The Cyclone Watch
Jefferson Middle School - December 2020
Greetings
As the holiday season approaches, we have the opportunity to reflect on the many things for which we may be thankful. It is easy to overlook so many aspects of our life which are deserving of that thankfulness. While this school year has raised more challenges than any of us could have possibly imagined, I am thankful for what we do have. We are fortunate to have a tremendously supportive school family. Parents have repeatedly reached out to me this school year with understanding, kindness, and offers of support to help us foster student and personal success. We have students craving the opportunity to learn, interact with their classmates, and experience as many aspects of middle school as possible. We have outstanding educators dedicated to doing their best to make sure this school year one of growth and learning for our students. I hope all of you enjoy the holiday season, have good health, and have the opportunity to take a moment to show each other gratitude for the many wonderful things we do have.
Cyclone Gratitude
We asked JMS Students What they’re grateful for and how they’ve practiced gratitude this last month. Here’s a collage of their thoughts.
Media Center Information
Parent Tech Tips
iPad Help
Cyclone Book Club and Book Recommendation
To everyone at Meridian High School, Michael Vey is just your average fourteen year old. Michael is anything but ordinary, he is electric. When Michael's best friends make an accidental discovery, the three of them learn that there are other kids with similar powers- and that someone, or someTHING is hunting them. After Michael's mother is kidnapped, Michael will have to rely on his wits, his unique power, and his friends to combat the hunters, free his mother, and save the others.
Notes From The School Nurse
Covid-19 and School
Every person who has entered Jefferson Middle School has worn a mask! That is a wonderful act of kindness toward others and it is appreciated by faculty and staff.
Studies have shown that preventing the spread of Covid-19 and other illnesses requires a multi-layered approach. A mask keeps my respiratory droplets from traveling long distance and infecting other people if I am sick. Social distancing, staying 6 feet apart, helps protect us from respiratory droplets from our neighbors. Wash your hands: Touching our face with unwashed hands allows a virus to enter our body through the nose, mouth, or eyes. Each one of these behaviors work together with the others to help prevent the spread of illness, both the new Covid-19 virus and other illnesses like influenza and the common cold.
Wear a mask. Stay 6 feet apart. Wash your hands. Stay home if you are sick.
Pharmaceutical companies are hard at work developing a vaccine against Covid-19. Recent reports are promising, and work is underway for a plan to distribute a vaccine when it is ready for wide-spread use. I am happy that scientists and doctors are doing their best to create a safe and efficient vaccine to help protect people from the virus.
There are several words that are used when we talk about Covid-19 that are confusing. QUARANTINE: this is a period, usually 14 days, when a person should stay away from others. This person has been a close contact to a person who has tested positive for the virus. A close contact is defined as being close together (less than 6 feet, for example eating at the same table) for more than 15 minutes, with or without a mask; you shared eating or drinking utensils; you were coughed or sneezed on by someone who has tested positive for the virus; or you touched a person (hugging, shaking hands, playing on a sports team) who is positive for the virus. It takes 14 days for Covid-19 to incubate, or grow, inside the human body. If you have been exposed to a positive person, wait until 7-9 days AFTER exposure to test yourself, but stay away from others for the full 14 days. You can test positive even on day 14 after you have been exposed!
ISOLATION: You have tested positive for Covid-19. You should separate yourself from others, even in your home; stay in a separate “sick room” or area and use a separate bathroom if available. Isolation is usually 10 days long. The shorter length is because at the point that you have tested positive, you may already have been following quarantine guidelines for several days. The health department will tell you what to do and for how long when they contact you and inform you of your positive test.
For both quarantine and isolation, you should not go to school, church, the grocery store, the gym to exercise, or visit in other homes. Arrange for someone to deliver food to your home. Protect those you love by staying away from them if necessary. Please visit the CDC website for more information
The health room staff is wishing you a happy Thanksgiving and time to rest and enjoy the company of family and friends, from a social distance!
Betty Cramer, RN, BSN
Sheryl Mitchell, Health Secretary
Cyclone Athletics A. D.’s Corner
Important dates to note:
December 14 – 18th
JMS 7th Grade Boys Basketball Tournament
January 11 – 15th
OLLIS 8th Grade Girls Tournament
January 19 – 22th
OMS 8th Grade Boys Basketball Tournament
7TH & 8TH TRACK STARTS UP MARCH 1ST – BE SURE TO HAVE A PHSYICAL READY TO GO
YOU CAN CONTACT COACH CLOWE FOR MORE INFO: jclowe@cpsk12.org
Mask Up With JMS
We are selling Cyclone Masks for $8 if you want to help our Athletic Program this year!!
With the upcoming winter season and accompanying holidays, stress levels can often feel unmanageable. Finding healthy ways to relieve stress and practicing self-care is more important now than ever. Stress can be described as the degree to which one feels overwhelmed or unable to cope with life experiences and pressures. While one might think this is describing mostly a mental and emotional process, it is important to remember that our minds and our bodies are inextricably linked and stress lives in the body. So, we need to make a consistent commitment to not only work with our thought patterns and behaviors, but also consciously discharge the stress energy from our bodies in order to survive and even thrive during uncertain times. Here are three tips for taking extra care of yourself, adults and teens alike, throughout the holiday season:
1. Work with Your Expectations: It is admirable to strive to give 100% to all that you do. However, it is important to remember that your 100% in incredibly challenging times is probably going to look different than your 100% in times when life is smooth sailing. Oftentimes the stress we feel is because we have created completely unrealistic and unattainable expectations for ourselves and others. It’s ok to lower your expectations a little. This holiday traditions may need to look a little different. Cut yourself and others some slack. Be ok with pairing down, cutting back, getting creative, and embracing simplicity.
2. Focus on Simple Pleasures: Simple pleasures are positive experiences that emerge in the every day for little to no cost. They differ by person; however, in order to enjoy simple pleasures, one must be paying attention. Paying attention can help keep us in the present moment and the present moment is the gateway to experiencing more peace in life. So, create a challenge with yourself and family to discover and savor simple pleasures: perhaps it’s sipping a hot cup of tea, listening to a certain genre of music, watching your pets sleep, feeling the sun on your face while you walk, texting a funny meme to a friend, truly tasting a dark piece of chocolate...the options are endless. Make it a priority to focus on finding simple pleasures each day during this holiday season.
3. Prioritize Play: Playing provides so many benefits to people of all ages. Beyond relieving stress and boosting creativity and joy, play is a great way to deepen relationships and connections and spend quality time with those you love. Have a game night, host a zoom game activity with family you aren’t able to be with in person, go to the park and play on the equipment or with a Frisbee, do a puzzle, turn on music and have a family dance party where each person gets to play DJ and choose a song. Teens are the true masters at having fun. Let them take the lead. Playing is an incredibly necessary and healthy way for our bodies to release stored up tension and stress—and it’s important for adults to remember it’s not just for kids.
Hopefully these tips are helpful and feel possible for you and your family during this time!
**This information is shared with permission of the RBHS Guidance Dept.
Counseling Resources
Individual & Group Counseling (free or accepting insurance; in-person & telehealth)
- Boone County Provider List - https://bocomoproviders.org/
- HeartSpace Clinic – (573) 355-2568 (https://heartspaceclinic.org/essentialworkers)
- MU Psychological Services Clinic – (573) 882-5805 (https://psychology.missouri.edu/psychological-services-clinic)
- Compass Health Network – (844) 853-8937 (or direct walk-in at 3501 Berrywood Drive) (http://compasshealthnetwork.org/services/behavioral-health/)
- Burrell Behavioral Health – (573) 777-8455 (https://www.burrellcenter.com/our-services/therapy-psychiatry/therapy-counseling/individual-therapy/)
- FACE (Family Access Center of Excellence) -573-771-3223 (https://faceofboonecounty.org/) In collaboration with the Boone County Children's Services Fund, FACE is able to connect youth and their families desiring to initiate counseling services to a local mental health provider and pay for up to 6 therapy sessions (who are unable to pay for such services).
- MU Center for Evidenced-Basked Youth Mental Health- 573-882-4677 To request services for yourself or your child, please fill out this confidential online form: https://missouri.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0P2CTmhICVICCXj
For Immediate Crises
- Compass Health Network – (888) 237-4567
- Burrell Behavioral Health – (800) 395-2132
- Missouri Psychiatric Center – (573) 884-1300
- CenterPointe Hospital – (855) 623-7016
- Missouri Crisis Line – (888) 761-4357 or text HAND to 839-863
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – (800) 273-8255
Columbia STEM Alliance
The Columbia STEM Alliance held a Socially Distant Candy Distribution/Collection Contest in October and not only did many of our JMS Cyclones participate we had many winners!
Congratulations to the following students: Presley Crites, Alice Grant, Nathaniel Orschelin, Adam Farmer, Aleah Willenberg, Ethan Childs, Emily Crumbliss, and Annalyn Ortiz. To view their Candy Distribution designs, visit the Como Steam Alliance website and select “Contests”: https://columbiastemalliance.com
Jefferson Middle School - A STEAM Academy
Email: gcaine@cpsk12.org
Website: https://www.cpsk12.org/jms
Location: 713 Rogers Street, Columbia, MO, USA
Phone: 573-214-3210
Facebook: facebook.com/JMSCyclones
Twitter: @jmscyclones