Friday, May 10, 2019

JFK PTO Update – May 10, 2019


 JFK PTO Update – May 10, 2019
 
Important Dates:
May 14-24 - MCAS Testing (Science and Make Ups)
May 15 - Health Advisory Council Meeting
May 17 - Half Day - Early Dismissal
May 19 - Eighth Grade Mayor’s Dance
May 23 - NPS School Committee Meeting
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!

Donate today through Mighty Cause: https://tinyurl.com/y529vnzp and help us help our teachers!


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.

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

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.

The 22nd Annual Plant Sale is Saturday, May 11, 9am-1pm, at Smith Voke. It includes a wide range of plants, including annuals and perennials, vegetable starters, herbs, hanging plants, trees, and shrubs, as well as organic lawn and garden products and compost. Shoppers can buy treasures from local artisans, including handcrafted garden furniture donated by local woodworkers. The event also includes a raffle to win a handmade quilt and garden furniture made by Smith Vocational woodworking students. Last year’s Plant Sale raised over $10,000 for books for the Northampton Public Schools and Smith Voke. You’ll find more information on the NEF website. 

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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