Jeremiah Gray Kindergarten Academy
Home of the Little Giants - December 6, 2019
Principal's Message
Greetings JGKA families,
I wanted to remind everyone that next Tuesday and Wednesday our Little Giants will be performing "A Holiday of Music!" Our kids have worked very hard, and are excited to perform for you!
The performance will be at Jeremiah Gray Elementary School, in their cafeteria/gymnasium. You may enter through their main entrance in the front of the building, or you may enter through the community entrance in the back of the building. We will have staff members standing by to direct your children to their teacher, and you to your seat.
We ask that you arrive with your students at Jeremiah Gray Elementary by 6:00 p.m. This will allow our students to get organized and ready for the performance. Our show will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m.
PERFORMANCE ETIQUETTE:
One of the things I love the most about Mrs. Pietranczyk is that she does a wonderful job of teaching our students about performance etiquette and stage presence. It's really quite impressive to see her lead a production with hundreds of five year olds! Our Little Giants will amaze you with their posture, their controlled movements, and trained voices.
I ask that you help us make this a memorable performance, too. We ask the following:
-Be on time
-Take lots of cute pictures, but refrain from flash photography
-When students are performing, please refrain from talking
-Please keep noises off- silence cell phones and remove any crying or loud younger siblings
-Keep aisles clear and do not stand in front of anyone
-ENJOY your baby!!! Before you know it, they may be gracing the stage of Southport High School!
This is going to be a beautiful program, we can't wait for you to see it!
Much love,
Mrs. Hansell
School-Wide Positive Behaviors Interventions & Supports
Achievement Wall
Do you want to sign the wall??
Congratulations to our Little Giants of the Week!
Congratulations to our Citizens of the Month!
Appropriate Winter Wear
Did you know:
That missing 10% of school days, or just 2 days each month, can put children at risk of academic failure?
Students who missed fewer than 2 days in September continued to average fewer than 2 days absent each month.
Absenteeism and its ill effects start early. One in 10 Kindergarten and first grade students are chronically absent.
By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
Attendance improves when schools engage students and parents in positive ways and when schools provide mentors for chronically absent students.
Students are more likely to go to school if they know someone cares whether they show up.
Stay Connected with ParentSquare
ParentSquare is the newest communication tool designed to keep families informed. By providing your email and phone number, you will receive the following information from teachers and principals:
- Weather cancellation/delays
- Emergency notifications
- General announcements
With ParentSquare, you can receive notifications via the ParentSquare smartphone app, text message, email, phone or a combination of these.
Teacher
Name: Fawn Harris
Number of years: This is my 35th year of teaching, the 27th in Perry Township.
Family Info: 2 sons, Mitchele, age 23 and Colin, age 21, our Border Collie, Calli
Favorite Hobbies: Spending time with my family, especially my sons and their activities, singing and music.
Interesting fact: My son, Mitchele, is a Recruit Officer in the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and will start their academy this month. He is the 3rd generation of police officers in my immediate family, joining my dad and my brother who were Illinois State Troopers.
Aide
Name: Bobbie Firrie
Number of years: This is my 25th year as a teaching assistant, 5th in Perry Township
Family Info: Married to my husband for 28 yrs We have two daughters Melody 22 and Aria 20
Favorite Hobbies: Spending time with family, reading and watching movies
Interesting fact: I’ve been on 3 mission trips, two of them in Poland.
Child Nutrition
2020 Choice Application Information - Grades 1-5
The choice application period for the 2020-2021 school year will be open from January 6, 2020 through February 21, 2020. Choice is only for residents of Perry Township. Applications and instructions will be available through our website beginning January 6, 2020 under the “For Parents” tab as well as at each elementary school. Please read the instructions and complete the application as directed. Students entering the first grade will be assigned to their home school, this may not be the school attached to their Kindergarten Academy. Please remember that Jeremiah Gray Elementary and Rosa Parks Elementary are Choice Schools only. Please note that a completed application is required for incoming first graders that have older siblings that attend a choice school. No late applications will be accepted.
2020 Choice Application Information - Incoming Kindergartners
The choice application period for the 2020-2021 school year will be open from January 6, 2020 through February 21, 2020. Choice is for residents of Perry Township only. Applications and instructions will be available through our website under the “For Parents” tab as well as at each elementary school beginning January 6th. There will be a limit of 20 choice spots available per Kindergarten Academy for incoming kindergarten students. There will be no transportation provided for the kindergarten choice program. Please read the instructions and complete the application as directed.
2020-21 Kindergarten Registration Information
Kindergarten registration will begin on January 6, 2020 for those students who will be entering Kindergarten in the Fall of 2020. The student must turn 5 years old on or before August 1, 2020 in order to register. There is a waiver process for children with a birthdate after August 1st up to September 1st. The Kindergarten Academy your student will attend is determined by your residence only and not where other siblings may be attending. The following is a list of home schools and the corresponding Kindergarten Academy your student will attend:
Home School Kindergarten Academy
Jeremiah Gray Kindergarten Academy
Southport Elementary
Mary Bryan Elementary
Clinton Young-if residence is North of 465 and East of I-65
Homecroft Kindergarten Academy
Winchester Village Elementary
Homecroft Elementary
Clinton Young Elementary-all other areas not included above
Douglas MacArthur Kindergarten Academy
Henry Burkhart Elementary
Douglas MacArthur Elementary
Rosa Parks Kindergarten Academy
Abraham Lincoln Elementary
Glenns Valley Elementary
When registration opens in January 2020, you will need to register your incoming Kindergarten student at the Academy that your student will attend based on your address. We will have maps at Clinton Young, Jeremiah Gray Kindergarten and Homecroft Kindergarten to help clarify which Kindergarten Academy your child will attend. *Transportation information will be communicated at a later date.
Second and Fifth Grade High Ability Screening
Dear Parents/Guardians of second and fifth grade students:
We need additional information on the academic needs and performance of individual students in order to provide instruction at the appropriate level for each child. We are continuing our screening for the high ability program and depending on the information needed your second or fifth grade child may be administered a standardized test during the month of December. Parents of students who qualify for the program will receive a letter by the end of May. If you have any questions regarding testing, please contact Kim Jovic at kjovic@perryschools.org.
NOW HIRING BUS DRIVERS
Our students need you!
*We CDL Train*
Contact our Transportation Dept
317-789-6225 or apply online at www.perryschools.org
Important - Student Accident Insurance
Student Accident Insurance is available to any parent/guardian of a student in Perry Township. Please contact your school's front office for information on cost, coverage and how to sign up or you can visit our website at perryschools.org under the parent section.
ID Required
Visitor & Volunteer Policies
Volunteers play an important role in our school district. Their guidance and influence can encourage the academic, social, and personal success of students. Their skills and willingness to assist can help principals and teachers tackle some of the items on their long to-do lists. Perry Township Schools promotes an environment of safety, trust, and respect. In accordance with state law, volunteers must wait until after their background screening process is complete to begin their volunteer assignment.
All background screenings need to be completed on a laptop or personal computer (PC). Due to security settings, smart phones and tablets will not allow the completion of the application process.
Please see below for an explanation of the appropriate levels to ensure you are completing the correct background check for the appropriate volunteer position. All links can be copied and pasted fort the appropriate link to complete the volunteer process.
Volunteer Access Levels
Level I Visitor: Volunteer application and formal background checks are not necessary. This level is for guests who are visiting the office only, having lunch with their student, and guest speakers that will NOT have one-on-one contact with the students. Level I visitors are required to have their driver’s license or ID scanned through the visitor system for a limited criminal history and an instant sex offender screening.
Level II Volunteer/Visitor: A Raptor background check is necessary. The $5 paid fee and the background check must be completed every school year. Level II Volunteer/Visitors have access to students during the school day. Positions that would fall in this level include classroom party parents and guardians, field trip chaperones, tutors, Hope tutors, and student teachers completing field experience only. This list is not all inclusive. The link can be found here: https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MTA2MDplbi1VUw==
Level III Volunteer/Visitor: SafeHiring expanded background check is required. $24.90 fee (minimum) and must be completed every five (5) years if there is no break in volunteer service. On May 1, 2019, the state legislature passed House Bill 1209 which requires expanded criminal background checks for volunteer coaches. Level III Volunteer/Visitors/Coaches have direct and potentially unsupervised interaction with students. Positions that would be covered by this level include extra-curricular coaches (e.g. club sports – lacrosse, bowling, etc.) and non-employee sponsors (e.g. robotics, show choir, etc.). If you have lived outside the state of Indiana, there may be additional costs associated with the background check request.
https://secure.safehiringsolutions.com/app.cfm?id=01C1C7C6-A384-4C38-9037-766F36C5E886
Perry Township values all of our volunteers and truly appreciates your efforts with both volunteering and making sure the safety of our student is priority #1.
What''s going on in the Community
Skate with Sycamore
Sycamore Ice Skating Club at Perry Park offers group skating lessons for skaters of all ages and levels. Our winter registration event happens on the first 3 Saturdays in December – 7, 14, and 21. Registration can be taken on these dates from 10:45am–1:45pm in the rink lobby, or through online registration. Lessons for all ages and levels begin Saturday, January 4, 2020, from 12:40-1:40pm. Adult-only lessons begin on Wednesday, January 8, 2020, from 6:50-7:50pm. Further information can be found on our website www.sycamoreisc.org, or email learntoskateusa@sycamoreisc.org. We are also on Facebook.
Jeremiah Gray Kindergarten Academy
Website: http://www.perryschools.org/jk/
Location: 5225 Gray Road, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Phone: (317) 782-2240
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JGKALittleGiants/
Twitter: @JGKAPrincipal