Parent Newsletter
Jan. 22nd - 26th
It's Week 4....Hard to Believe
- A look at the week ahead
- 21st Century Skills - The Four C's in education
- Understanding the 7 Keys and 4 C's of education in Oak Ridge Schools
- Social Media - Helping Parents have a better understanding
- Keys to a Great Nine Weeks
- Helping Students Develop Grit, Growth Mindset and Perseverance
- Counselors Corner
Thanks for all you do to support JMS each and every day!
Phil Cox, Principal
Chris Layton, Vice Principal
A Look at the Week Ahead
January 22-26
District Basketball Tournament starts at JMS on Saturday January 20th
Tournament will run from Saturday Jan. 20th - Thursday Jan. 25th
Monday 22 - A Day
District tournament Night 2
Jefferson Girls vs. Jacksboro Girls at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday 23 – B Day
ORHS ROTC visit 8th grade PE class
District Tournament Night 3
Jefferson Boys vs. Jacksboro at 5:00 pm
Wednesday 24 - A Day
Ski Club to Gatlinburg 1:00
Thursday 25 - B Day
Geography Bee
District Tournament Night 4 (Championship Games)
Friday 25 - B Day
Youth for Christ JPAC 7:00 A.M.
Truancy Meeting @JMS, JPAC – 10:00
Bus duty
7/8 grade lobby…Sample, Sears, Murphy
5/6 grade gym….K. Webb, Hensley, Puckett
21st Century Skills
Communication - We live in a world of instant communication and a world where future employers will have an expectation that future employees understand the realities of communication. In our daily lives, we are asked to communicate in many different ways and in many different situations. In a STEM focus, we want students to learn how to communicate their thoughts, ideas, and opinions. A goal of the 21st century is for our students to be able to compete in a global economy and the skill of communication is vital to that success.
Critical Thinking - We want to encourage students to not only learn important academic skills, but also the application of those skills through critical thinking. Our staff is working through professional development, collaborative efforts with colleagues, and spending time learning new instructional strategies to help students with critical thinking. We want students to be able to analyze, process, and innovate because we believe these are real world skills that they will need in the future. Many projects and lessons are designed with this skill in mind. We want to continue to understand and learn techniques that will help students analyze and think critically.
Collaboration - The competitive nature of a global economy has ironically yielded a stronger need for collaboration. Our students will graduate and complete their education and compete with students from around the world for opportunities. In the past, collaboration has not been as revered in the workplace as many look to keep ideas, resources, and thoughts to themselves. However, in the 21st century one of the most desired qualities is the ability to share ideas and work well with others. Many of teachers and classes are beginning to implement this skill into projects and lessons.
Creativity - In order to maximize efforts to create a STEM culture, it is vital to incorporate creativity. In so many ways, our students and staff are working to provide creative opportunities. In many classes, we have seen implementation of an instructional strategy known as PBL. The strategy of PBL is referred to sometimes as Project Based Learning or Problem Based Learning. Our staff is working through professional development, collaboration with other staff members and even colleagues in other places to develop strong opportunities for PBLs. One of the most challenging tasks for PBLs is finding creative ways to embed the state standards into the goals of your PBL. Our amazing staff is working to learn more about PBLs and finding ways to engage students into the process.
The 7 Keys for College and Career Readiness
The goals of both the 7 Keys and the 4 C's is to help students prepare for their future. As highlighted in our most recent newsletter these skills are designed to prepare students for careers of the 21st century. Education is learning through more and more conversation about the skills our students will need for their careers in the future. A future where students will need to be well versed in their skills of Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking and Communication. In addition to the 4 C's of STEM, we are also actively working to promote "soft skills" for interpersonal interaction.
Below you will see the Oak Ridge Schools 7 Keys to College and Career Readiness. These are the goals set for the students of Oak Ridge Schools as they progress through the Oak Ridge Schools.
Helping Students with Social Media
Below you will find more information about social media and if you wish you can go to Common Sense Media site to read even further about social media. You can find many of those questions along with resources here at this link. To help show the growth of Social Media, check out the graphic below that helps compare the speed of communication and its growth in our world. Amazingly enough, it took 75 years for the telephone to have 50 million users, but Angry Birds only 35 days. The speed of communication and technology has changed so dramatically in the past 10 years, in many ways it surpassed many of the communication achievements of the entire 20th century.
Keys to a Great Nine Weeks
Since we have had short weeks since our return Week 1 (3 days), Week 2 (4 days), Week 3 (2 days) it is very possible there have not been a lot of assignments for students. However as we hit the week of Jan. 22nd we know that there will be a long stretch left before we get to Spring Break. It is important for students and parents to work together to stay on top of assignments, deadlines, and understanding the significance of submitting all assignments.
A few tips:
1. Remember, check Canvas daily! For many students a review of Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, logging on to XBox, texting with friends, reading a book etc. is a daily routine and quite often a routine that happens more than once. Replace 10 minutes of your day to check Canvas.
- What assignments do I have that are due soon?
- Do I have any upcoming tests, quizzes and/or projects?
- What is my current grade? How can I improve my grade?
2. Take at advantage of test redos and test corrections. If you do poorly on a test or quiz and your teacher offers opportunity to retake the test or quiz or make corrections, DO IT! This not only helps you build a growth mindset and grit, it will improve your grade.
3. Missing assignments in mid January are not often able to be completed just before spring break to fit your schedule. Keep in mind, the assignments you are given are centered around the standards, skills and ideas you are learning right now in class. Not doing an assignment in mid January and then deciding in early March right before the term ends that you should have done the assignment because your grade is suffering is not the best strategy. Turn in ALL assignments.
4. If you truly don't understand something, don't just assume you won't have to. Don't assume that it will pass by. Take time to make efforts to learn about whatever you don't understand. Check out the graphic below and get a process in place to ask for help and learn.
Grit, Growth Mindset and the pursuit of your future
The jobs of the future are going to require students work to develop many skills, but among them will be the ability to continuously grow and learn. At Jefferson, we work through our daily classes, televisions in our lobby/cafeteria, our newsletter and success assemblies to help promote grit, growth mindset and perseverance. In our newsletters, we are going to continue to promote these skills for students and parents. We want to help our students realize that part of the challenges of school, academics, and growing socially and emotionally is learning how to continuously work to improve, persevere and learn to have a growth mindset.
Student Opportunities to show Grit:
- A great example would be when students are offered an opportunity to make corrections to an assignment, test or quiz. Students can show grit and growth mindset by working to help improve their grades.
- Another great example is to avoid not submitting assignments. When students accept zeroes because they do not turn in work, they miss out on opportunities to learn and grow.
- Read and study even when you are not required to because you want to learn.
- Spend time reading, writing, and practicing all of your skills. Spend time collaborating, learning, growing and improving your skills.
- Remember, learning is a process! It's important to know that you may fail the first time you try to learn something. The next step is important, what do you do when you don't understand something? A gritty person works to figure it out. Try to develop as many skills as possible.
Counselors Corner: Caring and Compassion
Counselors Corner
Good evening from the counseling office. We will continue with our theme of “Caring and Compassion”. We hope that many of you have picked some service projects to participate in from last week’s newsletter. This week we have provided you with quotes that you can post everyday this week to really think of the words of wisdom that these quotes provide.
The Psychology Behind Inspiraitonal Quotes
As people are getting lost in our fast paced lives, we all need things in packages. Small, easy to digest and instant packages. Same treatment has been given to motivation and inspiration by us. We need our quick motivation of the day. Many people on social media and within their area of work download daily motivational wallpaper with inspirational quotes and keep it for the day or week. (Thursday's Quote to the right)
The need for such quotes stems from the fact that we are surrounded by so many negativeness in out lives. All of us seek an escape or some means to help us better cope up with the stresses. Words of wisdom surely help in such times.
Important Dates:
January 23- ORHS ROTC visits JMS
February 1- 2 AVID Interviews at JMS- Interview time and locations will be given to students once lists have been developed. Thank you teachers and students who completed the AVID process.