Jefferson Jewels

Dear Jefferson Leadership Academy Students and Families,

It's officially the 2026-2027 school year, and I am so excited to welcome our JLA community back to school!

You are receiving this newsletter because you are part of our JLA community of parents, families, and caregivers this year, and we are grateful to have you. In this newsletter, you will find important updates about the upcoming school year, information about school events, and tips for supporting your child's learning journey. I encourage you to review the entire newsletter to ensure you're up to date on all things JLA.

The Jefferson Jewels will arrive by email or text each Sunday at 4:00 pm and are best viewed in a browser to see all the visuals and details. You can also select your preferred language using the translate or accessibility tools at the top of the browser.

The first day of school is Tuesday, August 25th. This will be a minimum day, 8:00 am-1:10 pm. Students may enter and exit school on Euclid and Mira Mar. We recommend using Mira Mar, as there is less traffic at the back of the school. School hours for a regular day schedule are from 8:00 am to 2:40 pm.

Thank you to all the students and families who joined us for orientation last week. It was wonderful to meet our new students and families, and see the familiar faces of our returning students. I have included the parent orientation slides below for you to look over.

With the new school year upon us, filled with exciting opportunities and learning experiences, I look forward to welcoming our students and community to campus. It's going to be a great year!

In a partnership,

Dr. Renée Shipman

Principal, Jefferson Leadership Academy

It's time for all parents to complete their child's Annual Verification in ParentVue. This step helps JLA stay connected with families and ensures our school continues to receive important funding from the state and federal government. When you fill out the income verification section, you help us secure funds for field trips, extracurricular activities, and on-campus staff. Please help JLA remain the best middle school in LBUSD by completing the Annual Verification process today.

This year, we are seeking parents or caregivers interested in providing additional support for student events and activities, lunch supervision, and before- and after-school dismissal. If you are interested, please complete the VIPs application below to start the process.

• Visit our Standing in Solidarity page for resources and information designed to support our immigrant students and families.

Our schools are safe spaces. You belong here. We are here to support your child’s learning, safety, and well-being today and every day.

For school information, please use one of our many forms of communication. Visit and favorite/bookmark the Jefferson Leadership Academy Website https://jefferson.lbschools.net/ and follow our Instagram page @lbjefferson_jags.

Dr. Renée Shipman

Principal

Jefferson Leadership Academy

750 Euclid Avenue, Long Beach, Ca.90804

Email: RShipman@lbschools.net

Pronouns: she/her/hers