During this year’s Superintendent’s Conference Day, held on Aug. 30, JFK Principal Kelly Benson and Assistant Principals Marilin Gutierrez and Shaun McLeod held a productive faculty meeting in the school’s gym to ensure the new school year is a successful one.

“Over the past 18 months, we all have overcome many challenges,” Benson said. “We decided that our motto this year would be TEAM: Together Everybody Achieves More.  Last year, we learned that when we work together, we can get through even the toughest of times and create the best learning environment for our students. So, we discussed the different ways we can make this year engaging for the students while also addressing their social and emotional needs. Shaun, Marilin and I shared that we not only want to spread this motto to our staff, but it is important for our students to learn that as well. Last year, many of our staff members stepped up and created safe in-person and virtual assemblies and activities for students that were centered around a theme, so we discussed things like Kindness Month, Diversity and Inclusion Month, Mental Health Month, and Read Month, along with other themes. We also updated our staff on the most current protocols and procedures in effect for this year and discussed any questions that they had regarding that.  Overall, JFK’s staff is super excited to be back in person with our students in our classroom and our teachers couldn’t be more excited to have all our students back. I can’t thank Mr. McLeod and Ms. Gutierrez enough for all the preparation and planning they did this summer to help make this school year run smoothly and safely. I could not have done it without them.”