JFK PTO Update –
January 10, 2020
IMPORTANT: DATE
CHANGES BELOW
January 14 - Afterschool Begins / SEPAC / Chorus Concert / REAL
January 16 - JFK School Council Meeting
January 17 - Half Day (11:50am dismissal)
January 17 - New Spirit Wear Order Due Date!
January 20 - No School (MLK Day)
January 23 - JFK ASK/PBIS Winter Event
Half Day on January 17! (NEW)
JFK Families were notified of a change in the school calendar for
Friday, January 17. The proposed teacher work day will now be a half day with
an 11:50am dismissal. JFK PTO will still be helping to contribute drinks and
nut-free desserts to the staff potluck for the remainder of the teacher
training day. We are looking for donations of a variety of cookies and sweets
(nut-free) and bottles of seltzer and juice to be brought to the office on
Friday, January 17. Check contributions are welcome, too!
Spirit Wear Orders Due (NEW: January 17)
Orders are due, but families have another week to get them in! Be
sure to see our order form here to get your JFK Husky
Hoodie, or look for one coming home from school.
Don’t want to fill out a paper form? Order online using this link. However, you will
still need to send payment in an envelope marked with your student’s name and
homeroom and order info with your student to school. Make your check out to JFK
PTO with Spirit Wear in the memo line. Cash is ok, too. Orders will
be delivered by the end of the month. Last chance this year for a JFK
sweatshirt so don’t miss out!
SEPAC (January 14)
The next SEPAC meeting will be held January 14 at JFK at 6:30pm.
It will be a special listening session with the administrators. SEPAC is the
Special Education Parent Advisory Council. More info on how to get involved can
be found here: http://www.northamptonschools.org/special-education-parent-advisory-council/
JFK Chorus Concert (January 14)
Come see our JFK chorus in action at Northampton High School at
6:30pm.
Afterschool Starts (January 14)
Informational packets were sent home last Friday. Applications
should be returned as soon as possible to reserve space for students. If you
have any questions, contact the main office at 413-587-1489 during business
hours.
Upcoming Racial Equity and Learning Meeting (January 14)
Racial Equity and Learning (REAL) is hosting a meeting for new
members on January 14 from 7:30-9pm, location TBD. ALL are welcome! This will
be an opportunity to learn about REAL’s mission and work in the district; to
meet others who are interested in working toward equity and inclusion; to
reflect, ask questions, share ideas or simply listen. In the meantime, if you
have questions about or would like a one-on-one conversation about REAL, please
do not hesitate to reach out to a co-leader:
JFK School Council (January 16)
The School Council meets the third school day Thursday of each
month at 5pm in the JFK Library. The next meeting is January 16.
JFK ASK/PBIS Winter Event: Snow Sculpture Contest (January 23)
Come create a snow sculpture with your family. Each team needs at
least one adult. Bring props to make your sculpture stand out. The event will
start at 6pm on Thursday, January 23 (back up date January 29). Judging will
start at 6:45pm. There will be a grand prize of a $150 gift card to PINZ for
the winning family and smaller prizes for the runners up. Students can use cash
or blue tickets to purchase hot chocolate and cookies.
NPS Budget Survey
The Northampton Public Schools 2021 Budget Survey has been posted
online. Please click here for more info and to
participate.
Need Help with Aspen?
Cynthia Kelley is the Aspen coordinator for NPS. Learn more about
how to contact her here: http://www.northamptonschools.org/profile/cynthia-kelley/
Health Office News for January 2020
During the next two months, the JFK nursing staff will be
conducting annual health screenings for 6th and 7th grade students. Letters
went home in backpack mail on January 16. These screenings consist of checking
backs for 6th graders and checking backs, heights and weights for 7th graders.
If your child has any unusual findings, you will be notified. Otherwise, you
will not hear from the Health Office. If your child has had a physical within
the last 6 months and the provider has documented these exams, your student can
be excused from the screening. Please provide a copy of this physical as soon
as possible. You also have the right to opt your child out of this
screening. If you prefer to do this, please contact Karen Schiaffo, JFK
School Nurse via phone at 413-587-1488 or email: kschiaffo@northampton-k12.us
JFK PTO Meetings
Welcome to 2020! We look forward to a great year of school. Stay
tuned for info on our winter raffle calendar sales, 6th and 7th grade dances,
spring teacher appreciation fundraiser, and the 8th grade picnic. If you can
help with any of these events, join us at our next PTO meeting. PTO meetings
are usually held the first Tuesday of the month. If you can’t attend the
meeting but can help at other times, email us and let us know: jfkmspto@gmail.com.
JFK Silverware Drive
JFK is organizing a silverware collection to reduce plastic use.
You can donate your extra items in the JFK office any time during the school
year.
The JFK Yearbook Is On Sale
The 2020 JFK Yearbook is on sale for $27. To place an order, send
a cash or check made out to JFK Middle School in an envelope to school
with your student’s name and homeroom number and “yearbook” in the memo line.
Or, go to www.coffeepond.com and click “place an
order” then “yearbook”. Order before 3/29 as the price will be $29 after that
date. The last day to order your school yearbook is 4/26.
5 Easy Ways to Support JFK MS PTO
- Donate online. Your donations are tax-deductible and help fund special programs at JFK.
- Link to JFK MS PTO through Amazon Smile and donate to Parent-Teacher Organization of John F Kennedy Middle School Inc. Click here for instructions on how to use the app.
- Send in your Boxtops with your student to the JFK office. The next deadline is February 14, and we can accept Boxtop donations year-round. Online we are: JOHN F KENNEDY MIDDLE SCHOOL| School ID: 573700.
- Register your Stop and Shop card to benefit JFK Middle School using ID#05378. Call 1-877-275-2758 to register or log on to www.stopandshop.com
- Be sure to vote for us in the 2020 Florence Savings Bank Customers’ Choice Awards.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Annual Christmas
Tree Disposal and Recycling on January 11
Trees may be dropped off in the front right parking lot at Smith
Vocational High School, 80 Locust Street, on Saturday, January 11 from
9am–12pm. All trees must be clear of ornaments, lights, tinsel, plastic bags,
netting and metal wires. For effective management, trees will be chipped on site.
Artificial trees will not be accepted. This tree collection will be open to all
residents of Florence, Leeds and Northampton. A vehicle sticker will not be
required for this collection, but proof of residency (driver’s license or
vehicle registration) may be required.
Community Workshop on Main Street (5:30pm, Monday, January 13)
City Hall Hearing Room, second floor of City Hall, 210 Main
Street, Northampton. https://www.northamptonma.gov/2015/Main-Street-design
Northampton Boys Youth Lacrosse (Registration closes February 10)
The registration fee is $195 per child plus a $30 US Lacrosse
membership, which is required for each player. Teams continue to be registered
by age (U10, U12, U14) rather than by grade. More information here.
VINS Dog Show (March 7)
Save the Date! The annual VINS Dog Show has been scheduled for
Saturday, March 7 from 12-3pm. This is a great fundraiser for Volunteers in
Northampton Schools, Inc. More info coming soon.
Doodle for Google
This year’s Doodle for Google theme is: “I SHOW KINDNESS BY...”
Friendship, smiles, thank yous, and hugs. But kindness is so much more than
just being nice. This year’s theme invites you to tell us how you show
kindness. Is it by helping around your home? Volunteering in your community’s
green space? Maybe it’s comforting someone who’s down, or picking up trash in
the park. However you define it, let us know how you bring a little bit more
kindness into the world. Take your ideas and bring them to life in your doodle!
This year’s contest is open for online and mailed entries until March 13, 2020
at 8pm PST. Download instructions and entry form here.
Follow us on our JFK PTO Facebook Page
We like your Likes!
Volunteer with us!
Sign up here if you can help the JFK PTO this year:
