JMS Weekly Update
March 27, 2022
Dear JMS Families,
At JMS, we begin everyday with a reminder that Change Begins With Just One! This week, we would like to recognize some students who are working to make JMS (and this world) a better place. May they be an inspiration to all of us! You can read more about them in the Change Begins With Just One! section in this week's update.
This week's Update contains information about the following:
- PSSA Dates - Update!
- Pupil Attitudes to Self and School (PASS) Survey
Please complete this FORM if anyone in your family has tested positive for COVID-19 or has been experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. We want to keep the children here and we want to keep them safe. This information is critical to the safety of the students and staff at JMS.
Take Care,
Dr. Sarah Shaw, Principal
Ms. Katelyn Deet, Assistant Principal
Weekly Schedule
Tuesday - Day 2
Wednesday - Day 3
Thursday - Day 4
Friday - Day 5
Monday (4/4)
Change Begins with Just One!
At JMS, we begin everyday with a reminder that Change Begins With Just One! This week, we would like to recognize some students who are working to make JMS (and this world) a better place. May they be an inspiration to all of us!
JMS Student Recognized for Writing Children's Book
After a Mikayla’s Voice inclusion assembly at Hoover Elementary School, Holden Frye was inspired to write a children’s fiction book about the non-profit’s logo, a ladybug with one yellow spot.
Change begins with just one! Thank you Holden!
Read More: https://www.mtlsd.org/about-us/district-news
Mitansiky was one of two students selected for this award based on his essay submission. He will receive a $1,200 scholarship for an all-expense-paid admission to Luminari’s I Want to be an Ambassador! Camp this summer!
Change begins with just one! Congratulations Mitansiky!
Sophia has a plan to make the world a better place. In partnership with our GOA club, Sophia worked to organize World Down Syndrome Day at JMS to raise awareness for people with Down Syndrome. Sophia wrote special informational messages for our morning announcements leading up to March 21st and encouraged the student body to wear mismatched socks and blue and gold.
Change begins with just one! Thank you Sophia!
"Launch into Leadership" JMS Student Council Delegates Present at Regional Conference
Thirty-nine JMS Student Council members attended the PASC Spring Regional Leadership Conference, entitled "Launch into Leadership." This event was hosted by West Mifflin School District on Friday, March 18. The student delegates spent the day networking with student council members from all over Allegheny, Washington, and Greene Counties. They also attended student-led leadership workshops and had the opportunity to experience an excellent motivational speaker, Kent Julian.
We are exceptionally proud of the eight delegates who attended as workshop presenters, stepping forward to put in hours of application, preparation, and rehearsal time to be ready for their time to shine. The following were workshop presenters:
- Kimmy Naylor & Jackie Tang taught students to recognize their similarities and celebrate their differences in their workshop on Diversity.
- Grace Prendergast & Bailey Ridge presented a workshop on Public Speaking using a creative Shark Tank theme.
- Madelaine Whalen & Scarlett Sweeney taught five important tips for Time Management.
- Megan Greenfield & Maya Fox taught methods of collaboration in their workshop on Team Building.
Change begins with just....eight! Congratulations Kimmy, Jackie, Grace, Baily, Madelaine, Scarlett, Megan and Maya!
JMS Eighth-Grader Maddie Knowles Wins Scholastic Art Awards
Eighth-grader Maddie Knowles won three Scholastic Art Awards for the three art pieces that she submitted to this year's competition! Maddie was awarded a Gold Key, the highest award, for her Indispensable gif digital art submission and honorable mentions for her drawing A Boy named Billy and painting Adventurous Eyes. Maddie was honored at the awards ceremony at Seneca Valley High School on March 19, and her work was a part of the Scholastic Art Awards regional exhibition. Congratulations Maddie on this outstanding achievement!
Change begins with just one! Thank you Maddie for making the world a more beautiful place!
JMS Save the Children - Fundraiser for Ukraine - 3/29
The new JMS United club of 6th graders at JMS and the tech education students at JMS and Mellon are selling items to support the kids of Ukraine on Tuesday, March 29 from 3-4pm outside the JMS entrance.
Don't forget to get your special t-shirt by March 30 with the Ukrainian flag! Here's the link: https://shieldsembroidery.tuosystems.com/stores/mtlstc22
100% of all proceeds go to Save the Children - Ukraine.
New News
PSSA/Keystone Testing Schedule
The district will be administering the PSSAs and the Keystones this year. The results we achieve on these exams provide us with valuable information that can be used to assess our students knowledge of grade level standards, our teaching, and our educational programing.
Our testing schedule for the Spring of 2022 is as follows:
- *April 25-27 - English Language Arts (ELA) PSSA - Grades 6-8*
- May 2 & 3 - Math PSSA - Grades 6-8
- May 4 & 5 - Science PSSA - Grade 8 only
- Keystone Algebra 1 - May 23 & 24 - Grade 8 only
Please understand that during the testing window, pre-approved absences will not be approved.
Pupil Attitudes to Self and School (PASS) Survey - 3/31
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) has been a focus of the District for several years, and is especially important as we continue to recover from the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of our ongoing search for tools and resources to support students and their families, we have determined the need for an SEL assessment to guide our efforts.
Your student’s participation in a brief survey will assist us in uncovering and addressing the social and emotional well-being of our students. Therefore, we are asking that all students enrolled in our school complete the Pupil Attitudes to Self and School (PASS) survey. Please be assured that student confidentiality will be strictly protected.
PASS provides teachers with highly reliable and valid information into how students feel about themselves as a learner and how they feel about school. Research backed and standardized, PASS allows schools to detect possible barriers to student learning, including issues around confidence, resilience, motivation, and concentration. The PASS survey will allow our school to proactively address non-academic barriers to learning, which can compromise the wellbeing and academic success of our students.
The survey questions for Grades 2-12 are available for your review. We plan to administer the survey on March 31. If you wish to not have your child participate, please inform your child’s guidance counselor (pberg@mtlsd.net, alevison@mtlsd.net).
Other Information
With the weather getting nicer, and more students walking to school we wanted to remind you how to cross the streets safely. Please look at these maps and review these safe walking routes with your child.
- Students SHOULD NOT be crossing at the corner of Bower Hill and Ruth.
- Students SHOULD walk to the crosswalk and cross at Linda Lane and Ruth.
- Students SHOULD NOT be crossing at the corner Moffett and Pin Oak.
- Students SHOULD walk to the crosswalk and cross Moffett in the crosswalk.
Technology
Families In Need of Technology
As we prepare to start the 2021-2022 school year, we are asking families who need to borrow student technology to please complete the form linked below:
Be sure to list every student for whom you need to borrow a device on this form. Once you have submitted your form, you will receive status emails including device pickup details from an @mtlsd.net email address. Please also be sure to whitelist @mtlsd.net email addresses with your email provider to ensure that you receive these communications from us.
Please direct any and all questions regarding loaned equipment to our support address: RemoteSupport@mtlsd.net
Athletics
Middle School Athletics
You can learn everything you need to know about Middle School Athletics, including starting dates, by visiting the MS Athletics Webpage.
JMS PTA Information
SHOPPER & SCHOOL REWARD PROGRAMS
Amazon
If you haven’t used AmazonSmile Before:
- Go to smile.amazon.com and sign in with your regular Amazon username and password.
- You will be prompted to choose a charity. You should enter "Jefferson Middle School PTA Inc” into the search box that appears. It will say "Pittsburgh, PA" as the location for the charity.
- Make sure whenever you check out, you always go to smile.amazon.com on your browser.
If you already use AmazonSmile:
- Go to smile.amazon.com and sign in with your username and password
- Make sure the charity you’ve selected is "Jefferson Middle School PTA Inc." This information is located under the search bar where it says “supporting”.
- If it isn’t, you can change it by clicking on the charity and selecting “change”
- This will bring you to a page where you can search for “Jefferson Middle School PTA Inc” and allow you to switch charities.
Make sure whenever you check out, you always go to smile.amazon.com to checkout.
If you shop on the Amazon app. Please activate Amazon Smile on your mobile app by opening the app and finding ’Settings’ in the main menu (☰). Tap on ‘AmazonSmile’ and follow the on-screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile on your phone.
Box Tops
Scanning Box Tops is an easy way to earn money for our school. See Box Tops for more information on how to scan Box Tops and to download the app. Receipts must be scanned within 14 days for the Box Tops to be scanned electronically.
Office Depot/Office Max
Office Depot/Office Max has a school rewards program. When shopping, remember to ask the cashier to tag Jefferson Middle School. For online orders, enter our school ID (Thomas Jefferson Middle School ID:70088453 Pittsburgh, PA) on the Thank You Confirmation page.
Resources For Families
The MTLSD School Counselors in partnership with The Allegheny Children's Initiative Inc., have compiled a list of social services resources that may be helpful to you and your family. Please take a look and reach out to these organizations. They are here to help with any of the following:
- Food
- Rent/Mortgage
- Utilities
- Pets
- Abuse
- Mental Health
- General Assistance
Safe2Say Something is a youth violence prevention program run by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. The program teaches youth and adults how to recognize warning signs and signals, especially within social media, from individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and to “say something” BEFORE it is too late. With Safe2Say Something, it’s easy and confidential to report safety concerns to help prevent violence and tragedies.
Here’s how it works:
- Submit a report through the Safe2SaySomething system
- Crisis center reviews, assesses and processes all submissions
- Crisis center sends all submissions to school administration and/or law enforcement for intervention
- If needed, crisis center may contact tipster anonymously through the app
Jefferson Middle School
The Jefferson Middle School learning community has an exceptional reputation for its dedicated teachers, staff and parents working together to provide learning experiences for our children that include high expectations, a challenging curriculum and a shared commitment to provide the best education possible for each and every student.
Email: sshaw@mtlsd.net
Website: https://jms.mtlsd.org/
Location: 21 Moffett Street, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Phone: (412) 344-2120
Facebook: facebook.com/jmslebo
Twitter: @JMSMTLSD