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Dear Jefferson Families,

It was a great first month of school, and now October is in full swing! Right out of the gate, I want to remind everyone of Open House this Thursday, October 8th from 6:00-7:00pm. It will be a great opportunity to come and see the cool things happening in your child's classroom. Additionally, there is no school for students this Friday, October 9th. Staff will be engaged in Social/Emotional Learning professional devlelopment on this day.

At Open House and throughout this year, we want to hear from you... How do you use math in real life? As we look to continue to increase math growth and achievement as well as relevance and excitement, we want to share your answers with our students so they can hear that math is so important in our lives! If you are interested in filming a clip with us during Open House, Mr. Finkle, our Assistant Principal, will be ready at an establish booth once you come in the school. As we collect responses, we will play them for our students on our Morning Announcements throughout the school year. See the flyer right below my letter for other ways you can share with us. Thank you for participating!

Please click here for an important video on bike, e-bike and scooter safety. Click here for important district policies related to this topic. At Jefferson, I have clearly told students on our morning announcements the following:

• Third graders and above may ride bikes to school. K-2 students must be accompanied by parent/guardian.
• Bikes are not to be ridden on sidewalks or the field. The only allowable area for bikes to be ridden on school grounds is on the gravel area between the bus loop and the 27th Avenue gate.
• Legal e-bikes (Class 1-3 and not over 750 watts of power) may be pedaled only (not powered) on this same gravel area.
• Skateboards, hoverboards, scooters, E-scooters, roller blades and similar devices may not be ridden on district property.
• Please refer to this page for more information about e-bikes, e-scooters, and other transportation devices.

Looking ahead to early November, I wanted to make sure you had a couple of things on your radar:

• Parent/Teacher Fall Conferences will be on Monday and Tuesday, November 2nd and 3rd. Sign-ups for these conferences will be sent home on Monday, October 12th.

• Friday, November 6th will be a 1:00 dismissal.

• Tuesday, November 10th will be our annual Veterans Day Assembly. As we have done the past few years, we would love for any Veterans to attend our assembly. We have two options: K-2nd grade will be from 1:45-2:15, and 3rd-5th grade will be from 2:30-3:00. The assemblies will be in our cafeteria. Unfortunately, we would like to invite families, but do not have the space to accommodate requests. We will only be able to accommodate veterans. If you have a photo of a special Veteran you would like in our assembly slide show, please email or text the picture to me with a description of how you are related to the Veteran, the branch of the military, and time period the Veteran served. If you sent pictures last year, I will include them again if your child is still here at Jefferson. If you would like to share a new picture, you are welcome to do that. My email is shopkins2@everettsd.org or you can text the pic to 425-931-2274. I need all pictures by 4:00pm on Friday, November 6th.

Thanks for your continued support and partnership. I wish everyone a wonderful month of October!

With gratitude,

Jefferson Principal

Oct. 8: Open House/Curriculum Night, 6:00-7:00pm

Oct 9: No School for Students

Oct 15: Thunder Run

Oct 16: Recess with the D.O.G.S.

Oct 17: PTA Night at Lumen Field - Sounders Game

Nov 2-3: Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences - No School for Students

Nov. 4: Picture Retakes

Nov 6: Early Release 1:00 pm

*See attachment below for the 26-27 School Calendar.

Join us on October 8th from 6:00-7:00 pm to see your student's classroom and hear about the year ahead!

School Pictures were Oct. 6th. If your child did not turn in a packet at pictures, online orders will be accepted until October 9th. Click the image above to order pictures on the Dorian website. Picture retakes will be on November 4th.

Please join the Jefferson Community for a fun night out! Hosted by the Lighthouse Parent Cooperative, all students and families are welcome to participate. Don't forget to save October 16th from 5:30-7:30pm on your calendar!

Community Health Center of Snohomish County is coming October 22nd to provide on-site dental care for our students. Forms went home late last month and are due Oct. 15th if you would like your child to be seen. Please click here if you would like more information or answers to frequently asked questions.

Elementary and middle school students:

• During the school day: Cell phones/PED will be turned off and stored in backpacks. Students should not use these personal devices during the school day.
• Communicating with your child during the school day: If a student needs to contact a parent/guardian, they can do so through the school office. Likewise, parents/guardians can call the office for any urgent messages.
• Disciplinary action: If a cell phone/PED is seen or used during the day, school staff will hold it and return it to the student at the end of the school day. Repeated violations may lead to further consequences.

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is critical for student success in school, career, and community; and this has never been more true than it is today. Students at Jefferson will begin taking the Social and Emotional Learning survey using the Panorma Educaton platform on a date between 9/28 and 10/16. The survey prompts students to reflect on their own actions and thoughts as well as their general experience at our school. Survey data helps school staff create a more positive school experience for all students as well as provide specific supports for students in need.

The results from this survey will only be shared with pre-approved adults who work closely with your children in the school (their teachers, counselor, principals). SEL data, alongside academic and attendance information, will allow adults to provide specific and targeted interventions as needed to support students succeeding at school. Think of it like the iReady diagnostic but instead of measuring math or reading, it looks at skills like sense of belonging, self-management, and emotion regulation.

The questions students will answer are research-backed, valid, and reliable. You can preview the full survey in the link below. If you have any questions or would like to exempt your child, please feel free to contact either:

• Jacob Finkle (Assistant Principal), jfinkle@everettsd.org
• Our counselor. Hannah Kegley, hkegley@everettsd.org

Preview every question in the survey here.

View frequently asked questions here.

To start the volunteer process, visit our volunteer website for clearance information. It can take up to 3 weeks for clearance to get through, once you have applied, so please consider filling out the application ahead of time, so you are available when opportunities, such as field trips or special events arise! Another great way to get involved is by joining Jefferson’s Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) , you can visit their website here. Thank you, volunteers!

Please consider writing your child's first and last name inside their coat, on their lunch box and water bottle. Our lost and found fills up quickly and with a few well placed labels and written names we can return items to their proper owner! Thank you!

Thank you for your support in making drop off and pick up safe and smooth in our parking lot. Here are a few reminders:

• If you are volunteering or parking toward the end of the day, please recognize the middle row will be blocked by our car pick up line and you may not get out as quickly.
• The back parking lot is for buses only. This applies to all parents and students. Please only use the front parking lot for arrival/dismissal.
• If parking on 27th or 92nd during pick up, please be mindful to park 30 feet on either side of the mailboxes so our local postman can effectively do his route and deliveries are not withheld from our neighbors.

ParentVUE is your one-stop online portal to stay informed and involved in your student’s academic journey. With real-time updates and easy access to key information, ParentVUE helps you support your student every step of the way.

As much as possible, please plan vacations around school breaks. One daily habit can set your child up for success for years to come: Showing up at school in person as often as possible. When children regularly attend school in person, they’re more likely to develop their whole selves—personally, socially, academically, and emotionally. They’re routinely able to connect with friends and adults, collaborate and problem-solve, make decisions, think critically, be creative, and engage in hands-on learning. As parents and caregivers, we all want to give our children the best possible chance at a happy, healthy, successful future. Showing up matters.

Click here for the Jefferson PTA page. Our PTA is truly amazing! The PTA proudly serves the students and families of Jefferson Elementary School and we work in conjunction with Everett Special Education PTSA and Lighthouse Elementary Cooperative to build and foster a positive and inclusive community for all of our Chargers and the surrounding community.

Regular Hours: 9:10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

Learning Improvement Fridays: 2:15 p.m. dismissal

Half Day Early Release: 1 p.m. dismissal