The Village Voice
January 2022
Principal Perspectives
By Bobbi Hoffner, Principal
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The start to 2022 has been filled with snow and cold! I hope everyone is staying warm. Can you believe the 100th day of school is next week? With the second half of the school year underway, we are excited to see the growth and progress your child is going to make over the next few months. As we complete our iReady diagnostic assessments in reading and math there are so many celebrations for our kindergarten students! Your child's teacher will share these results and what they mean soon, when all of our assessments are complete. This will allow you to see how you can help your student with their learning goals.
As we deal with snow and being stuck inside more. here are some activities you can do at home to make learning fun and encourage learning.
1. Allow your child to help you with food preparation and meals. Students can count silverware, bring you items, and even help you count when measuring. Students love to be involved and cooking and setting the table are great activities to involve your child.
2. Have students count steps in your house or wherever you go. Have them count forward, then backward.
3. Practice counting by 1’s, 2’s, 5’s and 10’s to 100.
4. If you pick a number between 1-100, can your child tell you what number will come next?
5. Let your student read to you each day. They can pretend to read or even tell you about the pictures if needed.
6. Look for letters, numbers and words they may know wherever you go!
We want ALL of our students to be successful as they move to the next level of learning. Thank you for working with us to build good habits that our kiddos will carry on.
Upcoming Dates
January 26th - Class Picture Day
January 27th - 100th Day of School
Reminders for Arrival and Dismissal
AM: 7:25 and must be in line by 7:55
PM: 2:25 - 2:55
AM: after your child exits the car, remain in line and move to the right
Take turns and pay attention to traffic flow
Have your child ready when time to get out
Please remain in your car. If you need to help your child buckle up, please move up to the buckle zone.
With over 280 cars each morning these steps will help make things run as smoothly as possible. If you are interested in having your child change to ride the bus, please call the school office at (859) 887-5358.
**If you miss the bus and need to drop your child off, you will utilize the car lane.**
**The front entrance is used for bus riders only prior to 7:55. For safety reasons we
do not allow students to enter the front doors prior to this time.**
**If you are tardy and arrive after 7:55, PLEASE be sure to park in the parking lot and not the bus lane to sign your student in.**
Teacher of the Year 2022
Submit your nominations today!
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.
***Access the online nomination form here.
Family Resource Center News
Crisis Heating Assistance Program
Bluegrass Community Action Agency begins their crisis heating assistance program on January 10, 2022. They accept applications until the funds are depleted but you must make an appointment and have a past due or disconnect notice.
They now use online appointment making. Families can go on to their Facebook page at Jessamine County Bluegrass Community Action Partnership and access the link to schedule an appointment or call the office at (859)885-3512.
Change of Clothing
All students need to have a spare set of clothing at the school in case they need to change. Please make sure that your student has 1 pair of socks, 1 pair of underwear, 1 pair of pants and 1 shirt. Thank you.
Jessamine Early Learning Village Facebook Page
Make sure you follow us on Facebook. We keep it up to date with resources and announcements we believe you will find helpful. Currently we have over 2,500 followers.
FRC Advisory Council Meetings
The FRC Advisory Council meets several times during the school year and is open to the public. The meetings are currently virtual. If you would like the link to attend a meeting please call the FRC at 859-887-0567. The upcoming meetings are January 13, February 10, March 10, April 14, and May 12.
Debbie Cumbie and Misty Jordan
FRC Team
859-887-0567
JELV After School Program - Snow Day Information
Location: Typically at Nicholasville Elementary School
Open Time Frame: 7am - 6pm
Check-In Time Frame: 7am - 8:30am only
Pick Up Time Frame: 3pm - 6pm only
Cost: $25 per day; per child
Registration Fee: $30, one time fee each school year
Payment: we accept check, money order, credit or debit card
What we provide: breakfast 8am-8:30am, lunch at 12pm, snack at 3pm & planned activities that count for NTI work (we email JELV Principal with a list of students that attended each snow day)
Registration Form: you can fill one out at Check-In the morning of or access one here: https://www.jessamine.kyschools.us/Content2/1174
Counselor's Corner
by Heather Kidd, Kayla Raney and Stephanie Taylor, JELV Guidance Counselors
We hope your break was exactly what you needed it to be, but it’s also nice to get back into a routine. We are thrilled to see all the students again and we look forward to this upcoming month. Before Christmas break students learned lots of great Social Emotional skills through our Second Step curriculum. They learned listening rules, how to talk about feelings, thinking about how other people feel, calm down strategies, and how to be caring to each other. As we start the new year they will discuss:
Managing disappointment and anger
Handling Waiting
Handling being knocked down
Problem Solving
Feel free to ask your student all about what they learn in class about these topics, the answers they give you may surprise you.
As the New Year begins many adults make New Year resolutions, but have you considered making New Year resolutions with your child? Our children can also learn a lot about self -discipline and the value of making goals. Below are some tips for helping your child benefit from resolutions:
Make It a Family Activity- each family member shares something they are proud of and something they want to improve. Make doable and meaningful family resolutions.
Different Resolutions for Different Ages
Preschool- cleaning up toys, brushing teeth, washing hands, being kind to pets, listening skills, helping skills
Kindergarten- Have your child participate in picking resolution such as drinking more milk and water, wearing a seat belt, and being friendly to all children.
Serve as a Role Model- Your child is more likely to understand the value of goal setting if you take the lead
Rewards Are Long Lasting- children love accomplishment, acknowledge the successes
If you have any questions the guidance department may be
able to answer, feel free to contact us!
Happy New Year!
Speech Tip of the Month
Children with speech and language problems may have trouble sharing their thoughts with words or gestures. They may also have a hard time saying words clearly and understanding spoken words. Reading to your child and having her name objects in a book or answer questions about the book you can strengthen her speech and language skills.
Try some of these activities:
Read the same story again and again. The repetition will help your child learn language.
Talk about events in your child's life that relate to the story. ("That bear has blue pajamas just like you do!")
Discuss the story with your child. ("Why do you think the monkey stole the key?")
Play sound games with your child. List words that rhyme ("ball," "tall") or start with the same sound ("mommy," "mix").
Ask your child questions about the story
Practice retelling the story (For kindergarten students use beginning, at least two details and an ending)
Have your child try to retell the story. Kindergarten students should be able to recall story elements (character, setting, problem, etc.)
***Adapted from Reach Out and Read****
Thank you,
Stacy Greene, Kelly Christopher, Zoe Hackney, Beth Carrier, and Sue Burris
OT Tip of the Month
Julie Wells, MS, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist
Morning Routines
Mornings can be a stressful time for families; however, a few simple steps can help turn mornings into a positive experience, setting children up for a day of success.
Pick out clothes for the next day and pack lunches and backpacks the night before.
Develop a morning routine and stick to it. Talk to your child about the routine so they know what to expect.
Start the morning off in an upbeat way with cheerful greetings.
Try not to make your child feel rushed; this is where that routine will help!
Make the morning fun! Play music, dance, make dressing into a game, etc.
Contact JELV
(859)887-5358