We are anxious to get the school year started! Certainly, there are many changes that will occur this year but rest assured, we are doing our very best to prepare for a great school year for your child, whether they are coming to school now or learning from home. We understand there will be bumps in the road as we embark on this journey! Just know that your Jakes staff is here to help you! Please please please reach out to us via email or phone call if you have any issues or concerns!

Later today, you will receive information about the JCMES Auction from our PTA. We hope that you are able to participate as there were so many great items we had gathered in the spring for the carnival, which was canceled. Please share this with friends and family as this is a significant fundraiser for our PTA.

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Becky Roadcap, Principal

Erin Branner, Assistant Principal

IN SCHOOL (PK, K AND 1) AND TEMPORARY VIRTUAL STUDENTS (GRADES 2, 3, 4, AND 5)

Classroom teachers will begin calling parents at the end of this week to introduce themselves to you. Students in grades Pk, K, and 1 will be assigned to one classroom teacher. Most students in grades 2 - 5 will be assigned to a teaching "team" and not an individual teacher, as instruction will be provided by more than one teacher at a grade.

During this phone call, you will be asked to "sign up" for a time to visit the school and meet the teacher. The two dates for visits will be provided to you during the phone call. You will choose a 15 minute time to come in, meet the teacher, and pick up materials. We ask that you limit these visit to just immediate family (your child, parents, and siblings). All visitors should wear masks. These visits will be staggered for each classroom so that there is not a huge transition at specific times. It will be important that you are on time for your appointment and that you conclude your visit within the stated time frame. Student supply items from last year will be returned at this time. If you child has any library books that were not returned, please bring these to drop in the box at the entrance.

HOME LEARNING ACADEMY

Around 110 of our students are participating in the Rockingham Home Learning Academy (RHLA). These families have chosen to enter RHLA and stay in this virtual platform at least through the end of the first nine weeks. The RHLA teacher may or may not be a JCMES teacher. These families will also receive a phone call or email from their child's teacher sometime late next week. These students will also pick up their devices at JCMES. Students in RHLA do not need to purchase school supplies on the JCMES list. They should have basic school supplies available in the home (pencil, paper, etc.)

SCHEDULES AND AFTERNOON GROUPS FOR TEMPORARY VIRTUAL AND RHLA STUDENTS

RCPS has posted sample schedules for students in all elementary grades. We encourage you to review this schedule so you are familiar with the expectations. Live instruction for virtual students will be daily from 9:00 - 11:00 for students in grades Pk - 3 and 9:00 - 11:30 for students in grades 4 -5, so if possible parents should arrange to have their child online at this time. These sessions may be recorded for students unable to log on at this time.

You can see from the schedule that there is some expectation that students be involved in small group instruction in the afternoon. These will be scheduled once the school year gets going. For the first few days, there may just be "team building" activities during this time so that classmates can get to know one another and students can get to know their teacher. Then, we will move to more specific academic small groups. For example, if your child is struggling with a math concept, the teacher may ask the parent to have their child join a small group in the afternoon for a few days for remediation. Related services such as Challenge, EL, and Title 1 will also be offered in the afternoon. We understand this may not work for the schedule of all families, and we will do our best to work with parents on this. Our goal is to ensure student learning while also not stressing our families and students. If you have questions about the schedule or groups, please talk to your child's teacher or call the school and speak to Ms. Roadcap.

Ms. Branner will be working in a dual role this year. She will be the HLA Liason for all of RCPS and will have many responsibilities in working with the 1000 plus elementary families in the division who have chosen this option. She will work out of her office at JCM but will have more of a limited role in the day to day task at JCM.

MEALS FORM

A mailing was sent out to all families in regard to the School Lunch Program. It included a Free and Reduced Lunch form, as well as a sign up to receive take home meals (similar to those which were provided during the spring at identified school locations). These forms can be mailed to JCMES or dropped by the office on Meet the Teacher days.

Dear Parents,

Earlier this week you received communication from Dr. Scheikl in regard to the RCPS return to school plan. The purpose of this email is to help explain some pertinent information in regard to JCMES. At any time, if you are confused or have questions about school, please contact an administrator. We are happy to talk with you!

Many of our PreK, Kindergarten and families of students that are new to RCPS, have just been added to communication lists this week. We know this may be the first email you have gotten from us! Welcome! Several weeks ago, the division sent families that were already in the system a survey to indicate if they would like for their child(ren) to attend in person or be a part of the virtual learning academy. Please respond to this email if you did not receive the survey and let us know if you would prefer Option 1: attend in person when possible (currently PK-1 has an in person option and most in grades 2-5 will be instructed virtually) or if your family chooses Option 2: RCPS Home Learning Academy (full virtual learning). Please only respond to this email selecting your choice if you did not already do so.

Students in grades PK-1

Parents who chose Option 1 (in person learning)

• Students will have the opportunity for in person instruction four days per week (every day except Wednesday). We expect the school day to still be around 8am - 3pm.
  
• Exact bus times will be available later.
  
• These families should purchase School Supplies from the list available on our website.
  
• All students will be taught to wear masks during the school day. Mask breaks will be provided. Students are to be six feet apart in the classroom, during transitions throughout the building and at recess.
  

Parents who Chose Option 2 (Home Learning Academy)

• These students are a part of the RCPS Home Learning Academy (HLA) and will receive all virtual instruction by an RCPS teacher. They may have students from other schools in their class.
  
• Students will be provided a device for at home learning. If your family does not have reliable high speed internet access, please email us and the school will provide a hotspot.
  
• These families should just have basic school supplies available at home (pencils, paper, crayons, etc), but are not expected to have all supplies from the JCMES Supply List
  

Students in grades 2 - 5

Parents who chose Option 1 (in person learning)

• These students will now be staying at home (per the change to the division plan) to receive virtual instruction from a JCMES teacher four days per week. These students MAY return to in person school when that option is available.
  
• Students will be provided a device for at home learning. Students in grades 2 and 3 will be issued an iPad and students in grades 4 and 5 will be issued a Chromebook. This is the same type of device students use during a typical school year in each grade level. If your family does not have reliable high speed internet access, please email us and the school will provide a hotspot.
  
• These students do not necessarily have to have all items on the School Supply list right now, but will eventually need the items on the list when they return to in person school.
  
• We are tentatively planning to have a modified in person ‘Back to School’ event as well as a virtual ‘First Click’ for students to practice signing on to Zoom and meeting with the teacher virtually. We are hoping to have our ‘Back to School’ event the week of August 24 and the ‘First Click’ the week of August 31 which is the week before school begins.
  

Parents who chose Option 2 (Home Learning Academy).

• These students are a part of the RCPS Home Learning Academy (HLA) and will receive all virtual instruction by a RCPS teacher. They may have students from other schools in their class.
  
• Students will be provided a device for at home learning. Students in grades 2 and 3 will be issued an iPad and students in grades 4 and 5 will be issued at Chromebook. This is the same type of device students use during a typical school year in each grade level. If your family does not have reliable high speed internet access, please email us and the school will provide a hotspot.
  
• These families should just have basic school supplies available at home (pencils, paper, crayons, etc), but are not expected to have all supplies from the JCMES Supply List
  

Select populations of students in grades 2 - 5

• As it states in the RCPS reopening plan, select populations of students in grades 2-5 may be offered in person instruction. An administrator will reach out to the families of these students with more details once we have firm guidance on the students that will be invited. Over the past few days we have been looking at each child individually to determine ability to have internet access (this is not possible for some areas, even with a hot spot), if specific learning challenges may be present and/or if the child may have special services such as English Language or Special Education. Rest assured, we want every student in the building with us and have individually talked about every child to ensure that we are meeting the needs the best we possibly can under the current circumstances.
  
• All students will be taught to wear masks during the school day. Mask breaks will be provided. Students are to be six feet apart in the classroom, during transitions throughout the building and at recess.

For everyone:

• There will not be a typical fee day. Families will not be asked to pay school fees this year. Other items that are typically taken care of on that day such as picking up your child’s school shirt (we have a fabulous FREE shirt coming for each student), putting money on cafeteria accounts, picking up school forms, etc. will also be taken care of during Back to School sessions instead.
  

• Personal belongings of students from last year will be available soon. Option 1 families (those that wish to be in school as soon as the division allows) will be able to pick up at Back to School Night. Option 2 families, Home Learning Academy, will be invited to school at a separate date (tentatively the week of August 31) to pick up your child’s school shirt, a device for home learning and personal belongings. If you need to pick up your child’s belongings prior to these times please call the school.
  

• If you have not yet indicated your choice of Option 1 (in person learning) or Option 2 (Home Learning Academy), please respond to this email ASAP as we are currently working on staffing and need to know how to classify each student.
  

Again, please call or email an administrator if you have questions regarding the Back to School plan.

Thank you,

Rebecca Roadcap, Principal (rroadcap@rockingham.k12.va.us)

Erin Branner, Assistant Principal (erbranner@rockingham.k12.va.us)

RCPS Food & Nutrition Services

Student Absences

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