Week 4 Updates

Strong attendance is essential for student success! When students are present, they are actively learning, connecting with peers, and building habits that set them up for long-term achievement. Here is a look at our attendance trends over the first three weeks of the school year:

Overall Attendance Rates

• Week 1: 96% (44 absences out of 1,212 total days)

• Week 2: 94% (79 absences out of 1,247 total days)

• Week 3: 93% (71 absences out of 1,015 total days)

While we had an outstanding start in Week 1, our overall attendance has dipped slightly over the last two weeks. Our goal as a school community is to maintain an attendance rate above 95% each week!

Target Attendance Focus (Tier 2 Support)

For our students who missed 18 or more days of school last school year, we are providing extra focus and encouragement to help establish strong daily habits this year:

• Week 1: 89% (31 absences out of 275 total days)

• Week 2: 89% (31 absences out of 279 total days)

• Week 3: 84% (36 absences out of 227 total days)

Consistency is key, especially early in the semester. If your family needs support or resources to help overcome barriers to getting your child to school, please reach out to our support team—we are here to partner with you!

Morning Tardies

Arriving on time ensures students don't miss crucial morning instruction and allows them to start their day feeling calm and prepared:

• Week 1: 56 tardies

• Week 2: 99 tardies

• Week 3: 75 tardies

Thank you for your continued effort in prioritizing daily attendance and punctual arrival. Let’s work together to bring our attendance numbers back up in Week 4!

Policy & Expectations:

• The school day begins promptly at 7:45 AM. Doors for entry open at 7:40 AM

• Students are not marked officially tardy until 7:55 AM (giving a 10-minute grace period).

• Per the CPS Student Rights & Responsibilities handbook, every 3 tardies will result in a lunch reflection for students in grades 3–8.

We understand life happens and morning routines can be tough, but being on time—or even early—sets our kids up for success. Let’s work together to bring those arrival numbers back up next week!

We can’t wait to celebrate Mexican Independence Day with our school community on Wednesday, September 16th!

• Parent Coffee & Conchas: Join us right at drop-off on September 16th on the playlot for coffee, sweet treats, and a mini student performance! (See flyer below)

• Student Spirit Day: Wear red, green, and/or white, or wear a favorite jersey, hat, traditional dress, or cultural clothing to school on September 16th to show your pride!

Join us on Wednesday, September 16th right at drop-off in the play lot! Enjoy delicious conchas, hot coffee, and special student performances as we celebrate Mexican Independence Day together. We hope to see you there!

Please RSVP HERE to ensure we enough refreshments

The official 2026 theme for National Hispanic Heritage Month is “Unidos, Somos Más” (translating to “Together, We Are More”).

Theme Overview

• Meaning: The phrase emphasizes unity, community strength, and the collective impact of Hispanic and Latino Americans.
• Focus: It highlights shared values like perseverance, family, and service across diverse cultures and ancestral roots.
• Dates: The observance runs annually from September 15 to October 15.

You can read more background details through the National Museum of the American Latino.

Big thanks to Ms. Vahey for coordinating our first Book Fair of the school year!

• 🦅 Free Book Alert: Because of our community's incredible support, every single Jungman Eagle will receive a free book from the fair!

• 🎯 Our Sales Goal: We are aiming for $4,000 in total sales, which earns $2,000 back in Scholastic Dollars to stock our library and fund student books.

• 📈 Where We Stand: We currently have about $1200 in sales—thank you to everyone who has shopped so far! Keep it up!

Book fair closes September 18th!

Our advanced academic programs are off to a great start!

• High School Algebra: Currently running for eligible 7th and 8th-grade students.

• High School ELA 1: Currently running for eligible 8th-grade students.

• World Language-Spanish: Begins after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting September 22nd.

Action Required for Families: Students enrolled in these advanced courses brought home an agreement form. Please review, sign, and return this form with your student as soon as possible to confirm you understand and agree to your child taking these high school-level courses.

Volleyball: Coached by Ms. Medina and Ms. Davenport

Monday and Wednesday from 3:00 - 4:00

5th - 8th Girls and Boys Cross Country: Coached by Coach Cash and Coach Diaz

Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3:15 to 4:30pm.

To volunteer at Jungman—whether in the classroom, during lunch/recess, or as a field trip chaperone—you must complete the CPS Volunteer Process.

• Clearance Level: Most opportunities require Level 2 clearance. You must have active clearance prior to starting any volunteer activity or chaperoning.

• Annual Renewal: Volunteer applications do not roll over; everyone must reapply at the start of each school year.

We want to ensure that every student is celebrated! To keep celebrations equitable and minimize classroom interruptions, please note the following update:

• Individual Birthday Treats: Individual birthday treats or items brought in on your child's actual birthday are no longer permitted.

• Monthly Class Celebrations: Each classroom will designate one day per month to celebrate all students with birthdays in that month.

• Parent Collaboration: Parents of students being celebrated that month are welcome to work together with the Room Parent to help organize the monthly event.

We’re excited to continue offering our After-Care program to support working families, with some important updates to help keep the program sustainable and affordable. This year, we will continue with a tuition-based model to help cover staff and supply costs.

• The program will run daily from 2:45 PM to 4:30 PM

• All program fees will be collected on a semester basis (twice per year).

• All fees must be paid in full prior to the start of each semester or before a student may begin participating in the program.

• Any outstanding balances from the previous school year must also be paid in full before your child can enroll or participate in the SY26 program.

Please note that students must be able to work independently, and consistent behavior issues may result in removal from the program.

Keep in mind, you need to 2 things for students to be able to stay:

1. Fill out the Registration Form for each student

2. Pay the $285.00 fee BEFORE your child(ren) start staying in the program. You can pay via Aspen Parent Portal or by cash.

Quick Links & Guides

Whether you're setting up your account for the first time or navigating the new payment features, these step-by-step guides have you covered:

• 📄 Parent Portal Registration Process (English | Spanish)

• 🧭Aspen Parent Portal Set-Up Guide [ ENGLISH | SPANISH ].

• 💳 Aspen Payment Processing Guide [ English | Spanish ]

Have questions or need help logging in? Contact the main office—we're here to help you get connected! Let’s make this school year our smoothest one yet!

We will continue using Talking Points as our primary method for school-to-home communication this year. Attached below are instructions for downloading the app. If you have issues, please reach out to the office.

Access Guidelines

• Primary Contacts: One parent or guardian per family automatically receives access based on the contact information in our Student Information System.

• Adding a Second Parent: If you would like to grant access to a second parent or legal guardian, please complete this form.

Important Restriction: TalkingPoints is strictly reserved for primary parents and legal guardians. Please do not request access for extended family members or caregivers (such as grandparents, nannies, aunts, or uncles).

Thank you for helping us keep our communication direct, secure, and efficient!

Regular School Hours: 7:45 AM - 2:45 PM

Email: svmazenis@cps.edu
Website: jungmanstem.org

Phone: (773) 534-7376