Weekly Family Newsletter: 11/15/21

Posted November 15, 2021

Dear Commander Community,

Huge shout out to Ivan Calderon-Vigil, Jazmyn Vigil, and Ezekiel Romero for speaking up and out to our staff on Wednesday about how we can improve as a school in honoring and respecting our Native students and their culture. Their voices and initiative were a true reflection of our P.R.I.D.E. values and the vision tenet of “challengers of inequity”. Please wear ORANGE, RED, or WHITE to show your solidarity with our Native students on Wednesday 11/17. 

Congratulations to all 26 of the students who were inducted into the JFK HS National Honors Society on Thursday evening. Our National Honors Society is made up of JFK students who are committed to scholarship, service, leadership, and character. This prestigious group of students exemplifies what it means to truly take command of their futures! Click here for the list of all of our NHS members. 

We will be hosting our SECOND Parent Focus Group this Wednesday from 5 – 6pm on this MEET LINK (ENGLISH, SPANISH). Please join us to give input on how we can improve our school. If you joined us two weeks ago and still would like to provide input, the questions will be the same, but your voice is always welcomed. We will work throughout the month of December to implement the feedback from these focus group sessions. 

We will be CONTINUING WITH IN PERSON LEARNING indefinitely as long as we all stick to the health and safety protocols shown below. In person learning is what is best for our students, and we will stay open in person as long as it is safe to do so. 

Finally, thank you to everyone who took the 22-23 Bell Time survey. 71.4% of  you voted to keep our start time at 7:30 am for the 22-23 school year, so that is what we will do. Reminder: the Healthy Start Time Resolution will take effect during the 23-24 school year. 

Have a Commander Kind of Week!
Tiffany Almon, Proud Principal
She, her, hers and why they matter
tiffany_almon@dpsk12.org

If you would like to donate to our COVID Relief Fund Venmo @JFKCommanders

UPDATES

  • Schedule for the Week: 

    • Monday (11/15): Green Day

    • Tuesday (11/16): Blue Day

    • Wednesday (11/17): Green Day *Please wear red, black orange, or white  in observance of Native American Heritage Month*

    • Thursday (11/18): Blue Day

    • Friday (11/19): No School

  • Winter Sports Registration: Attention All athletes interested in Winter Sports, Boys/Girls Basketball, Wrestling, Girls Swimming, registration is now open. Please make sure to register on Family ID and submit a current physical to Ambrosia. Winter Sports begin on 11/15/21.

  • Commander Connection Meeting: We hosted our first Commander Connection PTSA Meeting on Thursday, November 11th at 5 PM. This year, the Commander Connection plans to focus on growing the team, fundraising through concessions, being present at school events, and teacher appreciation. if any of these initiatives interest to you, please join us for our next meeting on December 2nd at 5 PM. Please email laurentz_gilmore@dpsk12.org for more details.

  • Code2College: This program equips students with both professional and technical skills, and prepares them for a variety of in-demand, high paying technical careers. Their application is currently open and will close on December 1, 2021. Check out their program flyers: English and Spanish.

  • JFK is Hiring: Our team is hiring a PARAPROFESSIONAL, SECONDARY SPECIAL EDUCATION, MODERATE NEEDS (JOB ID: 50179). The Secondary Special Education paraprofessional supports the educational, behavioral, social-emotional, physical and daily living needs of middle and high school level students with disabilities in integrated, resource, self-contained and community settings.To read the full job description, please visit careers.dpsk12.org.

  • Activities Newsletter: Based off of parent feedback we received, we will not be sending out an activities newsletter with important information around school events, games, fundraisers, student club initiatives and so much more! Check out our first edition here. 
GET INVOLVED
  • Are you interested in joining the Collaborative School Committee to give input on school budget, personnel, school goals, the unified improvement plan, and increasing enrollment? Email tiffany_almon@dpsk12.org to join.
  • Want to join our Parent Teacher Student Association, the Commander Connection? Email our Dean of Operations at laurentz_gilmore@dpsk12.org to join.
  • Want to be involved in making decisions in regards to our English Language Acquisition programming? Join our ELA – Parent Advisory Committee by sending an email to our Dean of Operations at laurentz_gilmore@dpsk12.org.  See HERE for more information regarding the ELA – Parent Advisory Committee. 
 
RESOURCES
  • Our school nurse created a virtual health office containing links to lots of different information. Click on this LINK for helpful resources.
  • Here is a link to a list of various food assistance resources around Denver!
  • Here is the Southwest Denver Free Activities Calendar
 
 
COUNSELING & FUTURE CENTER UPDATES

Future Center: DPS and DSF are hosting an HBCU college fair. Historically Black Colleges and Universities give a unique college experience and have educated some of the best minds of our generation, Dr. Martin Luther King, Spike Lee, Vice President Kamala Harris to name a few! Join DPS and DSF to learn more about these amazing places if higher learning! Register today, or show up on 11/17 at 6pm.

Please read this week's newsletter from the Future Center here.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Health and Safety Protocols:

  • Wear a mask over your nose and mouth

    1. Masks will be required for all students, visitors, and staff while in all DPS schools and buildings, regardless of vaccination status. This mask requirement includes times when staff are meeting without students, regardless of vaccination status. 

    2. Masks will not be required outside, since the risk of COVID transmission is significantly lower outdoors. 

    3. Monitor who you eat lunch with and eat lunch outdoors when possible.

  • Monitor your symptoms, stay home, and get a COVID test if you are feeling sick

  • If a student is in close contact with someone who has contracted the COVID-19 Virus, Nurse Shirley (shirley_sorensen@dpsk12.org) will contact the student and their family.  See COVID-19 Exposure decision tree here for more information.

  • Staff and students are exempt from quarantine if you are: 

    • Fully vaccinated without symptoms. It needs to be 2 weeks since the last recommended vaccine dose. 

    • Previously positive in the past 90 days and are without symptoms.

    • Both parties were wearing a mask properly over the mouth and nose at the time of exposure and without symptoms and maintained 3 foot distance between individuals for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24 hour period.

  • Denver Health School-Based Clinic is proud to offer the Pfizer COVID vaccine right here on campus.  This vaccine is available to students, families of students, and DPS staff (including 3rd dose if immunocompromised).  To get a vaccine or for more information, make an appointment at 720-423-4355 or walk-in to the clinic.  Protecting our community is our priority.
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES

  • 11/19 — No School

  • 12/8 — Winter Choir Concert at 6 pm 

  • 12/9 —  Winter Instrumental Concert at 6 pm

  • 12/10 — Unified Theatre Performance

    For more information on any of these events check jfk.dpsk12.org
   EVENT CALENDAR

 

HELPFUL LINKS

JOHN F. KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL

2855 S. LAMAR ST. DENVER, CO 80227