Ireland Elementary School

Please check your email for Field Trip Permission forms. If you can complete those as soon as possible, it helps us out TREMENDOUSLY!

Thank you for checking on those, as we have a lot of field trips coming up and it takes a lot of our time to track down the parents who haven't filled out yet.

Thank you to all the families that came out to celebrate their child during the Art Show! We had a wonderful turn out!

Huge thank you to Mrs. Hulsman and all of the Art Show volunteers! It took HOURS to get this ready, and we could not have done it without them!

Every student that attended was given a ticket to win a prize. See our winner below.

As we approach the end of the year, just a reminder that the week of May 4-8 is the LAST week to check out library books. All library books are due back to our library during the week of May 11-15.

You can check our library system ANYTIME to see what your student has checked out! The link below will take you to Follett Destiny. You will select Ireland Elementary, then select login in the top right corner. using students short and long login numbers will access their personal library account. Select MY INFO to see what books are in their name! This link is also available on our school website under STUDENTS. https://gjcs.follettdestiny.com/common/welcome.jsp?context=saas40_1346751

If your child says the book has been turned in, this is possible. Sometimes the book does not register properly on the computer and may be placed back on the shelf without being checked in. Books also get put in the wrong place from time to time. However, if more than 2 months have passed and the book has not turned up, it is likely that it is not here. (Books cannot be checked out to another student without the name of the previous student being taken off the book. Also, parents may send a book back to school with a child, but that does not mean it actually made it to the Library Media Center.)

If you have a question, reach out to Mrs. Gossett at sgossett@gjcs.k12.in.us and she will double check the library shelves.

Screen Free Week at home May 4th - 10th.

See below on things to do instead of playing on a device. We are asking you to encourage your child to participate!

Thank you so much to the ones that read this and implemented it last week. The flow of traffic was much smoother, less chaotic for all, and safer. If you haven't read, please do.

If you pull in to drop off or park in the large parking lot from 7:30 - 8:00 or 2:30 - 3:00, please enter and exit the parking lot using the two entrances from South St (not the county road). The area by the crosswalk is very congested, so if majority of cars use the two South St entrance/exits, it will clear up that crosswalk area and keep that walkway area safe for all individuals.

I ask you to please not pull into the parking lot by the crosswalk between 7:30 - 8:00 and 2:30 - 3:00.

Below are the changes that have been communicated to PreK PM parents, just for your information.

Due to traffic congestion & safety concerns during afternoon pickup, change have been made. Please note and follow the afternoon pickup procedures below beginning Monday.

-Remain in your car until 2:49 when you will see Mark move from the intersection to the crosswalk to stop traffic for all parents to cross.

-He will again stop traffic at the crosswalk for all p.m. students and families to cross safely back to the parking lot.

-You must exit out the side of the parking lot on South street. No one should exit the parking lot directly onto the county road.

-Please relay this to any caretakers who may be picking up your child.

Our school is collecting old phone books the month of April! Please send in any old phone books that you have around the house.

Thank you!

I wanted to let parents know how our school operates during severe weather. Please read over this and know that I will always make decisions to ensure your child’s safety.

The local admin team along with police department and other county services are always watching the weather and alerting schools. With Ireland Elementary School being so close to the Pike County line, our school will make decisions off of Pike County alerts. With that being said, sometimes we are ahead of the weather for a longer period of time, however, that is what is best for the safety of our students and staff.

Once our students are put into the weather safety zones, they will not be permitted to leave school. If you arrive to pick up your child, we will offer you a safe place, but your child will not be able to leave.

If the severe weather comes close to dismissal, please know that we will wait for the weather to pass to dismiss your child for both the bus and car line. If you are sitting out in car line, please know that you are always welcome to come inside away from the weather into a safe place.

I have worked with the local fire department to ensure all safe zones are the best location for students during severe weather threats. I am confident that your child is in the safest location possible.

Please check Facebook as we are going to try to post weather updates and school operations.

Thank you for reading this all the way through. I wanted to ensure that your child’s safety is always the most important priority.

Take survey here - https://onevisionccx.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_afMfdj1eA0zqJeu?Site_Id=0011t00000teFZOAA2

Students participating in sports at the Jasper Middle School in 2026-2027 are required to have a JMS Physical Packet on file in the athletic office. The packets include the following, all of which are required:

• Physical Form
• Emergency Contact Form
• Code of Conduct Agreement
• Sudden Cardiac Arrest Fact Sheet

Physical exams may be completed at your student's physician or will be given at JMS the evening of Wednesday, May 13, 2026 for $35 (payable to JMS Athletics). Physicals will be valid for the 2026-2027 school year.

Kindergarten Registration for Ireland Elementary School is open for the 2026-2027 school year. Students must be 5 years old on or before August 1, 2026 to register.

Ireland Elementary School - NOW OPEN!

1. Complete the PowerSchool Link to be enrolled in our database system

With questions, please contact the school at 812-482-7751.

Frog Breathing by Vivian Holmes

Stand with your heels together and toes pointing out.

As you breathe in, squat down and touch the floor with your fingers.

As you breathe out, Stand all the way up.

Repeat this 5 times.

Slow Finger Breathing with Caroline Ziegler.

Family Tech Tip #8:

Model the healthy tech habits you want to see.

Our kids are watching us—constantly. They notice when we tell them to put away devices while we continue scrolling through our phones. They absorb our technology habits, both good and bad, far more powerfully than any rules we create!

Want children who can have a conversation without checking notifications? Be fully present yourself. Hope they'll develop healthy boundaries with screens? Show them what that looks like in your own life. Wish they'd use technology purposefully rather than mindlessly? Let them see you doing exactly that.

Simple changes make a big difference: placing your phone face-down (or better yet, in another room) during family meals, narrating when you need to use technology ("I'm just checking the weather for tomorrow's game"), and demonstrating that notifications can wait. When you mindfully disconnect, you're teaching a valuable lesson without saying a word.

The reality is straightforward—your children are far more likely to develop the digital habits they see in action at home than those you simply tell them about. The most effective tech rules are the ones you follow yourself.

Next Action: Choose one tech habit you want your children to develop. Practice it visibly and consistently for the next week. Share what you're doing with your family: "I'm trying to be more present during our time together, so I'm putting my phone away until after dinner." Small changes in your behavior create powerful ripples in your family's digital culture.

Our students use a software program called Renaissance (Accelerated Reader) at school. This program has a special feature called Home Connect, which you can access outside of school from any computer with an Internet Connection. Home Connect allows you to view information about your student's progress. It also allows you to sign up to receive email notifications after your student completes an activity or assessment at school. You can log in to Home Connect from any computer with an Internet Connection and a compatible browser.

For a list of compatible browsers, type the following in any browser: https://docs.renaissance.com/R43121

Logging In To Home Connect Through Clever:

1. Open this link in a web browser: https://global-zone08.renaissance-go.com/studentprogress/homeconnect?t=123778

2. In the Renaissance login area, select the Student/Teacher Clever Login button.

3. Enter your student's Clever username and password (not their Renaissance username and password).

4. Select Log in. You should now see Renaissance Home Connect.

3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students all brought home an ILEARN Family Portal Access paper with report cards the first quarter. It was copied on orange paper with a label on it that has your child's access code.

Once logged in, you will be able to view your child's IREAD and ILEARN data. Please put this paper in a safe location!

Ireland PTO is looking for parents to be part of subcommittees! If you would like to get more involved with our school, this is for you!

Check out the sign up here to see what you would like to help with!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4FABAF22A7FF2-57429910-ireland

The Wildcat Corner class at JHS is ready to take orders for apparel. This store has design options for T Shirts, Sweatshirts and Hooded Sweatshirts. Throughout the school year new items will be added to the store.

Please take a look at the options and support our student run business! https://form.jotform.com/252783139557165. If there is not a size that you are needing in a style, please email Jessica Mehringer at jmehringer@gjcs.k12.in.us

Wildcat Corner is a student run business based out of Jasper High School. We offer apparel items and spirit wear. Students who are in the Business Capstone classes at JHS operate the Wildcat Corner. We are responsible for all facets of the business such as inventory, sales, order processing, customer service, marketing, and accounting for this business.

Is your non-profit group is doing anything philanthropy-related throughout the school year? If so, please sign up to talk about it on our student-run radio station!

If you are part of a non-profit organization, please pass this information along as well. We had lots of great interviews last year, and would like to continue the momentum of us being more of a "community-station" instead of just a high school radio station.

https://calendar.app.google/R4goj2bHr4YjtK4a8

Have your organization join us for 'Curve Conversations' and book a spot on our student-run radio station! Whether in-studio at Jasper High School or virtual, share your (not-for-profit) message and help provide our students with valuable experience and engaging content for the community.

Evan Elrod, 91.7 The Curve

The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) is sharing federal eligibility guidelines for free or reduced-price meals or free milk served under the federally-funded National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Programs, and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).

Household size and income criteria, which are used to determine eligibility, are available below.

Click here to apply: https://www.myschoolapps.com/Home/PickDistrict

When it comes to volunteers, each classroom is different on the number of volunteers needed. Each classroom teacher will be communicating if they are needing volunteers to help in the classrooms. When it comes to chaperones on field trips, it will be up to each grade level and classroom teacher as to how many chaperones are allowed to follow the bus. Some of the places we take trips to limit the number of chaperones we are allowed to take.

If you would be interested in volunteering or being a chaperone on a field trip, we must have a background check on file. By clicking on the link below, you will be able to fill out a background check. These will last for 5 years or while your child is at Ireland. It does take some time to process these, so start early so you are able to volunteer or chaperone.

https://greater-jasper-consolidated-schools-vol.school-background-checks.com/

Children don’t need perfection, they need connection! Parent Coaching is a FREE resource provided by our school district and Parent Guidance that connects you to regularly scheduled meetings with a coach, as well as content created by therapists. Parent Guidance is here to support you throughout the year with Parent Coaching.

Click here to register for ongoing support from a coach: https://cookcenter.info/coaching

Students learn and grow so much in elementary school, especially in the area of social skills such as making and keeping friends, handling conflict, and occasionally, dealing with bullying. Students receive anti-bullying education each year to help them identify when it is happening to themselves or others and what steps they can take to resolve the bullying. At Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools, bullying is defined as harmful behavior towards another that is repeated, intentional, and comes from an imbalance of power.

Bullying will not be tolerated at Ireland Elementary; however, we cannot address something if we are not aware it is occurring. If you feel your student is the victim of bullying, please complete this form. All questions are required. We assure you that we will approach the report with tact and confidentiality.

https://forms.gle/zxsHn3kcZej8qP6S6

Once submitted, this form will go directly to Mrs. Bauer, Principal, and Mrs. Goodhue, School Social Worker.

Student sick, have an appointment, transportation change or other schedule change information?

The best way to let the school and your teacher know is to email IESOffice@gjcs.k12.in.us and copy your teacher on the email. You will receive an email response so you know the details were received.

Sending an email to the office and the teacher ensures both are aware of the change, and also provides the information to be shared with a substitute teacher, should your student's normal teacher be out of school for the day.

As we are beginning a new school year, please review the information in the parent handbook. The handbook is also accessible on our website.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Py6aVJ9VO5Cl3ZOHTbxv1szyEkplGFQwZIWv8sE4FGk/edit?usp=sharing

Did an Ireland Elementary School staff member go above and beyond? Do you want to thank them or give a compliment? Please use this form to share a shout-out message about the good things you see happening at Ireland Elementary School. Mrs. Bauer will make sure the staff member receives the shout-out and also post it on our school website.

Thank you for taking the time to highlight a staff member when they exceed our expectations!

https://forms.gle/1esXb39qePbHW1uv8

Do you want to know a little more about our staff members? Would you like to know their favorite snack or muffin? What about their favorite store or candy?

I compiled a list at the beginning of the year for myself, and I thought it would be nice for you to know too! Check out this link to view their favorites!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LNBa1DLyHFPSIUbk1jMurgLfXYtvefPnTIS6yKMLGPU/edit?usp=sharing

• Menus can be found at this link - https://gjcs.nutrislice.com/menu/ireland-elementary-school
• Breakfast is FREE for ALL students. We will serve breakfast for students until 7:50 a.m. daily.
• Lunch is $2.25 for students each day.

A week of summer camp has been planned at Ireland Elementary School! Whether you have an incoming PreK or Kindergarten student to a current Kindergarten through 5th Grader, we have a camp for them!

They are at the SAME time, so you can drop off all your children for some summer fun!

Sign-up link here - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoNDFSuXasKbBVNKbgkI8hiLPwCpO2YJtehaKIjGkFs4-zgw/viewform

Sign-up link = https://forms.gle/cnRqgNKeR9hDf2Q48

Venmo @Kelly-Shields-36

Sign-up link here - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdaF7QP-q7IGI_hlR11gFr2ulYfJFgnpqOHGS0M40shuR-pEg/viewform

Registration link: https://registration.teamsnap.com/form/57217

Sign-up now for Jasper Tennis camps! There's a time to fit everyone's summer schedule!

Register here

Email: sbauer@gjcs.k12.in.us

Website: https://www.gjcs.k12.in.us/3/home
Location: 2386 North 500 West, Jasper, IN, USA
Phone: 812-482-7751
Facebook: IES Facebook Page