Commander Communicator: 4/18/22

• Early Bird Registration: Early Bird Registration for the 22-23 School will open May 2nd and run through May 20th. All returning students must register for the following school year! 

  You can complete the registration steps in your Parent Portal account. If you do not have a Parent Portal account, please follow these instructions in English and Spanish in order to create one. Parent Portal is a useful tool that can be used throughout the year to keep up on your student’s grades and attendance. 

  Although we are only offering registration through the Parent Portal this year, we will be offering an in person event to help guide families through the online process. Please join us on Saturday, May 7th between 9 am and 1 pm if you need help completing your online registration! It would help speed up the process if you create a parent portal account prior to the event.

  Any parent that completes their registration (whether online in their home or online at the school) in the month of May will be entered into a drawing for a Google Home and a $50 Walmart gift card. There will be 3 winners total!

  *Please note that students will not receive their schedules until the beginning of the 22-23 school year.*

  If you have questions please contact Blanca Lobo at 720-423-4320 or email blanca_lobo1@dpsk12.net.  

• Summer Concurrent Enrollment Courses: The Higher Education Initiatives and Regional Summer School teams are excited to announce the courses for concurrent enrollment summer school are available. Concurrent enrollment courses help students gain access to free college credits, saving time and money on their path toward career and college. Content areas include: English, math, sociology, ethnic studies, literature, womens’ studies, chicano/a studies, and history.  Click here for more information.
• JFK Soccer Camp for Middle Schoolers: Do you know any students in middle school? JFK is hosting a soccer camp for all middle school boys on April 23rd. Our soccer season starts before the first day of school so this is a great way for prospective students to find out what we have to offer until they get here. Kids that participate in sports and activities in their first semester in high school thrive at a much higher rate than kids who sit on the sidelines.Our soccer program is open to all grades, and it will be on our turf field at Kennedy. Click here for all of the details.
• Bear Valley Improvement Association Clean Up: The Bear Valley Improvement Association will be conducting a Bear Valley Park clean up on April 23rd from 9-11.  They will be meeting near JFK at the parking lot at Lamar & Dartmouth.  They provide reflective vests, grabbers, trash bags and water and would love to have students and/or Kennedy staff join them! Contact Carolyn Ewald at cewald53@gmail.com to get involved.  
• After School Tutoring Postponed: Given the testing schedule we will be postponing after school tutoring until the week of 4/18/22. It will resume on 4/19 and take place after school every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm in the JFK Library.

• Parent Involvement:
  • Want to join our Parent Teacher Student Association, the Commander Connection? Email our Communications Specialist, Laurentz Gilmore at laurentz_gilmore@dpsk12.org.
  • Want to be involved in making decisions in regard to our English Language Acquisition programming? Join our ELA – Parent Advisory Committee by emailing laurentz_gilmore@dpsk12.org. See HERE for more information regarding the ELA – Parent Advisory Committee. 

• IMPORTANT RESOURCES TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE AFTER SCHOOL HOURS: The JFK Mental Health & Culture Teams wanted to share important resources for families to utilize in need after school hours.

  How Can You Help Your Teen?

  • LEARN the warning signs/risk factors (what you are doing right now!) 
  • TALK to your teen about depression and suicide 
  • LISTEN to your teen’s concerns 
  • TEACH your teen to stand up for others who are being bullied either by telling a trusted adult or by reporting it anonymously to Safe2Tell 
  • SUPPORT JFK STAFF in school suicide prevention programming (If Necessary) 
  • FIND HELP for your teen, either through JFK staff or outside mental health providers
  • IF EMERGENCY: Call 911 OR Take teen to closest emergency hospital 
  • Make a Safe2Tell Report through their hotline 1-877-542-7233, their website (https://safe2tell.org/), or via app @Safe2TellCO. 
  • Contact Colorado Crisis Services – 24/7 Hotline & Clinics 1-844-493-TALK (8255) or text TALK to 38255 24 hour suicide prevention phone hotlines 
  • Contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (English and Spanish) 1-800-273-8255 
  • When possible, follow up with JFK’s Mental Health Team. They may complete a Suicide Risk Review (SRR) or Self-Injury Protocol (SII) (Denver Public Schools suicide/self-injury assessments) when school resumes. 
• Our school nurse created a virtual health office containing links to lots of different information. Click on LINK for helpful resources.
• Here is a link to a list of various food assistance resources around Denver!
• Here is a link to information on Free Covid Tests.
• Here is the link to access DPS Coronavirus Resources. 
• Here is the Southwest Denver Free Activities Calendar

 Counseling Updates:

• Shea Caballero will be on maternity leave from April 11th through the end of the school year. Her caseload will be divided amongst the other Counseling team members during that time.

  • Joe Naughton and Meghan Martiniere will take over Class of 2021/2022 students while she is gone to ensure that they are prepared for graduation.

    • Meghan Martiniere: A-Ch

    • Joe Naughton: Co-Go

  • Michael Kelly will take over Class of 2025-2023 A-Go students for the remainder of the school year in Room 203.

• The counseling team will send out Summer School Registration information on April 25th for students who are off track.

Did you know Denver Health is offering mobile vaccine clinics around Denver?

Please call 303-602-6115 before attending any of the Mobile Heath Center vaccination clinics to check for cancellations. See the full schedule at https://den.health/MHC-Schedule. 

Remember, JFK's own Denver Health clinic offers the vaccine as well! If someone needs an appointment or has general questions, please call our clinic at 720-423-4355 .

• 5/2 — Senior Signing Day

• 5/20 — Senior Checkout

• 5/21 — Senior Parade

• 5/23 — Senior Awards

• 5/25 — Class of 2022 Graduation

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

• Click here to access Student Schoology Supports
• Here is a Schoology Parent Guide
• Parent Portal Login Presentation
• Parent Portal Login Video
• Schoology App Login Guide – English | Spanish
• Schoology Parent/Guardian FAQ – English | Spanish

JOHN F. KENNEDY HIGH SCHOOL

2855 S. LAMAR ST. DENVER, CO 80227