Jeremiah Gray Kindergarten Academy
Home of the Little Giants - November 15, 2019
Principal's Message
Greetings JGKA families!
It was an exciting day at JGKA. Today we had our first group of Little Giants sign our
Achievement Wall.By the end of Kindergarten, it is our goal that all of our students learn 100 sight words and can read and understand a Level C text. As students meet these goals we like to recognize them for their hard work and effort. During a fun celebration, students get to sign their name on the wall in front of their cheering peers and smiling teachers!
Today 17 of our Little Giants signed the wall for knowing 100 sight words. ONE student has already signed the wall for having mastered a Level C text! We had a great time celebrating their hard work.
This year, we added a new growth component to our celebration. Students that have mastered 50 of their sight words were able to hang a star on an "On Our Way" board. Those students will be working hard to move from that temporary board to a permanent spot on the wall.
As we ended our celebration today, we talked about how success doesn't happen by accident. To earn your spot on the wall, you have to work hard! Our successful students shared some strategies they used to learn all their words:
"Read books." "Practice flash cards at home." "Use my mind!"
Parents, you can help your child reach their goals by reading to your child at home. You can also help your child practice using sight word flashcards.
We guarantee many more students will be signing the wall soon! We can't wait to celebrate with them, too.
Love,
Mrs. Hansell
Congratulations to our Little Giants of the Week!
Honoring Our Veterans
Jeremiah Gray Kindergarten PTO
If you are interested in serving on our board, please email Mrs. Hansell at lhansell@perryschools.org.
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: Amanda Spangler
Number of years: This is my 19th year teaching (all in Perry), 11 of those years have been in Kindergarten!!
Family Info: I’ve been married to Tom for 18 years. We have two boys Noah- a sophomore and Luke-
a 7th grader.
Favorite Hobbies: I love watching the boys play on their travel soccer teams, I love reading, road trips and going to Starbucks!
Interesting fact: We have been to 6 different states to watch the boys play soccer….we are adding at least two more new states this season!!!
Aide
Name: Savanah Holland
Number of years: I’ve been with the district since 2011.
Family Info: I’ve been married to my husband Jay for 13 years. We have four amazing children: Hayley, Quintin, Xavier, and Christian.
Favorite Hobbies: I enjoy spending time with my family. I love watching my daughter dance and my boys play soccer.
Interesting fact: I’m completely blind in my left eye. ;)
Achievement Wall
One way they can sign the wall is to read at a level C text. We will begin working on that each day in class. You can help at home by reading with your child each night.
Another way to sign the wall is to master all of our 100 sight words. We will learn these in class, but you can also practice at home, too. The words are listed below for anyone that wants to get started.
Our wall is empty now, so we can't wait to fill it with our students' names!
Child Nutrition
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
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