Commander Communicator 11/4/2022

Posted November 4, 2022

Commander Communicator

A Message From Principal Almon

Dear Commander Community,
I want to take this opportunity to celebrate some of the many accomplishments of our exceptional Commanders!

Congratulations to our Commanders Football team for a season filled with Dedication and Tenacity! Captains Isaiah Garcia, Dominic Quintana, Isaac Sisneros, Ron Gallegos, and Adrian Cruz showed immense leadership as they led the team through a tough season. Josiah and Isaiah Garcia were both two-way starters and exemplary leaders. Gabe LIttle Perez ranked third in the 3A division for both sacks and tackles. Daveon Brown dominated as a corner. Ron Gallegos is finishing his high school career topping two of CHSAA’s lists for all-time receiving (one for touchdowns and one for yards in a game). Adrian Cruz is going to finish #1 in the state in tackles. And Isaac Sisneros is finishing his high school career with 6,500 passing yards and 75 touchdowns!

Congratulations to our DECA students who came in 3rd place this week at the Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge!!!

Congratulations to Maria Castillo Soto, the top female bowler out of all the female bowlers at the bowling alley on the MI field trip.

We will be sending our feedback survey this upcoming week; we were delayed in sending this out because we are waiting on translated versions. Thank you for being so patient. Please read below for important updates.

Have a Commander Kind of Day,

Tiffany Almon, Proud Principal

She, her, hers, and why they matter

Tiffany_almon@dpsk12.net

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

Take Command of Your Future!

Upcoming Dates!

  • Monday, November 7th

    • More Than Sad

      • Counselors will assist the Mental Health Team with “More Than Sad” implementation on Monday. 

  • Tuesday, November 8th

    • WorkKeys test for seniors

      •  Counselors will assist in protoring 

    • Food Pantry 

      • 2:45 – 4:00 pm

  • Wednesday, November 9th

  • Thursday, November 10th 

    • National Honor Society Induction Ceremony

      •  6:00 to 8:00 pm in the JFK Auditorium 

  • Friday, November 11th

    • Hall dance

      • The Hall dance will be held in JFK’s main hall from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. Tickets are $5 and sold at the door. Please bring cash. The theme is angels so come dressed in white!

IB registration for the May 2023 exam session is now open! Students eligible to take their exams received an email from Ms. Warren on October 13th with additional details. Be sure to submit your registration before November 11th.

WorkKeys Fall 2022 Assessment is Coming!

Students who are supposed to take the assessment, will be sent a calendar invitation from Mrs. Power through Google for the specific day you are scheduled to take the assessment. Invited Seniors will attend on 11/8/22 and Freshman will take the assessment on ONE of the following dates: November 9th, 10th, 11th, 15th, 16th OR 17th, depending on when you receive your Google Calendar Invitation. This is an exceptional opportunity only available to JFK students at this time. Take advantage of this great opportunity to fulfill your competency requirements for graduation!

Who Takes It?
All Seniors who haven’t yet demonstrated competency in English and Math and all current Freshman Commanders.

Why?
WorkKeys is a required College Board assessment. Students must score bronze or higher on each of the following three assessments to earn the National Career Readiness Certificate.
*WorkKeys Workplace Documents Test – (55 minutes)
*WorkKeys Applied Math Test (55 minutes)
*WorkKeys Graphic Literacy Test (55 minutes)
This earned certificate meets DPS high school graduation competency requirements, one of the three requirements that must be met for graduation from any DPS high school.

Testing starts at 7:30 AM in the JFK Room (room 112)

What to Bring:
Your fully charged Chromebook and a water bottle.

Has your senior applied to college? Have they completed the application for free college money? Check out this week’s Future Center Newsletter to learn about different upcoming opportunities to meet mentors, complete college applications, scholarships, and more!

Take Command of Your Involvement!

Congratulations to the DECA team for taking  3rd place in the Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge!! Way to go Commanders!!

The Latinos In Action class created a beautiful altar to honor those who are no longer with us.

Winter Sports

Students! If you are interested in any winter sports, please get your registration in soon! The School-Based Denver Health Clinic Offers free physicals. Click the link below to make an appointment. Tryouts will begin the week of November 14th. Please reach out to Dr. Brewer for specific information on dates and times.  We offer the following sports:

  • Boys Wrestling

  • Girls Wrestling

  • Dance (Poms)

  • Boys Basketball

  • Girls Basketball, and

  • Swimming (Co-Team w/ Lincoln)

As a reminder, all students are encouraged to participate. However, this is not a requirement for any CHSAA-affiliated school. Register here for winter sports >>>>> Winter Sports Registration Link 
Sign up to get a Physical

Events & Activities Calendar 
JFK Athletics Website
JFK Events Calendar


Take Command of Your Health and
 Safety!

A student’s academic success is directly linked to their health. For this reason, John F. Kennedy High School and Denver Public Schools must ensure the well-being and safety of all its students to support a positive learning environment. With the safety and well-being of all persons at JFK in mind, we request that all students and staff refrain from wearing perfume, cologne, and other fragrances and use unscented personal care products to promote a fragrance-free environment. Allergic and asthmatic patients and those with other conditions report that certain odors can trigger an episode, even in minor amounts. Some people may report mild irritation, while others are greatly hindered or must give up many ‘normal’ activities to avoid exposure. We appreciate your consideration in this matter.
– Nurse Melissa Paniagua

Opportunities to get Involved!

 Gratitude Baskets and Holiday Gift Drive!

The holiday season is upon us and we are continuing our wonderful Kennedy tradition of Gratitude Baskets and Holiday Gift Drive! Gratitude Baskets are delivered by staff during Fall Break and include all the fixins for a great holiday meal (turkey, stuffing, potatoes, etc.) Our Holiday Gift Drive allows JFK staff and community members to donate presents for families in need. As we work to finalize more details, if you are interested in participating, please email Ms. Annie at anne_walden-newman@dpsk12.net. More details to come!

Black Family Alliance

Commander Conversation -Town Hall & Collaborative School Committee

We are now combining these two meetings! Join us this Wednesday Nov. 9th from 5:00 – 6:00 pm in room 226 or join us online via zoom

AGENDA:
1. Reviewing the TuVoz Survey Data
2. What it means to be a Title 1 school
3. Signs of Suicide presentation

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8986800185?pwd=bP9YsVhphG0PyFidfg6422VEHb1KIS.1

Commander Connection

Want to join our Parent Teacher Student Association, the Commander Connection? Email our Dean of Operations, Tiffani Belcher at Tiffani_belcher@dpsk12.net.