Eagle Eye -JMS Parent Newsletter#13
October 25 - 29, 2021 - Week 13
Happy Friday!
Jefferson Parents & Families:
We hope that your students have had a great first week of Term 2! Student grade reports for Term 1 will be coming home today (10/22). We look forward to continuing to work with your students this term and support their academic and personal growth. We are exceedingly proud of their engagement and effort during the 1st term and JMS' results on the Fall Benchmark assessments are reflective of the the exceptional work happening in our classrooms. Most importantly, we are grateful for the continued opportunity to serve your students and our community.
There is a lot happening this week so please check out the "week at a glance" schedule below for more details!
Finally, the following COVID protocol are still in place. We sincerely appreciate your support and help!
1. Students are required to wear a mask unless the student's parent or guardian notifies school administration via email or written notification requesting that their student opt-out in accordance with Executive Order No. 84.
2. We will continue to follow our reopening plan and our COVID mitigation protocols at JMS. We will continue to contact trace and will continue our efforts to socially distance students as best as possible in classrooms and common areas.
3. With regard to contract tracing, the administrative team will continue to utilize Skylert and Skyward messaging to contact students’ parents or guardians regarding their status as a close contact.
4. Due to COVID mitigation protocols school water fountains have been turned off. Please allow your student to carry a water bottle to school and, as always, water will be available during lunch periods.
We sincerely thank you for your support and we wish you 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 want to be sure you are keeping your child home if they are sick, if they have been tested or have been exposed to a positive case of Covid 19.
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 do not enter 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
Reminder: Attendance & Tardy Policies
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.
JMS Tardy to School Policy
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 4 unexcused tardies per 9 weeks. After the 4th tardy to school each 9 weeks, students will receive an after-school detention for every tardy to school received (starting with the 5th). Each 9 weeks, the tardies will start over for each student.
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.
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
Week at a Glance - October 25 - 29, 2021
Monday 25
A day
Science Data Snapshot Meetings
Environmental Club 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
SECME Room 101 2:45-3:45
Cheer Practice 3:00
Girls Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Boys Basketball Practice 5:00-7:00
Board of Education Meeting SAB 6:00
Tuesday 26
B day
Principals Meeting SAB 9:00
Instructional Coaches Meeting Eagles Nest 2:45-3:15
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
Girl Scouts Meeting Room 208 3:00-5:00
Girls Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Boys Basketball Practice 5:00-7:00
7th/8th Grade Chorus Concert JPAC 7:00
Foothills JV Tip-Off Challenge Girls JV ONLY
vs. Halls @ Eagleton 8:30 PM
Wednesday 27
A day
Cheer Practice 1:00
Wilderness Connections Backpacking Field Trip 1:15
Boys Basketball Practice 1:00-3:00
AED/Emergency Response Team Drill 1:00
Discipline Team Meeting Eagles Nest 2:00
Girls Basketball Parent Meeting
Picnic tables in front of the school 5:00
Girls Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Boys Basketball Practice 5:00-7:00
Thursday 28
B day
PTO Q & A with Administration 8:30 (Location TBD)
Social Studies Data Snapshot Meetings
Special Areas Meeting (1st Pd)
Girls Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Boys Basketball Practice 5:00-7:00
Combined 5th/6th Grade Chorus, 6th Grade Orchestra, 6th Grade Band
Costume Concert ORHS Auditorium 7:00
Friday 29
A Day
Youth for Christ Band Room 7:00 AM
Truancy Meeting SAB 10:00-12:00
Ms. Kala’s class to Home Depot 11:45-2:00
Student Council Meeting JPAC 7th period
Boys Basketball Practice 3:00-5:00
Wilderness Connections Backpacking Field Trip Return 3:30
Foothills JV Tip-Off Challenge Girls JV ONLY
vs. Union Grove @ Eagleton 4:30 PM
FREE BREAKFAST & LUNCH FOR ALL STUDENTS! October Menus
The USDA has extended FREE breakfast and lunch for ALL students this school year!
Please be sure you fill out the Free and Reduced Lunch Form that can be found in the packet of information your child received on Wednesday. We need every family to fill out one of these forms to ensure we can continue receiving USDA free breakfast/lunch for each student.
In addition, please find the October Breakfast and Lunch Menus attached below for your convenience!
PTO Direct Drive Fundraiser!!
It’s fundraising time @ JMS!
For the past 15 years, we have found that a direct donation appeal is safer and works better than any other method of fundraising. All your tax deductible donations are used to address the needs of the school which are not included in the annual school budget. This is the ONLY fundraiser that the PTO does during the school year, so please consider donating generously!
The PTO has made donating so easy with several different ways to accommodate your needs.
Checks made out to JMS PTO maybe sent with your student, mailed or dropped off at school or you may donate online using Paypal or Facebook.
More details will be sent home with your student on Monday, so look for the blue envelope!!
The homeroom with the most forms returned will receive a doughnut party!
The fundraiser runs through Friday, October 29.
Thanks for supporting JMS!
Impact Aid: Help us make sure ORS receives appropriate funding!
We need your assistance in identifying students with federal connections to ensure that ORS can obtain its fair share of funds from this program. Please complete, sign, and date the Student-Parent Survey for Federal Impact Aid (which is under your parent portal in Skyward) for each school-aged student in your household. The survey must be completed on a computer, not a cell phone. Information provided with be treated confidentially.
School Picture Proofs and Make-Up Pictures!
Counseling Corner
If your child would like to visit with their school counselor, please have them click the following link:
Counseling Corner: October Newsletter!
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
Students of the Week!!
The following students will be recognized as students of the week for displaying Respect this week!
5th:
Amari Bishop
6th:
Samantha Rieger
Maddie Erwin
7th:
Natalie Adams
Brian Gonzalez
Students may pick up their certificates in the front office on Monday morning.
Congratulations!!
The Reading Eagle - Messages from Ms. Haverkamp!
JMS Athletic Updates from Coach Bolling
The Lady Eagles JV Basketball Team begins their season tomorrow in a pre-season Tournament at Eagleton. The Lady Eagles will play on Saturday at 12:30pm against Eagleton, on Sunday at 6pm against Carpenters, on Tuesday at 8:30pm against Halls, and on Friday at 4:30pm against Union Grove.
Next Saturday, October 30th, both the boys and girls varsity teams will begin their season in a pre-season Tournament, also played at Eagleton.
The first home basketball game of the season is Monday, November 8th against Norris. Go Eagles!
PTO News!
Sign up for the JMS PTO Newsletter!
7th Grade ELA: Reading & Serving
Join us at the 2021 ORS Turkey Trot!!
For more information regarding registration and race details use this link:
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 will meet every Monday after school from 2.45-3.45pm.
SECME starts on Monday, September 13th, 2021
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/.