Jasper Middle School

RED RIBBON WEEK

Monday, Oct. 27

Wear Red

Everyday Selects - Cheeseburger, Hamburger, Crispy Chicken, Spicy Chicken, Veggie Burger

Fast Takes - Crispy Chicken Wrap or Ham & Cheese Wrap or Parfait

Global Flavors - Chicken Tenders or Nuggets, Breadstick, Fries

Tuesday, Oct. 28

Jersey Day - Wear your favorite team’s sports apparel to team up against drugs!

Everyday Selects - Cheese, Pepperoni or Buffalo Chicken Pizzas or Pasta

Fast Takes - Blazing Chicken Salad or Buffalo Chicken Salad or Parfait

Global Flavors - Macaroni & Cheese or Cheeseburger Mac, Breadstick, Peas

Wednesday, Oct. 29

PTSO Fundraiser Pickup (more details will be given to students after Fall Break)

Country vs. Country Club - wear your best plaid shirts, jeans, cowboy boots, bandanas or the preppy style of a country club- tennis skirts, polos, khaki shorts, pastels

Everyday Selects - Made to Order Nachos

Fast Takes - Crispy Chicken Wrap or Ham & Cheese Wrap or Parfait

Global Flavors - Beef Taco Filling or Rainbow Chili, Baked Potato, Steamed Broccoli

Thursday, Oct. 30

PJ Day

Everyday Selects - Cheese, Pepperoni or Meatlover's Pizzas or Stuffed Breadsticks

Fast Takes - Blazing Chicken Salad or Buffalo Chicken Salad or Parfait

Global Flavors - Penne Pasta or Spaghetti Noodles, Alfredo or Spaghetti Sauce, Chicken or Meatballs, Green Beans

Friday, Oct. 31

Halloween Costume Contest

Everyday Selects - Cheeseburger, Hamburger, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, Bacon Cheeseburger

Fast Takes - Variety of Boxes, Salads, Subs & Wraps

Global Flavors - Orange or Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Steamed Corn

**A self-serve salad bar is now offered daily**

Oct. 20-24, 2025 Fall Break - No School

Nov. 18, 2025 - Wreath and Greenery Pickup for DC Trip fundraiser

Nov. 26-28, 2025 Thanksgiving Break - No School

Dec. 23, 2025 End of 2nd Quarter

Jan. 5, 2026 School Resumes

Jan. 19, 2026 MLK Day - Snow Make-up Day

Feb. 4, 2026 Professional Development Day - No School

Feb. 16, 2026 President's Day - Snow Make-up Day

Mar. 6, 2026 End of 3rd Quarter

Mar. 23-27, 2026 Spring Break - No School

Apr. 3, 2026 Good Friday - No School

Apr. 6, 2026 Snow Make-up Day - No School

May 20, 2026 JMS Achievement Night (Tentative)

May 21, 2026 End of 4th Quarter

May 22, 2026 JHS Commencement

Welcome to Red Ribbon Week! This year’s theme is “Life Is A Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free™.” Each healthy choice you make is like a perfect puzzle piece that strengthens your future. By staying drug-free, you’re showing yourself and the world how much you value your health, community, and dreams. When you choose health and positivity, you’re putting together a masterpiece where you can aim for the stars and achieve your goals. Keep adding those bright pieces to your puzzle – we believe in you!

With the new ILEARN Checkpoint testing, the Indiana DOE has created a Parent Portal to give you access to your child's proficiency levels on the Checkpoints. Your child will be bringing home a yellow piece of paper after Fall Break with instructions on how to access this information. Please note that the access code will be on the back of this instruction guide.

Over the past few months, we've seen an increase in sophisticated phishing emails in our area. These emails are designed to look "real" and often pretend to be from people you know.

What to Watch For:

To help you spot these threats, please remember:

• Be cautious before clicking. Think twice before clicking on any links or attachments, even if the email looks legitimate.

• Never enter your credentials. You should never be asked to enter your login information when opening a PDF, attachment, or link from an email. This is a clear sign that it's a phishing attempt.

• Be suspicious. These emails are designed to be convincing and often mimic real services.

This is an opportunity for students and educators to gain national recognition and win significant prizes:

• Student Eligibility: Teams consist of 1–4 middle school students (Grades 6-8 or 9-12) and one required Supervising Adult (teacher, parent, or community member).

• Teacher Participation: Teachers can participate in two ways:

  1. As the Supervising Adult for a student team (perhaps during homeroom or an after-school club).

  2. On their own in the Educator Track (Track III) to develop a unique AI concept or tool for classroom transformation.

• National Prestige: Regional Champions are considered for an invitation to Washington, DC, for a three-day event, including a White House showcase.

• Substantial Prizes: National Champions in the Middle School Youth Category win $10,000 per team member. Educator Track Champions also receive a $10,000 award.

• Skill Development: Students learn about the responsible use of AI tools and how to apply them to solve community challenges.

Key Dates

• Registration: Open Now

• Project Submission Deadline: January 20, 2026 (11:59 pm local time).

Students can choose 1 of 2 "Tracks" to participate in. Teachers can participate in Track III

Track I (Proposal) • Teams create an in-depth proposal for how AI technologies could be applied to address a community problem or challenge. This proposal must address an observed challenge in the student’s community, detail the mechanisms for applying AI technologies, and elaborate on how AI technologies could help address that challenge.

Track II (Technical/implementation) • Teams build a solution with AI technologies that can help address a community challenge. Solutions could take many forms, such as phone apps, websites, or processes, with supporting materials showing how people would leverage the technologies and how AI technologies are helpful in addressing that challenge.

Educator(Track III): Either a) teach an AI concept to their students in a new, unique way, or b) create a tool based on AI technologies to manage some aspect of their classrooms (teaching, communication, efficiency) that could not be completed without AI-based tools. • Think about how the project could be replicated in other classrooms or educational environments, perhaps even on a national scale – this is not a requirement, but this is a chance to impact more than just your classroom.

Here is the link with full details, official rules, and registration:

AI Challenge Website

Sample Projects

The City of Jasper is updating it long range Comprehensive Plan and we need your help. Please take a few moments to fill out the survey below and share with your family and friends. You input will help guide the future of Jasper!

English: https://www.research.net/r/JasperCPCommunitySurvey

Spanish: https://www.research.net/r/EncuestaComunitariaDelPlanIntegralDeJasper

Subject Line: Help Shape the Future of Dubois County – Take Our 10-Minute Survey!

Your Voice Matters – Share Your Vision for Dubois County

Body:

Dubois County is creating a Comprehensive Plan – a long-term roadmap to guide growth, development, and public investment for the next 8 to 10 years.

We need YOUR input to help shape this vision.

Please take 8–10 minutes to complete a short, anonymous survey and share your thoughts on:

• What you love about Dubois County
• What needs improvement
• What should be prioritized in the future

Your feedback will directly influence how we plan for:
Land Use & Zoning
Economic Development
Housing
Transportation
Public Services & Facilities
Natural & Cultural Resources

The plan will include strategies to create high-priority actions the County can implement quickly to create lasting impact. Your voice will help us set those priorities.

Take the Survey Now:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DuboisCountyComprehensivePlan

Thank you for helping build a better future for all of Dubois County!

JA provides important lessons to JMS students every year. This cannot be done without volunteers from the community stepping up and delivering the JA curriculum. We are currently seeking volunteers to fill these roles. Check out the Sign Up Genius link at the bottom for openings. There are 6 sessions for each spot.

6th grade:

Mr. Moser (needs 6 volunteers)

Period 2 8:55-9:40, Period 3 9:45-10:30, Period 4 11:10-11:55, Period 5 12:00-12:45, Period 6 12:50-1:35, Period 7 1:40-2:25

Ms. Leinenbach (needs 3 volunteers)

Period 2 8:55-9:40, Period 3 9:45-10:30, Period 4 11:10-11:55

8th Grade:

Mrs. Gaither (needs 2 volunteers)

Monday/Friday section (Period 3: 9:45-10:30) and Tuesday/Thursday section (Period 4: 10:35-11:20)

Mr. Routson (needs 4 volunteers)

3rd period (Monday/Friday), 4th period (Monday/Friday), 3rd period (Monday/Friday), 4th period (Monday/Friday)

Mr. Schipp (needs 2 volunteers)

3rd period (Monday/Friday), 4th period (Monday/Friday)

Sign-up genius: Junior Achievement Spring '26

Each week, staff members nominate students that have excelled that particular week in a variety of ways. The students may have had success or great improvements in their academics. They may have shown great character in a situation. Their behavior may have set a positive example for their peers. Whatever the case, staff members noticed and thought the student was worthy of being recognized. All nominees are recognized on Monday during the lunches and the winners, as voted upon by their grade level staff, are announced. The winners from last week were:

6th Grade - Roslyn Dittmer and Miles Babarskas

7th Grade - Emma Huebner and Holden Rodich

8th Grade - Savannah Friedman and Roan Heichelbech

Study Tables @ JMS

Hello!

I want to share an exciting new initiative from Dubois County CARES: You’ve Got This!, a program designed to support eighth-graders’ mental health and resilience this school year.

Why now?

Each year, Dubois County students take the Indiana Youth Survey. The 2025 data is clear:

 The average age of first cigarette use is 14; alcohol, 15.

 Mental health struggles spike in 8th grade and peak in 9th.

 Early substance use dramatically increases the risk of addiction — 50% for those starting in 8th grade vs. 11% for those starting at age 21.

What’s the plan?

You’ve Got This! includes team-building, a high-energy prevention speaker for students, and a session for adults on how to be positive role models and strengthen protective factors in youth.

At CARES, our mantra is simple: Delay, delay, delay. The longer teens delay substance use, the better their chances for long-term health and well-being. Early use harms the still-developing brain — particularly the parts that govern decision-making and impulse control. We also know adolescence can be an emotional rollercoaster. You’ve Got This! aims to help students build confidence, coping skills, and stronger connections with peers and parents — helping them stay true to themselves and make

healthy choices.

Want to get involved or learn more?

Visit DuboisCountyCARES.org or email me at asstCARES@gmail.com.

Thank you for supporting the youth of Dubois County!

Sincerely,

Martha Rasche,

Assistant CARE-ordinator

Dubois County Coalition for Adolescent Resilience and Empowerment Strategies

505 W. Fifth St. (Center on Fifth); Jasper, IN 47546

812-827-8464 - DuboisCountyCares@gmail.com

www.DuboisCountyCares.org

Dubois County CARES. Do you?

Let's keep kids warm this winter!

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