Parent Newsletter
April 29th - May 3rd
Save the Date! Spring Open House is May 23rd
Post Mid Term
- A Look at the Week Ahead
- Finish the Nine Weeks Strong
- Avoiding the Summer Slide
- Connecting 21st Century skills to Education: Communication
- Afternoon pick up routines
- Understanding Canvas, OneNote and Skwyard
- Counselors Corner
Thank you for all that you do to support JMS,
Phil Cox, Principal
Chris Layton, Vice Principal
Jenifer Laurendine, Dean of Students
Finishing the Year Strong
A Look at the Week Ahead
Monday-29
B day
Yearbooks on sale before school in the school store $15
TNReady Math Subpart 1, 2, and 3
Environmental Club 2:45-4:00
Track Practice 2:45-4:30
Area 2 Track Meet-5:00 at Campbell County High School
Tuesday-30
A day
Yearbooks on sale before school in the school store $15
TNReady Social Studies Subpart 1 and 2 (6-8 grades)
Library Club 2:45-3:30
Homework help for 7th/8th graders 2:45-3:30-Room 301 (Hondorf)
Wednesday-1
B day
Yearbooks on sale before school in the school store $15
FCA 7:15-JPAC
TNReady Science (online; remind student to bring charged laptop)
Wilderness Connections Fieldtrip-1:00 Big South Fork
Track Practice 12:45-2:30
5th/6th Grade Orchestra Rehearsal @ RMS
5th grade 1:30—6th grade 2:15
Thursday-2
A day
Boys Basketball Interest Meeting 7:15 AM-JPAC
TNReady Make-ups
Math Club 2:45-4:00-Room 203 (Tracey)
Track Practice 2:45-4:30
Friday-3
B day
TNReady Make-ups
Youth for Christ 7:00-JPAC
Track Practice 2:45-4:30
7th/8th Grade Band to Music in the Parks
Kings Island 1:00 Return on 5/4 @ 11:30 PM
Wilderness Connections return from Fieldtrip-3:30
Saturday-4
5th/6th Grade Orchestra to Music Showcase Festival
South Doyle HS then to Dollywood
Thank you TN Bank for your help and support
PTO News
Next PTO Meeting: Plan to attend the next PTO meeting on Tuesday, May 7 at 7:40am. Meetings are kept short and are conveniently scheduled immediately after drop-off so anyone can attend. Come and learn about what the JMS PTO is planning for the rest of the year!
Final Teacher Luncheon Coming Up: Our final teacher luncheon of this year will be Thursday, May 2 and will be a Cinco de Mayo theme. If you can help by sending in one of the requested items in the link below, please sign-up. Please plan to have your items delivered to the teacher lounge by 9:30am that day. Thank you in advance for any help you can give!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f044aada62da0fc1-correct
PTO Elections: PTO elections will be held at the May 28 meeting. We have openings for President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The PTO organizes events throughout the school year including an annual fundraiser drive, teacher luncheons and end of the year luncheon for 8th graders. We could not do all of this without parent support and involvement. If you are interested in running for one of these positions or for more information as to what they entail, please contact Sandy Pelletier sandy@issi.net.
Committee Co-Chair Positions Available: If a full board position is not the right fit for you, but you would still like to get involved, why not consider being a PTO committee co-chair next school year? Several of our committee chairs will be moving up to the high school after next school year so they would like to start training someone new to take over as committee chair. We will have many co-chair positions available: Fall Fundraiser, Bookfair, Teacher Luncheons and 8th Grade Party.
Fundraiser Spotlight: Are you curious about how your fundraiser dollars are being used? Each week, the PTO section of this newsletter will feature a different department or classroom from JMS that was helped with money from our annual direct drive fundraiser! This week the spotlight is on the JMS Track. Mr. Byas requested assistance with purchasing new hurdles for the track. With the help of our fundraiser dollars, PTO was able to purchase several new hurdles for the track team and gym classes to use. Thank you JMS families!
If you have questions about how you can get involved with PTO at JMS, please contact Sandy Pelletier sandy@issi.net
2019 - 2020 Laptop Sign Ups are now on Skyward
User Agreements for 2019 - 2020 school year are now on Skyward
It's hard to believe, but it's that time of year again to start the 2019 - 2020 Technology User Agreement forms for the Access OR program. Each year parents are required to fill out the forms online through the Skyward portal. Below you will see a step by step video that helps guide you through the online process.
Rising 9th grade students (Current 8th grade students) Stylus sign up for ORHS
We are very excited to welcome the Class of 2023 to Oak Ridge High School next year!! As your family prepares for this transition, the high school invites everyone to fill out their online computer distribution form via the parent Skyward account. Moving to the high school, you will find an additional item regarding the stylus on your Technology User Agreement. We felt the importance of sharing how heavily this instrument is used at ORHS, particularly in the math and sciences. There will be an opportunity to check the permission box for your rising freshman to obtain a stylus when the computer is issued prior to the beginning of school. Our friends coming from Jefferson Middle School are largely accustomed to classroom sets being provided. Should you have any questions regarding this process, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs. Harvey charvey@ortn.edu Mrs. Witick nwitick@ortn.edu or Mrs. Thompson sathompson@ortn.edu
We look forward to welcoming our RISING FRESHMAN TO ORHS - EQUIPPED AND READY TO LEARN!
Spring Open House May 23rd
Finish the 9 weeks strong
Step 1: Don't take ZERO for an answer
For many students, lack of success and low grades is often attributed to lack of submission. Don't let non submission of work be the reason you struggle. FAIL can be seen as a "First Attempt In Learning". We have often Failed and we will often FAIL in our lives whether it be the first time you tried to ride a bike, speak, throw a baseball or solve a quadratic equation. The key is to make the attempt, learn from your mistakes and plan on how to grow moving forward.
Step 2: You CAN achieve, you just have to work hard and believe
The key to having a growth mindset begins with one simple idea, you are capable of learning and value the process of lifelong learning. The idea that some people can do some things and others can't or the belief that you just aren't "a math person" or "won't ever understand how to write well" is a fixed mindset. Use tools, resources and experts to help build your skills. There is a lot of power in the word YET! You may not be great at something YET, but with time, effort, practice, revision and work you can be.
Step 3: We have spent a lot of time talking about the power of GRIT! The idea that working hard over long periods of time to achieve and reach a goal. Here is a great example of being able to practice GRIT. You have four weeks to give your absolute best. Take note of your grade at midterm and see where you are with your grade. Set a new goal and work hard for four weeks to reach that goal. It may be you have a 99% and you work to keep it or even have a 100%. It may be you have a 40% and you work hard to make it a 75% but find a goal, dig in for four weeks, limit distractions and submit all of your assignments, show you can be GRITTY!
Finding ways to beat The Summer Slide
1. Read and find books you enjoy
One critical element to the summer slide can be seen through reading loss. Taking time each and every day to read for 20 minutes can make a dramatic difference for students. Challenge your child to read 20 minutes, but give them the option to choose books they enjoy. Often a major struggle for students when it comes to reading is they feel confined to academic focused books. To help with the Summer Slide, give it a chance by encouraging students to read books about topics or characters they enjoy.
2. Get outside and explore
In the age of internet, cell phones, social media etc. it can be challenging to get students to spend time outside. Challenge your student to put down the cell phone or video games and be physically active outside. Studies have shown that physical activity and being outside can help students development.
3. Spend time learning, make this a daily goal
Our students have access to information 24/7 and from countless resources. Help students focus by challenging them to learn something productive each and every day.
AM Drop Off and PM Pick Up
Connecting 21st Century Skills: Communication
As an instructional tool and model, many of our teachers have been experimenting with PBLs (Problem Based or Project Based Learning). One of the critical elements and concepts in a PBL is to work to solve an authentic problem while working to build content knowledge and show 21st century skills, one of which is communication. For students, these opportunities are shown through communication within a group setting as students work to collaborate, delegate and discuss ideas. However, it is also vital for students to communicate through the process including communication in an effort to find and secure resources, ideas, and resolutions etc. Also it is vital for students to learn the real world skill of presenting ideas. Often students will say they are too shy to present, but through the practices of communication we work to help alleviate students of these concerns.
The video below shows a great example of how PBLs have been used at a school in Manor, TX with one of the defining goals to work with students on communication. Students at this school focus on PBLs more than most schools, in fact it is the main delivery for instruction. As a school, our goals and instructional model is different, but as we have more and more teachers working to design instruction with PBLs in consideration many of our amazing teachers are finding ways to incorporate these life skills, like communication, in their instruction.
Understanding Canvas, OneNote and Skyward
Skyward -
For the 2018 - 2019 school year parents will be able to check out student grades in Skyward. Teachers will work to keep the grade book up to date weekly. This will help to have a better idea of student's progress weekly. Around 4.5 weeks into the nine weeks, students will get a midterm report sent home and at the end of the nine weeks.
Canvas
For 2018 - 2019 Canvas will serve as the place to get information about your child's class. For example, "what did you do in school today?" or "what did you learn about today?" etc. Canvas allows teachers to post announcements, links to resources, videos, PowerPoint notes, links to OneNote and other information that will help students in the class.
We ask our teachers to work to keep the announcements section updated each week in Canvas. This will allow parents to see a glance at the week ahead. Please keep in mind that some assignments, quizzes, tests, projects etc. may be subject to change and that the look at the week ahead is a tool to help students and parents have an idea of what will be discussed each week.
The Canvas 10 Challenge
The idea is to take 10 minutes per week to have your student log on to Canvas and spend 10 minutes reviewing their classes to get a better idea of the work they have each week.
Understanding OneNote
OneNote
Remember the days when you kept all of your notes on paper and sometimes you knew where to find information and sometimes you didn't? For our students utilizing OneNote, they have instant access to information they need for classes wherever they have access to the internet
TN Ready Testing Continues this week
Last Week for TNReady Testing!
This will be the last week for all TNReady Testing for this school year. So far, everything has went very smoothly, and the students are working hard and doing their best. The days of scheduled testing and the subjects are:
Monday, April 29th – Math (Algebra and Geometry included) subtests 1, 2, and 3
Tuesday, April 30th – Social Studies subtests 1 and 2 (6th – 8th grade only)
Wednesday, May 1st – Science Subtest 1 (Online. Students need to bring their charged laptops.)
While we are finishing up our tests make sure that your student(s) are getting enough sleep, eating breakfast, and getting to school on time. Tests start promptly at 7:50 and students will not be allowed to enter a classroom after the test has started. On Wednesday, May 1st make sure that your student(s) have their laptop with them and that it is fully charged. Science is the one subject that will be online for all grades 5 – 8. Other tests that are online are the EOC tests in Algebra and Geometry, which will be taken on Monday, April 29th. Students need to have their laptops charged and with them for any EOCs and the Science test. If you have any questions about testing, contact Andy Magee at 425 – 9252.
Important Dates to Remember:
Monday, April 29th – TNReady Math Subtests 1, 2, 3
Tuesday, April 30th – TNReady Social Studies (Grades 6th – 8th only)
Wednesday, May 1st – TNReady Science (online)
Monday, May 13th – JMS to Glenwood
Tuesday, May 14th – JMS to Woodland
Thursday, May 16th – Glenwood visits Jefferson
Friday, May 17th – Woodland visits Jefferson
Friday, May 17th – Class recommendations are due
Thursday, May 23rd form 6:00 – 8:00 – Spring Open House
Monday, June 3rd – Last day for students
Tuesday, June 4th – Last day for teachers
A BIG thanks to Mrs. Wyatt for the inspiring and motivating sidewalk chalk art!! Check out the aerial shots taken by Mr. Mitchell and his drone below. Students really enjoyed seeing this last week during testing.
Counselors Corner
Good Evening from the Counseling Office! We had a great week with testing! We wish luck to the students this week as we continue with TNReady Assessments.
This week we will continue with our “Grit and Perseverance” theme by listing 11 of the 22 recommended movies to watch with your student.
Dr. Jeremy Dean discusses the psychological reasons behind why movies work so well to influence our thought process. One of the comments he makes is this: “Stories work so well to persuade us because, if they’re well told, we get swept up in them, we are transported inside them. If you would like to read more his article is;” Why Stories Sell: Transportation Leads to Persuasion”
Rated PG
1. Cinderella (2015) Good Character Traits: Kindness, Compassion, Courage
Based on the original story and put out by Disney “Take courage and be kind”.
2. Frozen (2013) Good Character Traits: Kindness, Sibling Love
Two sisters display what love between family members is all about.
3. Grace Unplugged (2013) Good Character Traits: Kindness, Love, Self -Worth
A young girl goes against her parent’s belief system and runs away to become a famous song-writer/singer. When she finds success, she becomes painfully aware that being true to your core values is more important than fame.
4. Brave (2012) Good Character Traits: Self-Love, Bravery, Grit
A rebellious little girl who wants to be anything but a “princess”. What her passion is to be free, climb her favorite mountain, and use her archery skills. She attempts to run away and be “herself” and learns some lessons along the way.
5. Soul Surfer (2011) Good Character Traits: Grit, Bravery, Compassion
This is a documentary film based on teenager Bethany Wilson who has a love for surfing. She loses her arm by a shark attack, and then recovers. She goes back out on the water and continues surfing in order to keep the fear from overcoming her life.
6. How to Train Your Dragon (2010) Good Character Traits: Courage, Grit and Tolerance
Hiccup is the ourliar of his family because he is more of a thinker and they are all Vikings. His family wants to use strength and he wants to use his brain. When he finds a dragon and befriends it, his family doesn’t understand why.
7. Free Willy: Escape from Pirate’s Cove (2010) Good Character Traits: Grit, Compassion
Kirra is spending the summer with her grandfather. She discovers a baby orca stuck in her grandfather’s run down seaside amusement park. She does everything in her power to see the orca reconciled with its pod. The movie teaches a good lesson about protecting wildlife.
8. Up (2009) Good Character Traits: Tenacity, Healing, Friendship
A love story and a friendship story all rolled up into one. Sometimes people that are hurt tend to shut out others. This movie is an example of a child turning a grouchy, old person’s heart toward all things good such as love and friendship. The theme lesson is: Don’t give up, you’re never too old to realize a dream.
Rated G
9. Monster’s University (2013) Good Character Traits: Teamwork, Friendship
The lesson behind this movie is that all the characters must learn to work together in order to win the competition.
10. Charlotte’s Web (2006) Good Character Traits: Kindness, Love, Self-Worth
This is a story about an unlikely friendship between a pig and a spider. When the pig’s life becomes endangered, the spider has a brilliant plan to try to save his life. There are many wonderful quotes from this movie that display self-worth, including this one: “No, my webs were no miracle, Wilbur. I was only describing what I saw. The miracle is you.”
11. The Lion King (1994) Good Character Traits: Grit, Healing, Honesty
A young lion gets tricked into believing that he causes his own father’s death. He learns to go back and face the truth and claim what was rightfully his all along, the Kingdom.