JMS Staff Newsletter
Excellence in Education
“Don’t count the days. Make the days count.” ~ Muhammad Ali
Week 9 - Last Week of School: May 24 - 28, 2021
Happy Sunday evening, Staff!
We want to thank each of you for your fabulous work on our First Annual STEM Day! The students provided some amazing feedback stating they want to do STEM Night and STEM Day each year!
A huge S/O to our Track & Field student-athletes and coaches! They had a tremendous amount of success at the State Meet in Clarksville yesterday and you can learn more in the Athletics Update below!!
We will be wrapping up the 2020-2021 school year this week! We want to remind you of a few things:
- Please see the schedule for Device Roll Up pictured below. This is the same information sent out via email on Friday morning.
- Please collect your styli and give to Ms. Haverkamp.
- Please complete your Classroom Inventory per Ms. Story's email.
- If you have summer maintenance requests, please email Ms. Laurendine no later than June 2nd.
- Locker cleanout will take place this week. Please contact Mr. Randolph to get large trash cans.
We have included the Covid-19 Vaccination Clinic information below for students 12 & up! Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions about this opportunity!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at your convenience.
Have a great week!
Phil Cox, Principal, pcox@ortn.edu
Jenifer Laurendine, Vice Principal, jllaurendine@ortn.edu
Nick Corrigan, Dean of Students, njcorrigan@ortn.edu
Ben Fowler, Instructional Technology Coach, bjfowler@ortn.edu
The Eagle Eye - A Look at the Week Ahead
Monday, May 24
B Day
In school student device return-5th & 6th grade
Tornado Drill - 2pm (Fire Drill to follow tornado drill)
Cheer Practice - 3-4:30pm
Boys Basketball Practice - 3-5pm
Girls Basketball Practice - 5-7pm
Girls Basketball Parent Meeting - 7pm
Board of Education Meeting - SAB - 6pm
Tuesday, May 25
A Day
In school student device return-7th & 8th grade
Environmental Club - 2:45-5pm
Principal Meeting - SAB 8:30am - Cox & Laurendine our of building
Boys Basketball Practice - 3-5pm
Girls Basketball Practice - 5-7pm
SLT Trivia - 4pm - Eagle Innovation Center (SLT only)
Wednesday, May 26
B day
Faculty Food Truck-Ale Rae Grill
ConnectOR device drop off - 1-4pm (Parking Lot Loop nearest Softball Field - Cafeteria Outside Doors)
Staff Appreciation Gathering - 1:15-3pm -front of the building
Boys Basketball Practice - 3-5pm
Girls Basketball Practice - 5-7pm
Thursday, May 27
A Day
Boys Basketball Practice - 3-5pm
Girls Basketball Practice - 5-7pm
ORHS Graduation
Friday, May 28
B Day
FUN DAY Early dismissal - 12:45pm
Girls Volleyball Try-outs -1:30-3pm
PLC at Work - Don't Forget to Register!
We are excited for the opportunity to provide live access to the SolutionTree PLC at Work Institute streamed from Glendale, Arizona during back to school week for three days, July 20-22. Registration is now open in Frontline and all staff are required to attend. Lunch will be provided all three days during this one-of-a-kind event at ORHS.
Key Benefits
- Create and propel productive habits and routines to ensure high levels of student learning
- Build capacity among all staff to support achievement during the COVID slide recovery
- Celebrate the dedication of our team to persevere during challenging circumstances
- Forge team bonds and comradery to focus on academic excellence during the year
- Secure commitment from parents through direct participation in the learning process
- Create certainty for the practicalities of maintaining work-life balance
To review breakout session narratives and to register, login to Frontline and navigate to the left panel choosing Activity Catalogs, then District Catalog. Use the search function to choose Events, then PLC At Work Institute and click the blue Search button in the upper right corner. Once the list of sessions displays, you may click on a title to read a full description and click the blue Sign Up Now button at the bottom to reserve your space.
All certified staff must register for:
- Day One - 10:00-11:45am Keynote; choice of one 12:00-1:30pm breakout; and choice of one 2:30-4:00pm breakout
- Day Two - 10:00-11:45am Keynote; choice of one 12:00-1:30pm breakout; and choice of one 2:30-4:30pm breakout
- Day Three - choice of one 10:00-11:30am breakout and 11:45-1:45pm Keynote
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Laurendine!
Frontline PD Hours
Please be sure to check your Frontline PD hours! These will be due at the end of the day on Tuesday, June 1st.
Also, you are able to begin accruing PD hours for the 21-22 school year on Wednesday, June 2nd. Please continue to enter into Frontline accordingly.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Ms. Laurendine.
Last Day of School "Fun Day"- Friday, May 28th!
Please see information below about the Fun Day schedule. We also want to communicate the expectations that we are sharing with parents about the last day of school. Please see below:
- Students are expected to adhere to all school rules and policies during fun day.
- Dress code will still be followed by students on Fun Day.
- No use of cell phones will be permitted during Fun Day due to social media and potential school safety issues. Students are not permitted video other students.
- At the end of the day, students are required to utilize their schedule mode of transportation. If you are changing your child's mode of transportation (riding home with a friend, walking instead of riding a bus, etc.) you must provide the office a note no later than 9am on Friday, May 28th.
FUN DAY Schedule!
We are so excited to host our Annual Fun Day! Please see below for specifics!
- 7:45-8:25am —homeroom/1st period—annual distribution & signing
- 8:25am-until grade called for basketball game--regular classes/annual signing. This includes going to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th periods when not in the gym. Please adhere to the rotation schedule. Please see basketball game schedule. (see above)
Students may eat lunch outside in front of the building (up to each grade level; please monitor). When it is movie time (appropriate for school) for your grade, you will be inside; it is up to each grade level how to divide the kids (by class/homeroom, etc) but you need to stay in your grade level area for that rotation time.
There will games set up on the football field. Bean bag, four-square, jump ropes, hula hoops, soccer balls, footballs, etc. DJ Goldberg will also be present. A variety of athletic boosters will be set up selling pre-packaged snacks/merchandise. At the playground sports equipment will be available. PTO will be set up giving each student a treat.
Grade level teachers will need to chaperone the various stations as always and DON’T FORGET TO WAVE TO THE BUSSES AND CAR RIDERS AT DISMISSAL!
In-school Basketball Game
8:05-8:10am—5th/6th graders travel to gym
8:15-8:20am—announce all players on girls and boys teams
8:25-8:39am—1st half—girls vs. girls
8:39-8:41am—switch teams
8:41-8:55am—2nd half—boys vs. boys
8:55am—5th/6th grade exit back to class while 7th/8th grades travel to gym
9:00am—7th/8th graders arrive in gym
9:00-9:05am— announce all players on girls and boys teams
9:10-9:24am—1st half—girls vs. girls
9:24-9:26am—switch teams
9:26-9:40am—2nd half—boys vs. boys
9:50am—7th/8th exit back to class
- 14-minute running clock
- One time out for substitution
STEM DAY 2021 A Huge Success!
Students and teachers worked collaboratively to partipcate in many STEM focused activities such as creating Balloon Cars, a Bird Beak Lab, BreakOut Boxes, Pizza Box Solar Ovens, backlit illustration panels in ELA and much more!
Please take a minute to look at the amazing pictures below!
Bird Beak Labs with Mr. Beard!
Creating artifacts in Ms. Pemberton's Class!
Backlit illustration panels based upon Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea"!
In Building Device Collection - Monday and Tuesday!
Device Roll Up/Collection will begin the week after next and we want to share with you what this procedure will look like.
In building student devices will be collected Monday, May 24 and Tuesday, May 25th. Please see the schedule below. It is very important your child bring all items to school on the days listed below to avoid any charges.
Students enrolled in ConnectOR will have their devices collected on Wednesday, May 26th from 1:00pm - 4:00pm. When COR parents arrive on campus, please use entrance closest to softball field, drive forward towards basketball courts and stop at cafeteria/building entrance.
All items your child has are scanned and will be scanned on the day of turn in thus allowing us to document that your child has turned in their device. Please be sure the student has completed the following steps to ensure for a smooth device roll up process:
- Laptop is cleaned and ready to turn in.
- They have their charger cord.
- They have their laptop bag.
In the event that a student device has damage, the following steps will take place:
- The damage will be documented including pictures of the damage and students will receive a letter and notification of the damage on that day.
- A letter documenting the damage along with the pictures will be mailed home. In addition, a letter will be provided to your student on the collection and also mailed home
- If your child's device has damage, the damage will be assessed by IT. Most student devices will not have damage assessed and they will simply turn in their device.
- If a device is lost or stolen, parents are responsible for filing a police report and submitting that report to IT in order to avoid a full replacement cost for the device. The police report for a lost or stolen device will be submitted to IT for insurance purposes and thus allow for the $50 fee to be applied instead of full replacement cost.
If you have any questions about this process, please do not hesitate to reach out to Ms. Laurendine at jllaurendine@ortn.edu.
Ms. Fox's students read about the history of marbles and learned how to play!
Our 2021 Marble Champion is Kaylee Latham!
Students loved the "Marble Tourney"!
The Reading Eagle!
JMS PTO News
Congratulations to the New PTO Board
At last week’s PTO meeting, new officers were elected for the 2021-22 school year. Congratulations to:
- Caroline Johnson (President)
- Suzanne Wren (Vice President)
- Jenna Rejman (Secretary)
- Eric & Tina Schmitt (Co-Treasurers)
Congratulations New Committee Chairs
A huge thank you to everyone that volunteered to take over PTO committee positions next year:
- Bookfair: Laura Mohr
- Fall Fundraiser: Caroline Johnson
- Teacher Luncheons: Terri Christie
- 8th Grade Graduation Celebration: Patti Cates, Linda Gilpin, Caroline Johnson
- Effort Awards: Patty Cates, Caroline Johnson
Thank you Outgoing Officers!
The PTO would like to thank outgoing officers Jennifer Menefee, LeighAynne Eidemiller, Cynthia Barreira and Sandy Pelletier for all their hard work and dedication throughout their tenure!
Thank you Gracie and Cynthia Barreira!
The PTO would like to thank Gracie and Cynthia Barreira for preparing and delivering individual box lunches to all the teachers last week in honor of teacher appreciation. It was a wonderful treat for the staff!
Thank You Unitarian Universalist Church!
This week the Unitarian Universalist Church in Oak Ridge is sponsoring a sack lunch and live music event for JMS staff to celebrate the tremendous job they have done during this very unusual school year! The PTO would like to thank the UU Church for showing the love to our amazing teachers and staff!
Thank YOU ORPSEF!! Check out our new band instruments!
JMS Counselors Corner
Good Evening from the Jefferson Middle School Counseling Department. As we head into our final week of the school year, please encourage your child to continue to check Skyward. We look forward to seeing them putting forth their best effort and finishing strong!
Connecting with our Rising Eagles
This week we were able to connect with our 5th grade families and incoming students via Zoom. It was wonderful to be able to connect and put names with faces. If you missed the Zoom Parent Q&A, please reach out to either the Counseling Office at JMS, or Woodland/Glenwood, in order to retrieve the recording. Additionally, please check out the below resources linking to information on courses available to students. Thank you to all who participated.
JMS 2021 Electives – 5th Grade playlist
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBX9jG90vAUlyaUERUQObfohgYZdOMIz2 (Links to an external site.)
We are excited to partner with your family next school year.
You can access this resource on our school website, https://www.ortn.edu/jefferson/academics/curriculum/ (Links to an external site.)
Tips for Preparing for Next School Year
· Discuss the transition with your student
· Encourage continued reading over the Summer
· Recharge and connect with those around you
· Be on the lookout for next year’s school supply list
· Explore the JMS Virtual Tour available on the JMS Website
· Review the elective videos previewing what is available next school year
· Reach out with ANY questions
Mental Health Resources
For further mental health support, please feel free to reach out to the Jefferson Middle School Counseling department at (865) 425-9301. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please refer to the information below:
Mobile Crisis/Youth Villages: 866-779-9225
Ridgeview Behavioral Health in Oak Ridge: 482-1076
Statewide Crisis Text line: Text TN to 741741
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255
Educational Supports Available:
After School Homework Help and Super Wednesday
Please remember that we will not have either After School nor Super Wednesday Support for students this week. Thank you for your hard work this school year!
Student of the Week
Cynthia Markus-Brock
Important Dates:
May 16th – 23rd – Final Exam Testing Window
May 24th-25th – Laptop Rollup
May 28th - Last Day for students - 1/2 day
JMS Boys Place 2nd Overall at State Meet!
JMS Athletic Update - Track & Field Excel at State Meet!
Congratulations to the JMS Boys Track & Field Team for finishing second place in the TMSAA State Track Meet on Saturday at Austin Peay University in Clarksville!
Gage Cook, placed 2nd in the Discus, throwing 118.5 feet. Dallas Frendt jumped 5 ft. 6 in. to finish 3rd in the High Jump. Tyson Triplett finished 5th in the Shot Put and threw 38 feet and 3.25 inches.
Our 4 x 200 meter relay team are STATE CHAMPIONS! Relay team members include: Troy Welch, Cayden Greenhalgh, Tyson Triplett, and JT Gormley. Our 4 x 100 meter relay team set a school record running the relay in 48.5 seconds and finished in 2nd place. Relay team members include: Dallas Frendt, Troy Welch, Cayden Greehalgh, and Tyson Triplett. Troy Welch finished 5th in the 200 meter run and Cayden Greenhalgh finished 12th.
Our 4 x 400 meter relay team are STATE CHAMPIONS! Relay team members include: Mason Greenhalgh, Devin Slattery, JT Gormley, and Dallas Frendt. Congratulations to all of these young men on an exceptional track & field season finishing as runner-up in the entire state of Tennessee, finishing second place in the Sectional Meet, and as City Champions!
In the girls action, 8th grader Emily Edwards finished 8th in the High Jump jumping 4 foot, 2 inches. Saniah Williams finished 16th in the Shot Put. Emily Edwards finished 5th in the 100 meter hurdles. The JMS girls 4 x 200 meter relay finished in 12th place. Relay team members include: Noel Norstedt, Anna Berven, Samiah Wooten, and Ellen Eidemiller. Congratulations to our girls track & field team for an awesome season as well!
Spring athletic try-outs continue this week. Please see information listed below by sport and please contact Athletic Director, Katie Bolling, at ksbolling@ortn.edu if you have any questions.
JMS Athletics Try-Outs Information:
- JMS Volleyball: Try-Outs—May 28th—1:30-3pm and June 1st—9:30-11am.
- JMS Cross Country: Conditioning workouts begin June 3rd at 9am.
Sports Physicals:
All student-athletes must have an updated sports physical, dated April 15, 2021 or later in order to participate in try-outs. The complete physical packet can be found on the JMS website: http://www.ortn.edu/Jefferson/FY_22_JMS_Physical.pdf. Students can also pick up a paper copy of the packet in the main office.
ORHS Try-Out Information for rising 9th graders:
- ORHS Volleyball: June 1st and June 2nd—2-4pm both days. Student-athletes must attend both days. Sports physicals, dated after April 15, 2021, must be on file to try-out. Contact Coach Kolodney at dmkolodney@ortn.edu with any questions.
- ORHS Baseball: June 1st and June 2nd—5:30-7pm both days at Bobby Hopkins Park. Sports physicals, dated after April 15, 2021, must be on file to try-out. Contact Coach Free at tafree@ortn.edu with any questions.
- ORHS Girls Basketball: Contact Coach Taylor at: hptaylor@ortn.edu
- ORHS Boys Basketball: Contact Coach Green at hagreen@ortn.edu
- ORHS Football: Contact Coach Gaddis at jbgaddis@ortn.edu
- ORHS Cross Country: Contact Coach Wright at tewright@ortn.edu
Gage Cook places 2nd in Discus!
Emily Edwards places 5th in hurdles!
Dallas Frendt places 3rd in High Jump!
State Champions 4 X 400 Meter Run!
Pfizer Covid -19 Vaccinations for Students 12 & Up!
Jefferson Parents,
We are pleased to announce that the Oak Ridge Schools will be partnering with the Anderson County Health Department to provide students 12 years and older the opportunity to receive a COVID-19 Vaccine.
The first shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination will be administered on Friday, June 4 and the second vaccine will be provided on Friday, June 25. Both vaccines will be administered at the ORHS Wild Cat Arena at no cost.
Please take the following steps if you would like your child to participate in this COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic.
- Step 1 - Access the Oak Ridge Schools Website at ORTN.edu
- Step 2- Click on the Student Vaccine Clinic Tab.
- Step 3- Read the Pfizer Fact Sheet provided in the attachments below.
- Step 4- Print and complete the vaccine consent form that is provided.
- Step 5- Return a completed vaccine consent form to the following locations on or before Friday, May 28, 2021: Ms. Renee Langford / Main Office or you may email a copy of a completed vaccine consent form to Mrs. Madison Branham at mgbranham@ortn.edu
- Step 6- Assure that your child attends both the June 4 and June 25 vaccine clinic.
Both vaccine clinics will begin at 9:00 AM. A reminder announcement will be provided once an ending time is determined for the vaccine clinics.
Please reach out to Ms. Laurendine (jllaurendine@ortn.edu) or Ms. Langford (rtlangford@ortn.edu) if you have any questions.