This month has been filled with snow and ice. We are definitely missing the routine of five days a week, but we are glad that we have district leaders who consider student, staff, and family safety when making weather related decisions. If you have questions or concerns about NTI, please reach out and let us know how we can support. This year, we are hosting Breakfast Club after NTI days to ensure that students have the support they need to complete all parts of their daily expectations when they are not learning in-person.

We are so proud of students for completing the mid-year iReady diagnostic assessments in reading and math...even with various interruptions, students persevered and proudly worked toward their goals. We have celebrated growth with each grade level. We will continue working in iReady to build our reading and math skills and will keep reaching for our end of the year goals. Please encourage your student to access their "My Path" resources in iReady at home, especially on NTI days. Find the iReady Family Connections section below to learn more about how to interpret your child's scores.

We appreciate your continued support! Let us know how we can support your family in the upcoming weeks and months.

Continue reading this month's edition of the Bear Cub Bulletin to learn more about family events and upcoming opportunities to connect with our school.

Email: monica.thompson@jessamine.kyschools.us

Phone: (859)858-3134

Our staff works hard everyday to meet the needs (academic, behavior, social, emotional, and physical) of students. If I could, I would nominate each person in our building for the Jessamine County Teacher of the Year award for their compassion, talent, and dedication to students and families.

Here are some additional details about the Teacher of the Year nomination process:

Jessamine County Schools is proud to sponsor school level Teacher of the Year and district level Excellence in Education Awards. As a result of this process a Teacher of the Year will selected by each school and a district selection committee will then begin the process of identifying one Excellence in Education winner in each school category, elementary, middle, and high. Teacher of the Year and Excellence in Education winners will be recognized at the Jessamine County Schools Opening Day activities. The Excellence in Education winners will have their names submitted as nominees for Kentucky Teacher of the Year for 2022.

Nominations must be completed by Friday, January 28, 2022 at 5pm.

I would encourage you and your family to nominate a stand-out teacher/staff member to recognize as the 2021-2022 Teacher of the Year.

Here is the form to submit your nomination.

We are excited to wrap up our winter round of iReady testing this week! This winter diagnostic is always exciting as we take time to celebrate the growth that each child has made but also see the opportunity for even more growth over the next few months. Next week, each child will bring home an iReady family report that has their scores in winter reading and math. Please take 4 minutes to watch this Family Video so you have a solid understanding of what the iReady diagnostic is, what the results mean, and what you can do to help your child meet their learning goals. For more information specific to your child, we invite you to reach out to their teacher via Dojo or email and set up a phone call or parent conference!

• SBDM January Meeting (Wednesday, February 2nd at 3:15 in the library)
• Please complete the PBIS Family Perception Survey so we can continue building a welcoming space for families
• Family Math Night (Monday, February 7th from 5:30-7:00)
• PTO Meeting (Wednesday, February 16th at 3:15 in the library)

Don't forget to bring your ID inside school with you when you need to pick up a student. In the future, when volunteers and visitors are invited back into the building with students, we will require your ID then as well. We are using Raptor Technologies as part of our JCS safety protocols. This protocol is in place every day, so we will ask for your ID every time that you visit the school.

If your student gets the Covid-19 vaccine, a copy of the vaccination card needs to be sent to the school nurse as soon as possible. Upon receiving the Covid-19 vaccine, it is important to remember that the student is not considered FULLY vaccinated until 2 weeks after the second shot!

Still needing support with navigating Dojo? Check out these resources for families:

Dojo Resources for Parents/Guardians

How Students Post on their Portfolio for Families to See

Check out your child's daily, weekly, and monthly positive point and re-direction points.

20 Fun Learning Activities for Kids to Enjoy at Home

Benefits of Cooking at Home and Inviting Your Kids to Help