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Portfolios required for JFK graduation
John F. Kennedy High School students enrolled in senior English will now need to complete their Senior Exit Portfolios in order to graduate, due to a decision made by the CheektowagaSloan Board of Education at Monday's work session.
The board approved JFK High School Principal Steven Bovino's request to make completion of the exit portfolios a graduation requirement for all students enrolled in senior English.
Bovino stated at the July 18 board meeting that students' mediocre performances on the exit portfolios, sometimes including plagiarized work, led to his request. The principal added that some students even attended summer school rather than complete the portfolio, which is evaluated by three teachers before whom students present their material.
The portfolios include various reports and pieces students have written during high school English, as well as a conclusion report, among other items.
The board also approved various activities for the 2006-07 academic year that were submitted by the JFK Middle School Character Education Committee.
Committee Head Jeff Clark, as well as members Megan O'Sullivan and Kristine Schuh, proposed the following seasonal activities: candlelight vigil in remembrance of those who died in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks; family movie nights in the JFK auditorium, with students and/or their parents attending one movie per academic quarter with a suggested donation of $2 a ticket; and a fall festival on October 30, with "haunted hallways," bobbing for doughnuts and trick-or-treating.
Other activities include a Veteran's Day visitation of the VA Hospital in Buffalo; Rake-A-Thon and ShovelA-Thon in the fall and winter seasons, in which students are assigned to clear driveways for area residents; visiting and working at a soup kitchen in Buffalo; and a Winterfest celebration in January.
In addition, there will be a spring clothing drive in April; March of Dimes Walk in May, in which students walk approximately three to four miles from JFK and raise money; and an end-of-year walk and fundraiser finishing at Losson Park in June.
"I thought the Character Education Committee did a great job at the (July 18) meeting," said Trustee Gary Sieczkarek. "They had a lot of good, fresh ideas."
In other action, the board:
Approved the Depew Milk Company, Inc. and Perry's Ice Cream as lowest possible bidders for dairy and juice, as well as ice cream products in the JFK cafeteria.
Accepted a letter of resignation from JFK High School girls' physical education teacher Dawn Bak for personal reasons.
Approved JFK Middle School Principal David Peters and 35 middle school staff members attending a conference of the New York State Middle School Association in Niagara Falls on October 20, with a cost of $1,600 to the district.
Accepted AAIRC as the lowest possible bidder for asbestos removal in the district's capital project.
Approved the Western New York Hockey Officials using the JFK cafeteria during evenings on September 6, 17 and 20.
Approved the Cheektowaga Southside Basketball League using the Woodrow Wilson Elementary School gymnasium on Tuesday evenings from September 28, 2006 to March 30, 2007.
Accepted letters of resignation from Joe Ostempowski and James Rogowski as JFK modified football coaches and appointed William Battaglia and Andrew Grinner as modified football coaches this fall.
Appointed Amy Paskiewicz as a full-time art teacher at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School for the 2006-07 academic year.
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