JFK WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Week of December 20, 2021
Greetings, JFK Families!
With this coming week being a short one, this will be the final JFK Weekly Update for 2021. Please allow me to be one of the first to wish you and your family a restful, relaxing, and joyful break and a Happy New Year!
I am proud and grateful for the strong energy, amazing work, and never-ending support of our Kennedy School community - students, families, and staff. Collectively, you have allowed us to get to this point in the school year successfully, despite the conditions and stresses that exist in these current times. At the heart of the Kennedy is a commitment to our students, and I thank all of you for being a part of this team. May the final days of 2021 be good to you, and we are excited to see what 2022 brings!
I wish you a wonderful week ahead!
Check out some recent Instagram photos below! Please follow us on Instagram @jfk_elementary for photos of life at the Kennedy. Please also follow us on Twitter: JFK Elementary School, @JFKGallahue.
Upcoming Holiday Spirit Week!
The Kennedy School will celebrate the days prior to the Winter Break with some fun spirit days! All students and staff are encouraged to participate and have some fun. Please see below for the spirit days that are planned...
MONDAY, DECEMBER 20th: Candy Cane Day- Dress in red and white to look like this winter treat!
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 21st: Baby, It’s Cold Outside- Bundle up in a festive hat, headband, scarf or socks!
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22nd: Dashing Through the Snow- Wear a cozy, festive sweater!
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 23rd: Long Winter’s Nap- Wear your coziest Pajamas!
Looking for Family Members for the JFK School Equity Team!
The Canton Public Schools values and is committed to Educational Equity, naming this as a Strategic Area of Focus within our Strategic Framework. In concert with the district and other Canton schools, the Kennedy School is looking to add parent/guardian volunteers who are interested in equity work to our school-based Equity Team!
We are looking for folks that are open to learning, reflecting, and that are committed to the Kennedy being a truly equitable school. We anticipate meeting as a group after school once per month, on average.
If you are interested in participating as a member of the JFK Equity Team, please complete THIS FORM, which also includes some further information. Thank you for your consideration!
Deadline Extended for Family Survey
CPS has received nearly 600 responses from the Family Survey that we sent out last week. That number and the feedback associated with each entry have been outstanding and incredibly valuable.
We would love to hear from an even larger number of you! Our goal is to achieve at least 1,000 responses from our school community.
As such, we are extending the deadline to complete the survey until Monday, December 20 at 4 p.m. Thank you for taking the time to provide feedback about your child's experience in the Canton Public Schools.
Here is the link for the survey:
Employment Opportunities!
We are currently looking to fill the following positions at the Kennedy:
-Educational Assistants: Supporting the work of teaching and learning, working closely with our Special Education teams to support service delivery.
-School Aide: This is a part-time position focused on recess support; it is 3 hours a day, 10:30-1:30.
Both of the above positions are listed on SchoolSpring.com, and you can feel free to reach out with any questions!
-District Substitute Teachers: Subbing is a great way to keep busy, make money and get real-world work experience. In Canton, we have had great success bringing our own, former students and family members to help support our students and schools. If interested, please fill out this sub application packet and email it to Kim Eardley (eardleyk@cantonma.org) to get the process started.
The Holiday Sing-a-Long is Coming!
During school on Wednesday and Thursday, we are excited to bring back the return of our in-person Holiday Sing-a-Long! Led by JFK Music Teacher Ms. Carlson, students and staff will enjoy coming together to sing some fun winter songs as we prepare to start our school vacation.
This year, we have structured it to allow for a safe experience that takes into account our health and safety protocols. Classes will be paired together to participate in smaller sing-a-longs throughout both days this week. During the Sing-a-Long, students are encouraged to sing loudly and have fun, and, will need to keep their masks on throughout the event. Given space constraints, we will be unable to host families this year. We will be sure to capture the magic and post to social media!
This event is always one of our school favorites, and we are excited for its return!
Winter STAR Assessment Window
We will continue using the STAR 360 Benchmark Assessments this year as our universal screener. This assessment is designed to help us identify students who may need additional support and/or intervention in reading and math. The Winter STAR window will run from January 3rd- January 13th. This will be the first time Kindergarten students will be taking this assessment. Students will need to bring their school issued iPad or Chromebook to school on days that they are testing. Parents/guardians should expect an email from their teacher with more specifics on the dates for their class and Parent Reports will be sent home in January.
More information about STAR Assessment is available on the Renaissance parent page and in this video Universal Screening.
Lost & Found
January PE Preview: Gymnastics!
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Happy Holidays! I wanted to take a moment to inform you that soon students in all grades will be participating in educational gymnastic/ tumbling activities during Physical Education. The activities have been developed to suit all skill levels. Skills will be age appropriate, carefully explained, and monitored during each class period. Students will be learning about the basic skills and concepts used in gymnastics, fitness benefits, as well as general safety in movement.
Safety will be a central theme of the unit. There are several issues that I would appreciate your assistance with to ensure the safety of your child. Please have students leave jewelry, large hair clips, and large belt buckles at home on the day of physical education, especially long neck chains. Hoop earrings can be very dangerous if they get caught on something while the student is moving. If a student must wear earrings, they should be studded earrings because they are less likely to get caught on something. If possible, please discourage your child from wearing earrings on PE days until after gymnastics. Students with long hair should have something to tie their hair up, so it won’t be in their face. Lastly, students should try not to wear extremely long pants that may cover over their feet. They will be in bare feet and longer pants may cause them to trip or slide. Shorter pants (ones that stop at the ankle when standing upright) or pants with a cuff on the bottom would be better for gymnastic activities.
Also, students will be in bare feet during gymnastic activities and I would like to explain why. Sneakers are not used in gymnastics because they don’t allow students to build the muscles in their feet and don’t allow the foot a full range of motion. It is difficult to grip beams, climb bars, and other apparatus with sneakers on. Students should be able to feel their feet grip onto apparatus and their toes point during step-like actions. I assure you that the floor is swept daily and that it is as clean as possible. Students will put their sneakers back on if they need to leave the gym to go to the bathroom, get a drink, etc. Students that do not feel comfortable in bare feet may wear a dance shoe or “fingered” shoes. These shoes allow for almost as much movement as bare feet. These students will be responsible for bringing their own alternative shoes as the school will not supply them.
I would be happy to answer any questions or concerns that you may have. My email address is: sasinm@cantonma.org. Thank you for your time.
Regards,
Mr. Sasin
Physical Educator
Community Connections
Canton Public Schools has a new Community Resources and Information Page on its website titled Around Town. This page lists resources that are available in our community for families and students. Information on this page will be updated periodically.
This site can be reached at this link: About/Around Town.
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Please review the attachment at the bottom of this message with some information about Intown Basketball Registration.
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Secret Santa - Help with holiday gifts for children – please contact directly at secretsantacanton@gmail.com
We interview families in need with children from infancy through middle school. This year due to COVID19 we are trying to provide assistance to all in need. Things will be different but we will do our best to help.
The Canton Area Helpline 781- 828-6666
The Canton Area Helpline is a free telephone service. Leave a message on the answering machine and your call will be returned by a concerned staff member who will discuss your problems with you. All calls are confidential and it is not necessary to give your name, although we hope you will so that we can follow through to be sure you found a satisfactory answer. After you have talked about possible solutions and alternatives, you will be referred to appropriate agencies and/or community resources. Many people in need in Canton do not know where to turn for assistance or what resources are available to them. The Helpline provides a way to connect people with the available resources and services.
The Canton Food Pantry
Our purpose is to provide free food to eligible Canton residents. We serve many individuals and families, on a temporary basis, who have been affected by economic problems. The Food Pantry is operated entirely by volunteers who wish to help their fellow townspeople, by providing a basic human necessity Donations Food Donations Non-perishable food, personal care items, and household products may be left at the Bank of Canton, Canton Cooperative Bank, Canton Public Library, Pratt Realtors, HarborOne Bank and Envisionbank (Cobb Corner). Donations of food, including perishable items, may be dropped off at the pantry on Mondays only between 7 - 9 a.m.
Monetary Donations:
Donations are tax-deductible and may be made online at https://town.canton.ma.us/193/Canton-Food-Pantry or mailed to: Canton Area Helpline P.O. Box 202 Canton, MA 02021
STEAM Connection, Vol. 3 Issue 2
Be sure to check out the CPS STEAM for Students website for more resources and past issues of The STEAM Connection.
Absence Hotline
Daily attendance for all students is a critical element of their learning, though we understand that absences sometimes occur. As a friendly reminder, if your child will be absent from school, please call the JFK Absence Hotline at 781-821-5080, Option 1.
What's Coming Up?
- Thursday, December 23- Early Release (11:50 dismissal)
- December 23 - January 2 - No School (Winter Break)
- Monday, January 3 - School Resumes
Check Out Some Recent Instagram Photos!
Contact Info
John F. Kennedy Elementary School
Kate Gallahue, Team Chair/Administrator
John F. Kennedy Elementary School
Instagram: @jfk_elementary
Twitter: @JFKGallahue
Email: didonnae@cantonma.org
Website: https://www.cantonma.org/kennedy
Location: 100 Dedham Street, Canton, MA, USA
Phone: 781-821-5080
Twitter: @JFKGallahue