Respect, Responsibility, Honesty
This year the school has proudly announced a set of values. These values were the result of focus groups and interviews with parents, students and staff throughout last school year. Our idea was to capture not all of the values we stand for, but a select few that really encompass what we believe in.
As a school we believe that students learn best when they feel safe, valued and happy. Working together: parents at home and staff at school, we can help build a stronger learning environment that will help students academically and also build stronger social and emotional skills to help them lead and serve in the modern world.
These values: Respect, Responsibility and Honesty, if modelled by all staff at school and by parents at home, will help provide a strong statement to guide students and equip them with appropriate social and relationship skills, intelligences and attitudes to be successful both at school and thereafter throughout life. Such values, although they seem obvious, really are needed to be learned, and by adopting them, the school is helping build our commitment to a multicultural and complex society in which all are entitled to their rights as individuals.
To help with this model, we defined each value as follows:
Respect, Responsibility, Honesty
● Respect is demonstrated through empathy, inclusion, tolerance, and open-mindedness.
● Responsibility is demonstrated through commitment, collaboration, and social and environmental consciousness.
● Honesty is demonstrated through the quality of being fair and truthful both to others and to yourself.
“Your attitude is an expression of your values, beliefs and expectations.”
Brain Tracy (1944)
As a school we believe that students learn best when they feel safe, valued and happy. Working together: parents at home and staff at school, we can help build a stronger learning environment that will help students academically and also build stronger social and emotional skills to help them lead and serve in the modern world.
These values: Respect, Responsibility and Honesty, if modelled by all staff at school and by parents at home, will help provide a strong statement to guide students and equip them with appropriate social and relationship skills, intelligences and attitudes to be successful both at school and thereafter throughout life. Such values, although they seem obvious, really are needed to be learned, and by adopting them, the school is helping build our commitment to a multicultural and complex society in which all are entitled to their rights as individuals.
To help with this model, we defined each value as follows:
Respect, Responsibility, Honesty
● Respect is demonstrated through empathy, inclusion, tolerance, and open-mindedness.
● Responsibility is demonstrated through commitment, collaboration, and social and environmental consciousness.
● Honesty is demonstrated through the quality of being fair and truthful both to others and to yourself.
“Your attitude is an expression of your values, beliefs and expectations.”
Brain Tracy (1944)
Adrian Leece
General Director
PowerSchool update
We have been working diligently on the implementation of our new School Information System (SIS), called PowerSchool, which is replacing EdLine. Such a major change requires that we assure that the information the system will provide is the most accurate possible before we can release it for use. We have been working closely with all of the sections including teachers and administration in training everyone on the proper use of the system.
We are in the final phase of testing and expect to have it ready for students and parents to access shortly.
This is our release plan:
• Students in Elementary through High School will be receiving their username and password and will be shown how to access and use this system: week of September 23rd -28th
• Student access to the system for use: October 1st
• Parents to be advised of passwords and instruction guide (sent by email to you) : week of October 8th-12th
• Parent access to the system for use: week of October 8th-12th
• Training for parents who need extra support will be available: October 8th-19th
We appreciate everyone’s patience during this implementation process and are sure that this change will be a big improvement over the prior system.
We are in the final phase of testing and expect to have it ready for students and parents to access shortly.
This is our release plan:
• Students in Elementary through High School will be receiving their username and password and will be shown how to access and use this system: week of September 23rd -28th
• Student access to the system for use: October 1st
• Parents to be advised of passwords and instruction guide (sent by email to you) : week of October 8th-12th
• Parent access to the system for use: week of October 8th-12th
• Training for parents who need extra support will be available: October 8th-19th
We appreciate everyone’s patience during this implementation process and are sure that this change will be a big improvement over the prior system.
Powerschool Team
Photography sessions for our JFK Yearbook 2018-2019
Dear Parents,
From October 1 to October 5, 2018, we’ll have the photography sessions for our JFK Yearbook, for school year 2018 – 2019.
It is very important for us that all the students arrive on time with their best smile and presentation.
For both, the individual and group photography, please be sure students come dressed in casual (no uniform), preferably using colors with good contrast and harmony with a blue background, for example: yellow, orange, pink, etc.
You can also find these calendars in our website www.jfk.edu.mx in the HOME section.
Thank you for your support. Together we will achieve excellent pictures that children and adults will love.
For additional information please contact our Communications Department with Mónica Duarte [email protected] phone 218 0075, Ext. 1006.
Check out the yearbook pictures schedules for all academic sections click here
Mónica Duarte
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Library news
We have made some new changes in the library. Last year, Miss Paty and I ran a yearlong study of computer and space usage in the library. We discovered that rarely were both labs books simultaneously, but that Middle School and High School students remained downstairs and this booked first leaving the upstairs lab empty.
The lab downstairs took up half of our space, and it was dominated by older students. It made it difficult to progress with our instructional program with primary and preschool children. We also learned that during breaks, lunch, and after school, 90% of the usage was students playing games and watching videos to kill time while they waited for sports, etc.
We determined to remove the majority of the PCs from downstairs and to have mobile devices to be used primarily by our younger learners downstairs for instruction and homework. We kept three PCs for emergencies, and to fill the gap.
We have staff limitations, so we needed to determine whether it was more critical to keep both levels open early or late. We realized it was much more critical to have the upstairs open at 7:00 AM rather than after school. We only have one staff member after school, and so we lock the upstairs for safety and security sake at 14:45 PM. After school Middle and High School students are welcome downstairs if they are working on school assignments. We encourage them to use other open areas such as the Jaguar Café if they want to watch videos on their device or chat while they wait for events.
Our hope is to have both levels used to full capacity before and after school in the future, but for now this seems to be filling the majority of the need. The mobile devices will be available for in library use only very soon, and the 3 PCs are in place and available now.
The primary and preschool students and teachers are thrilled with the change, and we are grateful for all the positive feedback.
M. Jake Pettit
Head Librarian
Friendly match
Last September 21, there was a match game of basketball between High School students and Middle School teachers.
What a better way to live together than through the promotion of sports!
What a better way to live together than through the promotion of sports!
Fernando López
JFK Sports Coordinator
Firefighters campaign was a success!
Once again, the campaign in support of the firefighters was a success, raising a total of $ 56,214.70 in donations!
We want to thank the entire JFK community for their support in donations, but especially to give thanks to our 47 volunteer moms who were with us doing during the week!
We invite you to continue participating in the campaigns during the school year.
Luz Arredondo
Environmental program coordinator
Environmental program coordinator
Open Classes
We would like to welcome parents to join us for an open class with your child’s classroom. It is important to arrive early so that your child will be ready to participate, and also wear comfortable clothes in order to join in the physical education activities. Each class will be from 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM.
K1A Tuesday, October 2
K1B Wednesday, October 3
K1C Thursday, October 4
K1D Tuesday, October 9
K2A Wednesday, October 10
K2B Thursday, October 11
K2C Friday, October 12
K2D Tuesday, October 16
K1A Tuesday, October 2
K1B Wednesday, October 3
K1C Thursday, October 4
K1D Tuesday, October 9
K2A Wednesday, October 10
K2B Thursday, October 11
K2C Friday, October 12
K2D Tuesday, October 16
Professional Day
This Friday is our first professional day of the year. While students are at home resting, teachers will be working on plans for unit 2 of PYP, as well as improving our technology skills. We look forward to seeing you again on Monday.
Yearbook Pictures
Yearbook photos will be taken during the week of October 1-4. Students should come in formal clothes (not uniform). If they are sick on the day of the picture, they cannot come just for the picture. There will be make up pictures in February for anyone who misses out.
Debra Cortney
Preschool Principal
JFK Reads
The JFK Reads program started this week with an inauguration event at Monday’s Flag Ceremony involving some JFK parent volunteers.
Students who read independently have better grades, academic results, and develop a lifelong reading habit. Being a reader is part of the JFK Student Profile.
Your job as parents in this project is model reading yourself, ask your children questions about what they read, and input the JFK Reading Logs online. Please help me remind the students that they must only be filling in reading logs for books started after September 24.
Here are the instructions to log in:
1. Access webpage at www.jfkreads.com
2. Access with username (personal email) and password.
2.1 In case of having forgotten your password, click on Lost my password, enter your personal email (the one you gave to the school) and click on Send me!
2.2. You will receive an email asking you to type in your new password.
2.3. Access the webpage with your new password.
3. You can now register your kids' new read books starting on September 24th 2018.
New Parents
1. You will receive an email with a link to access and enter your new password. (If you haven't received it, please check your SPAM).
2.Click on the link, and type a new password (we suggest writing it down somewhere in case you forget it)
3. Type confirmation code
4. Access the webpage www.jfkreads.com with your new password
5. You can now register your kids' new read books starting on September 24th 2018.
Students who read independently have better grades, academic results, and develop a lifelong reading habit. Being a reader is part of the JFK Student Profile.
Your job as parents in this project is model reading yourself, ask your children questions about what they read, and input the JFK Reading Logs online. Please help me remind the students that they must only be filling in reading logs for books started after September 24.
Here are the instructions to log in:
1. Access webpage at www.jfkreads.com
2. Access with username (personal email) and password.
2.1 In case of having forgotten your password, click on Lost my password, enter your personal email (the one you gave to the school) and click on Send me!
2.2. You will receive an email asking you to type in your new password.
2.3. Access the webpage with your new password.
3. You can now register your kids' new read books starting on September 24th 2018.
New Parents
1. You will receive an email with a link to access and enter your new password. (If you haven't received it, please check your SPAM).
2.Click on the link, and type a new password (we suggest writing it down somewhere in case you forget it)
3. Type confirmation code
4. Access the webpage www.jfkreads.com with your new password
5. You can now register your kids' new read books starting on September 24th 2018.
Mark Dunn
Elementary School Principal
Say Something program
Hello Middle School!
We recently had a great assembly with the 6th grade students about our “Say Something” program. This is a very effective way for students to let us know if they sense something amiss. Sometimes young people want to protect their friends if they think something is wrong by keeping their secrets, but our psychologists Miss Clarisa and Miss Maribel helped the 6th graders understand that true friends will tell an adult!
Middle School students take this responsibility very seriously, and use the “Say Something” program to report on real concerns. The end result is that after our Student Support Team learns of possible threats, we can provide support about all kinds of issues: depression, anxiety, self-harm, and eating disorders, to name a few.Thank you, Miss Clarisa and Miss Maribel!
Some upcoming events in the Middle School:
• October 2: Yearbook photos for 6th and 7th grade
• October 4: Yearbook photos for 8th grade
• October 5: Jaguar Day...Go Jaguars!
• October 18: Middle School Parent Talk: What is normal and what is not in adolescent behavior? 8:30 am
Have a wonderful week!
We recently had a great assembly with the 6th grade students about our “Say Something” program. This is a very effective way for students to let us know if they sense something amiss. Sometimes young people want to protect their friends if they think something is wrong by keeping their secrets, but our psychologists Miss Clarisa and Miss Maribel helped the 6th graders understand that true friends will tell an adult!
Middle School students take this responsibility very seriously, and use the “Say Something” program to report on real concerns. The end result is that after our Student Support Team learns of possible threats, we can provide support about all kinds of issues: depression, anxiety, self-harm, and eating disorders, to name a few.Thank you, Miss Clarisa and Miss Maribel!
Some upcoming events in the Middle School:
• October 2: Yearbook photos for 6th and 7th grade
• October 4: Yearbook photos for 8th grade
• October 5: Jaguar Day...Go Jaguars!
• October 18: Middle School Parent Talk: What is normal and what is not in adolescent behavior? 8:30 am
Have a wonderful week!
Camille Casses
Middle School Principal
Networking with JFK families
One of the new tasks of our Career Counselor Steve McGough this year is networking with JFK families and professionals outside of school and connecting their work experience to our curriculum. We do this so students see connections between real workforce careers and the content they learn in school. We’ve received amazing support from JFK families, and I would like to mention some noteworthy examples.
Ms. Juliana de Mora has been collaborating with our English Department on a linguistics unit.
Jose Luis Andrade on an Economics unit about supply and demand and Jose Lelo de Larrera on a physics unit about circuits.
With the support of our talented community, we can continue to erase boundaries between the world of work and school so our students have truly authentic learning experiences!
If you have ideas for how we can connect our students with authentic industry experiences and/or challenges, please contact Mr. Steve McGough at [email protected] so we can begin networking with the right teachers in the right grade levels to make it happen!
Bob Callahan
High School Principal