Jaguar Journal

Hello JMS families!

We are finishing up our first five day week! My guess is the children - and the adults - are pretty tired. I know I am. But it's been a great week, and an amazing start to the school year. I'm impressed with what I've seen so far, and I look forward to a great year.

Check out the information below - biggest upcoming item is Picture Day on Friday, September 4th. Order pictures at shop.hrimaging.com ahead of the event. I encourage families to purchase pictures, because HR Imaging does donate a commission back to our building! They are amazing partners!

Thanks,

Daniel Boland

Principal

Jackson Middle School

jms.swcsd.us

Follow us on X: @JMS_Jaguars

Mon Aug 31 - Arts & Athletics Boosters, 6pm

Wed Sep 2 - SchooLinks Virtual Parent FAQ Session, 6:30pm

Fri Sep 4 - School Picture Day

Mon Sep 7 - NO SCHOOL, Labor Day

Tue Sep 8 - Washington DC Trip Meeting, 6:30pm

Fri Sep 11 - District Safety Drill Day

Tue Sep 15 - PTSA Mtg, 6pm

Thu Oct 1 - Parent Teacher Conferences (sign up directions will be communicated in September)

Mon Oct 5 - Arts & Athletics Boosters, 6pm

Tue Oct 13 - Orchestra Concert (at GCHS), 7pm

Wed Oct 14 - Make up Picture Day

Thu Oct 15 - End of 1st Quarter

Fri Oct 16 - No School (PD Day for teachers)

Tue Oct 20 - PTSA Mtg, 6pm

Thu Oct 22 - Choir Concert, 7pm

See below for more information on these items

We will take school pictures next Friday, September 4th. We will call kids to the library alphabetically throughout the day. Please be sure to dress ready for the picture! We ask all students to take their picture, so that we can have the updated photo for our yearbook, Infinite Campus, etc.

Parents are welcome to purchase pictures - and every picture purchased has a partial donation back to the school! Click the button below, type in our school name, and click "order pictures". Be sure to click the event for 9/4. You will also see our makeup date listed there - don't click that. Later, we will have a makeup event for anyone needing it.

Parents and guardians of SWCS students in grades 7-12 are invited to join us virtually on Wednesday, September 2, at 6:30 p.m. for a live introductory FAQ about SchooLinks, South Western City Schools' new college, career and military planning platform.

Families will learn more about creating and accessing family accounts, navigating the platform and using SchooLinks to support their student's planning for life after high school. Families are also encouraged to submit questions in advance using the link below.

Get more information and submit your questions in advance HERE.

Who: Parents and guardians of SWCS students in grades 7-12
When: Wednesday, September 2, at 6:30 p.m.
What: Live virtual SchooLinks Parent & Guardian FAQ

Next week, our school community is excited to celebrate "Start with Hello" Week!

"Start with Hello" is a fun and meaningful initiative designed to teach students how to create a closer, more inclusive school community. Throughout the week in our Growth period, our students will learn simple ways to reject social isolation, reach out to classmates who may feel lonely, and build a culture of connection, empathy, and kindness starting with a simple "Hello!"

How You Can Help at Home:

• Ask your child about how they said "Hello" or helped someone feel included today.

• Talk about the importance of noticing others and making sure no one feels left out.

• Practice perspective-taking: Ask questions like, "How do you think your classmate felt when that happened?" or "What could someone do to make them feel better?"

• Define inclusion versus exclusion: Explain the difference between simply "not being mean" and actively making someone feel included.

• Discuss "Upstander" behavior: Teach your child that standing by silently when someone is left out or teased is harmful. Encourage them to support the person being excluded or seek help from a trusted adult.

For more information on Start With Hello and to sign up to receive the Parent Guide, please click the button below

Our first official Arts and Athletics Boosters meeting of the year is Monday, August 31st, at 6pm in the Jackson ERC (2nd floor). Any parent of an athlete or musician is welcome to come see how we can support all our programs throughout the year! Can't make it in person? We offer a Google Meet Link as well. Click the button below to join!

One more way you can help our Arts and Athletics Boosters is by signing up for Kroger Community Rewards! Click the button below for information on how to sign up, and our Arts and Athletics Boosters will receive donations with no work from you at all! Thank you for your help!

Our 8th grade trip to Washington DC will take place on May 4 - 7, 2027. That week, eighth graders will either choose to go on the trip to Washington, or those choosing to stay in Grove City will have fun activities and trips planned closer to home.

Our parent meeting for the DC trip is Tuesday, September 8th at 6:30pm. At this meeting you will find out how to register for the trip, what the trip entails, and more. Mark your calendars!

As we begin a new school year, it is important to know that every school day matters. At South-Western City Schools, our goal is simple: "Every student. HERE. Every day."

Student attendance is the constant to learning. Daily attendance is about more than simply being physically present—it ensures students are actively engaged, building skills, and accessing the instruction and support they need to succeed. Even missing part of a school day or arriving late can interrupt learning and have a lasting impact on academic growth. Establishing strong attendance habits right from the start helps students stay connected to school and prepares them for long-term success.

A Statewide Focus on Attendance:

Our district's goal aligns with a broader, statewide attendance emphasis led by Governor DeWine. As part of this renewed focus across Ohio, updated state attendance laws (House Bill 96) bring new requirements for how schools communicate with families.

To keep you better informed, parents and guardians can expect earlier and more frequent attendance notifications this school year:

• The 5% Notice: You will be notified when your student reaches 5% of missed instructional hours for any reason.

• The 10% Threshold: Under state law, students who miss 10% of the school year are now officially identified as chronically absent.

Our Commitment to You and Your Student:

While these state requirements have changed, our commitment to our families has not. Our focus remains on partnering with you, identifying barriers to attendance, and providing tiered supports to help every student attend regularly, stay engaged, and thrive.

Learn more about attendance expectations, recent legislative changes, frequently asked questions, and available supports at https://www.swcsd.us/Attendance.aspx.

Arrival

Students may enter the building and go straight to the cafeteria beginning at 8:45am. Students should not arrive before 8:45, as staff is not available for supervision. When dropping students off, please ONLY drop off on the south side of the building. Our busses needing extra assistance drop off on the north side, and we cannot have extra traffic on this side. When dropping off on the south side (Mallow Lane side) please do not enter the bus lane closest to the building. Instead turn down the drop off lane, and pull as far forward as possible to drop off. The further you pull down, the more cars we can get in the lane to drop off at once, and the less waiting around you do as parents. Staff members will be in the drop-off lane encouraging you to pull forward, and to help monitor traffic flow and safety. Students should cross the bus lane ONLY at one of the two crosswalks.

Departure

We begin dismissal at 3:50 by dismissing car riders and walkers first. Again, please only use the south side of the building for picking up students - our busses need to not deal with extra traffic on the north side of the building. When picking students up, we form TWO lines in the drop-off lane, one on the left and one on the right. Please pull as far forward as possible to accommodate as many cars as possible. Once the drop-off lane is full, the rest of the cars are then directed to pull into the parking lot just south of the drop-off lane and park in a parking spot waiting for your child. Please be be patient getting out of the spot with the cars entering and exiting the lot. Students riding busses are then dismissed in the order their bus arrives.

Changes To Bus Passes for Daily Ridership

Beginning this school year, South Western City Schools is updating its student transportation procedures regarding bus passes and alternate drop-off locations to improve student safety and ensure accurate transportation for every child.

Students will continue to be assigned one morning pick-up location and one afternoon drop-off location within their school attendance boundaries. For families with established split-custody arrangements, Transportation can continue to accommodate consistent weekly schedules, such as specific weekdays, when they are communicated in advance.

However, students will no longer be permitted to ride home on a different bus with friends or relatives for social visits or other informal arrangements. Daily transportation changes create challenges for school offices and bus drivers, particularly substitute drivers, and increase the risk of students being transported to the wrong location. These updated procedures help ensure every student arrives safely at their authorized destination each day.

Joining our PTSA is the easiest way to help support the students and staff at Jackson Middle School. Click the button below to join! PTSA meets on the third Tuesday of the month at 6pm in the library, with Tuesday September 15th being the first meeting. Stay tuned for more ways you can help our PTSA as the year progresses!

It was great seeing so many of you at our Open House! I have linked the presentation I shared with parents at the beginning of the event below. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us whenever you need us!

Just like last year, cell phones are prohibited from the time we enter the building at 8:45am until we start bus dismissal at 3:50pm. Phones must be off and out of sight during these times. At JMS, we warn our students in the first week at class meetings, and ANY violations from there forward start with After School Detentions. Repeat offenses can result in leaving the phone either at home or in the office for the entirety of the school day. We encourage families to help our students meet this expectation by reminding them of the rule and the consequences, and by not texting students during the day. If there is an emergent message that needs to get to your child, please call the main office a 614-801-3800.

Students are NOT able to bring in outside food/drink for lunch. This includes dropping off food from restaurants or having food delivered. The student handbook for all middle schools states this:

"We operate under a closed lunch policy. Students may not leave during the school day to get food. Students cannot order food for delivery from outside restaurants or businesses. Please do not bring restaurant food for your students during the day." (Page 15)

Thank you for your cooperation with this expectation!

Each year, it is vital for every family to log in to the Parent Portal and update and/or confirm the emergency contact information for their child. We need to ensure we have the most current information to reach parents. Click the button below to get to the Parent Portal. On the left side menu, press the "More" button, then look for Annual Information Update. Please complete this information as soon as possible.

Apply Today!

It is that time of year again to complete a Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application! For many families, they wonder if they qualify and for some that believe they do not qualify…sometimes they are surprised that they do end up qualifying and avoid unnecessary costs and meal debt in the process. As a rule of thumb, we suggest “it does not hurt to apply!” Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications need to be completed annually each school year.

Free and Reduced-Price Lunch eligibility is determined annually at the federal level using a sliding scale based upon a household’s combined income. Once a family qualifies, they receive either Free or Reduced-Price breakfast and lunch. Additionally, qualifying families are eligible for academic fee waivers for school supplies.

Beginning this school year, South Western City Schools students in grades 7-12 will begin using SchooLinks, a comprehensive college and career readiness platform designed to help every student answer one important question: What's my plan after graduation? Whether a student's future includes college, the military, a skilled trade, an apprenticeship, or entering the workforce, SchooLinks provides personalized tools to explore interests, discover career pathways, and build a meaningful post-graduation plan.

Save the Date! SWCS will be hosting a SchooLinks Guardian Training Webinar on Wednesday, September 2 from 6:30pm to 7:30 p.m. to introduce parents and guardians to the new platform so they can be involved in their child's career planning.

Throughout middle and high school, students will complete career interest assessments, create personalized academic and career plans, explore colleges, scholarships, internships, and workforce opportunities, and track progress toward Ohio's graduation requirements. By connecting classroom learning to real-world opportunities, SchooLinks empowers students to make informed decisions and graduate with a clear plan and the confidence to take their next step. Families can learn more by visiting https://www.swcsd.us/SchoolLinks.aspx.

We have had a great start to our seasons! It has been great seeing so many parents and students at our games supporting our volleyball players, cheerleaders, and football players! Keep up the great work Jags!

Sports passes can be purchased, allowing adults a discounted entry for multiple events through the season. The pass works as a punch card, giving you a certain number of entries. Click the button below to be directed to the purchasing website. Passes will then be able to be picked up in our front office.

PLEASE LET US KNOW!!

ATTENDANCE HOTLINE 614-801-8884

SWCS is excited to continue using an innovative new tool for parents and guardians this school year in the form of a new Absence Request tool within the Infinite Campus Parent Portal (web or mobile application)! Parents and guardians can use this new Absence Request tool to submit a request that informs the office in advance when their student is not going to be in school. After the request is processed, an attendance record is created for the student. The tool helps parents log all types of absences at the ease of their fingertips, while also automating administrative tasks for school front offices in the process.

As a reminder, Ohio law requires written notification of all types of absences, including full-day absences, late arrivals, and early dismissals. Absence Requests can now be submitted through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Click the button below for instructions.

Reminder to all 7th Grade Parents: The Ohio Department of Health requires all 7th graders to have a Tdap and Meningococcal vaccination prior to the start of the school year. Please turn in updated vaccine records to our school nurse, Jessica Vehr, or you can email them to jessica.vehr@swcsd.us

There are two documents linked below with more information!

• Arrival & Dismissal Procedures
• Annual Emergency Information Update
• Free and Reduced Lunch Application
• JMS Daily Announcements

Jackson Middle School

Asst. Principal: Laurie Buchieri

Main Office: 614-801-3800

Attendance Line: 614-801-8884

Website: jms.swcsd.us
Location: 2271 Holton Road, Grove City, OH 43123
Twitter: @JMS_Jaguars

Previous Weekly Newsletters: https://jms.swcsd.us/newsletters