Jaguar News

Dear Jefferson Families and Friends!

Welcome back to Camp Learn-A-Lot….Where Your Adventure Begins!

OPEN HOUSE

Summer is almost over and school is right around the corner. Our theme is based around camping. So, let us be your guides as we navigate through this school year beginning with our Open House, Thursday, August 11, from 5:30-6:30. Bring school supplies and meet your child’s teacher for the 2022-23 school year. If you are in need of school supplies, please let your teacher or one of our staff members know and we will try to help you out.

NEW STAFF

We have several new staff this year in many positions. We also have many returning back and we are all excited to get back in touch with you and your students. New staff: Mrs. Jamie Hart, SPED from South Dakota; Mrs. Emily Snyder, 1st Grade from Scottsbluff; Kallie Bush, Music from Arnold; Tayler Rousseau, SPEECH from Lincoln, NE; Michaela Chase, School Psychologist from the ESU; Nicole Bruck, Head Elementary Librarian. We have also hired several new paras this year: Heather Cheever; Angelica Gale; Emilee Gibson; She-Nae Orr; Lisa Pierson; Sarah Sanders; Melissa Spease; and we are currently looking for one or two more to fill our roster. Hopefully those positions will be filled by the time school starts.

PROJECT KINDERGARTEN

If you have a Kindergarten student, you should have received or will be receiving a letter explaining “Project K.” Your Kindergarten student will only come on one of the first three days (Monday, August 15; Tuesday, August 16; OR Wednesday, August 17). Your letter will tell you which day to come. On Thursday, August 18, your child will come to school and find out who their teacher will be for the rest of the school year and begin their journey with us every day after that. If you have questions, please call us at (308) 535-7136.

DROP OFF/WALKING CLUB/PICK-UP

All students, except Preschool, may be dropped off on the East side of Jefferson (2nd Street, Silber, & 3rd Street). ALL students K-5 will participate in Walking Club this year upon being dropped off. We will have staff on the blacktop of our playground at 7:30. Students arriving before 7:50 are expected to go to the blacktop and walk with their friends until the bell rings. When the bell rings students line up by class and their teachers will greet them and walk them into the building. If your student arrives after 7:50, they may be dropped off at the 1st Grade Drive-thru door on the south side (2nd Street) until 8:00 or may be dropped off out front (3rd Street) on the north side. Your student will be counted tardy if they arrive after 8:05.

Preschool students do not begin until Monday, August 22. You will need to use the app to check in and check out with your teacher. They will be sending out more information.

Pick-up at the end of the day (3:20) will take place at various locations around the school depending on your student’s grade:

Preschool will pick up outside of the preschool building on the south side (2nd Street).

Kindergarten will be picked up outside of the Kindergarten classrooms on the East side of the building. Please pick your child up in person so the teacher can make sure that your child went with the correct person and it gives you and the teacher a chance to get to know each other.

1st Grade will dismiss out of the drive-thru door on the south side (2nd Street). Please stay in your vehicle and a staff member will check with you to ensure your child gets in the correct vehicle.

2nd Grade will dismiss out of the front door (3rd Street).

3rd Grade will dismiss out of the northwest side of the building and will proceed to the northwest corner of the school (Cottonwood and 3rd Street) for pick-up.

4th Grade will be dismissed out of the southwest corner and will be picked up on the southwest corner of the school (Cottonwood and 2nd Street).

5th Grade will dismiss out of the south doors facing 2nd Street.

Crosswalks

Please use crosswalks with your students. We have staff posted at all corners and out front at the crosswalks with stop signs to help you and your student to be safe. Please help us to teach safety to your students. Our streets around Jefferson Elementary get very busy and sometimes chaotic. Visibility can be difficult with the traffic and trees surrounding Jefferson. Please help us even if it isn’t as quick or convenient for you.

I am very excited to get back into the swing of things here at Jefferson in my 3rd year as principal. This will be my 30th year in education and 16th as an Elementary Principal. I am happy to be back and will be even happier when I see your students in a few days. I hope you all had a wonderful summer. Welcome back!

Please support your student and teacher by checking backpacks for important information, reading with your student occasionally. We all have the same goal, to educate your child and to prepare for life. I thank you in advance for your support, cooperation, and help.

Please contact me here at school: (308) 535-7136 OR jellsworth@nppsd.org if you have any questions or comments, or if there is anything else I can assist you with.

Mr. Jeffrey W. Ellsworth, Principal

“Mr. E”