March 20th-24th- Book Fair

March 21st- PTF meeting 5:15pm, Book Fair and Projects at JNES from 5:30 until 7 (come and go)

March 21st- World Down Syndrome Day- wear mix matched socks

March 27th- 31st- Spring Break

April 4th, 5th, 11th and 12th- ACAP Testing for all 2nd and 3rd graders- Please make sure your child is present and on time for these testing dates.

Our tardy bell rings at 7:45 am each day. Your child needs to be in the building prior to this time! Students who are consistently late, even if it is a few minutes, are still missing valuable class time.

Big News for JNES!!!!! Make sure to come this week and visit our Scholastic Book Fair. Parents, grands, family, and friends are all welcome to come during their child's assigned library time and take a walk through the Book Fair! We will also have our Book Fair open Tuesday night from 5:30-7:00pm after our PTF meeting. Make sure to make plans to stop by!!

On March 21st, we also invite you into the classroom! Following the PTF meeting, students will be able to take you to their classrooms and share with you the learning in the classroom. Teachers and students have worked very hard in preparing this showcase for friends and families so we strongly encourage your attendance. Each student has played a part in their collaborative projects and is eager to show off their work. The class with the most visitors will be rewarded with a popcorn party. We hope that you will support our teachers and students by making plans to attend.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION for the 2023-2024 school year is NOW OPEN! Registration runs from March 20-April 28. Information and details regarding eligibility, required documentation, registration process, and more can all be found online at acs-k12.org/kindergarten. Computers, assistance, and assistance in Spanish will be available at the ACS Central Office on Mondays - Fridays from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm. For more information, visit acs-k12.org/kindergarten.

YA ESTÁ abierta la inscripción para kindergarten para el año escolar 2023-2024. La inscripción es del 20 de marzo al 28 de abril. La información y los detalles sobre la elegibilidad, la documentación requerida, el proceso de registro y más se pueden encontrar en línea en acs-k12.org/kindergarten. Las computadoras, la asistencia y la asistencia en español están disponibles en la oficina central de ACS. De lunes a viernes de 8:30 am a 3:30 pm. Para más información visite acs-k12.org/kindergarten.

Last week we had a reading challenge for the student who read the most books during Read Across JNES Week. Congratulations to the following students for being recognized as the Top Reader in each grade level!

2nd- Parker Hawks

Kindergarten- Mac Clem

1st- Charlie Jones

3rd- Charlee Herrera

Dear Parents,

The week after Spring Break, students in second and third grade will be administered the Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP) in reading and math. This test is required by the state of Alabama and is designed to provide information about what students know in core academic areas.

The testing schedule is shown below. It is important that you have your child at school on time. If for some reason your child arrives at school during the testing times for their class, they will wait in the office until the test is completed and then will be scheduled for a make-up session. Please ensure that your child does not bring any electronic devices (cell phones, ipods, Apple watch, etc.) to school during this time.

As a parent, you can help your child be prepared to do his/her best on the assessment by doing the following:

• Have your child at school BEFORE 7:45 am each day.

• Do not check your child out of school or schedule appointments during your child’s testing. Third grade will test at 8:15 am. Second grade will test at 10:00 am.

• Avoid stressful situations at home.

• See that your child gets a good night’s sleep.

Testing Schedule for 2nd and 3rd grade:

Tuesday, April 4

Wednesday, April 5

Thursday, April 6

Tuesday, April 11

Wednesday, April 12

Thursday, April 13

Kindergarten Registration for the 2023-2024 school year opens soon! Information and details regarding eligibility, required documentation, registration process, and more can all be found online at acs-k12.org/kindergarten. For more information, visit acs-k12.org/kindergarten.

As our community is growing, ACS is making plans and preparations for the anticipated increase in enrollment at all of our schools.

We just recently completed the construction of our new iAcademy at Athens Elementary. This $19 million dollar school, located at 515 N. Madison Street, encompasses 66,000 square feet and can accommodate up to 600 students. Our students have had a great start to the second semester in their new "home".

Our next focus will be to add classroom space to HEART Academy at Julian Newman Elementary. Our HEART family will be moving into the Clinton Street campus at the end of the school year. ACS is currently working with architects on a plan for the renovation that will house 700-750 students. Check out the preliminary drawings of the renovated HEART at JNES below.

Other future plans include:

• Adding additional classrooms to increase capacity at Athens Intermediate School (4th-5th grade).
  

• A new building will be needed in the future for our Athens Renaissance School as they grow and expand their offerings.

• An additional elementary school in the eastern portion of the district will be needed in the future.

  
  

It’s a busy and exciting time for our community. Stay tuned for updates!

Athens High School Golden Eagle Band presents the inaugural "Miss Spirit of Athens" Pageant. This pageant will be held on Saturday, April 8, in the Athens Middle School auditorium. Categories for ages birth - 12th grade. Learn more and sign up at acs-k12.org/pageant. If you have any questions, please email Tyler.Parker@acs-k12.org.

Never miss a weather alert, school closing or important update. Download the ACS mobile app to stay connected at all times. Use the app to can check calendars, lunch menus, and receive "push" notifications about school events and weather emergencies. Download the free app today at the App Store for iPhones or Google Play for Android devices. Search "Athens City School System."

Be sure to allow alerts, pushes and banners in your phone settings under "notifications" to properly receive notifications. In the app settings, please select the schools from which you wish to receive updates. Contact our office with any questions. 256.233.6600.

Email: sharla.birdsong@acs-k12.org
Website: https://www.acs-k12.org/Domain/10
Location: 517 Julian Newman Drive, Athens, AL, United States
Phone: 256-233-6630
Facebook: facebook.com/juliannewmanelementary.com
Twitter: @jneelem