JMS Weekly Update

October 9, 2022

Dear JMS Families,


This week's Update contains information about the following:



Please notify our nurse, Mrs. Raco, and complete this FORM if your child has tested positive for COVID-19.


Take care,


Dr. Sarah Shaw, Principal

sshaw@mtlsd.net


Mrs. Katelyn (Deet) Toth, Assistant Principal

kdeet@mtlsd.net

Weekly Schedule

Monday - No School

Tuesday - Day 4

Wednesday - Day 5

Thursday - Day 1

Friday - Day 2

Monday (10/17) - Day 3

New News

PTA Membership and Directory Access

Our Membership Store is now open! We hope you will consider joining out PTA to help fund excellent educational opportunities for our children. Directory access is available to JMS PTA members only.


You can join the PTA HERE.


Please email jmsptamtl@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Club Lebo

The next Club Lebo event, happening at Mellon Middle School, on Friday, October 28th. Students are invited to wear costumes. Halloween costumes must comply with the student dress code, found in the Student Handbook:


  • Costumes should be respectful. Dressing up as someone else's culture is not an appropriate costume. Costumes which portray stereotypes, involve religious or sacred symbols, or denigrate others on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or disability are not permitted.
  • No brief and/or revealing clothing
  • No clothing with messages that: 1) Are suggestive, obscene, vulgar, offensive or libelous, that denigrate others on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or disability. 2) Advertise or promote drugs, alcohol, tobacco or violence.
  • Students are permitted to wear a hat as part of a costume.
  • Students are not permitted to wear costume masks or completely paint their face.
  • Students must be identifiable when in costume.
  • Small amounts of makeup are permitted, such as makeup to create a scar or to add cat whiskers to the face.
  • Students are not permitted to have look-alike weapons as part of their costume per school district policy GBGB/JICI.
  • Administration reserves the right to make the final decision on the appropriateness of Halloween costumes. Students will be required to change if a costume is determined to be inappropriate.


Picture Make Up Day - 10/11

The company offers retakes if eyes are closed, glasses have glare, or hair is blown in the face. If you have any additional questions about orders or retakes, please contact Wayne Bratten at 412-257-1506.



How to Buy School Pictures

School pictures have been uploaded to our photographer's website for ordering. Please visit Wayne's World of Photography to order your photos. Detailed instructions for how to do this are below.


The company offers retakes if eyes are closed, glasses have glare, or hair is blown in the face. If you have any additional questions about orders or retakes, please contact Wayne Bratten at 412-257-1506. To view and order your photos:


  1. Visit Wayne's World of Photography.
  2. Click on "JMS."
  3. Enter your student's MTLSD 7 digit ID number. (This number can be found on dashboard in the Student Information section.).
  4. Click on "Order Prints/Products.
  5. Complete your purchase online.


Orders are due by October 9th. All orders received after October 2nd will be shipped home and will be charged sales tax and shipping.

Elementary Circle Drive Pick-Up

This is a message for our families who are picking their children up in the circle on the elementary side of the building.


Beginning on Monday, you are not permitted to park and wait in the circle. You may still use the circle for pick up, but you will need to continue to drive if your child is not outside and ready for pick up.


Arriving early and parking in the circle has prevented elementary parents from being able to access the building to pick up their children who are sick/have an early dismissal.

Reminders

JMS Yearbooks - On Sale Now!

JMS Yearbooks are on sale now through December 16, 2022. Order your yearbook and take out an 8th grade ad TODAY! yearbookforever.com


Prices:


  • Saturday, October 1 at 12:00 AM- Monday, October 31 at 11:59 PM: $50
  • Tuesday, November 1 at 12:00 AM- Wednesday, November 30 at 11:59 PM: $55
  • Thursday, December 1 at 12:00 AM- Friday, December 16 at 11:59 PM: $60


Limited extras will be sold on the last day of school for $60


8th Grade Advertisements are also for sale from now until December 16 for $35.


Please watch this video if you need help on How to Order a 2022-2023 JMS Yearbook and Purchase an 8th Grade Advertisement.


If you are unsure if you've already ordered a yearbook, please watch the video below to see how you can check your order status: How to Check for 2023 Yearbook Purchase

Technology

Families In Need of Technology

As we prepare to start the 2022-2023 school year, we are asking families who need to borrow student technology to please visit www.mtlsd.org/families/technology/one-to-one

Athletics

Middle School Athletics

You can learn everything you need to know about Middle School Athletics, including starting dates, by visiting the MS Athletics Webpage.


Basketball

Attention all 7th and 8th grade boys interested in trying out for basketball. There will be a brief informational meeting at 3:15 on Friday, October 14th in the cafeteria with Coach Dietz. This meeting will go over tryout dates and times as well as what is needed in order to try-out. If you are unable to attend, there will be an informational sheet left in the attendance office after the meeting. Please email Coach Dietz, rdietz@mtlsd.net, with any questions.

JMS PTA Information

Reflections - Show Your Voice!

If your JMS student has a special talent they can enter in the PTA Reflections contest. All information and entry form are included in the link above. The theme this year is "Show Your Voice!". The deadline is October 17th and cannot be extended. All entries can be sent to Carol Rossetti at carolguy72@aol.com

Thank you!


https://www.pta.org/docs/default-source/files/programs/reflections/current_reflections-21-22/reflections-form---eng.pdf

SHOPPER & SCHOOL REWARD PROGRAMS


Amazon

If you haven’t used AmazonSmile Before:


  • Go to smile.amazon.com and sign in with your regular Amazon username and password.
  • You will be prompted to choose a charity. You should enter "Jefferson Middle School PTA Inc” into the search box that appears. It will say "Pittsburgh, PA" as the location for the charity.
  • Make sure whenever you check out, you always go to smile.amazon.com on your browser.



If you already use AmazonSmile:


  • Go to smile.amazon.com and sign in with your username and password
  • Make sure the charity you’ve selected is "Jefferson Middle School PTA Inc." This information is located under the search bar where it says “supporting”.
  • If it isn’t, you can change it by clicking on the charity and selecting “change”
  • This will bring you to a page where you can search for “Jefferson Middle School PTA Inc” and allow you to switch charities.



Make sure whenever you check out, you always go to smile.amazon.com to checkout.

If you shop on the Amazon app. Please activate Amazon Smile on your mobile app by opening the app and finding ’Settings’ in the main menu (☰). Tap on ‘AmazonSmile’ and follow the on-screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile on your phone.

Box Tops

Scanning Box Tops is an easy way to earn money for our school. See Box Tops for more information on how to scan Box Tops and to download the app. Receipts must be scanned within 14 days for the Box Tops to be scanned electronically.

Office Depot/Office Max

Office Depot/Office Max has a school rewards program. When shopping, remember to ask the cashier to tag Jefferson Middle School. For online orders, enter our school ID (Thomas Jefferson Middle School ID:70088453 Pittsburgh, PA) on the Thank You Confirmation page.

Resources For Families

Local Resources for Families

The MTLSD School Counselors in partnership with The Allegheny Children's Initiative Inc., have compiled a list of social services resources that may be helpful to you and your family. Please take a look and reach out to these organizations. They are here to help with any of the following:

  • Food
  • Rent/Mortgage
  • Utilities
  • Pets
  • Abuse
  • Mental Health
  • General Assistance

Safe 2 Say Something

Safe2Say Something is a youth violence prevention program run by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. The program teaches youth and adults how to recognize warning signs and signals, especially within social media, from individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and to “say something” BEFORE it is too late. With Safe2Say Something, it’s easy and confidential to report safety concerns to help prevent violence and tragedies.


Here’s how it works:

  • Submit a report through the Safe2SaySomething system
  • Crisis center reviews, assesses and processes all submissions
  • Crisis center sends all submissions to school administration and/or law enforcement for intervention
  • If needed, crisis center may contact tipster anonymously through the app

Jefferson Middle School

The Jefferson Middle School learning community has an exceptional reputation for its dedicated teachers, staff and parents working together to provide learning experiences for our children that include high expectations, a challenging curriculum and a shared commitment to provide the best education possible for each and every student.