SOARing through the Week at JFK
February 7, 2025
Hello Hawk Families!
Even though it was a short week, we managed to pack in plenty of special moments! This week, we celebrated National School Counseling Week, recognizing our Hawk-mazing school counselor, Mrs. Swope! She plays a vital role in supporting our students' social-emotional learning and overall well-being. We are so grateful for all she does for our school community!
We also marked two exciting milestones—our 100th Day of School and World Read Aloud Day! Students engaged in fun activities celebrating 100 days of learning, growing, and achieving, and they enjoyed special read-alouds that foster a love of literacy. Thank you to our Hawk-some PTO for generously purchasing the books, The Race to Kindness and Share Some Kindness bring Some Light.
Additionally, Mrs. Colandro’s class received a special visit from Mayor Giannattasio, Chief of Staff, Justin Rosen, and Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Cutaia! One of our 4th graders, Elara, wrote a letter proposing a 4 day school week and the Mayor made a special visit to the class to discuss the proposal. It certainly was a special moment for the class! We rounded out the week with a fun school spirit day! Many of our staff and students donned jerseys today in anticipation of the Super Bowl this weekend! What a fantastic week at JFK!
Wishing all of our JFK families a wonderful weekend. Remember to take care of yourself, our community and most of all BE KIND!
In partnership,
Amy E. Rizzo
Amy E. Rizzo, Principal
Follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @JFKPrincipalRIz
Important Dates:
February 11th- JFK McDonald’s Night 5-7pm
February 10th - 14th - JFK Kindness Week 💛
February 14th & 17th - No School - Winter Break
February 20th- Grade 3 Torrance Test (Make-up test - 2/21)
February 26th- Early Dismissal- Staff Professional Learning
February 27th- Grade 3 OLSAT Test (Make-up test - 2/28)
March 1st- Community Conversations #2-Long Range Facilities Planning
March 5th- No School- Staff Professional Learning
Marc 5th- JFK PTO Meeting
March 11th- PTO Paint Night
March 13- JFK PTO Silver Sands Pizza Night
March 18-20th- Spring Conferences- Early Dismissal- 1:10pm
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📷A Glimpse at the Week:
Click here to view pictures of some of the HAWK-SOME learning and events that happened at JFK this week!
Kindergarten registration for SY 2025-2026 is now open!
2025-26 Kindergarten Registration Press Release
We are pleased to announce that Kindergarten Registration for the 2025-2026 school year opened on Monday, January 6, 2025. If you have a child who will be starting Kindergarten in the fall, registration information will be posted to the district website www.milforded.org. You must register your child for Kindergarten at the school determined by your street address, unless placed by Pupil Personnel Services. School/Street Assignments are available on the district website under “District Information.”
Children born on or before September 1, 2020 are eligible to register for Kindergarten. If your child is not age eligible (born September 2, 2020 through December 31, 2020), please use the online registration form to request a waiver.
Any current MPS Preschool or Ready To Learn (RTL) students will not need to complete an online registration form. However, we ask that you complete the Kindergarten Notification Form located in PowerSchool.
If you need assistance with the registration portal, please contact the main office of your district assigned school. School contact information can be found on the district website under “ Schools.”
We are excited for your children to join us! Fully registered families, please be on the lookout for more information from your school’s Principal about an in person kindergarten event in the spring. In the meantime, click here for a sneak peek of what to expect in Kindergarten!
We look forward to welcoming the Class of 2038!
Lockdown Drill
Conducting emergency drills (fire, crisis, lockdown, etc.) is one of the most important ways we enhance our preparedness for students and staff during an emergency. Drills allow us to practice what we need to do when an emergency arises in our school.
Earlier today, JFK School conducted a lockdown drill. This was only a drill and was in accordance with the School Incident Management Protocols established by the district, in partnership with our local first responders. I am pleased to report that the drill was a success. It was efficient and timely. If you have any feedback please reach out (Amy Rizzo, arizzo@milforded.org or Darlene Koosa dkoosa@milforded.org) I want to thank our students and staff for their interest and participation in making our schools a safer place for learning.
“NO FOOD” for Celebrations
Just a friendly reminder that Milford Public Schools has a no-food policy for special celebrations or classroom events. For the safety of our children, we ask that everyone adhere to this policy as we approach Valentine's Day. While Valentines may be sent in, please do not send candy, food, or food-related treats. More information on the district’s policy can be found HERE.
Community Connections Center
CCC News for the week of February 7, 2025
This week's Community Connections Centers News is packed with helpful info and some fun activities! We’re shining a spotlight on the CT Family Support Network (CTFSN), which hosts a monthly virtual group. It’s a great chance to meet new parents, get fresh advice, and ask questions. Everyone’s welcome!
Also, Designs by Lee Garden Center is hosting a free event called "Blooming Love", a Valentine’s Day Pop-Up! Come celebrate love, family, and have some fun at this festive event.
Lastly, New London’s Black Heritage Trail is honoring three centuries of Black strength, resilience, and accomplishment. The trail features 15 different sites, some showcasing famous figures, while others highlight those who’ve been nearly forgotten.
For all these and others check out our CCC Newsletter. And if you're looking for more community resources, be sure to visit the CCC Website. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead!
Mary-Kate Williams & Cara Dascenzo
Milford Community Connection Centers
203-882-6094
The CCC honors all family inquiries as private and confidential unless parent permission is given or Connecticut mandated reporting applies
Specialist Spotlight: Spanish
¡Hola from Spanish with Señorita Polansky!
Kindergarten has been working on our Community unit, doing activities that focus on our classroom and school community. We have also taken some virtual field trips to other Spanish speaking countries and compared Kindergarten in other countries to JFK.
1st grade has been wrapping up our Identity unit by playing "Guess Who", where I describe a student in Spanish and they have to guess which classmate it is. We will continue on with our Community unit and explore the people of our school community and work on labeling JFK in Spanish.
2nd graders have moved on to focus on the target structures "have", "want" and "can". We have watched a short video called "Leonardo" about a young boy who is a talented soccer player. We will continue to work with this short story, writing a summary together and doing more interpretive reading activities.
3rd grade is making predictions about a short clip chat we will watch called "Snack Attack". We will continue with reading comprehension activities after we watch the video, which also incorporates kindness and sharing.
4th graders are working on writing and speaking by completing "Special Person interviews". They are answering questions about themselves and will interview each other in Spanish asking about their favorite things and where they are from.
5th grade just finished watching a Señor Wooly video called "Encerrada en la Escuela", about a girl who gets stuck in her school overnight. Ask your kids about what she saw at school during the night! Students will continue to complete "Nuggets" on the Señor Wooly website and complete an escape room as a final activity after the story.
3rd-5th graders will also look forward to our "Mania Musical de Marzo" where we will listen to new songs in Spanish, learn about the artists and vote on a winner in the months of March and April. Stay tuned for the winner!
SAVE THE DATE: JFK will host our 2nd Annual Multicultural Night! Stay tuned for more information and sign ups coming soon.
As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns. You can reach me at rpolansky@milforded.org.
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Raffles for Wishes is a nonprofit initiative that collaborates with Connecticut high schools to create opportunities for youth to engage with varsity sports while supporting a meaningful cause. We sell $5 raffle tickets to local families and the winning child gets to join a Law varsity sport for a special game All funds raised from raffle ticket sales and donations go directly to the Connecticut Make-A-Wish Foundation, helping grant life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses. This program was started last year in Daniel Hand and was super successful in raising money for the Make-A-Wish foundation in Connecticut so we wanted to bring it to Milford in hopes that we could do the same.
Website: JONATHAN LAW RAFFLE LINK
Presentation: RFW Presentation
Older, But Important Reminders
Winter Attire
Whenever the weather permits, our students have outdoor recess. Please ensure that your child has proper attire to stay warm when they are outside. We recommend a warm winter coat, hat, and gloves. If you need assistance please reach out to our school Social Worker, Mrs. Dougherty.
Return Library Books
Please return any JFK library books your student has finished reading. We have many popular books checked out that other students are waiting to read!
Please label your child’s sweatshirts, jackets, lunch bag, and water bottles. Our Lost and Found continues to grow! Please have your child check the lost and found email Mrs. Koosa (dkoosa@milforded.org) or your child’s classroom teacher if any of these items belong to your family.
Smart Watches, I-Phones and other Personal Devices
Teachers have noticed that some students have returned to school from the winter break with new personal technology. While we know that these new devices are exciting, we appreciate your help in keeping these items at home or in backpacks so that they do not become a distraction to our learning environment.
Please note the MPS BOE Policy regarding personal technology in our schools:
At the elementary level - No use of a cell phone/smartwatch or other personal communication device will be permitted during school hours. These devices must be turned off or on silent and left in backpacks, stored in a student’s locker/cubbie or other place designated by building administration. MPS Policy
Hawks SOAR Awards - Our JFK Hawks SOAR award is designed to recognize student and staff behaviors and actions that enhance our school community and those individuals who exemplify citizenship within this community beyond the expected norms. When your child comes home with a sticker, please ask them how they SOARED that day!
Attendance Reminder
A reminder that absences should be reported in PowerSchool.
Click HERE for instructions on how to report absences. Be sure to update the date on the top of the form each time you fill it out.
Arrival and Dismissal Information -
Please do not leave students unattended at the school prior to 8:20 am.
Please note that our Walker Pick Up should be utilized for families who are walking to the building. If you are driving to JFK to pick up your child, please use our car pick up procedure. Families of students who are being dismissed as walkers should not be parking in our parking lot and then picking up at the walker door. Doing this interferes with the flow of traffic in our car pick up line. Thank you for adhering to our dismissal procedures.
Parents, please be sure to drive slowly and safely through our parking lot at drop off and pick up times. We understand that mornings can be hectic getting students off to school and adults off to work, but please drive slowly and with caution on our school grounds.
If you are dropping off your child please pull all the way forward in line and remain in the car for safety. If you wish to get out of the car, please park in a designated parking spot and walk your child to the parking lot crosswalk. Mr. Kee will assist your child in crossing safely.
Dismissal Car Tags should be placed on your dashboard/mirror when lining up for pick up. We ask that you please do not line up in the parking lot prior to 3pm.
❤️🩹News from the Nurse
MPS Health Department Guidelines
With the weather getting colder please make sure your child has appropriate outdoor clothing for recess. Additionally, we have many students with very chapped lips as the weather is getting colder. Please provide chapstick for your child as needed.
If clothing is borrowed from the school health office please wash and return :)
If possible, pack a spare set of clothes in your child's backpack. Accidents happen! Students can get wet on the playground or spill on themselves at lunch. It's always helpful to have extra clothing available
~Nurse Jacqueline Campbell
JFK McDonald’s Night
JFK is taking on McDonald’s! Be sure to head down to McDonald’s on Bridgeport Ave on 2/11 from 5-8pm. Our very own JFK teachers will be working and serving customers! 10% of sales will be donated to the PTO for fun upcoming event
Join the JFK PTO
It’s never too late and our PTO supports so many of our wonderful school community events. Your membership matters!
We welcome and encourage everyone to join the JFK PTO. Membership is simple and in no way commits you to volunteer and/or attend meetings (although we would love to have you). Simply click the link below and submit your dues/donation. Don't forget to fill out the membership form as well. Once both steps are complete you are able to join our PTO Membership page which has all upcoming events and updates! https://john-f-kennedy-elem-pto.square.site/
Additional MPS information can be accessed through the district website at www.milforded.org.
JFK: A Community Where ALL Learners SOAR!