SOARing through the Week at JFK
May 23, 2025
Hello Hawk Families!
We are proud to share that SBA testing is coming to a close for our 3rd through 5th grade students. We are so proud of their focus, perseverance, and positive mindset throughout the testing period. Thank you to our families for your continued support in sending your children to school ready to do their best each day. Your partnership truly makes a difference.
This week also included a joyful celebration of our Classroom Respect Star Recipients. Each class honored a student selected by their peers based on qualities that reflect the values we hold dear in our school community. Respect Stars were chosen because they are polite, courteous, and fair, tell the truth and act with integrity, show respect for others’ property, care for the environment and living things, value learning, and respect the opinions and feelings of others. This wonderful program is sponsored each spring by the Junior Women’s League of Milford, and Respect Stars are invited to march in the Milford Memorial Day Parade. We are so proud of these students for helping to make JFK a Hawk-some place to learn and grow.
We also took time to recognize and celebrate two of our beloved staff members, Mrs. Giambra and Mrs. Kristan, who will be retiring at the end of the school year. We are so grateful for their many years of dedication, care, and service to our learning community. They will be truly missed, and we are excited for all the new adventures that await them in the next chapter of their lives.
It has been a week filled with learning, pride, and celebration here at JFK!
Have a great long weekend, JFK! Happy Memorial Day! Remember to take care of yourself, take care of our community and most of all BE KIND!
In partnership,
Amy E. Rizzo
Amy E. Rizzo, Principal
Follow me on X (formerly Twitter) @JFKPrincipalRIz
Important Dates:
May 26th- Memorial Day- No School
May 27th- JFK Kindergarten Kickoff for Incoming K Students
May 29th- JFK Field Day (Rain date May 30th)
May 30th- K Celebration 9:30am
June 3rd- JFK Summer Reading Kickoff 1:45pm
June 4th- PreK Celebrations (AM & PM)
June 5th- 5th Grade Celebration & Clap Out (11am-3pm) (Rain date 6/4)
June 9th- Staff v 5th Grade Kickball Game- Wear class shirts or JFK gear!
June 9th & 10th- Early Dismissal for students
June 11th- Early Dismissal- Last Day of School!
_____________________
📷A Glimpse at the Week:
Click here to view pictures of some of the HAWK-SOME learning and events that happened at JFK this week!
Field Day: Sign Ups by 5/24
Attention 5th Grade Families:
We can’t wait to celebrate your 5th graders with you!
5th Grade Letter to Families- 5th Grade Celebration
5th Grade Celebration: RSVP
New!!! 5th Grade Signs
2nd Annual Summer Reading Kick-Off
We are excited to announce our 2nd Annual Summer Reading Kick-Off on Tuesday, June 3rd at 1:45! Staff and students will participate in a "Drop Everything and Read" outdoor event to kick-off a summer of reading. Parents are welcome to attend (weather permitting).
All parents who would like to attend- please RSVP here by Friday, May 30th so we can plan accordingly.
We hope you will join us for some fun in the sun!
Item Drop Off at Morning Arrival
Please remember that only students should enter the front doors at arrival time. If parents or guardians have items to drop off, please speak with a staff member on duty outside for assistance.
Community Connections Center
Dear Parents,
We invite you to check out this month’s CCC Newsletter for exciting family-friendly opportunities happening in our community! Don’t miss Exploring-art-ism at the Yale Center for British Art on May 24—a free, inclusive art program for children with sensory processing differences. Plus, Milford Parks & Rec has hands-on STEM workshops like building your own RE/CO Robot and a CSI science lab. And be sure to join Wethersfield’s Heritage Weekend for a full day of history, parades, and family fun. As we come together this Memorial Day, let us take a moment to honor and remember all those who have served—and continue to serve—in the armed forces. Their courage and sacrifice protect the freedoms we enjoy every day. Hope to see you out and about! Take a moment to read through our CCC Newsletter and join in on the fun! And if you're looking for additional community resources, be sure to visit the CCC Website.
Mary-Kate Wiliams & Cara Dascenza
Milford Community Connection Centers
203-882-6094
The CCC honors all family inquiries as private and confidential unless parent permission is given or Connecticut mandated reporting applies
Specialist Spotlight: STEM
In this Kindergarten unit, our students were introduced to important concepts by exploring the patterns and differences in what living things need in order to live and grow. Through hands-on activities, stories, discussions, and simple investigations, they engaged in both science and engineering practices.
Throughout the unit, the children focused on two central questions: What do living things need to survive? and How do living things make changes to where they live? They observed plants and animals, identified basic needs such as food, water, air, and shelter, and discovered how different living things meet those needs in different ways. Students also explored how some animals and plants adapt to or even change their environments in order to survive.
During this unit, our 1st grade students explored the sky above us by observing the sun, moon, and stars. They learned how to identify and describe patterns in the way these objects appear and move, helping them understand that many things in nature happen in predictable ways. The planetarium trip was awesome!
The children observed and discussed how the sun and moon rise and move across the sky during the day and night. They noticed that these movements follow regular patterns, and they began to predict where and when the sun or moon might appear. We also talked about the stars and how they can be seen at night but not during the day. By the end of the unit, students had developed a stronger awareness of the natural world and how patterns in the sky help us understand time, day and night, and the changing seasons.
In this second-grade unit, students developed a deeper understanding of the needs of plants and the important role animals play in helping plants grow and thrive. Through hands-on investigations, engaging lessons, and thoughtful discussions, they explored how living things are connected in the natural world.
Students learned what plants need in order to grow, including sunlight, water, air, and space. They conducted simple experiments and observations to see how plants respond to their environment. As the unit progressed, they discovered that plants don’t grow and reproduce on their own—they often rely on animals to help with pollination and seed dispersal. Students explored how bees, butterflies, birds, and even small mammals assist plants by carrying pollen or spreading seeds to new places.
In this third-grade science unit, students explored the world of forces and interactions between objects. Through hands-on investigations, collaborative activities, and interactive lessons, they deepened their understanding of how objects can exert forces on one another and what the effects of those forces can be.
Students learned that a force is a push or a pull, and they discovered how forces can change an object’s motion by making it start, stop, speed up, slow down, or change direction. They conducted experiments with ramps, balls, and other classroom materials to observe these effects in action. By observing patterns in movement, students began to make predictions about how objects would move under different conditions—and they even used that knowledge to design and test ways to control motion in a predictable way.
In this fourth-grade unit, students explored how the internal and external structures of plants and animals help them survive, grow, behave, and reproduce. They learned how different parts—like roots, stems, lungs, and muscles—work together as part of a system to support life.
Students also studied the senses and discovered how specialized structures like eyes, ears, and noses help animals gather information. They learned that the brain combines this sensory input with memories to guide an animal’s response. By the end of the unit, students had a deeper understanding of how living things are designed to interact with their environment in order to survive.
In this fifth-grade science unit, students explored why Earth is the only known planet that supports life, focusing on the essential role of water in all its forms—liquid, vapor, and ice. They learned how Earth’s systems—air (atmosphere), water (hydrosphere), land (geosphere), and life (biosphere)—are all connected, and how changes in one system, especially the water cycle, can impact the others.
The unit centered around the real-world example of New Orleans, where human changes to the environment have led to serious flooding issues. This case helped students understand how human activity can affect natural systems and why protecting Earth’s balance is so important.
Media Center Update:
Correction: I previously announced the last day for library book checkout as Friday, May 30. That date has been pushed up to Friday, May 23. Hopefully, this will give more time for locating and returning library books. Sorry for any inconvenience!
Mrs. Soder, Media Specialist
Older, But Important Reminders
Dismissal Reminders:
Please drive slowly and carefully at arrival and dismissal. We have had a few instances recently where cars are pulling out and there have been close calls. Proceed with caution when driving on school grounds.
If you are picking up your child as a walker, please do not enter or park in any of the spaces in the front parking lot. The front lot entrance is exclusively for car pick ups. Thank you!
Smart Watches, I-Phones, and other Personal Devices
Please note the MPS BOE Policy regarding personal technology in our schools:
At the elementary level - No use of a cell phone/smartwatch or other personal communication device will be permitted during school hours. These devices must be turned off or on silent and left in backpacks, stored in a student’s locker/cubbie or other place designated by building administration. MPS Policy
Hawks SOAR Awards - Our JFK Hawks SOAR award is designed to recognize student and staff behaviors and actions that enhance our school community and those individuals who exemplify citizenship within this community beyond the expected norms. When your child comes home with a sticker, please ask them how they SOARED that day!
Attendance Reminder
A reminder that absences should be reported in PowerSchool.
Click HERE for instructions on how to report absences. Be sure to update the date on the top of the form each time you fill it out.
Arrival and Dismissal Information -
Please do not leave students unattended at the school prior to 8:20 am.
Please note that our Walker Pick Up should be utilized for families who are walking to the building. If you are driving to JFK to pick up your child, please use our car pick up procedure. Families of students who are being dismissed as walkers should not be parking in our parking lot and then picking up at the walker door. Doing this interferes with the flow of traffic in our car pick up line. Thank you for adhering to our dismissal procedures.
Parents, please be sure to drive slowly and safely through our parking lot at drop off and pick up times. We understand that mornings can be hectic getting students off to school and adults off to work, but please drive slowly and with caution on our school grounds.
If you are dropping off your child please pull all the way forward in line and remain in the car for safety. If you wish to get out of the car, please park in a designated parking spot and walk your child to the parking lot crosswalk. Mr. Kee will assist your child in crossing safely.
Dismissal Car Tags should be placed on your dashboard/mirror when lining up for pick up. We ask that you please do not line up in the parking lot prior to 3pm.
❤️🩹News from the Nurse
MPS Health Department Guidelines
If clothing is borrowed from the school health office please wash and return :)
If possible, pack a spare set of clothes in your child's backpack. Accidents happen! Students can get wet on the playground or spill on themselves at lunch. It's always helpful to have extra clothing available
~Nurse Jacqueline Campbell
Sign up for Dash for Danni, a 5K to raise money for cancer research. The event is on June 7 and kicks off at Foran High School."
Additional MPS information can be accessed through the district website at www.milforded.org.
JFK: A Community Where
ALL
Learners Soar!