John Adams Middle School
January 2019
Welcome to 2019
John Adams is proud of our Students of the Month!
Update Skyward Information
John Adams Students Support Community Organizations
One John Adams Middle School advisory class was learning about altruism just before the winter break. As they learned, the idea was brought forth to raise items and money for a few local organizations. The class raised over 700 pop tabs, more than 100 items, and $85 that they donated to the Ronald McDonald House of Rochester, Minnesota, Inc and Paws and Claws (PCHSRochester). They then had the opportunity to tour the organizations after they personally delivered their donations. A heart warming story on this chilly MN day!
Vaping Presentations for Students
On January 9th or 10th the students will be attending an assembly. Renae Tapia, the Olmsted County Public Health Nurse, will be presenting on vaping to all JA the students.
Vaping is a rising issue in schools across the nation. A recent study indicated as high as 50% of middle school students have tried vaping. Please talk with your child about the risks of vaping. For more information please click on the attached links.
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-vaping-health-risks-for-
Donations Welcome!
The JA closet is available for students who need clothing and toiletry items. Items needed for the closest include athletic wear particularly men sizes small, medium, and large, men’s snow boots (hiking or sledding) sizes 8.5 to 10.5, new underwear, leggings, laundry detergent, brushes, hair pics, and cloth headbands. Please bring the items to the office.
The Rochester Public School's Licensed School Nurses will be providing vision screenings for the following John Adams students on Tuesday, January, 22, 2019
- All 7th grade students
- Students in grades 6th and 8th who do not have a screening on file with Rochester Public Schools
- Students that have failed their previous screening
Students may also be referred by the parent/guardian or staff members to rule out a vision concern. Vision health is critical to the learning process and the RPS nursing staff strongly encourages students to participate in the screening. If you wish to decline the screening, please contact Leah Bancroft, RN LSN / Marni Shelley, RN at 507-328-5720 or e-mail to lebancroft@rochester.k12.mn.us by January 11, 2019. Please indicate your student’s name and grade.
Following the screening, parents/guardians will only be contacted by nursing staff if a recommendation is made for further evaluation by a professional eye doctor.
Cell Phones at John Adams
~Cell phones will be kept in your locker during classtime (or at home!).
Recent studies have shown that the distraction of electronics in the classroom, like phones and laptops, for non-classroom purposes can lower students’ scores on exams up to half a letter grade.
~Having a cellphone at school for lunch and before and after school is a privilege. If a student brings a phone to class or uses their phone inappropriately these are the steps that are taken. Administration does reserve the right to accelerate these steps
1. Teacher holds phone for the remainder of the hour
2. Teacher secures phone in the office for the remainder of the day
3. Teacher secures phone in the office for the remainder of the day – parent picks up
4. Teacher secures phone in the office for the remainder of the day – parent picks up – phone privileges revoked
John Adams PTSA - January
Meetings and Speakers
The next PTSA meeting will be Thursday, January 17th in the auditorium at 6:00 p.m. The eighth grade counselors and teachers will be presenting on the transition to ninth grade. Students will be registering for classes for ninth grade in January. This meeting is a wonderful opportunity for parents to ask questions about the transition process and preparing for high school.
Noodles Welcomes JA
Noodles (north location) is sponsoring a fundraiser for JA on Thursday, January 10th from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. The school will earn 25% of the sales from the fundraiser. Please mention JA when checking out at Noodles.
Fundraisers
The PTSA has great ways to give back to John Adams this year! Please read below to find out how to help support the students and staff at JA.
1. Please continue your support for JA students and teachers by giving to the on-line donation drive through the gofundme page. Any amount is greatly appreciated. Some of the things the PTSA paid for last year was student field trips, rewards for the student and staff PAW store (PBIS), staff appreciation days, student attendance rewards, end of the year celebration for all grades, and 8th grade end of the year pizza party. In addition, this year the PTSA is striving to raise funds for another gaga ball pit, backboards and nets for the basketball court, and picnic tables. Click on the below link to donate to the JA PTSA gofundme page.
https://www.gofundme.com/john-adams-middle-school-ptsa
2. The PTSA has signed up for Amazon Smile. While shopping on Amazon, please follow the below directions for JA PTSA to receive 0.5% from the purchases you make on Amazon. All proceeds earned will help support the JA students and staff.
1. Go to smile.amazon.com and sign in with your Amazon account.
2. At the top of the Amazon page choose: John Adams Middle School PTSA as your charity of choice.
3. Make sure to bookmark smile.amazon.com and use it for all of your Amazon shopping (including Prime).
Pick Up and Drop Off at John Adams
Student pick-up and drop-off are two very busy times of day at John Adams! In order to keep all families safe (and to limit frustration), please follow these procedures from 7:15-7:40 and 2:10-until all busses are gone.
- Doors open at 7:25 a.m. No supervision is present until 7:25 AM. Students wait in the entrance or outside until 7:25 a.m. Students then enter the building and go to their lockers, pick up their breakfast available through SNS, and go to their classrooms. All students should be in their first hour classroom by 7:40. Students are counted absent if they are not in their classroom seats at 7:40 AM.
- The main circle / turn around near the main entrance is reserved for buses ONLY before/after school.
- If you drive your child to John Adams, refer to the diagram (below) to understand expected traffic patterns. Cars entering/dropping off students should enter the parking lot on the east side of the building in the entrance only and let students out at the curb side of the parking lot next to the building. Traffic in front of John Adams should drop students off on the curb side so students do not have to cross the lanes of traffic.
- Handicap parking is available in the front of the John Adams parking lot.
- When waiting for your child after school, please be aware that other cars are arriving and leaving behind you.
- CAUTION. While we work to get all students to use crosswalks, this does not always happen. Be alert to students who may be crossing outside of crosswalks!
- Students are dismissed at 2:30. Students waiting for a ride should be picked up no later than 2:45 PM. Students not enrolled in an after school program will need to leave the building by 2:45 PM.
Choir Concert for 6th, 7th, and 8th Grades
6:00 – 6:20 p.m. 6th Grade Choir Concert
6:40 – 7:00 p.m. 7th Grade Choir Concert
7:20 – 7:40 p.m. 8th Grade Choir Concert
Tuesday, Jan 8, 2019, 06:00 PM
John Adams Middle School, Rochester, MN, USA
Noodles Fundraiser for PTSA
Thursday, Jan 10, 2019, 04:00 PM
Noodles and Company, Marketplace Drive Northwest, Rochester, MN, USA
Future Rocket Night
· All 8th graders attending John Marshall High School for the 2019-2020 school year are invited to 8th Grade Rocket Night on Monday, January 14th from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. in the auditorium at JM. They will be discussing registration, classes, graduation requirements, activities, and athletics. There will be opportunities to visit and ask questions with the counselors, teachers, and administrators from JM. Registration forms can be turned in at this time. All registration forms are officially due on January 16th if you are unable to attend 8th Grade Rocket Night, they can be returned to the students’ math teachers.