August 22, 2025

We are so excited to announce our upcoming "One School, One Book" program, a special initiative where our entire school community—from Kindergarten to 5th grade—will all read the same book together! This year, we'll be diving into the wonderful world of "The World According to Humphrey."

The power of this program lies in creating a shared experience for all of our students. Just imagine the conversations happening in classrooms, on the playground, and at home as everyone follows Humphrey's adventures! It's a fantastic way to build a strong sense of community and connection across all grade levels.

This program is also designed to help us foster a love for reading and build great family habits. We encourage you to read together as a family, making time each day to explore the story. This shared activity offers a wonderful opportunity to connect with your child, sparking conversations about the characters and plot, and creating a break from the constant pull of technology.

"One School, One Book" provides a unique chance for our students to connect with their peers and teachers over a shared story. We hope this will be a fun way for your child to find common ground with new friends, share their favorite parts, and discover the joy of being part of a school-wide reading adventure!

Please check your child's Jefferson folder for a family letter providing more details about One School One Book, including a reading calendar and special events and activities. Links to the letter are below.

Creating Calm: The Power of Routines and Rest

As the school year gets into full swing, a predictable rhythm at home can be a huge help for our elementary students! Establishing consistent routines for things like homework, dinner, and bedtime provides a sense of security and helps children feel more in control. It's a simple way to make the transition from school to home smoother for everyone.

One of the most powerful parts of a good routine is prioritizing a good night's sleep. For our 5- to 12-year-olds, research consistently shows that quality sleep is crucial for their development and success. Children this age need about 9-12 hours of sleep per night. When they get enough rest, their brains are better able to consolidate new information, helping them with everything from reading to math. Sleep also plays a vital role in regulating emotions and strengthening their immune systems.

In today's world, a big challenge to a good night's sleep is technology. While screens can be entertaining, limiting their use, especially in the evening, is key. Research shows that the blue light emitted from devices can disrupt the body's natural sleep-wake cycle, making it harder for children to fall asleep and stay asleep.

It's okay—and even necessary—to say no to technology, especially before bedtime. Consider making a "technology curfew" in your home, where all devices are put away at least an hour before sleep. This allows your child's mind to wind down and prepare for rest. We know it's not always easy, but setting these boundaries helps create a calmer environment and supports your child's healthy development.

If you are getting pushback or need a little extra support to set these routines, feel free to use the line... "Mr. Schmidt said we had to!" In the coming weeks, I will be sharing this information with students and asking them to commit to saying no to technology prior to bedtime and getting a good night's sleep!

Dear GJPS families,

During the 2025-26 school year, all students in kindergarten through 10th grade will participate in district assessments for reading and mathematics. These assessments, Acadience Reading K-6 and NWEA MAP, help us better understand each student's academic progress throughout the year.

• Acadience Reading K-6 measures early literacy skills.

• NWEA MAP measures student achievement and growth over time in reading and math. It also provides a way to compare our students' progress with that of their peers nationwide.

Students in kindergarten and first grade will take the Acadience Reading and MAP Math assessments, while students in 2nd through 10th grade will take both the MAP Reading and MAP Math assessments.

These assessments will be administered three times throughout the school year: once in the fall, winter, and spring. Your building principal will share the specific testing dates for your school. After each testing period, you will receive a report detailing your child's performance and growth.

The results from these assessments provide a valuable set of data that helps us create a more complete picture of your child's learning. This information helps our staff plan and deliver instruction that is tailored to meet your child's individual needs.

Please contact your child’s teacher or principal with any questions you may have.

Sincerely,

Tia P. Holliman

Director of Curriculum

Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools

We are proud to share that GJPS is now an All-Star District in the Stay in the Game! Attendance Network. We believe that student success starts with school attendance, and our shared mission is to prioritize attendance by connecting our learning community to resources aimed at tackling chronic absenteeism.

By working together, we can keep our students in the game and set them up for success. At home, at school and in our community, families and caregivers make a difference in student behavior and can be positive role models for attendance.

Everyone — educators, parents and families, community partners, and even students, can do their part to tackle absenteeism. Take the Attendance Pledge, and help us spread the word to Stay in the Game!

September is Attendance Awareness Month. Do your part in ensuring you get to school on time and ready to learn! If you haven't done so already, take the pledge!

Our Goal...SAFELY load/ unload FIVE cars at a time! Be ready to follow patrol and staff directions.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO HELP IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF OUR DISMISSAL TIME. ALLOWING THE BUS TO HAVE PRIORITY HAS MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE!

Reminders:

Drop off- pick up line:

1) Do not enter the parking lot for the pick-up line until after the two mini-buses have arrived, approximately 2:15.

2) No cell phones when you are in the active drop-off or pick-up line.

3) Pull all the way up to the crosswalk and then fill in all available space. This will allow us to fit five cars at a time along the curb.

4) For pick up, write your child's name with a bold black marker on a piece of paper and display it on your car's dashboard or visor.

5)Right Turn only when leaving the car line.

Park and Greet:

If exiting your car and walking to the front lawn to drop off or pick up your child, use the west parking lot near the baseball diamonds.

The lines can be long, so you are encouraged to have your child ride the bus or walk to school. (See below for information about walking to school.)

Over the summer, Mrs. Davison's husband received an amazing job opportunity and promotion, which took them to Michigan. See below for a special goodbye message from Mrs. Davison, and be sure to share the message with your children.

Please visit You can find almost anything you need on our website

www.gahannaschools.org

• Infinite Campus: Please log in to the parent portal and complete the Annual Information Update. Update all Emergency Medical Forms, make sure all contact information is current, apply money to lunch accounts, and more! Click Here for DIRECTIONS
• Bus Information: find your student's bus route, contact information, and download the bus app.
• Supply Lists
• District Calendar
• Jefferson Elementary Events Calendar
• Free and Reduced Lunch Applications: Apply for free or reduced price lunch using the Parent Portal. Directions and more information can be found on the Food Service Website. If you need assistance please contact Kim Karshner.

Infinite Campus is our parent portal and student information system. This site will allow parents/guardians to access school information electronically. For example, Infinite Campus will allow you to update email addresses and other important information regarding your child as well as view your child's report card electronically.

ALL Families (either new to Jefferson or returning families) need to update their information in the Parent Portal of Infinite Campus. Directions for how to update Infinite Campus are linked below:

1. Log into the Parent Portal on Infinite Campus at: https://gahannajeffersonoh.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/gahanna_jefferson.jsp

2. Click MORE from the left-hand column

3. Click on ONLINE REGISTRATION from the choices on the right

4. Click START next to "Existing Student Registration"

5. Go through each step to complete the registration

Families New to Gahanna Schools: If you are a new family to Gahanna Schools and Jefferson Elementary(including all of our kindergarten families), you received an email from Miss Schilling, school secretary, detailing directions on how to log into the Parent Portal of Infinite Campus to update your information. She emailed you an ID that you will need as you log in for the first time.

Returning Families: If you need assistance - please call the school office at 614-478-5560. Miss. Schilling will be happy to help.

Bus Transportation

Your students' bus route for the 2025-26 school year is available on Transfinder. The web-based service provides Gahanna-Jefferson families 24/7 flexibility and access to route information based on their home address!

Be sure to enter only the street number and street name. Do not enter zip code, grades or school. (Entering more than the street number and name may cause inaccurate information to display.)

When you receive your bus information, please check over it carefully. If something does not make sense, please contact transportation at (614) 751-7581.

We are excited to offer the mobile device app Here Comes the Bus. This app allows families to view the real-time location of your child's school bus on a smartphone, tablet or computer using GPS technologies with which each school bus is equipped.

How to Get Started with Here Comes the Bus:

1. Download the Here Comes the Bus app or visit www.HereComesTheBus.com.
2. Click the “SIGN UP” button at the bottom of screen.
3. Follow directions on screen to create an account using the GJPS school district code: 29231
4. You will be sent an email to verify your email address and activate your account.
5. Return to app and add your child’s last name and STUDENT ID number.
   (STUDENT ID NUMBER IS THE SAME AS STUDENT CAFETERIA PIN NUMBER)
6. Click “ADD STUDENT” to add other children in your household.
7. You are now ready to begin following the location of your child’s bus!

Did your 3rd-5th-grade grader come home Thursday talking about our amazing start to the day? We welcomed Elec Simon, a summer motivational speaker. He talked about Respect, Listening, and the importance of a Positive Attitude. He challenged our older students to be great leaders for the younger students, because the younger students watch what they are doing. Know this... the world will be a better place if we learn how to love... and it can be simple...say hello to someone new every day, invite kids to eat or play with you, and don't let social media run your life!

This group was created for Jefferson families and staff to support and celebrate our students and school. It's also a great place to ask questions of other parents and have support as you navigate the school year.

We are excited to see all the amazing and encouraging ways our families and staff connect with each other! This is a place for positive comments and a helpful resource for families. This is not the place to voice concerns. If you have an issue you would like to discuss, please get in touch with the staff member directly via email or call the school. This is a place to build on the sense of community within our Jefferson Family.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP

The PTO wants to know- are you interested in your children walking to school and avoiding the pick up and drop off lines? We would love to increase the number of students who walk to school. If we have an increased number of walkers, Mr. Schmidt would be able to expand our safety patrol program to provide more patrols and provide opportunities for adult volunteers. One way to increase walkers is to network so that you have a buddy to walk with. The SafeRoutes to School program has information about a "Walking School Bus." If you are interested in learning more about the Walking School program, please complete the form below.

We are looking for a few volunteers (ideally not the hard-working crew that has helped at the last two playground events). These tasks could be completed at your own time. We would provide the supplies and directions; you supply your efforts and time. Jobs include: staining the Gaga pit boards, adding plastic railing to the top of the Gaga pits, painting the soccer goals, painting the basketball posts and backboards. We are also looking for watering helpers to water the front flower beds as well as the new reading garden plants. If you are interested in learning more, please email Mr. Schmidt at schmidts@gjps.org.

September 1 Labor Day No School

September 19 Jog For Jefferson Event (Sept. 26th rain date)

September 23 Individual Picture Day and 5th Grade Group Picture Day

September 25 Parent Teacher Conferences

September 30 Parent Teacher Conferences

October 2 Teacher Professional Learning Day, No School for Students

October 3 Teacher Comp Day, No School for Students

• Jefferson Elementary Events Calendar

2024-25 GJPS District Calendar (PDF)