October Family Newsletter
John F. Kennedy Elementary School
Wishing you a Spooktacular Halloween!
Thank you to all of our families who have helped make the start of the school year such a success! We are so proud of how well our students—from UPK through grade 6—are adjusting to school routines. We also appreciate the way you are encouraging your child(ren)’s independence each morning. Saying goodbye at your vehicle or at the front door allows them to spread their wings and fly, building confidence as they begin their day. Please know that additional support is always available from our faculty and staff. Whether it’s lending a hand in the cafeteria during breakfast, transitioning students to their hallways, or offering guidance at lockers, we are here to make sure every student starts the day smoothly. Your partnership in helping us keep our hallways safe and welcoming is truly valued. Thank you again for your continued support— we’re off to a great year together!
October promises to be an exciting month at JFK! Here is a list of the upcoming events.
- Our first Kiwanis-K-Kids meeting will take place on Monday, October 6th for registered members.
- Please consider joining us for our monthly PTO meeting on Monday, October 6th at 6:00 pm in the JFK library.
- Our students will honor Fire Safety Week with a visit from the Ogdensburg Fire Department.
- There will be an early dismissal on Wednesday, October 8th at 11:30 am.
- Lifetouch Picture Day is Thursday, October 9th.
- Our PTO will host JFK Movie Night on Thursday, October 23rd from 5:00-8:00 pm.
Positivity Project
During the month of October, students at JFK will dive deeper into the Other People Matter Mindset, exploring the character strengths of open-mindedness, integrity, creativity and learning the importance of being present and giving others our attention, and knowing my words and actions affect others.
Open-mindedness means you like to consider new ideas and try new things. You examine things from all sides and don’t jump to conclusions. Open-mindedness is the willingness to actively search for evidence that goes against one’s favored opinions, plans, or goals. Open-minded individuals are able to weigh all evidence fairly, when it is available. They see the other side and fight the tendency to have a bias for their own views. And, rather than favoring the socially dominant views, they give attention to those that are less dominant.
Integrity means you are honest and speak the truth. You present yourself genuinely and sincerely. Integrity is doing the right thing when nobody is watching. People with integrity practice what they preach and maintain a consistent pattern of behavior aligned with their values. They have the courage not to follow the crowd if it means going against their beliefs. Integrity is closely aligned with the terms of honesty and authenticity. People with integrity tell the truth and have alignment in their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Creativity means you come up with new and original ways to think about and do things. Creative people can look at the world in original ways. They are open to new experiences, and have an imaginative and independent thought process. They generate lots of different ideas and can pursue them with energy and enthusiasm. Creativity is a process that takes courage. Anytime you share your original ideas with the world, you risk being criticized or even ostracized.
Being Present and Giving Others My Attention means when I’m with other people, I’m present and give them my full attention. This element of the Other People Mindset is so important today due to the increasing number of distractions vying for our time and attention. Phone calls, text messages, emails, social media notifications all have the dangerous capacity to pull us away from the present moment and, what’s most important -- our relationships with other people.
Knowing My Words and Actions Affect Others means that everything we do, say, text, tweet, snap, or post can positively or negatively impact other people. This element of the Other People Mindset demonstrates consideration of the feelings of the people around me.
If you're not here, you can't learn!
For the 2025-2026 school year, our focus is on daily attendance. Coming to school every day helps children succeed—not just in academics, but in friendships and life skills, too! We want our students in school every day! Our goal is to decrease chronic absenteeism at JFK.
Chronic absenteeism means a student misses 10% of the school year. In other words, a student who misses 18 days out of the 180 days in a school year is considered chronically absent. A student who misses two days of school each month will miss twenty total days from September to June, making them a chronically absent student.
Why does regular daily attendance matter?
Missed Lessons = Falling Behind: Even one day can mean missing critical instructions and activities, making it harder for your child to catch up. Each day builds on the one before, so being present helps them keep up and feel confident in their learning.
Impact on Future Success: Consistent attendance is a strong predictor of academic achievement and future opportunities.
Building Resilience: Regular attendance teaches your child the value of perseverance and responsibility—essential skills for success in life.
Stronger Friendships: Daily presence helps your child develop and sustain friendships, which are crucial for emotional and social development. It also fosters a connection to their school community.
Healthy Routine: Attending school every day establishes a stable routine, promoting better mental and physical health.
What can you do?
If your child is struggling to come to school, contact school at 315-393-4264 and speak to any of the following staff members to help: Mrs. McNichol, School Counselor for grades UPK-2 (x32068), Ms. Bateman, School Counselor for grades 3-6 (x32060), Mrs. Fennessy, Principal for grades UPK-2 (x32904), Mrs. Bouchard, Principal for grades 3-6 (x32901), Misty Fishel, School Social Worker (x32868), or your child's classroom teacher.
We look forward to seeing you this October at JFK!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Fennessy
Principal, UPK-2
mfennessy@ogdensburgk12.org
Mrs. Bouchard
Principal, 3-6
Grades UPK-3 Halloween Parade Information
Families are invited to gather along Jersey Avenue or Lafayette Street as our students parade around the block, proceeding up Jersey Avenue towards the water tower, passing the Ogdensburg Police Department, and returning to the main entrance of JFK. In the event of inclement weather, the parade will take place in the JFK cafetorium.
Students in grades UPK-3 should come to school in their costume on Halloween.
A few reminders for our Halloween celebrations:
- Masks are dangerous for young children, so please save them for the evening events in your neighborhood.
- Please put your child's name on their costume bag.
- Make sure your child wears sneakers, as safety is important.
- No weapons, please! (such as light sabers, plastic hooks, plastic swords, etc.)
You may be asked by your child's classroom teacher to send in a treat. Your child's classroom teacher will be in contact with you regarding individual classroom parties.
We hope you'll join us to enjoy the Halloween parade!
Staying Connected with Parent Square
Our district will continue to use ParentSquare as the main way to share communication from school to home. ParentSquare helps us keep you informed and engaged, while also strengthening the important connection between school and families. All school-wide announcements, grade-level updates, and classroom news will be delivered right to your computer or phone through email and/or text. This information includes:
Important alerts,
Sending and receiving school and class information,
Sharing pictures and files,
Viewing Calendar items,
Signing up to volunteer, and
Scheduling parent-teacher conferences
For even greater convenience, you can download the ParentSquare app—available for both iOS and Android devices. We encourage all families to stay connected and take advantage of this helpful tool so you never miss important information and updates from our school community!
Gabriel Wells
Music Class
Mrs. Sheats
Gabriel Wells (Grade JK with Mrs. Lamanteer) is our Music Star of the month! Gabe is already doing great work in music class. He is an amazing listener and sings beautifully! He is a great friend and example for the whole class. Great job, Gabe!
Agnes Follette
Music Class
Mrs. Sheats
Agnes Follette (Grade 5 with Mrs. Woods) is our Musician of the Month! Aggie has so many fantastic musical ideas! She shares her music in a way that makes everyone feel heard and included. Agnes is an expert 5th grade singer and she is always respectful and kind to everyone. Wonderful work, Aggie!
Isaiah Aldridge
Art Class
Mrs. Huto
Isaiah Aldridge (Grade 4 with Mr. McCarthy) is an amazing helper in the Art Room! He helps clean up, and ensures that things are ready for the next class. He is very creative and is polite and kind! I am so proud of you, Isaiah! Keep up the amazing work!
Art Class
Mrs. Huto
Mariella "Dottie" Burns (Grade 2 with Mrs. Williams) has a sweet smile and is always helping her friends. She is imaginative, bright and has the most colorful projects! Dottie focuses on her work and always cleans up her work space before tackling another idea. Great job, Dottie! I am so proud of you!
P.E. Class
Mr. Vernsey
Cristiano Lalonde (Grade 2 with Mr. Dwyer) is the PE student of the month. Cristiano is a very good athlete and gives his all in PE everyday. Cristiano is working hard on being a good sport. Keep up the good work Cristiano.
Tinley Charlton
P.E. Class
Mr. Vernsey
Tinley Charlton (Grade 5 with Mrs. Doyle) is the PE student of the month. Tinley is always giving 100% in PE class. Tinley also demonstrates great sportsmanship and respect for her teammates. Keep up the great work Tinley!
Peter Compo
P.E. Class
Mrs. Halladay
Peter Compo (Grade 4 with Mrs. Mousaw) is the PE student of the month. Peter has participated in 100% of our activities this year. He comes in with a smile on his face and ready to play. Peter also has been working really hard on developing his kicking skills during our soccer unit. Keep up the good work Peter! I am so proud of you!
Josephine Robb
P.E. Class
Mrs. Halladay
Josephine Robb (Grade 1 with Mrs. Jones) is the PE student of the month. Josie always comes in the gym ready to play. She is a great role model and a friend to all. Josie has also become quite the soccer player. Keep up the good work Josie!
Myles Brooks
Library
Mrs. Seymour
Myles Brookes (Grade 3 with Mr. McCarthy) comes to the Library prepared and ready to participate in class. He tries his best and works hard on his tasks. His smile brightens everyone's day! Keep smiling, Myles!
Lucy Langley
Library
Mrs. Seymour
Lucy Langley (Kindergarten with Mrs. Lalone) comes to the Library and sits quietly and respectfully on the story time carpet. She is always ready to listen to a story and patiently waits to check out a book she would enjoy reading! Great job, Lucy!
Jade Thornhill
Art Class
Mrs. Willmart
Jade Thornhill (UPK with Mrs. Wilkinson) comes to art class with a big smile and a ready to get to work kind of attitude! She is kind to all of her classmates, and she is always excited about what we are going to create in art class. Jade takes her time making her work and her creativity shines through! Great job Jade!
Amal LaFortune
Art Class
Mrs. Willmart
Amal LaFortune (3rd grade with Mr. McCarthy) comes to art class ready to work and she is always happy with a big smile on her face! She really thinks about the details she wants to add in her work, and her creativity is amazing to watch! Amal is kind to her classmates and she works hard every time she is in art! Great job Amal!
Amelia Brown
Band Class
Mrs. Darr
Amelia Brown (Grade 5 with Mr. Albert) has been on time for lessons and is an attentive student. She actively participates in playing the flute and quietly leads by example!
Joplin Reed
Band Class
Mrs. Darr
Joplin Reed (Grade 4 with Mrs. Mousaw) is patient and asks for help when she needs it. She is ready to learn and always positive and polite!
The students in grades 1-6 have been off to a running start using FIM. They have gone from zero points to 89,539 points as of Friday, September 26, 2025. The Kennedy School students have solved 268,617 math problems!!! Amazing!!!
The wonderful thing is that we have students using FIM on the weekends. One Sunday we had 16 students using FIM.
We would like to recognize Aspen Wulf who at this time is the top player for Kennedy School with over 9,000 sticker points. Aspen is ranked 22 out of the top 100 students in NYS using FIM. Way to go, Aspen.
The top 5 players at Kennedy are: Aspen Wulf, Isabella Farrell, Jaxon TenEyck, Kallin Wing, and Beverly Self. These top players are from grade 3, 4, and 6. Great job to them for their time and effort they are putting into FIM.
