JFK Times Blog

This week, 4th-grade students participated in a talk on economic activities led by 12th-grade students as part of the “How We Organize Ourselves” unit. The central idea of this unit is that a country’s development depends on various social, political, and environmental factors, as well as the use of its resources. 4th-grade students are currently exploring resources and economic activities, and their guest presenters from High School, as experts in the field of Economics, helped bring the content to life with dynamic presentations on economic sectors and what these mean for Mexico. During the class, the presenters explained the concepts of Economics and economic sectors, then led a practical activity with a lemonade sale. This exercise provided an opportunity to reflect on the concepts of Land, Labor, Capital, and Entrepreneurship and how inequality in these resources affects people in the real world. According to Elizabeth Jasso, PYP Coordinator, this activity is part of the inq...

Cooking provides children with opportunities to develop practical and personal skills in line with our IB Profile. As they explore ingredients and procedures, students exercise their curiosity and actively inquire, learning about the science and culture behind cooking. Moreover, this activity challenges them to be risk-takers by assuming controlled risks and testing creative solutions, which strengthens their confidence and resilience. In this environment, they not only develop motor skills but also foster their courage and curiosity.  We extend our gratitude to all the enthusiastic parents who participate and provide healthy ingredients for our mini chefs. -------- Cocinar brinda a los niños oportunidades para desarrollar habilidades prácticas y personales con nuestro Perfil IB. Al explorar ingredientes y procedimientos, los estudiantes ejercitan su curiosidad e investigan activamente, aprendiendo sobre la ciencia y la cultura detrás de la cocina. Además, esta actividad los de...

A couple of weeks ago, both new and returning parents from middle school and high school gathered for our "MYP for Beginners" Coffee Talk. We looked at approaches to teaching that form the foundation of the MYP program, we reminisced and reflected on how learning was assessed when we were in school, and then some of our NJHS students worked with small groups of parents to explain how we assess in the MYP program now and the benefits it can have for learning. Thank you to all who attended! ---------------- Hace un par de semanas, padres de familia de Middle School y High School se reunieron para nuestro "MYP for Beginners" Coffee Talk. Hablamos sobre los enfoques de enseñanza que forman la base del programa del PAI, recordamos y reflexionamos sobre cómo se evaluaba el aprendizaje cuando estábamos nosotros en la escuela, y luego algunos de nuestros estudiantes de la NJHS nos explicaron cómo evaluamos ahora en el programa del PAI y los beneficios que puede tener pa...

John F. Kennedy, The American School of Querétaro, was selected among the top 15 high-performing academic institutions in Latin America to participate in a university counselors' meeting organized and funded by CEU universities in Spain. During this experience, representatives from these institutions visited their campuses in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, and Valencia. During this visit, I had the opportunity to observe how highly they value the profile of our students and the importance they place on the IB (International Baccalaureate) program, which opens doors to various scholarships for our students. In addition, I had the chance to interact with rectors, faculty directors, and admissions staff, with whom I experienced the rich Spanish culture in a natural and friendly way. I believe that for our students interested in studying in Spain, CEU universities offer a high-level European education, along with the opportunity to immerse themselves in a culture shared through our lang...

Our K1 students are in their unit How we express ourselves with the central idea, "Stories can help us communicate in different ways." K1 visited Grade 1 classrooms where our first graders were great role models and great communicators as they read them stories in English. Grade 1 students are in their Who we are unit with the central idea, "We express our ideas, values, and hopes through our choice of role models." These beautiful cross-aged learning opportunities are a connecting learning experience for everyone. Christine Scharf, PYP Coordinator --------------------------- Nuestros alumnos de K1 están en su Unidad Cómo nos expresamos, con la idea central “Las historias pueden ayudarnos a comunicarnos de diferentes maneras”. K1 visitó los salones de primer grado, donde nuestros alumnos de primero fueron excelentes modelos a seguir y grandes comunicadores, mientras les leían historias en inglés. Los alumnos de primer grado están en su ...

Prefirst students are growing as readers, writers, and illustrators. This week the grade 5 students joined them to help extend their writing skills. They all enjoyed reading and writing and growing together. Prefirst is so excited to invite their parents to see how much they have grown for their presentations the week of May 6th. Christine Scharf, PYP Coordinator ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nuestros alumnos de Prefirst están creciendo como lectores, escritores e ilustradores. Esta semana, alumnos de 5° grado se reunieron con ellos para ayudarlos a desarrollar sus habilidades de escritura. Todos disfrutaron de leer, escribir y crecer juntos.  Los alumnos de Prefirst están muy emocionados de invitar a sus papás a ver cuánto han crecido, durante sus presentaciones en la semana del 6 de mayo.  Christine Scharf, PYP Coordinator

On November 17th, JFK invited two external IB Workshop leaders from the IBEN Network to provide the workshop "Extended Essay in Focus" to all of our Extended Essay supervisors.  Allison Navas who came from Peru and Leonor Álvarez from Ecuador gave the workshops in English and Spanish. These workshops allowed our supervisors to align and deepen their understanding of the Extended Essay to have better tools to support our students. The extended essay is a compulsory, externally assessed piece of independent research into a topic chosen by the student and presented as a formal piece of academic writing. It is one of the culminating experiences for the Diploma Programme. The extended essay is intended to promote high-level research and writing skills, intellectual discovery and creativity while engaging students in personal research. Students are guided through the process of research and writing by an assigned supervisor. Alejandra Galindo , IB DP-Continuum Coordinator -----...

Congratulations to our Middle School Honor Roll students for Trimester 1 success.   These students were able to maintain a 95 or above average in their MYP classes.   This is no small feat, as organization and perseverance are keys to their success.    You are achieving the extraordinary!   Camille Casses , Middle School Principal ----------------------------------------------------------------------------  Felicidades a nuestros alumnos del Cuadro de Honor de Middle School por el éxito del primer trimestre. Estos alumnos pudieron mantener un promedio de 95 o superior en sus clases del MYP. Esto no es poca cosa, ya que la organización y la perseverancia son claves para su éxito. ¡Están logrando lo extraordinario! Camille Casses , Directora de Middle School

Thank you parents for attending our MYP Coffee Talk on Thursday, Understanding the MYP Report Card.  We all learned a great deal about how to use the MYP grading system to reflect with our children, allowing them to have agency in their learning and set goals for future success.  Thank you to Miss Laura Davis , our MYP Coordinator and Instructional Coach, for guiding us all in this journey in the MYP.  Camille Casses , Middle School Principal -------------------------------------------------------- Gracias a los padres de familia por asistir a nuestro Coffee Talk del MYP el jueves, Entendiendo el boletín de calificaciones del MYP. Todos aprendimos mucho sobre cómo utilizar el sistema de calificaciones del MYP para reflexionar con nuestros hijos, permitiéndoles tener capacidad de decisión en su aprendizaje y establecer metas para el futuro éxito . Gracias a Miss Laura Davis , nuestra coordinadora del MYP y Coach de instrucción, por guiarnos a todos en el MYP. Camille C...

As an IB world school, we strive to educate open minded and knowledgeable students who can solve real world problems with empathy and intercultural understanding. Model United Nations is an educational simulation activity in which students engage in debates and discussions and address global issues from the perspective of an assigned country. MUN delegates have the opportunity to work together to find solutions to real world problems. In recent years, MUN programs have been growing in popularity in educational settings worldwide.   As advisors of the MiddleMUN Club at JFK, we can testify to the vast array of skills our students develop in MUN. We have seen  them improve their public speaking, research, negotiations and critical thinking skills dramatically, as well as their understanding of international affairs and diplomacy.   Some people think MUN Club is only for high achieving students, but in our experience throughout the years of running our MUN Club, we ha...