Parent Newsletter
May 21st - May 25th
Spring Open House is on Thursday May 24th: Rising 5th graders @ 6 pm, rising 6th - 8th graders @ 7 pm
Student Device Collection will be May 24th and 25th
Two weeks left in the school year
- A look at the week ahead
- Spring Open House
- 2018 - 2019 Laptop forms
- Laptop Device collection this week
- 21st Century Skills - Creativity
- Tools to help Students Learn and Grow over the summer
- Counselors Corner
Thanks for all that you do to help support Jefferson Middle School!
Phil Cox, Principal
Chris Layton, Vice Principal
A Look at the Week Ahead
May 21-25
Monday 21 – A Day
Homeroom teachers take up badges, sleeves, and lanyards
Social Studies Exam
ORHS Cross Country Coach visits 8th grade PE class
Girls Basketball Parent Meeting, Gym, 6 PM
Cheer Parent Meeting, Gym, 7 PM
Tuesday 22 – B Day
Homeroom teachers take up badges, sleeves, and lanyards
Algebra and Geometry Exam
ORHS Cross Country Coach visits 8th grade PE class
Track Awards Party, Café, 3 PM
Band 5th-8th grade Spring Concert, ORHS, 6:30 PM
Wednesday 23 – A Day
Homeroom teachers take up badges, sleeves, and lanyards
Thursday 24 –B Day
5th and 6th grade device collection day
ELA Exam
Spring Open House 6 pm for rising 5th graders, 7 pm for rising 6th - 8th graders. Event begins in JPAC (Little Theater)
Friday 25 – A Day
7th and 8th grade device collection day
Youth for Christ, JPAC, 7 AM
8th Grade Lunch Party, Noon
5th Grade Awards Ceremony, JPAC, 12:30 PM
Spring Open House
Parents of Rising 5th grade students :
6 pm - The parents of RISING 5th Grade students from both Woodland and Glenwood will meet in the JPAC (Little Theater)
- While in the Little Theater they will be introduced to staff members, a few informational items about 5th grade and receive a welcoming from JMS administration and counseling team.
- At conclusion of this portion of the event, the parents of rising 5th graders will proceed into the gym in order to meet teachers and learn more about 5th grade
Parents of Rising 6th - 8th grade students
7 pm - The parents of RISING 6th through 8th grade will begin in the JPAC Little Theater area
- While in the Little Theater they will be introduced to staff members, a few informational items about 6th - 8th grades and receive a welcoming from JMS administration and counseling team.
- At conclusion of this portion of the event, the parents of rising 6th grade students will go to the library to meet with 6th grade teachers and the parents of both rising 7th and 8th grade students will go to the cafeteria to meet teachers and learn more
Dress Code Information
Fees and Reminders for end of the year
School Laptop Collection and Fee Collection
On Thursday May 24th and Friday May 25th, students will turn in their devices for the summer. At that time, the devices will be assessed for the following potential issues:
1. The condition of the device in terms of any damage and then an assessment of any damage that is found by IT. There are two levels of damage most commonly found and each are described below:
- Level 1 damage - If a student has level 1 damage to their device this is often damage that has been identified by IT that is on the device and that damage is noted for the end of the year collection of fees. Students and Parents are sent a letter in the mail when level 1 damage is found and the letter includes pictures of the student device damage. We have sent those letters out to families if and when damage is found on a device. We are now at the time of year where we are sending reminder letters over the next two weeks to the mailing address we have on our records.
- Level 2 damage - If a student has level 2 damage to their device this is damage that impacts the functionality of the device. When IT deems damage to be level 2, again families are contacted through the mail with pictures of the damage. Students are not issued a laptop loaner with level 2 damage until full payment of the fee has been made or an approved payment plan by JMS administration.
The general fee for most level 1 and level 2 accidental damage is $ 50. If a device is found to have been damaged intentionally then a student and family can be held to the full extent of all repairs beyond the $ 50, which serves as deductible towards the insurance policy.
Missing or Damaged Cords
The charger cord with the battery pack portion that helps hold the charge for a device can be another item that results in damage and/or becoming a missing item. The cost for the missing cord portion where the battery pack is found is $ 45.
Damaged Bags
If a student's device bag is damaged and determined by IT to need repair, it can also be identified as an item that will need repair for cost. The cost is $ 35.
Missing/Stolen Laptop
If we get to the end of the year and your child's laptop is missing and/or stolen. The parents and student must work to file a police report for the missing/stolen item with the Oak Ridge Police. Upon filing the police report families will need to bring the police report to the school in order to avoid paying full replacement cost for a missing/stolen device.
Cafeteria Debts
As we work to finish the school year, please check Skyward to see the current account balance for your child's cafeteria account. Each week, there is an automatic call that goes out to families once a negative balance goes over $10 as a reminder to help inform the family and work to set up payments.
Device Collection on May 24th and 25th
Please make sure students have the following ready for Thursday May 24th (5th and 6th grade collection) and Friday May 25th (7th and 8th grade collection):
All items your child has are scanned and will be scanned on the day of turn in thus allowing us to document that your child has turned in their device.
1. Laptop is cleaned and ready to turn in (learn more from the video below)
2. They have their charger cord
3. They have their laptop bag
MOST devices will not have damage assessed and students who do NOT have damage, will simply turn in their device and it will be stored and ready to be set up for them next year.
1. The damage will be documented including pictures of the damage
2. A letter documenting the damage along with the pictures will be mailed home. In addition, a letter will be provided to your student the week of May 28th
3. If your child's device has damage, the damage will be assessed by IT. If the damage is ruled to be accidental, there will be a $ 50 fee that must be paid to the the school library.
- If your child's laptop bag is damaged or missing the fee is $ 35
- If your child is missing their cord or it is damaged the fee is $ 45
4. IF a device is lost or stolen, parents are responsible for filing a police report and submitting that report to IT in order to avoid a full replacement cost for the device. The police report for a lost or stolen device will be submitted to IT for insurance purposes and thus allow for the $ 50 fee to be applied instead of full replacement cost.
- If your child's device or accessories are damaged, lost or stolen there will be appropriate communication sent home with your child the week of May 28th and also copies mailed home.
- The goal is to communicate the damage of the device, lost or stolen items etc. in order to allow parents to be aware, take care of the fees associated with the damage and/or missing/stolen items. Students will not receive their device for 2018 - 2019 until this has been resolved. This includes our current 8th grade students who will be going to ORHS.
Again, these damages will be assessed over the two day period on May 24th and May 25th. The notifications will be sent to families in the mail on the week of the 28th and in addition with students in letters sent home. The documentation will include both notification of the damage and fee along with the pictures of the damage.
The devices will be repaired over the summer and awaiting the student's arrival back to school from the summer. Students who have damage but do not pay their fee for the damage noted on May 24th or May 25th , will have delay in getting their device for 2018 - 2019 until that fee has been paid.
MOST devices will not have damage assessed and students who do NOT have damage, will simply turn in their device and it will be stored and ready to be set up for them next year.
2018 - 2019 Laptop Forms
Parents,
It’s hard to believe it is that time of year again, but we are beginning the online registration for student’s laptop devices for 2018 – 2019 school year. As with year’s past, students and parents are responsible for completing both the CELA and TUA form online. This form has been combined into a single form in Skyward and can be found once you log onto Skyward. We will continue to work over the next six weeks as the school year ends to send out information and links to help facilitate the process. We will continue to send out information over the next few weeks in order to encourage parents to complete the process.
Parents of current 4th – 11th graders, we are configuring school laptop devices for students to use next year in grades 5-12 and we need everyone to complete the online laptop distribution form found in the Skyward Family Access parent account. Please note that you will need to do this for each student in your household who will be receiving a device.
There is only ONE form per student this year. There is a video online to guide users through every step of the form completion. Based on feedback we received from our families, we have simplified the form. Please complete this process by June 1 to avoid follow-up phone calls from the schools.
Link to instructional video: www.tinyurl.com/LaptopInstructions
If you have questions, please contact the building-level instructional technology coaches.
- Jefferson: Heather Henderlight hvhenderlight@ortn.edu
Please check out the video below for more instructions on how to sign up online.
Thank You for your assistance,
Jefferson Middle School
21st century skill: Developing Creativity
When we think of creativity, we often think of the arts, literature, theater etc. The reality is for our students creativity will also be assigned to tasks of innovation, design and engineering mindsets. It takes creativity to be an innovator. It takes creativity joined with critical thinking to resolve complex ideas and problems. We want to help our students understand the importance of being able to think and design creatively. For our students, many of the mundane and repetitive tasks of the 20th century will fall away and be replaced by AI and Machine Learning. This is one major reason we work to help focus our students on developing creative skills.
The question shouldn't be focused around solely memorization of content, but rather finding ways and opportunities for students to problem solve, innovate, design, fail (first attempt in learning) and be creative. As we work through various lessons, projects, and ideas in education, much like the other C's in 21st century learning, it will be vital for students to learn to master creativity.
Check out the video below about a group of students who had a problem. They lived on a remote island in Thailand and having room for a soccer field was only a dream for these students. However, utilizing some ingenuity, creativity, and collaboration they were able to make their dream a reality. Check out the story below!
Tools to help and learn over the summer
1. To begin, Reading is paramount to being a lifelong learner. We highly encourage students read over the summer. They need to find a book that they enjoy or something that excites them to read and spend 10 or 15 or 30 minutes a day just taking time to read.
2. Math is all around you! When you hear someone say you should practice math skills over the summer the first thing that may pop up in your head may be, worksheets for math facts. Try not to think of it like that! Try to find a career that involves a lot of math and try to learn more about that career. For example, have you ever wondered what it would be like to be an engineer, fashion designer, computer programmer, video game designer, construction career, professional athlete etc. Almost any career you can imagine involves some use of math and math skills. Spend time over the summer researching a career and finding out specifically how can math be related to that career, more than likely you will be surprised.
3. Design a project for yourself! Open up your creative mind and design a project to complete yourself. It could be something utilizing technology, arts and crafts etc. Take time over the summer to have your brain operate in a creative space. Spend some time looking up information about how and why so many companies in the future are looking to hire creative people. There are a lot of great resources out there to help you get a better idea about how creativity can have an impact in not only education, but also future careers.
Summer Reading Assignments for rising 9th graders and rising 8th graders
Rising 9th Graders:
Summer reading information has been provided by ORHS and will be presented to all rising 9th graders on Tuesday, May 29th in students’ ELA classes. Mr. Sprouse will be available to answer any questions during these presentations and can be reached at cjsprouse@ortn.edu with any questions in the future. Additionally, all necessary information and relevant materials are available on the ORHS website.
Rising 8th Graders:
Summer reading information will be presented to all rising 8th graders in their ELA classes on Tuesday, May 29th. Mr. Sprouse will be presenting to these classes, distributing all relevant information in hard copy form and explaining and taking questions on the Summer Reading assignments. This work is required for all rising 8th graders at JMS and the same information will be available on the JMS website under the “Academics” tab. Feel free to contact Mr. Sprouse at cjsprouse@ortn.edu with any questions.
JMS Summer Reading
7th Grade (Rising 8th Graders)
Instructions: Read the novel Freak the Mighty, by Rodman Philbrick and complete all work contained in this assignment portfolio.
I. Due Date: August 3, 2018.
II. Submission Guidelines
a. Write all answers in the document provided.
b. The essay may be typed and printed, then attached to the end of the document in place of the blank, lined pages already included.
c. The entire portfolio of assignments must be submitted, stapled and completed, on August 3rd.
III. Acquiring the Novel: you are responsible for obtaining your own copy of the novel to read. It is widely available in new and used bookstores. Here are some links that might help as you locate and obtain a copy, as well as some links to help you as you read:
a. Books-A-Million in Oak Ridge—the store has been made aware of this Summer reading requirement and will stock accordingly.
711 Oak Ridge, TN Books-A-Million
310 South Illinois Avenue
Oak Ridge, TN 37830 (865) 220-9800
IV. Audio Copy Available Here:
https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/freak-the-mighty/52411
Reading along with an audio version of the book is a very enjoyable way to approach reading for reluctant or struggling readers, and is a research-based, effective intervention for improving fluency, comprehension and prosody in middle grades readers.
V. Online PDF copy of the novel with additional audio links:
http://www.ccusd93.org/education/components/links/links.php?sectiondetailid=37646
VI. Mrs. Haverkamp has provided these instruction for accessing the novel through the library’s system:
The library has one electronic audio version of the book that can be checked out this summer. To access the book students will need to do the following steps.
1. Go to the Jefferson website. www.ortn.edu/jefferson
2. Click on the online@jms then select students
3. Find the Destiny tree button
4. Once you are in Destiny select Jefferson Middle
5. In the upper right corner login with your regular JMS log in.
6. Search Freak the Mighty. There will be several options look for the Audio book. (not the audio CAS)
7. Click on the title then you can start listening.
8. The blue bar at the top of the page to the right has a book option with a dropdown arrow.
9. You will see the option there for checking out the audio book.
10. If you check it out PLEASE return it when you are done. It will automatically return after 2 weeks, but you can return it earlier and it will be available to other students.
Here is the link for the book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxqJXk7hBz0
We look forward to hearing from any students or parents this Summer with questions about the novel, the assignments or anything else related to Summer reading or our upcoming school year generally. Please feel free to email us over the Summer, but also please allow a few days for a response…it is Summer vacation, after all.
We are going to have a great year in 8th grade and we can’t wait to get to know our new students. Good luck!
Chandler Sprouse Jaimie McMahon