JMS Weekly Update
Week of 5.10.2020
Dear JMS Families,
I hope that this week's update finds you and your family doing well. I wanted to take a minute to share some bittersweet news with you.
Mr. Zeiders, our assistant principal, will be retiring at the end of this school year. It has been a true pleasure to work alongside such a caring and interesting friend. Mr. Zeiders is absolutely one of a kind! The dedication and ingenuity that he has shown throughout his career in education is remarkable. His vast knowledge, compassion, supportive nature and quick wit will be missed by our entire JMS community.
Mr. Zeiders's calm and focused leadership has been an integral part of the JMS community for the last eight years. Throughout his tenure at JMS, he has made a difference in the lives of many children, families and staff members. A true advocate for children, he has worked hard to support a school culture that cares deeply about every child and encourages them to be their best self. He has challenged teachers to think differently, to try new things and encouraged them to give their best to the children each and every day.
We are sad to bid Mr. Zeiders farewell, but we are excited for him as he embarks upon this new journey. Please join me in thanking Mr. Zeiders for his leadership and wishing him well in his retirement! He will be missed.
Our search for Mr. Zeiders successor is underway. I would like to thank the teachers, parents, and other district employees who have been a part of this process. More information about the JMS Assistant Principal position will be forthcoming.
Sincerely,
Dr. Sarah Shaw, Principal
New News
Thank you to the JMS PTA for your thoughtfulness and very kind words during Teacher Appreciation week. Your messages were humbling. We are very fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful community. Thank you!
Navigating Dashboard During S@H
Looking for more information about how your child is doing during S@H? Check Dashboard!
Dashboard looks a little different now that we are using a P/F system. The teachers have been working hard to provide specific feedback as often as possible. The link above will take you to a document that will help you navigate Dashboard so you can view your child's educational progress (complete/incomplete assignments and feedback from teachers) during S@H.
Please join us for a week-long Celebration of Cultures, sponsored by the Elementary World Language Department. This celebration will begin on May 18th. Use #LeboLovesAll on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or upload your pictures here.
JMS Musical Ticket Donation/Refund
As you know, when the Governor announced his order to close schools for the year, we had to officially cancel our musical.
The musical crew had worked tirelessly, for months, to prepare for this show and although they were not able to have their final performance, they still had a pretty awesome experience. The musical provides the children with the opportunity to find a place, to belong, to create, to do something they love, to explore something new and to build confidence. THIS is why we love and value the musical.
It cannot go without saying, that this experience would not be possible without your support. We know that many of you purchased tickets to this event. The revenue from our ticket sales goes towards the purchase of costumes, props, special effects, etc. for the children.
We have had several families inquire about making a donation or requesting a refund. We are happy to offer both options to you.
- If you would like to donate your ticket purchase back to the musical you do not need to do anything else.
- If you would like to request a refund for your ticket purchase, please complete our Refund Form by Friday, May 22, 2020.
We are grateful for your generosity and for your support of this experience.
A Message from the Superintendent
Dr. Steinhauer's message for parents and guardians during this unique time of S@H.
JMS Activities
The JMS Talent Show will go on! If you child is interested in participating in the Talent Show, please have them complete the form above by May 15th. All talent show acts should adhere to the social distancing guidelines and should be school appropriate. Acts that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be included in the Virtual Talent Show.
I would like to thank our Talent Show Committee for their hard work and creativity to continue to offer this opportunity to our JMS Friends!
JMS Yearbook
The 2019-2020 JMS yearbooks have been ordered and should be arriving next week. We plan to distribute the yearbooks to the children, once it is safe to do so. This will likely occur after our stay at home/social distancing orders have been lifted. In the meantime, we have been working with the yearbook company to arrange for a virtual yearbook signing. More information about this event will be coming soon.
Resources For Families
Free Breakfast and Lunch for ALL Children
Free Grab and Go breakfast and lunches are available for pick up from 11:00-1:00 outside of entrance C20 on Horsman Drive at the
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
Families wanting to borrow technology equipment from the District during this time may request a Chromebook for their family using the following form:
Once you receive your unique family code (e.g. ABCD) from your submission of the Initial Request Form, you may request additional Chromebooks and/or a portable WiFi access point from the District using the following form:
- Supplemental Equipment Request Form
- (You will need your family code to complete this form)
If you have any questions and/or concerns about your District issued equipment please email FIDSupport@mtlsd.net
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
Other Information
Students will be considered "present" at school each day unless an Absence Excuse is submitted by the parent by 8:30 am on the day(s) in which the student will not be able to participate in the instruction. Make-up of student work as a result of an excused absence will be consistent with District policy.
Daily Updates and Mindful Moment
Please join Dr. Steinhauer at 9AM everyday for a Mindful Moment - a daily livestream with up to the minute news and information followed by a Mindful Moment.
PTA Information
We do not have any PTA Updates at this time.
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, USA
Phone: (412) 344-2120
Facebook: facebook.com/jmslebo
Twitter: @JMSMTLSD