The Wildcat
September 27-October 1
Highlights
- PTO information
- Flex Time Info
- Blessing Bags
- COVID Update
- Arrival and Dismissal
- Lunch Information
- Girls Basketball
- Wellness Calendar
- School Clothing Voucher Information
- Red Ribbon Week
Dates To Know
POWER HOUR-Every Tuesday and Thursday 2:45-3:45pm
Monday, Sept. 27-Friday, Oct. 1-Book Fair
Tuesday, September 28-fishing club 2:45-3:45
Friday, October 8th-End of 1st Quarter
Monday, October 11th-K-Kids Meeting
Monday, October 18th-Student Council Meeting
Friday, October 22nd-Monster Bash 6-9pm
October 25-28-Red Ribbon Week
Friday, October 29-Monday, Nov. 1-Fall Break
REMINDER-students are dismissed at 1:55 on Wednesdays
REMINDER
PTO INFORMATION
Congrats to our new board!
President- Amy St. Michael
1st Vice President - Karla Chumbley & Sandy Smith
2nd Vice President- Amber Mendez
Treasurer- Keri Therrien
Secretary- Jessica Kutscher
Fundraising- Jessica Kutscher, Brittney Jones, and Adriana Munoz
Room Parent Representative- Brittney Jones
Hospitality- Alicia Rivera
Santa’s Secret Workshop- Brittney Jones
Publicity- Melissa Allison
Popcorn- Karla Chumbley
Upcoming book fair is Sept 27 - Oct 1st- sign up genius for volunteers
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4EA8AD2EA2F4C16-book
If you plan on being there a background check needs to be run through the front office (cannot be done the same day that you plan on being at book fair)
Popcorn Day-Friday, October 1st
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO!!
Book Fair This Week
A Few of the Picassos at Johnston!
Johnston FLEX Time
Our schoolwide intervention structure is called FLEX time for ELA and Math. Teachers
analyze data from cycle assessments that follow a three week period of core instruction.
Using what they learn, teachers create student groupings on specific critical skills/standards.
Teachers then develop instruction/content that is differentiated to maximize student
achievement in each group. We have multiple teachers and instructional aides
designated to these blocks of time in order to get students into smaller groups to
specifically address needs.
All grades have designated times each day for FLEX ELA and Math. These
Johnston periods are not where the core curriculum is delivered. This daily 30 minutes of
math and 30 minutes of ELA is in addition to our core instruction. This time is used in
response to data collected through classroom assessment given every three weeks on
specific skills/standards.
Based on the collected data, students are put into the following group types for
three week cycles.
1. Reteaching - Students who need information retaught will get this instruction.
2. Reviewing - Students who have some grasp of the skills/standards but
need extra practice will get that time to further mastery.
3. Enrichment - Students who have proven mastery will get extension
opportunities designed to stretch their thinking and maximize their
learning.
To simplify this system, we are assessing our students on specific
skills/standards and using that in a way to tailor instruction to maximize the growth of all
of our students. Since this is done in three week cycles with different focus
skills/standards each cycle, a student could be in tutorial for one cycle, but then prove
mastery on the next set of skills and be in extension for the next. Regrouping happens
every three weeks and is based on current data we are gathering from classroom
assessment.
Blessing Bags for the Homeless
Let's work together to collect items for Blessing Bags! What is a Blessing Bag? A Blessing Bag is a small bag or backpack that is filled with items like toiletries, snacks and small clothing items to help people who do not have homes or are unable to purchase these items.
The K-Kids (Elementary Schools), Builders Club (Middle School), Key Club (High School) and the Highland Kiwanis Group (Adult Group) will all be working on this project together! Each club will collect different items. At the end of the collection time, all the items will be gathered and packed into small bags to give away to people who need them. Item collection will begin in September and end no later than Friday October 8th.
Check out the list below to see what your club is collecting and what the other clubs are collecting too!
Southridge K-Kids: Hair Combs/Brushes and Hair Ties
Johnston K-Kids: Toothbrushes (individually packaged) and Toothpaste (all sizes)
Builders Club-Band Aides and Antibiotic Ointment (like Neosporin)
Key Club: Hand Sanitizer and Lip Balm/Chapstick
Highland Kiwanis Club: Socks and Snacks
COVID UPDATE
STOH will require all K-12 students and staff to mask starting Tuesday, September 7th.
The parents of students who are identified as close contacts of a positive Covid case will be notified via a phone call, but the student will be allowed to remain in school. Parents are asked to monitor their child every day for the 10 days following the exposure. If symptoms develop at any point, please report it immediately to your child’s school nurse.
Arrival Procedures
Doors open for students at 7:55 a.m. daily. Students who eat breakfast at school will be allowed entry beginning at 7:30 a.m. Anyone arriving after 8:10 a.m., will need to buzz and come into the main office to sign in.
Cars will enter the parking lot off Duluth Street (right turn only) and follow the curve to drop off students. Please pull up as far as you can and drop all your students off at one time. Have your children ready with their backpacks, lunch money, hugs and kisses, so that when you stop they may exit the car quickly, and we can keep the drop off line moving. The line can become backed up onto Duluth Street very quickly which causes safety issues for our parents, as well as other drivers.
****Please do not be idle or park in the drop-off lane. Parents, please stay in your car. If you want to walk your child up to the doors, feel free to park in a spot to do so.
Please drop off curbside only. Avoid dropping children off where they have to cross the street, this is extremely dangerous. It will be your responsibility to cross them if you choose to do this.
Please be mindful of other drivers and walkers. We know many of you have to get to work, and we want all children to be able to enter the building safely and on time.
Doors C and B will be utilized for entrance as usual.
5th graders and Mrs. Torres's class will use Door G.
Dismissal Procedures
Grade K will exit through door J (FIVE minutes before the rest of the grade levels)
Grade 1 will exit through door C (main doors)
Grade 2 will exit through door B
Grade 3 will exit through door J
Grade 4 will exit through door I
Grade 5 and Mrs. Torres's class will exit through door G
Bus riders will exit through door J (a few minutes prior to the remainder of the school being dismissed where the buses will be waiting).
Cars may enter the parking lot off Duluth Street and follow the curve to pick up or park in the parking lot to walk up to get students. IF PARKING, PLEASE DO NOT BLOCK DRIVEWAYS.
We would like to thank you in advance for your cooperation as we strive to keep our Johnston families safe.
Fine Arts and Gym
Lunch Information
September Wellness Calendar
Girls Basketball Team and Schedule
Socktober
School Uniform/Clothing Voucher Program
The North Township Trustee's Office provides a School Uniform/Clothing Voucher Program to help families in need with the purchase of school clothing.
There are many families within the North Township (Whiting, East Chicago, Hammond, Highland and Munster) who find the start of school a stressful time, trying to balance finances and budgets to include school supplies and clothing.
Red Ribbon Week
Johnston Elementary - Highland's Shining North Star
How to get a hold of me:
Email: aharring@highland.k12.in.us
Website: https://www.highland.k12.in.us/o/jes
Location: 8220 5th Street, Highland, IN, United States
Phone: 219.923.2428
Facebook: facebook.com/johnstonpto
Twitter: @harrington_jn