JMS Weekly Update
April 23, 2023
Hello JMS!
PSSAs begin on Monday. You can help your child to be at their best during the PSSA testing window by encouraging them to:
- Get a good night's sleep
- Eat a good breakfast before school
- Arrive at school on time
- Do their best no matter how hard the tests may be
- Know how proud you are of their abilities and their efforts
Testing will begin at 8:15 a.m. and will end at 10:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. However, the tests are untimed. Any student in need of extended time may finish later than 11:00 a.m.
This week's Update contains information about the following:
- Take Your Child to Work Day
- Staff Appreciation
- PTA Council Information
- Schoology Tip for Students
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
Mrs. Amanda Jackson, Assistant Principal
Weekly Schedule
Tuesday - Day 5 - ELA PSSA
Wednesday - Day 1 - ELA PSSA
Thursday - Day 2
Friday - Day 3
Monday (5/1) - Day 4
Tuesday (5/2) - Day 5 - Math PSSA
New News
Take Your Child to Work Day - 4/27
Take your child to work day is April 27th. If you plan to have your child participate in this day, you must complete a Pre-Approved Absence Form. If you do not complete this for in advance of April 27th, your child's absence will not be excused. Your child will be responsible for completing any work that they miss while they are absent.
Teacher Appreciation - It's all about the MMMMs
Teacher and Staff Appreciation 2023 is scheduled for the month of May! Each Friday in May (and one Thursday) we will be honoring our JMS Teachers and Staff by celebrating them and conveying our gratitude for everything they have done for our students!!
HOW CAN YOU HELP?!?
- Volunteer via our Sign-Up Genius to provide a breakfast item for our teacher/staff breakfast on Friday, May 12th. Click HERE to sign up
- MOST NEEDED - PLEASE donate to help cover the costs associated with all of the activities/goodies for the month. If you would like to donate funds via Venmo or Zelle or help with setting up the Breakfast (5/12), Ice Cream Bar (5/19) or Lunch (5/24) please text Carrie Conboy at 412.999.9192 or Dawn Keezer at 412.512.8780.
- Finally, you can send a handwritten note or an email from you and/or your child telling a teacher and/or staff member (or several) about something great that they have done for you personally and/or for JMS students.
THANK YOU!!
Council Committee Chairs 2023-2024
PTA Council is looking for some volunteers to serve as committee chairs for the 2023-2024 school year. Council committee chair positions are generally less hands-on and more administrative than unit committee chair positions. For the most part, you facilitate communications between unit committee chairs and help promote council-wide initiatives. It's a great way to become involved at the Council level - especially if you have kids in multiple buildings!
- ARTS IN EDUCATION : This chairperson coordinates the PTA Reflections Arts in Education program throughout the district. This includes arranging for judging of entries at the Council level and notification of students, teachers, and administrators of their advancement through the levels of the Arts in Education program.
- COMMUNITY SERVICE: Coordinates a district-wide community service activities for all PTAs to participate in. This was on hiatus due to COVID, but we'd like to bring it back next year. In the past we have done a district-wide food drive for SHIM.
- CULTURAL ARTS: Coordinates communication between elementary school Cultural Arts Committee chairs to share ideas and discuss combining events for cost-savings.
- PARENT/SCHOOL EDUCATION: May sponsor annual or semiannual district wide programs on issues affecting education or parenting. Methods of communication may include articles for PTA newsletters, social media campaigns, or with budget availability, flyers and/or posters.
- JUVENILE PROTECTION: Shall work with local unit chairs on issues related to student safety issues. Shall coordinate PTA concerns with appropriate school district and municipal personnel, as needed. Safety issues may include, but are not limited to, student traffic concerns, health issues, digital citizenship, and other ideas proposed by Council. Methods of communication may include articles for PTA newsletters, social media campaigns, or with budget availability, flyers and/or posters.
- PARENT/SCHOOL EDUCATION: Shall meet as needed with local unit chairs. May sponsor annual or semiannual district wide programs on issues affecting education or parenting. Methods of communication may include articles for PTA newsletters, social media campaigns, or with budget availability, flyers and/or posters.
If you are interested in serving on one of these committees, or would like more information about one of them, please reach out to outgoing PTA Council President Becki Campanaro at becki.campanaro@gmail.com.
The Lost and Found is full and it is time for your students to reclaim their belongings before it is cleaned out and donated on April 28th. We will display all Lost and Found items on tables in the main hallway. If your students are missing anything, please remind them to check the tables and reclaim any items that belong to them prior to April 28th.
The District will be administering the PSSAs this year in compliance with the PA Department of Education's direction. The results we achieve on these exams provide us with valuable information that can be used to assess our students' knowledge of grade level standards, our teaching, and our educational programming. Our students have been working hard throughout the year and are prepared for these exams.
JMS Testing Schedule
April 24-26 - PSSA ELA
May 2-3 - PSSA Math
May 4-5 - PSSA Science (Grade 8 Only)
Testing will begin at 8:15 a.m. and will end at 10:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. However, the tests are untimed. Any student in need of extended time may finish later than 11:00 a.m.
This bell schedule will be used on testing days.
PDE Parent Letters and FAQs
Click on the links below to review the following documents from the Pennsylvania Department of Education:
- Parent letter about the use of electronic devices during PSSA testing
- PSSA Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- PDE Calculator Policy
Code of Conduct for Test Takers
Click on the following link to review the Code of Conduct for Test Takers.
PSSA Overview
The annual Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) is a standards-based, criterion-referenced assessment used to measure a student's attainment of the academic standards while also determining the degree to which school programs enable students to attain proficiency of the standards. Every Pennsylvania student in grades 3 through 8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Math. Every Pennsylvania student in grades 4 and 8 is assessed in Science. Individual student scores, can be used to assist teachers in identifying students who may be in need of additional educational opportunities, and school scores provide information to schools and districts for curriculum and instruction improvement discussions and planning. In compliance with §4.51(b)(4) of the PA School Code the State Board of Education approved, "specific criteria for advanced, proficient, basic and below basic levels of performance." (excerpt from the Pennsylvania Department of Education website).
It is important to understand that these tests are a snapshot of your student's performance during a given time frame. The results may not be an indication of how successful your student has been all year. These scores are primarily used to provide administration and teachers with information that they need to guide instruction, make curriculum changes, and identify individual students that may need extra support in a specific content area.
Reminders
We are excited to support a Lebo dad, Jamie Silva, and his company, Townie Time.
Help support the Jefferson Middle School PTA and order your spring spirit wear! The PTA earns $5 from each item purchased. The online store is live now through mid April.
**Items will be delivered to your home within a few days of placing your order.
Place your order here: https://townietime.com/collections/jeffersonmiddle
Parents! Are you looking to know more about the status of your child's assignments. Are you curious about what they have turned in and perhaps what is still missing? Schoology can help you with this! Learn how to set your schoology preferences for easy notification HERE.
Check out this week's Schoology Tip for Students!
Technology
The federal government released an additional program this year for families in need that will subsidize their home broadband Internet access as well as partially reimburse the purchase of personal devices at home.
The FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is highlighted on our Families=>Technology Resources=>Internet@Home page (LINK).
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.
We wanted to share information about 6th and 7th grade about athletic opportunities during the fall season of their 7th and 8th grade year in order for you to begin to plan. Please find attached the opportunities for 7th and 8th graders during the fall sports season, each sports start date, and its head coach.
We will be continuing to offer the convenience of online registration for our athletic programs through partner company, FamilyID (www.familyid.com).
JMS PTA Information
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.
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
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
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.
Email: sshaw@mtlsd.net
Website: https://jms.mtlsd.org/
Location: 21 Moffett Street, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
Phone: (412) 344-2120
Facebook: facebook.com/jmslebo
Twitter: @JMSMTLSD