Eagle Eye -JMS Parent Newsletter#22
January 10 - 14, 2022 - Week 22
Happy Friday!
Jefferson Parents & Families:
We hope that your students have been able to enjoy some snow and that your families are all healthy, safe, and warm!
Due to school closures, report cards will now be distributed to students during 7th period and sent home on Tuesday, January 11. Please reach out regarding tutoring opportunities and after-school help if you feel your child could benefit from additional academic support to help them be successful in Term 3!
There is a lot happening at JMS this week including the JMS Spelling Bee, club meetings, Lego League, a Ski and Snowboarding club trip to Ober, and a home game for our basketball teams. Check out the weekly schedule and information below for more details!
We look forward to warmer temperatures and seeing your students again on Monday! As always, we thank you for your support and hope you have a great weekend!
Phil Cox, Principal, pcox@ortn.edu
Dr. Josh Tipton, Vice Principal, jctipton@ortn.edu
Nick Corrigan, Dean of Students, njcorrigan@ortn.edu
What Should I do if My Child is Sick?
In an effort to ensure all of our students and staff stay as healthy as possible, we recommend that you keep your child home if they are sick, if they have been tested or have been exposed to a positive case of Covid 19. Further, the use of voluntary face coverings by members of the school community is still encouraged for the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff.
Please see all scenarios listed below and please reach out to Mr. Corrigan at njcorrigan@ortn.edu if you have any questions!
In an effort to mitigate transmission, please keep your child(ren) home if:
- They have been tested for Covid-19
- They have been exposed to a positive case of Covid-19
- If someone in your household has tested positive for Covid-19. Additionally, notify JMS Administration as soon as possible, as Nurse Cousins is able to test (with parent permission) with results within 24 hours.
- If your child(ren) are displaying any of the following symptoms:
- Fever or Chills Temperature > 100.4 F
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- New loss of taste or smell
- Muscle or Body Aches
- Headache
- Sore Throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
Drop off/Pick Up
- Please avoid entering the bus loop when buses are present!
- Please pull your vehicle all the way up so we can keep as many cars as possible off of Fairbanks.
- Make sure your child is ready to exit the vehicle and doesn't have to access the trunk for items, as this holds up the line.
2021-2022 JMS Student Handbook
ORS Attendance Policy Reminder
We wanted to share a reminder about the attendance policy in ORS as well as the expectations held at Jefferson Middle School. The policies are outlined below. Please reach out to Mr. Nick Corrigan, Dean of Students, with any questions or concerns regarding attendance or tardies. He can be reached via email at njcorrigan@ortn.edu or by calling the school at (865) 425-9301.
ORS Attendance Policy
Attendance is a key factor in student achievement and therefore, students are expected to be present each day school is in session.
Students are expected to:
- Be present and on time for all assigned classes (skipping classes will count as unexcused absences).
- Present documentation of parental permission before checking out of school. Class absences as a result of early checkout are considered the same as any other absence and are subject to all attendance policy rules.
- Provide a written excuse for each absence from his/her parent or custodial parent giving the date and reason for the absence(s).
- Make up assigned work missed during excused absences
Excused Absences
Students must be in school unless the absence has been excused for one of the reasons listed below. It is the responsibility of each student’s parent/guardian to explain the student’s absence to the school in a manner satisfactory to the principal. Absences may be classified as either excused or unexcused as determined by the principal or his/her designee. Absences will only be excused for the following reasons:
- Personal illness
- Only seven days, whether consecutive or not can be excused by a parent note;
- After a child has had (7) days, not necessarily consecutive, of illness related absences excused by a parent note, any future illness related absence must have a doctor’s note stating that the absence is medically necessary.
- All parent and doctor notes must be turned into the school within three school days of the child returning to school.
- Death in the family
- Religious observations
- Extreme weather conditions
- Court appearance or legal mandates
- Verifiable family emergency
- School sponsored events
- Principal has discretion to excuse absences based on the following:
- The absence must be prearranged
- The absence must not have an adverse effect on the child’s academic standing
- The child must have a good attendance history
- The child must have a good behavior record
- The Director of Schools must agree
JMS Tardy Policy Update & Reminder
JMS Tardy to School Policy – UPDATED FOR TERMS 3 and 4
Students arriving to school after 7:40am must check in through the Main Office. Student tardies will be marked unexcused unless a note is received within three days from a parent or physician stating an acceptable excuse for being tardy. Students are allotted 7 unexcused tardies per 9 weeks. On a student’s fifth unexcused tardy to school each 9 weeks, students will receive a written warning documented in Skyward requiring a parent signature. After the 7th tardy to school each 9 weeks, students will receive an after-school detention for every tardy to school received (starting with the 8th). The tardies to school will start over for students each nine week term.
Please remember that student drop off begins at 7am each morning. The school day begins at 7:40am. We encourage students to be on campus 5-10 minutes early to ensure they are in class on time.
JMS Tardy to Individual Class Policy
Teacher will contact parent and submits Student Support Document on 3rd tardy to class. After 3rd tardy to class, teacher will submit a Skyward referral.
Week at a Glance - January 10 - 14, 2022
Monday 10
B day
PTO Meeting Virtual 7:45
Data Snapshot Meetings - Science
Environmental Club Meeting 2:45-5:00
Atomic Eagles Meeting Science Wing 2:45-4:30
Master Builders Meeting Room 102 2:45-4:30
RadioActive Brix Meeting Room 223 2:45-4:30
Chess Club Meeting Library 2:45-3:45
Basketball Game vs. Jacksboro @ JMS
Girls JV 5:00
Girls Varsity 6:00
Boys Varsity 7:00
Board of Education Meeting SAB 6:00
Tuesday 11
A day
Data Snapshot Meetings - Social Studies
Report Cards Distributed in 7th Period
Girl Scouts Meeting Room 208 3:00-5:00
Atomic Eagles Meeting Science Wing 2:45-4:30
Master Builders Meeting Room 102 2:45-4:30
RadioActive Brix Meeting Room 223 2:45-4:30
Girls Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Boys Basketball Practice 5:00-7:00
Wednesday 12
B day
Spelling Bee JPAC
SLT Meeting Eagle’s Nest 1:00 via TEAMS
Staff Meeting Library 2:00 via TEAMS
Ski and Snowboarding Club to Ober 12:45-8:45
Girls Basketball Practice 1:00-3:00
Boys Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Thursday 13
A day
Special Areas Meeting via TEAMS
Data Snapshot Meetings - Math
Basketball Game vs. Harriman @ Harriman High School
Girls JV 5:30
Girls Varsity 6:30
Boys Varsity 7:30
Friday 14
B Day
Youth for Christ Band Room 7:00 AM
Data Snapshot Meetings - ELA
Truancy Referrals due
Ms. Kala’s class to Army Recruiter 11:45
Girls Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Boys Basketball Practice 5:00-7:00
Saturday 15
Lego League Atomic City Invitational @ JMS 9:00-4:00
FREE BREAKFAST & LUNCH FOR ALL STUDENTS! January Menus
The USDA has extended FREE breakfast and lunch for ALL students this school year!
Please find the January Breakfast and Lunch Menus attached below for your convenience!
JMS Spelling Bee this Week!
The 2022 Qualifiers, who indicated they will participate, have been notified and given the Scripps National Local Spelling Bee List. Please encourage your Qualifier to study the list and show great effort in this year’s Bee.
At this time, with all precautions in place, we cannot allow parents/guardians or audience members to observe this event during the school day. We will announce the winner by the end of the Bee on January 12.
TNReady Testing Calendar & Informational Update
Jefferson Middle School Counseling Connection: January Newsletter
Counseling Corner
If your child would like to visit with their school counselor, please have them click the following link:
If you have a School Counseling need, please reach out to:
- Ms. Cormack - 5th & 7th Grade Counselor - khcormack@ortn.edu
- Ms. Price - 6th & 8th Grade Counselor - clprice@ortn.edu
- Ms. Myers - Registrar - amyers@ortn.edu
PreACT Reports Information
Junior Achievement Virtual Career Fair Opportunity!
Check out this awesome opportunity for students! (Guide attached)
This information was shared with our teachers recently, but we wanted to parents/guardians aware of a great college and career opportunity for our students!
Students who have an idea of what they want to do after high school, based on their self-awareness and exposure to business opportunities, are much more likely to take relevant courses, stay in school, and graduate. Junior Achievement has created a virtual career fair for students with corresponding sessions for teachers. Consider sharing some of the resources in the attached guide with your students!
Students will login with their school email to access the different career options. Our hope is that after exposure to these resources they will be excited about their future, have a better understanding of their potential, a plan for postsecondary education, and a clearer pathway to a career.
Virtual Fair Link for Students: https://jaetinspire.vfairs.com/
Student Guide: JAET_JA_Inspire_Virtual_MS-SG by JA East Tennessee - Flipsnack
Students of the Week!!
During the month of January, JMS teachers will be recognizing students who display Perseverance! Due to the abbreviated school week following our return from winter break; however, student of the week nominations will resume this week!
JMS Athletic Updates from Coach Bolling
The Jefferson basketball teams will compete in the second of the City Championship basketball games on Saturday against Robertsville. The games will be played in the Wildcat Arena at Oak Ridge High School. The girls JV game will begin at 1pm, followed by girls varsity at 2:15pm and boys varsity at 3:30pm. Admission for adults is $4 and admission for students is $3.
On Monday, Jefferson will host Jacksboro. Girls JV will tip-off at 5pm, followed by girls varsity at 6pm and boys varsity at 7pm.
On Thursday, Jefferson will travel to Harriman High School to take on Harriman Middle School. Boys JV will begin at 5:30pm, followed by girls varsity at 6:30pm and boys varsity at 7:30pm.
Go Eagles!
Human Sexuality Presentation Info:
During PE this week, all 6th and 8th grade students will receive passive permission slips for the Human Sexuality presentations on February 7th and February 8th. Please return the permission slip to your child’s PE teacher if you do not want your child to participate in the program.
Updated JMS Basketball Schedule!
PTO News!
Sign up for the JMS PTO Newsletter!
SECME Diversity in STEM Education
SECME mission is to increase the pool of historically underrepresented and underserved students who will be prepared to enter and complete post-secondary studies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), thus creating a diverse and globally competitive workforce. Does this sound like the opportunity you want, are you wanting to learn about careers in STEM, do you want to further your education after high school. Would you like to learn about diversity, and culture? If the answer is yes, SECME is for you. Come pick up a parent permission form from Ms. Kala in room 101. SECME meets every Monday after school from 2.45-3.45pm.
Upcoming ORS Events!
First Student Transportation - Bus Information
Thank you for your patience and communication during our first week back! Please be sure to discuss your child's method of transportation each day to ensure they know where they are to go at dismissal.
First Student Transportation has posted 2021-2022 Bus Routes and you can find them here:
https://www.ortn.edu/Transportation/2021_Revised_JMS_Bus_Routes.pdf
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Ms. Laurendine at jllaurendine@ortn.edu or Ms. Myers at amyers@ortn.edu.
SIGN UP FOR MYSTOP - BUS TRACKING APP!
Once you are registered for transportation, you will be able to track your child's bus using the app information detailed below. Please see information on how to register for MyStop below.
MyStop - Parent/Student Login
- Username: (use student’s name - case sensitive) firstname.lastname
- Password: (use student birth date) in this format 03122007 for March 12, 2007
MyStop Phone App Available In Your App Store
Go to: Versatrans My Stop™ provides mobile access to bus information. This app displays the location of the user’s assigned school bus, as well as the estimated time of arrival to their stop. Students can plan for late or on-time arrival, and prevent missed pick-ups or being left outside in inclement weather.
Can’t Access the MyStop App?
If you are having difficulty accessing the MyStop App please take the following steps:
- Please confirm the following:
- You have downloaded the App from Tyler Technologies.
- You are using the legal student name as listed in Skyward.
- You have selected all lower case letters.
- You have placed a period between the first and last name.
- The birthdate is correct and only consist of 8 numbers.
If this information doesn’t allow you to successfully download your child’s MyStop App account, please contact Amy Myers at 865.425.9302 or email amyers@ortn.edu. You can also view more information on the ORS District website at https://www.ortn.edu/district/bus-routes/.