From the Principal
Happy March Jefferson Families,
As we enter the last month of winter and transition into spring, the school year rolls on at a fast pace with our students continuing to learn and grow. I’m so proud of each student coming to school on a daily basis and giving their best effort. We all know, as students (and adults), there are some days where we just don’t feel it. It could be a bad night’s sleep, or something else going on that is competing for our attention and emotions. I can still point to countless examples where Jefferson students and staff put forth their best effort, despite some challenges they might be facing.
Kindergarten Opens March 6th
Do you have a child who will be five years of age by August 31? Kindergarten enrollment for the 2023-24 school year is opening soon. You can find out information about how to enroll by clicking here. Enrollment can be done online, or if you are interested, we will have the Jefferson office open on Monday, March 13 from 4:00-6:00. I will be here to greet families and assist with any questions.
Multicultural Night- March 10
Everyone is invited to this event to celebrate the students and families of Jefferson. Come to the cafeteria from 6:00-8:00. Feel free to bring a dish to share, and a display if you like (reach out to Mrs. Perkins or Mrs. Burchak if you would like a poster board). Students are also invited to do a performance if they like.
Conference Week- March 27-31
Spring conferences are coming up at the end of the month. As in the fall, teachers will be sending home sign-ups in the next few weeks. During the week of the 27-31 (as well as March 24), school will dismiss at 1:00. Conferences provide a great opportunity to connect with your child’s teacher, celebrate growth, and set goals for the last portion of the school year.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support.
Steve Hopkins
Coaches Corner
Hello, families!
This month we’re taking a closer look at the problem-based math instruction happening in Jefferson’s classrooms. One way teachers engage our young mathematicians in making sense of the math and language in word problems is through the teaching of a routine called Three Reads. The Three Reads strategy involves reading a math scenario three times with a different goal each time.
First Read: Read to understand the problem.
What is happening in the problem?
Which words am I unsure about?
What do I need to find out?
Second Read: Read to understand the math.
What do the mathematical terms mean?
What do the numbers represent?
Third Read: Read to make a plan.
What strategy, representation, or tool will work best to solve the problem?
Three Reads instruction is easily adapted based on students’ level of readiness. Our youngest learners often do a quick sketch and add labels to help them understand a problem. Intermediate students might highlight specific parts of a problem and annotate with short notes during the Three Reads process. For an added challenge, the children may be asked to generate the question or quantities in a given scenario. Jefferson mathematicians especially enjoy writing and solving their own math word problems!
Ask your child to share with you how they practice Three Reads in class and encourage him/her to give the strategy a try when solving math word problems at home. If you’d like additional ideas about how you can support your child’s learning, please reach out. We’d love to connect with you.
Winter Graham, K-2 ELA & Math Coach
Jessica Lundgren, 3-5 ELA & Math Coach
News From The Music Room
Don't forget to mark your calendars for our Jefferson Spring concerts! If your child is in Kindergarten, 1st, or 2nd grade, their concert will be on May 1st. Grades 3, 4, and 5 will have a concert on May 8th. Both concerts will be held at the Everett Civic Auditorium and start at 6:30 pm. More information will be coming home soon, but please save the date! I am so glad we will again have the opportunity to share our music with you in concert!
Ms. Rivera, our teaching intern, continues to learn from us and has started teaching some lessons in most classes. She hopes to get to know all our Chargers and that they get to know her in the coming months.
Don’t forget that our digital curriculum is also available to access from home, by going to https://musicplayonline.com/student-login/ and entering the access code: d563078. There you can find many of the songs we are learning and the games we play in class. There are also a number of learning opportunities on the music Canvas pages for each grade, including the songs we will be performing at the concert.
Debrah Rockwell
Music Teacher
Jefferson Elementary
