Mousaw) is our 3-6 musician of the month! Harry always comes into music full of energy and enthusiasm! He is one of the most dedicated singers in chorus and always gives 110% in music class. Great work Harry!
Luke White
Instrumental Music
Mr. McAfee
For February, I would like to nominate Luke White (Grade 6 with Mrs. Mathews). Luke worked very hard in preparation for the SLCMEA All-County celebration, and continues to be a leader of the entire band. We would not sound so good without him, thanks Luke!
Arabelle Sweeney
Music
Ms. Sheats
Arabelle Sweeney (Grade 1 with Mrs. Hammond) is our UPK-2 music star of the month! Arabelle has grown so much in music class! She is an expert in all of our music games and always treats others with kindness and respect. Arabelle is a joy to work with! Amazing job Arabelle!
February 14th-17th is Random Acts of Kindness week. If youβre wondering how to celebrate, here are some daily ideas for random acts of kindness that you can do for the benefit of those around you. Your act does not have to be big to make a large impact. Even a simple gesture can help to brighten someone's day!
As always, please reach out if we can help in any way!
Mrs. McNichol (UPK-2 Counselor)
(315) 393-4264 x32068
Mrs. Arika Bateman (Grades 3-6 Counselor)
(315) 393-4264 x32868
Mrs. Misty Fishel (School Social Worker)
(315) 393-4264 x33033
January sure gave us some weather days that kept many of us inside. These days gave some of our students an opportunity to use the First in Math online program. I am happy to report that we now have some first grade classrooms using the FIM program. They are making great progress!
The grade 2-6 students have collected 256,492 sticker points and solved 769,476 math problems. They are amazing mathematicians! This month we would like to give a shout out to the students who have reached the Mastermind Level for First in Math. This means that they have 5,500 to 7,499 sticker points. Some may have even more points! They include: Elijah Vernsey, Isabella Farrell, Elliana Willard, Wyatt Yerdon, Aspen Wulf, Ashton Lowes, Zander Power, Luke White, Rowan Caruso, Sophia Planty, and Kammein Ellard. Congratulations!
The weather can be unpredictable this time of year, be sure to stock up on books in case you get snowed in. We have a few big activities coming up this month including our Heart Bubble craft for Valentines and our Science Day where we will have experiments for hands on learning all around the library. Hope to see you inside where it is warm!
Library Hours
Mondays and Tuesdays 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Wednesdays 11:30 am to 7:00 pm
Thursdays and Fridays 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
Bookstore Hours
Wednesdays 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Thursdays and Fridays 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Programs
Take Home Crafts: Available for pickup during library hours.
Music and Movement: Tuesdays at 11:00 am
A preschool movement and socialization class. Jump your jiggles out and wiggle your waggles away with music, instruments and sensory play. Designed for ages 18 months β 4 years.
Story Time: Thursdays at 11:00 am
Stories, activities and crafts for young children. Socialize, gain early literacy skills and learn to love books during this preschool program. Designed for ages 2-6.
Heart Bubbles: Wednesday, February 14th at 5:00 PM
Make a bubble wand for your valentine! Designed for ages 5 and up.
Science Day: Wednesday, February 21st at 12:00-6:00 PM
Science experiments ready for you to complete all over the library! Designed for ages 7 and up.
Lego Play: Wednesday, February 28th at 5:00 pm
Complete a challenge or just experiment on your own with Lego bricks. Designed for ages 6-12.
Fishing Gear Checkout
The library loans out fishing gear. Fishing equipment can be checked out by children and adults (those 16 years and older must have a fishing license) You can keep fishing items for up to one week. Available items include:
- Adult Fishing Poles
- Tackle Boxes
- Nets
- Pliers/Grippers
- Childrenβs Fishing Kits
Library tours and classroom visits are available upon request by emailing dlenney-wallace@ncls.org for more information.
