NO PLACE LIKE JONES
FAMILY UPDATES FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 20, 2023
SPRING IS HERE!
Principal Corner
Ira B. Jones Families:
Happy almost the First Day of Spring 2023! Time is moving so quickly! As I mentioned in an earlier newsletter, we will only have 9 weeks of school left when we return after spring break.
The first day of spring is Monday, March 21! Read below for more information about The Spring Equinox.
Here are a few reminders:
- Our academic day starts at 8:00 AM. For a student to be ready to begin the day, they need to be in the building by 7:55 AM to be in their seats and prepared for school. Please know that many families select to drop their students off in the morning, which means that car dropoff can become congested. Please help us by ensuring that you arrive well before the start of school.
- The staff assigned to carline duty have other assignments in the building at 8:00 AM. If you arrive after they have gone inside, please park, walk your student to the door, and wait until a staff person lets them in. The student must come to the office lobby to get a tardy slip.
- If you drop off or pick up your student/s, you must approach the school on Kimberly Avenue from Beaverdam to avoid crossing the traffic on Kimberly to enter the loop. Please be courteous of families waiting in line. Drivers will pull up to the farthest pole in front of the school. Only release students from cars when the car is directly in front of the building in one of the numbered slots unless a staff member indicates otherwise. Once all students in the front area have made it safely to the sidewalk, that group of cars will be released. Drivers must turn right out of the parking lot. Drivers should avoid using cell phones in the car loop to keep everyone safe.
I invite you to visit our school's website and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/irabjones/ and follow us on Twitter @Principal_IBJ and Instagram @IraB.JonesElementary. These will serve as a resource tool for all upcoming events, the student/family handbook, and important reminders, and you can catch up with all the wonderful things our students and teachers are doing.
As a school leader and a parent, I understand the necessity of healthy communication between families and the school. I welcome your questions, celebrations, or concerns at any time. You can call the school at 828.350.6700 or email me at ruafika.cobb@acsgmail.net.
In Partnership,
Ruafika A. Cobb
Principal
Ira B. Jones Elementary School
#noplacelikejones
How Spring Got Its Name 🌸 🌱 🐣
- 🌱 The spring season gets its name from the verb "spring." It's a nod to the flowers and plants springing up, springing open, and bursting into blossom.
- 🐣 The word itself comes from the Old English word "springan," which means "to leap, burst forth, fly up; spread, grow."
- 🌸 During the 14th century, the word came to describe the spring season, the time when plants wake from their winter sleep and bloom.
- 🌅 Before that, the word "Lent" was used to describe the season: "In the past it was the main word for ‘spring.' Lent surfaced as ‘lencten,' that is, ‘lengten': the season got its name because in spring days lengthen."
a Maker Faire
Asheville Maker Faire will be held at AB Tech on Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 10 am-3 pm.
Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth—a family-friendly festival of invention, creativity, and resourcefulness and a celebration of the Maker movement.
Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering of tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, science clubs, authors, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors. All these “makers” come to Maker Faire to show what they have made and share what they have learned.
A short video about the Maker Faire is HERE.
Maker Faires happen worldwide, but Asheville is the only city holding a Maker Faire in North Carolina in 2023.
Notes from the Counseling Corner with Ms. Courtney, School Counselor
How to help your student be a good sport:
Many adults and students alike love games and sports, and it’s easy to get caught up in a game and focused on winning. Yet there’s much more to be gained from the sports experience than winning a game or competition. When students are involved in sports, they are able to learn and put into practice values that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
Everyone should have a chance to play. In youth sports, it's important to encourage even those players who are still developing skills to have fun playing in the game.
Respect the other team. Whether your team wins or loses, showing respect for the other team's effort is important. If the other team wins, accept defeat, acknowledge their abilities, and move on.
Encourage teammates. Team sports work best when each individual supports the team. Praise teammates for what they do well and encourage them when they make mistakes.
Keep losing in perspective. Youth sports are a learning experience. Very few wins and losses are remembered, even a short time later.
Keep winning in perspective. Winning doesn’t mean you are perfect or that you will win again. Celebrate your win, but celebrate with humility and class, and empathize with the team you defeated.
Good sportsmanship builds teamwork and character; and teaches respect, kindness, inclusion, resilience, perseverance, and more. However, students cannot win at everything every time, no matter how much they would like to! Therefore, it’s crucial we teach our students the importance of learning to deal with defeat.
Also, it’s important to remember that students learn how to be a good sport from the adults in their lives, especially their grownups and coaches. Grown ups are important role models, so let your student see you upholding these principles!
This article was adapted from the following links: Teaching Children Good Sportsmanship (stanfordchildrens.org) and Sportsmanship (for Parents) - Nemours (kidshealth.org)
March 25: Spring Campus Beautification Day!
Hello, Jones Families!
The FTO Beautification Team is planning the Spring Campus Beautification Day for Saturday, 3/25, from 9 am-1 pm. Please use this Sign Up Genius link - BeautificationDaySignUp. We will clean out beds, plant a few items, and make the Marquee stand out. If you have any ideas to contribute, please email ross.cassie@gmail.com. Please plan to bring your own gloves and tools. The rain date is scheduled for Saturday, 4/22, at 9 am. Join us!
Thank you, The Jones FTO
📕IBJ READ TOGETHER DAY!📕
Reading is One of Our School's Priorities!
The IBJ Read Together Day, with support for our school library sponsored by Joel Adams & Associates and Rebecca Sandoval, State Farm Insurance, will be on March 28 at 8:15 am. This special reading celebration will encourage all our students to take at least 30 minutes to read and enjoy some of their favorite books for the pleasure of reading. I can't wait! As a school, we will all read together during this special time. I want to encourage you to designate a special time at home where you can put aside all distractions and enjoy some books together as a family.
Upcoming Events
March 2022: Women's History Month
Monday, March 20: Required Workday for Staff; No School for Students
Friday, March 24: IBJ Career Fair
Tuesday, March 28: Schoolwide Read-a-thon
Friday, March 31: End of Q3
Friday, March 31: Early Release Day for Students
Week of April 3 - 7: Spring Break
Wednesday, April 12: FTO Kicks off Dance-a-thon Fundraiser
Email: ruafika.cobb@acsgmail.net
Phone: 828.350.6700