JFK PTO Update – May
10, 2019
Important Dates:
May 14-24 - MCAS Testing (Science and Make Ups)
May 17 - Half Day - Early Dismissal
May 19 - Eighth Grade Mayor’s Dance
May 28 - JFK PTO Meeting (Last one of the year!)
June 3 - 8th Grade Picnic in Pines Theater
June 4 - JFK Chorus Concert
June 5 - JFK Band Concert
June 14 - Last Day of School - Half Day
Thank a Teacher!
THE
2019 JFK PTO TEACHER APPRECIATION CAMPAIGN
Has a JFK teacher or
staff member made a difference in your student’s life? Thank a teacher by
contributing to this spring’s TEACHER APPRECIATION campaign.
Your year-end donation
will help address the needs of JFK teachers by adding to the JFK PTO teacher
grant fund. JFK PTO teacher grants fund staff requests for equipment, school
supplies, field trips, and more. Did you know that we had more requests for
funding this year than we could afford to fund? Express your appreciation of a
teacher’s commitment to your student(s) and help us ensure future funding for
more teacher grants.
HOW TO DONATE:
- Look for a letter that came home with your student. Send in a check made out to JFK PTO with your student to school, or return the form by mail to the school.
- Donate online through Mighty Cause: https://tinyurl.com/y529vnzp
- The teacher(s) you choose to honor will receive a special note of thanks from the JFK PTO acknowledging their important contribution to the school. You can also enclose a special message with your donation form.
- This week is Teacher Appreciation Week! Don’t worry, it’s not too late to say thanks… you can donate now through the end of the school year!
A Note of Thanks from Our Teachers
A big thank you to
staff, community members, and the PTO for supporting the Bottle Cap Mural
Project. We are thrilled with the finished piece and were pumped to see
it be installed officially on Thursday. Our 8th grade forum students were
dedicated and worked really hard to collect ideas from staff and students for
themes back in late fall, then sketching out how to depict the four seasons,
priming and painting the plywood, and lastly drilling in hundreds and hundreds
of screws to secure the caps! We enjoyed the process and are so happy to
brighten the welcoming space of the foyer at JFK. Next to come is a sign for
the mural and coordinating bench!
The JFK Scrabble Club in the News Again!
Lots of JFK students were seen playing the game in the JFK library
on WGBY. Your donations to the JFK PTO made regulation Scrabble boards possible for the club. Thank you! Be sure to check out this link: https://connectingpoint.wgby.org/
May MCAS Schedule
May 14-15 - Grade 8 Science and Technology
May 14-24 - Make up testing
8th Grade Mayor’s Dance Ticket Sale Info (May 15-17)
The Northampton Parks & Recreation is once again sponsoring
the annual Parks & Recreation Mayor's Dance. This dance is offered to JFK
Middle School 8th grade students only. The dance will be held on Sunday, May 19
from 6pm to 9pm. A fun time with music, munchies to snack on, and a photo
booth! Tickets will be sold during 8th grade lunch on Wednesday, May 15, and
Thursday, May 16. Additionally, tickets will be sold after school dismissal on
Friday, May 17 until 4:30pm. To purchase a ticket, students will need to bring
$20 (cash/check) and the signed parent/guardian form that was sent to the household.
Any questions please contact the Parks & Rec office at recreation@northamptonma.gov or call 413-587-1040.
2018-19 SEPAC Staff Appreciation Awards (Nominations due May 25)
Each year we ask students and their parents to share with us their
stories of people who have made their school experiences meaningful and joyous
this year. Your nomination letter will be read out loud at the ceremony.
We welcome 1 nomination from each student or their family. The nomination may be made by a student,
parent, or guardian. To select a staff member for an award complete the
information below. Each person selected will receive an invitation to the
awards night celebration, a certificate, and a letter of appreciation.
Submission deadline May 25, 2019. Awards Night will be Thursday, June 13 at
6:30pm in the Library at Northampton High School.
- The digital form is available at: https://forms.gle/zaXjhihVekFaa54k7
- A printable one can be downloaded at: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1m6wO1yQ_DBRL5OXUKyxnwX1gSW6eiAzH
If you have difficulty filling this form out online, please
print it and submit it by mail to: PAC-C/O Student Services 240 Main Street 2ND
floor, Northampton MA 01060.
Final JFK PTO Meeting of the Year (Tuesday, May 28 at 6pm)
Our next PTO meeting will take place Tuesday, May 28 at 6pm in the
JFK Library. This is our last meeting year! Help us plan our eighth grade
picnic and to transition to a new PTO president. Bring questions and ideas!
8th Grade Picnic Volunteers Needed
The Eighth Grade Picnic in the Look Park Pines Theater will be
held on Monday, June 3 (with a June 4 rain date). We are seeking volunteers to
help during the picnic. Send us an email at jfkmspto@gmail.com! More picnic details
coming soon.
8th Grade Parents – The NHS PTO invites you to join for the
2019-2020 school year!
Why get involved?
We focus on building community and supporting
teachers.
You’ll get to know teachers, administrators, and what’s going on at
NHS.
You’ll meet other parents and guardians.
You’ll spend more time giving
away money than raising it. We run a few annual successful fundraisers: Honor
Thy Teacher, the Annual Appeal, Giving Tuesday, and Eat for Education and we
don’t ask parents and students to sell things. You are welcome to attend our
last two meetings this year, on Wednesday, May 16 and Tuesday, June 11 at 7pm
in the NHS library. Email nohopto@gmail.com with any questions.
Step up to Volunteer with the JFK PTO in 2020
This year is the last
year for our amazing PTO President. The PTO needs volunteers to carry on the
great work we do. With the limited resources of public school budgets, a PTO
can make a significant impact in funding gaps to enrich our students’ middle
school educational experience. The JFK PTO is highly organized and ready to go;
we just need parents willing to keep events happening. Please send us an email
and let us know you can help: jfkmspto@gmail.com
2019-2020 District Calendar
Did you see the news?
Friday, June 14 is the last day of school (half day). Wednesday, August 28 is
the first day of school for the new year. And that’s when we’ll need lots of
new PTO volunteers! Email us to get involved.
JFK Yearbook Orders
The JFK Yearbook is
available for year-end purchase for $29 through June 1. Send in cash or check
payable to JFK in an envelope with your student’s name and homeroom
number.
Shop and Raise Funds for JFK
We collect Boxtops for
Education all year long; your student can drop them off in the JFK office.
Support JFK at Stop and Shop by using the link here. Big Y Express: https://www.bigy.com/rs/educationexpress. Or link to JFK MS
PTO through Amazon Smile and donate to Parent-Teacher
Organization of John F Kennedy Middle School Inc.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
The art teachers from
the elementary schools and the middle school cordially invite students and
their families to JFK Middle School on Friday, May 10 from 4-6pm for an art
opening reception. The exhibition will host a sampling of original artwork by
local students. There will be light refreshments served by the Jackson Street
PTO. Please join us for this wonderful event!
22nd Annual Northampton Education Foundation Plant Sale (May 11)
The Northampton
Education Foundation needs your plants! If you’re digging up or separating
plants this spring, donate them to the NEF plant sale. You can drop them at
Smith Vocational High School (80 Locust Street, Northampton) on Friday, May 10,
from 4-7pm or contact Francie Lin at francie.m.lin@gmail.com for an alternative
drop off.
Bicycle Rodeo at JFK (May 11)
Northampton Police Dept and local bicycle groups will provide
various activities with the goal of teaching safety bike-riding skills to
children. Two sessions 10am-12pm and 12-2pm. Suitable for ages 4-10. More info here.
2019 Northampton Public Arts Festival (May 11-12)
The Northampton Public
Arts Festival is a unique two-day event aimed at promoting public arts through
live mural painting and street art workshops for youth. The festival will bring
local and nationally recognized street artists and muralists to convene and
create beautiful public art for the city of Northampton and the Pioneer Valley.
For more info, visit:
REAL--Racial Equity and Learning--Conversation Group (May 14)
REAL (Racial Equity and Learning) is hosting a conversation group
at our next meeting: Tuesday, May 14 from 7:00-8:30pm at 193 Federal St. in
Florence. We will watch and discuss a short video on race. All are welcome to
attend! If you have questions, please contact Jenny Bender at jenny.bender@comcast.net or Noel Raley at noelraley@yahoo.com.
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