SOARing through the Week at JFK
March 14, 2025
Hello Hawk Families!
It has been a fantastic week of learning at JFK! During classroom visits, I was especially proud of the enthusiasm our students are showing during shared reading time—their excitement for learning is truly inspiring!
Another highlight this week was our JFK Paint Night, where families came together for a fun and creative evening. A huge thank you to our PTO for organizing such a wonderful event that brought our school community together!
Looking ahead, we are excited for parent conferences next week and the PTO-sponsored Book Fair. We look forward to welcoming families into the building and celebrating our students’ growth!
Have a great weekend, JFK families! 💙 Remember to take care of yourself, take care of 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:
March 17th- 5th Grade Spelling Bee
March 18-20th- Spring Conferences- Early Dismissal- 1:10pm
March 18-20th- PTO Spring Book Fair
March 20th- No Boys and Girls Club
March 21st- Spirit Day- Neon!
March 21st- PTO Glow Night Dance (see info & sign up below)
March 25th- JFK Arts & Music Night
March 26th- Early Dismissal for students- Staff Professional Learning
April 1st- Spring Photos
April 1st- MPS Family Literacy Program at JFK (see flyer below)
April 2nd- JFK PTO Meeting
April 18-27th- No School- MPS Spring Recess
_____________________
📷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!
Dismissal Reminders:
Please drive slowly and carefully at arrival and dismissal. We have had a few instances recently where cars are pulling out and there have been close calls. Proceed with caution when driving on school grounds.
If you are picking up your child as a walker, please do not enter or park in any of the spaces in the front parking lot. The front lot entrance is exclusively for car pick ups. Thank you!
Fire Drill - 3/14/25
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 fire drill. This was only a drill and was conducted following the School Incident Management Protocols established by the district, in partnership with our local first responders. The drill was a success. It was efficient and timely. If you have any feedback please reach out. Thank you to our students and staff for their interest and participation in making our schools a safer place for learning.
Spring Conferences:
We are pleased to announce our Spring 2025 Elementary Conference Schedule:
Tuesday, March 18th 5:30-8:00pm
Wednesday, March 19st 1:45-3:45 p.m.
Thursday, March 20th 1:45-3:45 p.m.
*Please note that we will have a modified early dismissal time on the conference days to accommodate the conference schedule.
Students will be dismissed on March 18th, March 19th, and March 20th at 1:15pm.
Parents/guardians will once again have the opportunity to select a conference time through My Conference Time. All conferences will be in person unless a parent/guardian requests a Google Meet link directly from the teacher. Spring conference sign up information is live on our school website from Wednesday, March 5th, at 9:00 a.m. through Monday, March 17th, at 12:00 p.m. If you prefer a virtual session, please contact the teacher to request a Google Meet link to conduct your conference virtually after you have confirmed your conference time through My Conference Time Online Scheduler. We are looking forward to meeting with you to discuss your child’s learning!
Quick tip: Look for emails from “noreply@myconferencetime.com” when searching email for conference confirmation communications.
We would like to invite MPS elementary parents, guardians, and community members to participate in our fourth annual JFK Career Day! Our tentative date is April 29. We are planning on inviting community members into our building to share with our students about their careers. Please come share about your career with our students. Know some people with cool jobs, feel free to invite them! More information can be found here.
Spring Picture Day!
Congratulations to some of our JFK 5th Graders whose Milford Recreation 10U Girls Basketball Team took home the championship title this week! Way to go!
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!
Community Connections Center
This week’s Community Connections Centers newsletter is packed with exciting updates and fun events you won’t want to miss!
March is the perfect time to celebrate all things Irish! The Milford St. Patrick’s Parade is just one of many exciting events happening statewide this month. From lively parades to traditional Celtic music and entertainment, there are plenty of ways to join in the fun and embrace the Irish spirit. Check out the full list of celebrations and plan your festivities!
Circle of Security Parenting starts in April. Join us as we learn about ways to build our connections with our children. See the CCC news to register!
Looking ahead to summer, Milford Park & Recreation Summer Camp is open for registrations . The fun kicks off with Week #1 on June 23rd and wraps up with Week #6 starting on July 28th. Be sure to check out the CCC News for more details!
Sports fans, mark your calendars for FanFest with the Hartford Yard Goats! This free, family-friendly event at Dunkin’ Park offers behind-the-scenes tours, face painting, arts and crafts, and a chance to meet Yard Goats mascots Chompers and Chew Chew—plus, Fancy Pants the goat from Circle K Farm! Baseball lovers can even test out the indoor professional batting cages used by the team. No ticket is needed, so don’t miss out on the fun!
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!
Mary-Kate Wiliams & Cara Dascenza
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: Media
We have had a fantastic month in the Media Center, filled with learning and creativity:
5th Graders: They have chosen countries to research and are actively gathering facts. We look forward to showcasing some of their final projects at Multicultural Night on May 1st!
4th Graders: These students explored popular toys from different generations. They partnered up to create imaginative "mash-ups" of iconic toys.
3rd Graders: In honor of Women's History Month, they have embarked on a special project celebrating influential women.
Younger Grades: All of our younger students have been engaged in an exciting unit called "Innovative Designer," utilizing various makerspace materials available in the library to foster their creativity and innovation.
March is National Reading Month, and we are excited to announce that all of the elementary library classes in Milford will be participating in “Book Madness”! This special unit involves each grade level selecting their favorite picture book to face off against new titles in a tournament-style format, much like the NCAA tournament. Alongside these amazing books, students will enjoy complementary activities that align with the titles. Through lessons like these, we aim to inspire your child to develop a lifelong passion for reading, learning and exploration!
Art and Music Night: Mark your calendars for March 25th from 6:30 to 8 PM!
Join us for a night of creativity and melody as our talented students showcase their artistic and musical talents.
Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. We look forward to seeing you at Art and Music Night!
Older, But Important Reminders
Early Spring Attire - It’s still chilly! Coats are needed for recess!
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
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!