No Place Like Jones
IBJ Family Updates for the Week of May 30, 2023
Principal Corner
We have 8.5 days of school left!
Ira B. Jones Families:
I hope everyone enjoyed their 3-day weekend. We are in the home stretch of this school year and will be wrapping things up soon and will send our students off to enjoy their summer break. Please read the rest of this message. Yes, some of it is repeated information. Still, at this critical stage of the school year, I need to emphasize the importance of a conducive learning environment for all students to learn. I want to finish the year strong!
Each day, our teachers review behavior expectations with our students. And although we have seen a decrease in some of the undesirable student behaviors, we still have lots of room for improvement. Students must show safe behaviors, not disrupt the learning environment, and accept and follow adult redirections and requests to follow our school's CUBS expectations. Thank you for partnering with us to review with your students and help to reiterate the importance of them following these expectations.
There are pre-established expectations for all areas of our school. These fall under the umbrella of our C.U.B.S. model, which stands for:
C – choose to be responsible
U - use kind words and actions
B – be respectful, and
S – stay safe
Here are a few reminders to discuss with your students:
- Students need to accept and comply with adult redirections without arguing.
- Students need to keep their hands and feet to themselves, including not hitting or kicking others.
- Students need to leave toys, stuffed animals, and other personal items at home. Sometimes, students bring things to share during their show and tell. If this is the case, please remind them to keep the item in their backpack until it's time to share it with their class.
- Students need to follow classroom and schoolwide safety expectations, including playing safely during recess.
- Students need to remain with their class at all times.
- There is always a valid reason why we may tell your child they can't do or have something. Please discuss accepting this response and moving on with the activities/tasks at hand with them.
- Please don't send sugary snacks, like sodas, to school with your child.
- Students should work on being focused and engaged in completing their work assignments and learning during class times and not participating in any behaviors that can disrupt their classroom learning environment or derail the learning.
We are all working on reviewing and reinforcing our school's behavior and safety expectations with students. But, we can't do this alone; we need your help to have these conversations with your students on an ongoing basis. Teachers are steadily increasing the academic rigor, and students must be present, safe, and engaged to receive the learning.
As a school leader and a parent, I understand the necessity of healthy communication between families and the school. I welcome your questions, celebrations, or concerns at any time. You can reach me by calling the school at 828.350.6700 or emailing me at ruafika.cobb@acsgmail.net.
In Partnership,
Ruafika A. Cobb
Principal
Ira B. Jones Elementary School
#noplacelikejones
Upcoming Important Dates
Wedneday, May 31: Reading EOG (3rd, 4th, and 5th grades)
Thursday, June 1: Math EOG (3rd, 4th, and 5th grades)
Tuesday, June 6: PreK - 4th Grade Field Day
Wednesday, June 7:Talent Show Auditions at 2:45 pm
Thursday, June 8: 5th Grade Moving Up Ceremony at 8:30 am
Thursday, June 8: Kindergarten Moving Up Ceremony at 10:30 am
Thursday, June 8: 5th Grade Olympics
Friday, June 9: Talent Show at 8:30 am
Friday, June 9: Schoolwide Dance Party at 11:00 am
Friday, June 9: Last Day of School