No Place Like Jones
Family Updates for the Week of 9.11.23
Principal Corner
Dear Ira B. Jones Elementary Families,
I hope this message finds you well. I am grateful for your continued support in helping your children adjust to the new school year. Also, I am pleased that our students and staff are settling in well and getting accustomed to the routines and procedures.
As mentioned in my previous back-to-school letter, we ask that you guide and support your child's learning by making sure they:
- Attend school every day and arrive on time, ready to learn. Our school hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 2:35 p.m. daily. Students can arrive between 7:15 and 8:00 a.m. If your child comes after 8:00 a.m., they will be considered tardy. If your child accumulates excessive absences and tardies, we may ask you to attend a meeting to discuss their attendance.
- Develop a love for reading and improve their literacy skills by reading every day.
- Share their school experiences with you so you know about their school life.
- Let you know if they need additional support in any area or subject.
- Get enough sleep at night. Lack of sleep can negatively affect their health and academic performance.
We appreciate your partnership in ensuring our students' success.
I invite you to visit our school's website and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/irabjones/ and follow us on Twitter @Principal_IBJ and Instagram @IraB.JonesElementary. These will serve as a resource tool for all upcoming events, the student/family handbook, and important reminders, and you can catch up with all the wonderful things our students and teachers are doing. I also send out a weekly family newsletter. Please ensure we have updated contact information so you can stay informed of all our school happenings.
As a school leader and a parent, I understand the necessity of healthy communication between families and the school. I welcome your questions, celebrations, or concerns at any time. You can reach me by calling the school at 828.350.6700 or emailing me at ruafika.cobb@acsgmail.net.
Warm Regards,
Ruafika Cobb
Principal
Ira B. Jones Elementary School
#noplacelikejones
Attention 3rd Grade Families
Beginning-of-Grade 3 Reading Test
On Wednesday, September 13th, all third graders in the district will take the state-mandated Beginning of Grade 3 Reading Test (BOG3).
Purposes of the BOG3 Reading Test
Article 8 Chapter §115C of the General Statutes includes Part 1A, the North Carolina Read to Achieve Program. The goal of this program “is to ensure that every student read at or above grade level by the end of third grade and continue to progress in reading proficiency so that he or she can read, comprehend, integrate, and apply complex texts needed for secondary education and career success.” The North Carolina BOG3 Reading Test is linked to the Read to Achieve Program. This test serves several purposes:
- It establishes a baseline measure of beginning third-grade students’ English language arts/reading skills.
- Students who score achievement level 3 or higher on the test demonstrate reading proficiency appropriate for third-grade students, which satisfies the requirements of the Read to Achieve legislation.
- Data from the administration of the test and the administration of the End-of-Grade 3 (EOG3) Reading Test are used for school accountability growth and student growth for teachers and administrators.
- Students in grade 3 who are not proficient on the EOG3 Reading Test but were proficient on the BOG3 Reading Test (i.e., score achievement level 3 or higher) count as proficient in the performance composite and school performance grades.
Please encourage your child to strive for their best without feeling anxious or overwhelmed about the upcoming test. This is the first time your child will take this type of test, but their teacher will work with them to ensure they are well-prepared. The teacher has already started the conversation with your child to help them feel more confident. It's worth noting that students in 3rd grade have multiple ways to demonstrate their reading proficiency, so this test is not the only measure of their progress.
On Monday, Ms. West, our Assistant Principal, will share further details about the testing process with you. If you have any other questions about how testing works in 3rd grade, your child's teacher will happily answer them. Once the testing is complete, your child's teacher will share the results with you.
Check out the link below from the NC Department of Public Instruction for more information about the Beginning-of-Grade 3 Reading Test and state testing in general.
Toys & Personal Items
Please leave toys and personal items home
JONES FTO ANNOUNCES THIS YEAR'S SCHOOL MUSICAL PRODUCTION:
Disney's The Lion King, Jr. Feb 15th & 16th 2024 at Ira B. Jones!
Click here to register your student to participate, and to sign up for an audition day!
A paper registration form will be available next week for families who prefer. Auditions will be held for grades 3-5 only on one of the following dates: Sept 18, Sept 20 or Sept 21st
(Students in K-2 do not need to audition, and will join rehearsals after Thanksgiving break).
Volunteers Needed! Candace Pickens Memorial Park
Volunteers Needed! Candace Pickens Memorial Park
Jones Park Playground was a treasured community park used by families from across the city of Asheville. Unfortunately, it was removed without a replacement plan in September of 2021. Members of the community began working immediately to find a solution to get this playground rebuilt with donated funds and labor from the community. In this process the park was renamed Candace Pickens Memorial Park. Candace played in this park and brought her son to play. She was tragically killed here in 2016. October 4-8 hundreds of volunteers from neighborhoods across the city and county will be giving their time to help bring this playground back. Working side by side we are building more than just a playground, we are building community and connections that will last lifetimes.
Volunteers are needed, sign up here:
https://bit.ly/buildpark or www.rebuildjonespark.org
Facebook page, please share with others: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofjonespark
Upcoming Important Dates
Monday, September 11: ACS Board Meeting at 5:00 pm
Wednesday, September 13: Beginning of Grade (BOG) for 3rd grade students
Wednesday, September 13: Early Release - Dismissal at noon
Thursday, September 14: Family/Teacher Organization Meeting at 5:00 pm
Monday, September 25: Optional Workday/No School for Students
Thursday, October 12: Fall Teacher/Family Conference Day - No School for Students
Friday, October 13: Required Workday/No School for Students
Wednesday, October 18: IBJ Open House at 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Tuesday, October 31: End of Quarter 1
Healthy Snacks
Parents, in case you haven't had a chance to look at the Student/Parent Handbook, I want to highlight information about snacks (page 8 of the handbook), especially since students want to bring in food to celebrate their birthday. We ask that parents follow the below suggested snack list. Any snacks you send in need to be pre-packaged.
Several students at our school have severe and life-threatening food allergies, and many others have dietary restrictions. Classroom alerts are posted outside each class door, and families are asked to respect these allergies by bringing appropriate foods. Teachers will send home a copy of suggested snacks, and if a class has an allergy alert order, therefore requiring a customized list of snacks. Please understand we cannot allow exposure to high-risk items if a student has a documented life-threatening allergy alert. Below are some suggestions for helthy snack options. Just ideas. Feel free to send in other items your family enjoys!
Apples, Oranges, Bananas, Pineapple, Kiwi, Watermelon, Grapes, Clementines, etc.
Raisins
Fruit cups with 100% juice
String Cheese
Carrots, broccoli, cucumbers (w/o dressing)
100% Fruit snacks
Yogurt, gelatin, or pudding cups
Animal Crackers
Graham Crackers
Cheerios or Life cereal
Pretzels
Rice cakes
Low-fat tortilla chips
Fig bars
Pre-popped low-salt/light popcorn
Cheez-It® Baked Snack Crackers
Peanut butter unless the class is identified as nut-free
Check with your child’s teacher to make sure it’s okay to send in snacks or other foods that contain nuts. In addition, please inform your child’s teacher of any special dietary needs your child may have.
ParentSquare
Register Your ParentSquare Account Today!
Our school uses ParentSquare as its primary communication platform for sending updates, announcements, and alerts. It also allows us to connect with families via text messaging. If you still need to register, please use the ParentSquare email you received. If you need any assistance or have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with the school at 828.350.6700.