Kennedy HS

PTSA

BUILDING COMMUNITY UNITY

The John F. Kennedy High School PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association) is a vibrant and hard-working organization supporting over 1900 students and ~ 300 staff members. Your active involvement is vital to our success. Parents, guardians, students, staff members, and even business and community members are encouraged to join the PTSA, which you can do via Givebacks, Google Form, or PayPal.

Kennedy High School has a tremendous leadership team, great staff, and amazing students and families. The PTSA is committed to helping JFK students succeed by enhancing programs and supporting teachers to bring creativity and innovation to their classrooms.

We bring you information about what’s happening at school and throughout MCPS, including about ParentVUE, college and career readiness, school safety and security, projects sponsored by LTI, SAT day and more.
We sponsor programs and activities at JFK, including community outreach, JFK clubs and programs, staff appreciation, assemblies, senior activities (e.g., Post Prom, senior sunrise/sunset), and more.
We participate in a wide variety of MCPS activities, including Back to School Night, Family Night Out events, Board of Education meetings, MCCPTA meetings, and more.

We hope that you will embrace this wonderful community and share your time and talents through the PTSA. Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month, during which we offer valuable information, showcase our talented student clubs, discuss ways to support school operations and programs, and much more.

Go Cavs!

MemberHub

Our PTSA has started using an online communication tool called MemberHub. The Kennedy PTSA uses MemberHub to bring you into our school community and keep you informed and engaged with what is happening. Within our MemberHub site, we hope to have our e-store, newsletters, sign-up sheets, shared calendar events, files, photos, reminders, and much more, all in one place!

HOW YOU CAN HELP

JOIN: Become a member of the 2023/24 PTSA via Givebacks, Google Form, or PayPal.
DONATE: Provide direct support to the PTSA via PayPal and Givebacks. Your donations help ensure funding for student clubs, teacher appreciation, senior and social events, and so much more.

VOLUNTEER: Look out for emails with opportunities to help at school events and advocate for our school community.

ENGAGE: Join us virtually or in person at our monthly PTSA meetings held on the third Tuesday of every month. Our PTSA also uses an online communication tool called Givebacks (previously MemberHub) for sharing information and engaging with the JFK community. Please go to our Givebacks website to learn more!
SHOP: Give to JFK easily and automatically when you shop with merchants (including Safeway) who are part of eSCRIP. Just register your cards for "John F. Kennedy High School PTSA" at https://www.escrip.com.

Help Raise Money for the Kennedy High School PTSA

eScrip Stores (including Safeway)

Register your store cards, credit/debit cards, or buy digital gift cards. Then shop, dine out, or even take a cruise to earn easily and automatically when you shop with merchants that give back. Be sure to register "John F Kennedy High School PTSA" at https://www.escrip.com.

2023-24 MEETING DATES

PTSA meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month from 7-8:30 p.m. in the media center. This year there is a virtual option linked here. Meeting ID: 860 8456 5985 Passcode: 491234 This year's meetings are scheduled for:

September 19, 2023
October 17, 2023
November 21, 2023
December 19, 2023
January 16, 2024
February 20, 2024
March 19, 2024
April 16, 2024
May 21, 2024

2023-24 Executive Board

Please see below for the full calendar of meeting dates and presentations.

POSITION	VOLUNTEER
President	Kristen Walker Painemilla
Vice President	Ricky Ribeiro Marilee Davenport
Treasurer	Bonnie Bender
Secretary	Kirsten Murray
NAACP Representation	Allyn Raphael
Digital PR/Communication	OPEN
Membership Chairs	OPEN
Staff Appreciation Chair	OPEN
MCCPTA Representation	Sharon Atterbury Rebecca Pikofsky
Clubs Liaison	OPEN
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion	OPEN
Post Prom Chair(s)	OPEN
Fundraising Chair	OPEN
Senior Parent Rep	Yancy Murillo

PTSA Presentations in Review

Want to know some of the topics the PTSA covers?

We bring you information about:

ParentVUE
College and career readiness
School safety and security
Parent information for the senior class
Projects sponsored by LTI
Details on SAT Day

We sponsor:

Assemblies on student safety, like awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving
Post Prom
Community outreach with the Wheaton Volunteer Rescue Squad, including a car wash fundraiser and the annual Christmas tree sales
Staff appreciation throughout the year

We participate in:

Back to School Night
Family Night Out events
Board of Education meetings
MCCPTA meetings

JFK NAACP Rep

If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the JFK NAACP Rep, Ricky Ribeiro.

Why Join the PTSA?

Get Connected. There’s no better way to know what’s happening in your school. Each PTSA meeting starts with reports from the Principal and PTSA President. The PTSA meeting features speakers and discussions of great importance to the school community.
Discover Great Resources. The PTA offers a variety of programs to strengthen the school community and support the staff, parents, guardians and students.
Tap into a Network. PTA functions are opportunities to meet other parents and teachers, building rapport and discussing issues that are on your mind. You can share ideas, concerns, and experiences.
Watch Yourself Grow. By volunteering with your PTA, you put your skills and hobbies to use for a noble cause—your child and all children in the community.
Speak Up. PTA can be a way for you to more effectively suggest change at your child’s school.
Witness Improvement. By getting involved at your child’s school you’ll be part of the solution, helping make positive changes. Local PTAs play an important role by supporting building improvements through advocacy and play an important role in fundraising for curriculum-based programs and social events.
Be a Role Model. By becoming a PTA member, you’ll be demonstrating to your child the importance you place on education.
Enjoy Substantial Benefits. Individuals and local units can take advantage of a host of benefits from PTA membership including discounts and offers from member benefits providers and sponsors, magazine subscriptions, leadership training, e-newsletters and much more.

Post Prom

POST PROM COORDINATORS ARE NEEDED! One of the tasks of the PTSA is the planning and execution of the annual Post Prom Party – a fun, drug- and alcohol-free party at a safe location immediately following the Prom. The Post Prom is for all Kennedy seniors and their dates—all seniors are welcome regardless of whether or not they attend the Prom. The event includes game tables, tattoo artists, a photo booth, food, and much more. This event can only be held with the financial support and volunteers of Kennedy’s parents and friends. For more information about how to get involved, contact Kristen Walker Painemilla.