Jackson Newsletter
November / December
Dear Jackson Families,
Thank you families for all your support last month. Thank you for partnering with us during conferences and shopping at the book fair. We hope grades 1-6 enjoyed the student-led portion of conferences. Continue to engage in conversations with your student about their learning, growing, and perseverance.
Also, thank you for supporting the Jackson Student Council's food drive. We donated 1,345 food items to the Food Pantry at First Lutheran Church. The students were so proud to drop off the donations across the street. We were so happy to be able to continue this Jackson tradition. The Food Pantry partners with Jackson to donate weekly fresh food boxes and Thanksgiving baskets to families in our community.
Student Council is now encouraging our students to be part of a Kindness Challenge. Be sure to ask your student about ways to be kind and how it makes them feel when they offer others kindness.
In the December and January, grades 3-6 will take part in the NSCAS Growth Pilot Test for English Reading and Math. This test is a pilot for the new state test that tracks growth of students across the school year. They will take another NSCAS in the spring. The test will give a MAP RIT score as well to compare to fall district MAP testing. Be sure to ask your student about the goal they set for themselves to show improvement and growth.
Mark your calendars for our Jackson Family Night on November 18 at 6 pm. Our committee is busy planning a great night for you to engage in activities with your child. The event will be in-person at Jackson. You will enter through the southeast doors / arrival door. Please wear your face covering.
Thank you kindergarten and first grade families for attending the Dual Language Family Event. By the end of December each of our grade levels will host an event. Be sure to check the teacher's weekly communication for details about your grade level's event. The Winter Program is December 17. Please choose to attend one performance at 10 am or 2pm. You will enter through the gym/alley doors on the west side of the building.
As the cooler weather arrives, be sure your student dresses for the weather. We go outside for recess everyday unless it is raining, snowing, high winds, or feels like 20 degrees or colder.
We wish you a wonderful week-long Thanksgiving Break.
School Hours:
8:35 am Breakfast doors open - Grab-n-Go breakfast in the classroom
8:45 am Arrival for students not eating breakfast
8:50 am K-6 School Begins
8:50 am Early Childhood / Pre-K Arrival
3:55 pm Early Childhood / Pre-K Dismissal
4:00 pm Kindergarten Dismissal; Buses load
4:05 pm 1-6 Dismissal
Do not send your child to school before 8:35 am. There is not proper supervision.
Please call or email if you have any questions, 531-299-1620. Please let us know if we can connect you to resources to support your family. We are here to help.
Sincerely,
Suzanne Hagen
Principal
Important Dates
November
- 18 - Family Night, 6:00 - 7:30 pm (at Jackson)
- 19 - No Early Childhood / PK Classes
- 22-26 - No School - Thanksgiving Break
December
- 17 - Winter Program 10 am & 2 pm at Jackson; No Early Childhood / PK Classes
- 20 - Jan 4 - No School - Winter Break
January
- 5 - School Resumes
- 17 - No School - MLK Day
- 21 - No Early Childhood / PK Classes
February
- 3 - Family Night at Jackson, 6 - 7:30 pm
- 4 - No School - Teacher Curriculum Day
- 11 - No Early Childhood / PK Classes
- 21 - No School - President's Day
Items to Bring to School
- Wear a clean face covering
- Bring the iPad fully charged and charging cord
- Refillable water bottle - Water Only
- Backpack (check each evening)
- Extra face covering in backpack
*Do NOT allow your child to bring toys, cards, junk food, or non-school related items
Cycle Day Calendar
PE Shoes Required
Blue Group = Cycle Day 5 & 10
Soto (4) = Cycle Day 2 & 7
Library Book Return
Blue Group = Cycle Day 2
Soto (4) = Cycle Day 3
Band and Strings
Cycle day 3, 4, 8 and 9
Health and Safety
Does your child have one of the following?
- New cough
- New onset of shortness of breath
- New loss of taste or smell
- Fever of 100.4 or greater
- Chills
- Muscle aches
- Headache
- Sore throat
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
- Notify the school of your child's absence
- Contact your child's health care provider
- Get your child tested for COVID-19
- Do not send your child to school until they have a negative test result or have been cleared by their health care provider
Fall Book Fair
The teachers also say thank you for the gift certificates to purchase books for the classroom.
Wellness Tip of the Month
Balancing Physical Activity and Screen Time
Having a balance between physical activity and screen time is important for a child's overall health development. Heavy, passive media and screen time use have been linked to obesity, lack of sleep, academic challenges, aggression, and other behavior difficulties. Discourage watching numerous video clips. Encourage your child to be physically active for 60 minutes each and every day. Set screen-time limits. Allow age-appropriate media or media that allows them to create and problem-solve. Monitor your child’s online activities. Visit commonsensemedia.org for more information and resources to strike a healthy balance.
Message from the Counselor & Social Worker
During the month of December, the counselor will be teaching guidance lessons about calming down, strong emotions, showing compassion, and what to say when you accidentally hurt someone. Many children struggle with what to say or do when they hurt someone on accident. Encourage you child at home to use the same response that we teach here at school. We teach the students to say, “I’m sorry. That was an accident. Are you ok?” Many times, these three simple sentences can alleviate further conflict and hurt feelings.
To help with strong feelings, don’t forget to encourage your child to use the three-step process.
1. Stop and Pause
2. Name Your Feeling
3. Calm Down (Belly Breath / Count / Positive Self-Talk)
Call 1-800-448-3000
OPS Digital Resources - Jackson Homework - 20 minutes a night
K: iRead and Zearn (Students who read, also use Amira)
1-2: Amira Reading Tutor (6 stories a week total), iRead, and Zearn Math (3 lessons total a week)
3: Amira Reading Tutor (5 stories a week total), iRead or Lexia, Zearn Math (3 lessons total a week) and MAP Accelerator
4-5: Lexia, Zearn Math (3 lessons total a week), MAP Math Accelerator
6: Lexia Power Up, Zearn Math (3 lessons total a week), MAP Math Accelerator
Join the PTO
- Email us at: ops.jackson.pto@ops.org
- Follow us on Facebook and Request to join the OPS Jackson Elementary Parent Page
- Please consider donating to the PTO to serve & support our students & staff - http://weblink.donorperfect.com/jackson_pto
Interested in Volunteering?
Please use link to complete the volunteer application:
https://omaha.tedk12.com/hire/ViewJob.aspx?JobID=9889
All adults who wish to volunteer on a school campus or chaperone day field trips, and district sponsored activity with students need to complete the application BEFORE volunteering with students or in the building. The required Volunteer Application allows the District and the schools to provide the appropriate level of clearance for school volunteers, protecting our students. Level 3 volunteering requires a background check. We ask that all volunteers are vaccinated and wear a mask in the building.
Jackson Elementary
Email: suzanne.prenger-hagen@ops.org
Website: jackson.ops.org
Location: 620 South 31st Street, Omaha, NE, USA
Phone: 531-299-1620
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OPSJacksonElementary
Twitter: @OPSJacksonElem
Omaha Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), marital status, sexual orientation, disability, age, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship status, veteran status, political affiliation or economic status in its programs, activities and employment and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following individual has been designated to accept allegations regarding non-discrimination policies: Superintendent of Schools, 3215 Cuming Street, Omaha, NE 68131 (531-299-9822). The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Director for the Office of Equity and Diversity, 3215 Cuming St, Omaha, NE 68131 (531-299-0307).