JFK Elementary School
November 10, 2023
Hawks’ Herald
SOARing through the Week at JFK
Hello JFK Families!
What a celebratory week it has been in our learning community! Our students who were enrolled in our PTO’s after school drama program delighted our school community with the production of The Jungle Book Abridged in school on Wednesday. That evening a second performance took place for families. It was such fun to see the students shine together on stage! We are so proud of our actors and of the creativity, courage and confidence it took them to perform on stage in front of the whole school. I must add that we were also so impressed with our school audience who were so encouraging and supportive of their peers. We heard many students kindly offering compliments and encouraging words after the performance. It was truly fantastic to see our students so excitedly engaged in the arts. Thank you to our JFK PTO, especially drama chairperson Liz Shipman, and Pantochino Productions for bringing the theater experience to our students. We can’t wait for next year’s show!
We ended the week with a truly amazing Veteran’s Day assembly that was run almost entirely by our students! We were fortunate enough to have many Veterans join our school today to help us learn more about the meaning behind this day. JFK’s own Social Worker, Lauri Dougherty and our 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Curria, are both special Veterans whom we honored today along with many parents, grandparents, and friends of JFK staff and students who have served in our armed forces. The Veterans who joined us today, including my own father, expressed sincere gratitude and appreciation to JFK for honoring them in such a special way. Many commented on how beautiful our ceremony was with the special songs sung by our students (thank you Mrs. Voss) the incredible wing artwork (thank you Miss Benedetti) the very poignant White Table (thank you Ms Soder & Mrs Koosa) and the many treats and special touches provided by our PTO. Today was truly a mark of the solidarity of our JFK community. Our kindness was on full display and made my heart SOAR with tremendous Hawk pride!
Let us all take time this week to honor those who have served our country and who have fought to protect our freedom. I wish you all peace and joy this weekend.
In partnership,
Amy E. Rizzo
Amy E. Rizzo, Principal
Follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @JFKPrincipalRIz
Important Dates & Information:
November 13th- World Kindness Day!
November 15th- Early Dismissal (Professional Learning for Staff)
November 16th- Pie Delivery
November 21st - Picture Retake Day - AM
November 22nd- Early Dismissal
November 23rd-24th- No School - Thanksgiving Break
November 30th - Last day to claim Lost and Found items
Picture Retake Day - Picture Retakes will be taken on Tuesday, November 21st in the morning. Please see the flier for very important retake information.
Lost and Found - There are many items, especially sweatshirts, on the Lost and Found table in the main lobby. Please encourage your child to check the items on the table when they walk by. Items not picked up after Thanksgiving will be donated.
As the temperature is getting colder, PLEASE LABEL outerwear pieces and layers with your child’s name on an inside tag so anything misplaced can be returned quickly.
News from the Nurse
Hello families!
The school health office will be continuing to conduct hearing and vision screenings.
If your child has borrowed clothes from the health office please wash and return them as soon as possible.
With cold/flu season upon us please remember to be diligent with handwashing and notify the school nurse of any communicable illnesses. There is a copy of the illness guidelines on the MPS JFK website under the nurse's office tab.
Also, with the weather changing many children are getting some very chapped lips, send them with chapstick if possible!
Change of Clothes - If your child comes home with clothing from the Nurse’s Office, please wash the item and return it to school as soon as possible so it is available for other children when needed. We do encourage parents of our students to pack a change of clothes in their child’s backpack.
Community Connections News - This week's CCC News contains information and links for a CIrcle Of Security Parent group, YMCA's Parents Night Out and the YMCA's Food Drive.
Fun for your family can be found by clicking on links for a Martin Luther King Jr. Essay contest, a free yoga class and a Hobbit themed vendors Fair.
Remember that the CCC Website is updated with links to community resources.
Have a Great Weekend!
To locate the CCC’s web page go to Milford’s main page and click on the Menu tab & scroll down under district Information to find the Community Connections Centers!
Mary-Kathryn Williams, Coordinator
Milford Community Connection Centers
203-882-6094
Community Resources Fair
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First and foremost, a very big thank you to Jen Conroy and the PTO for a very successful Fall book fair! It was so nice to see all of the students leaving the library with new books and big smiles on their faces!
We are finishing a unit on digital citizenship. As the students use their devices at school, these talks will continue to come up during the year. With the holidays approaching, we will be starting a beloved unit, coding! The fifth graders are getting a head start by coding robots to “march” in a JFK version of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!
Be on the lookout for improvements to the Media Center page on the JFK website. Please be in touch if I can do anything for you. And best wishes for a lovely and healthy Thanksgiving!
Candy Donations for our Troops
Thank you JFK family and friends for all the candy donations to the troops. Mrs. Shabarekh’s brother will be thrilled when they get the boxes. Four boxes are going out this week and next month another 4.
News from the JFK PTO:
Be sure to check out the Newsletter from the JFK PTO this week that includes important information on upcoming events, programming and fundraisers! When you support the PTO you are directly supporting our school community.
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A Glimpse at the Week:
Veterans Day Ceremony - Thank you to all our Veterans for your service and sacrifice. We cannot express how thankful we are for everything you do to keep us safe! So many friends and family were here today to celebrate this day with us. Look at some of the great pictures we took.
Click here to access pictures of some of the HAWK-SOME learning and events that happened at JFK this week!!
JFK: A Community Where ALL Learners SOAR!