Ireland Elementary School
January 8, 2023
Welcome Back!
I would like to welcome all of our students and teachers back from a well-deserved break! 2022 was fantastic in the life of our school, and 2023 is sure not to disappoint. The successes that we have encountered would not be possible without our amazing students, teachers, parents, and community - I love our Ireland family!
I know the weather has been much warmer than usual but in the case that cold weather sets in, please make sure that your child has appropriate clothing for the weather. I also want to remind you that with inclement weather comes the potential for snow days. Please be sure that you have made appropriate childcare accommodations for school delays, cancellations, and early dismissals.
In closing, I want to thank you all for your continued support of our students, school, and programs. Please follow us on social media to stay in tune with things happening daily in our schools.
Report Cards
Your child will receive their 2nd quarter report card next Friday, January 13th. Please review this report card with your child. Academics are very important, but here at Ireland Elementary, we are equally concerned with behavior and personal character building.
Please discuss with your child the areas of success along with areas of concern. The dialogue between you and your child is critical in developing a well-rounded student that is respectful, responsible, and hard-working.
You will notice that the behavior standards are S, N, or U
S = Satisfactory
N = Needs Improvement
U = Unsatisfactory
If you have any questions about the report card, please feel free to contact your child's classroom teacher. Thanks for your support at home!
Henry Merkley's Birthday
PreKindergarten Sign-ups on Monday
Kindergarten Registration 2023
Pre-Enrollment for Kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year is NOW OPEN! This is a two-step process. Follow the links below for the school you wish to enroll your student.
If your child is currently attending PreKindergarten at Ireland, you don't have to do either of the above steps. We have them enrolled for next school year!
Junior Achievement Volunteers Needed
Teachers that need a JA volunteer still: Mrs. Kincer, Mrs. Freeman, and Mrs. Hoffman.
If you want to learn more about being a JA classroom volunteer, please visit their website here - https://jausa.ja.org/volunteer/index
Riley Week
Our Riley Caring and Sharing Week is Jan 23--27! Students will be raising money for Riley Children's Hospital with: Dress Up Days, A Knockout Contest, Coloring Contest, and a Freeze Pop Sale! Participation is optional.
Check out this link to learn more about Riley's. We will also show this to our students at school that week! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5r838zmuK4
Students may participate in as much or as little as they choose!
PATIENT PICTURES
We’d like to display how many of our very own students have been a patient of Riley Children’s Hospital. If your child has ever been a patient at Riley hospital and you don’t mind sharing that, please send in a picture to give to his/her teacher. A picture taken at Riley would be great, but if you don’t have one any picture will be fine! Please write your child’s name on the back of the picture so we can return it to you.
DRESS UP DAYS - $1.00 per day
MONDAY - Movie Monday! Bring a small pillow or blanket to cuddle up and watch a movie in the gym!
TUESDAY -It’s the 100th day of the school year! Can you dress to look like you’re 100 years old? Bring 100 cents ($1.00) to buy a freeze pop at lunch!
WEDNESDAY - Wake up & Walk Out Day! Roll out of bed and come to school! Wear your pj’s or comfy clothes and don’t fix your hair! (Please brush your teeth though!)
THURSDAY - Top & Bottom Day! Wear a cap on top and crazy, comfy socks on the bottom & enjoy taking your shoes off in the classroom!
FRIDAY - Frosty or not Day-it’s Summer in the Winter! Wear shorts!
(Pants MUST be worn over shorts to and from school & during outside recesses.)
POPSICLE SALE
As noted above, popsicles will be sold at lunch on TUESDAY for $1.00.
KNOCKOUT CONTEST (grades 2-5) & Free Throw Contest (grades K-1)
Students pay $1 BY WEDNESDAY to enter. There will be 6 winners: one boy & one girl winner in grades K-1, grades 2-3, and grades 4-5.
COLORING CONTEST
Students pay $1 to enter the “Get Well” coloring contest! They may be colored with crayons, colored pencils, or markers and be completed in school or at home as long as the student colors it independently. All entries must be turned in BY THURSDAY. One winner per grade!
CHORES for CHARITY
The students at Jasper High School on the Riley Dance Marathon committee have an extra challenge and incentive for our students. The top 3 classrooms that collect the most money this week will get a surprise sweet treat! In addition to the dress up days and contests, if you have money you would like to donate to your class bucket you can bring it in anytime throughout the week. To add to the giving spirit, we encourage you to offer to do extra chores for your family, friends or neighbors to earn the money you donate. You can help the kids of Riley Hospital while lending a helping hand! Any amount helps raise our grand total!
Screenagers
This is open to all students and families in the Dubois County Community! The documentary will begin at 6pm. After the documentary, there will be a panel discussion, featuring Dr. Nord, Detective Brescher, Mr. Tolbert, Dr. Nalley and Mrs. Grothouse.
Concessions will be available to purchase.
Ireland Elementary Christmas Program 2022
2nd Quarter Character Ed Awards
Wake Up, Ireland!
Every day, our Wake Up, Ireland! announcements will also be posted on Facebook for you to view. If you like our Ireland Elementary YouTube Channel, you can also receive notifications when new videos are uploaded. The news broadcast will include birthdays, lunch menus, character education, sports, weather, and much more! You never know what you are going to learn!
Subscribe to our Ireland Elementary YouTube Channel here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2xDUum9w6Ui_vO63u101MQ
Kindness Challenge of the Week
Draw a picture and take it to someone in the nursing home.
Every week, your child will be receiving a kindness challenge! If they complete the challenge, they get to put up a sticker on our kindness challenge board!
Jump in on the fun at home too! Help us promote kindness to all - at school, home, and community!
Mindfulness Strategy of the Week
Ocean Breath by Mrs. Olinger (This Moment book)
Begin practicing this breath by imagining you have a mirror in front of you. Cup your hand and hold it near your mouth. Inhale, and as you exhale, pretend to fog the mirror. Try that two times.
Now imagine that there is a mirror in the back of your throat. On your next inhale, with your mouth open, fog the mirror at the back of your throat. (You will start to hear the beginning of that “ocean sound”). Try that two times. Next, try making the fogging breath but with your mouth closed. It can seem a little odd at first, but after a bit you will get the hang of it. Inhale. Exhale.
John Rosemond - Thought of the Week
A balance of love and discipline creates security for a child. Security forms the pad from which a child launches his or her life. The more solid the pad, the better able the child is to reach for the stars.
The secure child has no compulsion to misbehave, no neurotic need to attract attention for the mere sake of attention. He is secure not only because his parents love him, but also because they discipline him well.
Family Friendly Survey
Ireland Elementary School is seeking this designation, and we need your help! We need at least one member of each family to fill out this quick survey (both parents would be great)! https://www.jotform.com/210636394920961
Hint:
- Under 'School Name' look under 1569 Ireland Elementary School
- Under 'School Corporation' look for 2120 Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools
Cold Weather and Recess Guidelines
- Your child will be going outside for recess as long as the 'feels like' temperature is 20 degrees or above.
- No more shorts until it is announced in the spring.
- Please send a coat, hat, and gloves for recess.
- If your child doesn't bring a coat, we will provide one if they wish to borrow one. If your child was sent to school without a coat and also refuses to borrow one, they will still be sent outside for recess.
- Our lost and found is pretty large in the winter months, so please take inventory of your child's belongings every week to make sure they have their coat, gloves, and hats.
Give an Ireland Staff Member a Shout-out!
Thank you for taking the time to highlight a staff member when they exceed our expectations!
https://ire.gjcs.k12.in.us/quicklinks/ireland-staff-shoutouts
PowerSchool Grades
There have been many parents questioning how to view their student's grades in PowerSchool. I have created a short screencastify of the parent view when looking at grades. If you have any questions, please contaqct Kelly Lehmkuhler at klehmkuhler@gjcs.k12.in.us
Lunch Visitors
Visitors who want to eat lunch with their child must call the school office by 9:00 a.m. if they wish to order an adult tray. Adult lunches cost $4.25 and must be paid by cash or check in the office when you arrive. If you do not wish to order an adult tray, you do not have to call ahead.
Visitors will be required to wait in the office until the students are dismissed to the cafeteria.
We do not allow outside food to be brought into the cafeteria for your child.
Important Reminders and Updates
School hours are 7:50AM -2:50PM. Students can arrive starting at 7:15AM. Students may not be dropped off prior to 7:15 AM. If you bring your child to school after 7:50 AM, you must escort them to the front doors.
We are highly encouraging parents who are bringing their child to school to use the car drop-off drive. If you would like to walk your child in, you will have to say goodbye outside the front doors. Please trust us that we have your child's best well-being in mind at all times.
All school supplies are provided by the PTO. Your child only needs a backpack, headphones, and a water bottle. Please write your child's name on all items.
Please see nurse Brandi Stiles for prescription medicine intake. All medicine must be accompanied by a parent and include a physician’s prescription. Students are not allowed to transport medicine to school.
VERY IMPORTANT- If your child's transportation changes, please notify the office with a note ASAP.
Covid Protocols for 22-23 School Year
If COVID positive...
- Must provide a picture of the positive home test card or a copy of the positive lab report.
- Isolate 5 days from symptom onset or isolate 5 days from test date if asymptomatic; May zoom when confirmed positive.
- Return to school on day 6
Symptoms but not testing for COVID or has a negative test result...
- Follow regular school policy.
- Fever free for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medication
- If vomiting, your child must be able to eat 2 solid meals before returning to school.
- Free of diarrhea for 24 hours before returning to school
Can We Take AR Tests at Home?
YES! Here are a couple important things to know and remember as your kids test at home:
Step 1: Visit https://clever.com/in/gjcs
Step 2: Log in to Clever. (Your child should know this information - short number, long number)
Note: Make sure it says ‘Greater Jasper Consolidated School District’ at the top.
Step 3: Under ‘More Apps’ select ‘Renaissance’.
A Little About our Staff
I have compiled a list at the beginning of the year for myself, and I thought it would be nice for you to know too!
Check out this link to view their favorites!
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LNBa1DLyHFPSIUbk1jMurgLfXYtvefPnTIS6yKMLGPU/edit?usp=sharing
Ireland Elementary Parent Handbook
Thanks!
January Menus
February Menus
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Blood Drive @ Ireland Elementary School
Free Throw Contest
Ireland Youth Baseball and Softball
Wildcat 5K Runaway
Parent Cafe
January 2023: Out With the Old, In With the New Evidence Based Practice: Strengthening Families Protective Factors Protective Factors being reinforced: Parental Resilience, Social Connections, Social & Emotional Competence of Children
Jasper Library Digital Access Card
Jasper Public Library Digital Access cards came home this week. Check out the short video tutorial below!
Raise Right (formally known as SCRIP)
Do you want to save money on book rental and lunch money? If so, see flyer and information below on how to make that happen! It is available for ALL GJCS students no matter what school you attend!
Get started by going to the RaiseRight app on your phone or RaiseRight.com. Enrollment Code: A9L615B88978. Choose Jasper Elementary (even though your child goes to Ireland).
Orders will be reviewed on the Mondays listed below after 6:00 pm and any physical cards will be delivered to the school no later than Fridays of that week if you do not choose to ship them to your home.
First Semester: 8/15, 8/29, 9/12, 9/26, 10/10, 10/24, 11/7, 11/14, 11/28, 12/5, 12/12,
Second Semester: 1/2, 1/16, 1/30, 2/14, 2/28, 3/13, 3/27, 4/10, 4/24, 5/1, 5/15
YMCA - After School Care
Box Tops App!
We have a school goal of $2,000. Let's do this!
Past Ireland Newsletter
2023 - 2024 School Calendar
We are IRELAND!
Email: sbauer@gjcs.k12.in.us
Website: https://www.gjcs.k12.in.us/3/home
Location: 2386 North 500 West, Jasper, IN, USA
Phone: (812)482-7751
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ireland-Elementary-School-482279435288092/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel&eid=ARAFiG3PHtLEmKAd5cDeCkiXQq9OSvT5IwdGN5thZayEwosa7K4OQKvDopYDB6ESEJzUS4NVtNa0lmoY