Jefferson Elementary Newsletter

Newsletter - January 16, 2026

Jefferson Families,

As we wrap up an amazing first semester, I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our families for your continued collaboration, support, and partnership. Grades for Semester 1 have officially closed, and families will receive notification on January 26 when report cards are ready to view. Please note that this round of Parent-Teacher Conferences are for as needed students. Your child's teacher will connect with you if they need a conference. Conferences will be held on February 5 and February 10. Thank you for your ongoing support and for all you do to help make our school community strong and successful.

Warmly,

Lady Jones

January

• 1/16 - End of Semester
• 1/19 - No School | Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• 1/20 - No School for Students | Staff Professional Development
• 1/21 - 4th and 5th grade field trip

February

• 2/2 - PTO Meeting in Library Media Center
• 2/5 - As Needed Parent Teacher Conferences
• 2/6 - No School | Professional Development
• 2/10 - As Needed Parent Teacher Conferences
• 2/20 - PTO Family Bingo Night
• 2/25 - Recess with Relatives

After an incredible career filled with dedication, love, and inspiration, Mrs. Curtis, our amazing Kindergarten teacher, will be retiring at the end of this semester. Her last day with us will be Friday, January 16th.

Mrs. Curtis has been a shining star at Jefferson since joining us in 2019 when Smith Elementary closed. With 25 years of teaching experience and 9 years in preschool education before that, she has made a lasting impact on many young learners and their families. Her kindness and loving spirit have helped shape countless early school experiences and for that, we are truly grateful!

Please join us in celebrating Mrs. Curtis and wishing her the best in her well-deserved retirement. We will miss her dearly, but we are so excited for this next chpater in her life!

Please join us in welcoming Aislinn Verhage to Jefferson Elementary! Ms. Verhage is our new Kindergarten teacher, taking over for Mrs. Curtis' class.

Ms. Verhage recently graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching new TV shows and movies, and trying out new food recipes. She is excited to begin her teaching journey here at Jefferson and can't wait to learn with your students throughout the rest of this year.

Welcome Ms. Verhage! 😊

We are seeking a School Nurse (RN, BSN) for substitute coverage weekdays from approximately January 19 through April 27. Responsibilities include providing nursing care to students and supporting a healthy school environment. School or pediatric experience preferred.

For more information, please call Matt Kaemmerer at 920-424-0113.

Kids Heart Challenge is Underway!

Jefferson Elementary Oshkosh families,

Kids Heart Challenge is in full swing! Thank you for your efforts in helping to change and save lives. Many students and families already completed Finn’s Mission – THANK YOU! We need your help to reach our goal.

By signing up and raising funds, you can help us earn gift certificates for physical activity and recess equipment to support the health & wellness of our school community.

Ready to jump in? Here’s how your family can help save lives:

1. Sign Up for Kids Heart Challenge by downloading the free “AHA Schools” app for Apple or Android or http://www2.heart.org/goto/jeffersonoshkosh.

2. Be a hero: Send 10 texts TODAY to help save lives.

3. Complete Finn’s Mission: Complete all 7 steps, learn Hands-Only CPR, and be entered to win two Super Bowl LXI tickets in 2027!

Complete Finn’s Mission = Pizza Party with Mr. Schneider! Also earn Victor, the leader, the Lifesaver Cape AND Go in the NFL Sweepstakes for the 2027 Super Bowl Experience!

When we have 125 students sign up online, our school will receive a BONUS $500 PE Equipment Certificate!!

Donations are due on 1/30/26. Thank you for helping kids with special hearts!

We want to remind families that morning playground supervision begins at 7:30 a.m. To ensure student safety, students should not be dropped off or arrive to school prior to 7:30 a.m. There is no supervision prior to that time.

Thank you for your continued support in keeping students safe by helping them arrive to school at the appropriate time.

The enrollment window for ALPs (Advanced Learning Program) is now open. Please see this link for application instructions.

Winter is here and we want to make sure all students stay safe, warm, and comfortable while outside. Below are our guidelines and a friendly reminder of what children need to dress for chilly days:

• We hold outdoor recess time before school and twice during the day.
• Students will be outside whenever the temperature is 10 °F or above, or when the wind chill is above 0 °F.
• We stay indoors if it’s below 10 °F, or the wind chill is 0 °F or below, or if it’s raining.
• Students are required to wear a coat or jacket if the temperate is 50 °F or below. Please ensure your students have a coat even if the temperate is expected to be in the 40s.
• Snowpants and boots are required to play on the field and playground when there is snow present.
• With how wet the playground and field may be, it is also helpful for all of our students K-5 have an extra change of clothing in their backpacks to change into if they get wet.

If students do not bring snowpants or boots, they will need to stay on the blacktop when we have snow. If your family needs assistance obtaining winter gear, please contact the office at 920-424-0165.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our students warm, safe, and ready to enjoy outdoor time as weather allows!

All reports of a student absence must go through the office. If your child(ren) are sick multiple days, please let us know each day they are absent. All communication regarding your student's attendance (appointments, late arrival, early departure, etc.) must go to the office. You can copy in your child's teacher in the email or the office will then pass this information on to the classroom teacher. You can also request absence time off through your parent portal in Infinite Campus. Our school secretary's email is: katie.ascher@oshkosh.k12.wi.us and the school phone number is 920.424.0165. Thank you for your help with this important communication.

• Beginning at the end of the blacktop on 11th Ave and continuing down to Oregon St. is a parking zone. You are able to park along the street here and exit your vehicle, walk your student to the blacktop in the morning or wait on the blacktop for your student in the afternoon.
• Minnesota Street along the school is a loading zone only. You will not be allowed to park and exit your vehicle here. This area will be for pulling up and immediately dropping off your student in the morning, or pulling up to allow them to enter the vehicle while picking up in the afternoon.
• The area along the blacktop in front of the playground on 11th will remain a bus zone only. Vehicles are not permitted to park or load in this area.
• We also ask, if possible, to keep the traffic flow on Minnesota heading north. We prefer vehicles that do not drive south and stop in the middle of the road to drop off their student(s), leaving them to cross the road in front of oncoming traffic. If traffic only flows north, we can avoid this safety hazard by using the designated loading zone on the same side of the street as the school.
• Jefferson Traffic Flow/Parking Map

Supervision on the blacktop begins at 7:30 AM. Students should arrive no earlier than 7:30 am. At 7:30 am, students may arrive on the blacktop and go to their classroom line-up spots. The first bell rings at 7:40 am, where students will enter the building with their teachers and classes. Students are expected to be in their classrooms at 7:45 am when the second bell rings. Any students arriving late should be dropped off at door 1 and the student will be let in to the office to check in and receive a late pass. Parents/Guardians can say goodbye to their students outside of the building at door 1.

Students will be dismissed at 2:45 pm and all adults picking up students should remain on the blacktop away from the pavement pad next to the door. Teachers will bring your students to their line-up spots on the blacktop to meet you. Please stand behind pink lines that are painted around door 1.

If a parent/guardian is visiting Jefferson Elementary, they must ring the doorbell to be let in through the office. Do not enter the building when students are entering or leaving the building. Parents are not permitted to walk students to their classrooms.

In the art room, we are already starting to prepare for our Jefferson art show in March on STEM night! We will be working with neon material so our art will glow under the black lights. The theme for the art show this year is abstract work!

Kindergarteners are working on neon ABC collages. We are not only learning about the art of collage but we are also learning about materials like chalk pastel and tempera paint and how they can work together.

1st grade we are finishing up our winter murals and then moving onto neon rainbow collages. We are working on filling our composition and working with neon tempera paint and controlling our crush strokes.

2nd grade we are working on neon circle collages. Learning more about abstract art and radial symmetry, also working with neon paint and controlling our brush strokes to create a piece of art that has clean cut lines and designs.

3rd grade we are working on neon mandalas. Not only understanding radial symmetry but also learning about what mandalas mean in the Hindi culture. We are also working with india ink which is a first in the art room!

4th and 5th grade will be creating neon Pablo Picasso inspired paper mache masks! They will learn more about Picasso while also learning how to build a structure of a mask out of cardboard and later covering it with paper mache and neon acrylic paint.

Every student will be represented in this art show and all of the works of art will be able to be seen in the art room under black lights on Thursday, March 5th!

Ms. Keefe

Here is what our Jefferson musicians have been learning so far in January and what they will be learning next!

Kindergarten: A few of the many things we have been learning are songs that use the notes "So" and "Mi," which are foundational to singing. With these songs, students have been introduced to a character in a series named "So-me" who helps reinforce these early singing notes. We have practiced using our voice to sing all the notes we know in the song Snowman Joe, as well as taking turns being beat leaders. We are looking forward to playing more drums soon, Introducing the note "La," and lots of parachute games.

1st: Students in 1st grade have been learning the song Icicles and moving our voices on the right notes in the scale. They have listened to all the songs in Carnival of the Animals, and now are doing movement and parachute activities to the songs. Students can look forward to learning about Peter and the Wolf next, which teaches them all the orchestra instruments using a fun story.

2nd & 3rd: Students have been learning about steps and skips in music using a book called "When Step Met Skip" and have been testing their knowledge of intervals in music. Both grades will be moving onto rhythm centers, where they will be composing, recalling rhythms, and playing fun games to reinforce rhythm concepts. 3rd grade will be moving onto learning ukuleles soon!

4th: Students have been playing songs on handbells, boomwhackers, and learning the basics of sticking with drum sticks. 4th grade will be learning recorder soon!

5th: Students have been playing songs on handbells and learning the basics of playing tone chimes. 5th grade will also be playing recorders soon!

All students will be starting to learn their concert songs with the start of the 2nd semester. Our Spring Concert is Tuesday, April 14th at 6 PM at Oshkosh West's Alberta Kimball Auditorium. More information to come!

Ms. Noll

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am writing to inform you that during the month of February, students in grades 1–5 will be participating in a roller skating unit during their regularly scheduled physical education classes.

Roller skating is a great activity that helps students build balance, coordination, strength, and confidence while staying active. Instruction will be developmentally appropriate for each grade level, with a strong emphasis on safety, skill progression, and having fun.

Students may bring their own helmet if they prefer. No other personal equipment is needed. Helmets will be provided for any student who does not bring one. In addition, all students will be provided wrist guards, and elbow and knee guards will be available for use, but are optional and not required.

Students are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing and socks on their scheduled PE days. If your child has any medical concerns or limitations that may affect their participation, please feel free to reach out so accommodations can be made as needed.

We are looking forward to an exciting and active month in PE. Thank you for your continued support of our physical education program.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,
TJ

Building Reading Stamina

Having stamina for something means being able to stick with something for periods of time. This stamina, or endurance, builds strength. Stamina can apply to lots of different areas, such as exercise or painting. It can also apply to reading.

Teachers often think about a student's reading stamina. Reading stamina is a child's ability to focus and read independently for long-ish periods of time without being distracted or without distracting others. Reading stamina is something that parents can help students develop. Here's how:

1. Vary the way the reading is done. Parents can think about this in terms of having their child "read to himself, read to someone, and listen to reading." Some combination of the three should make up the reading time, especially for new or struggling readers.

2. Choose "just right" books. If your child is at a stage of being able to read alone, help him choose books that he is able to read independently. This means he should be able to decode almost every word in the book correctly. In this situation, avoid using books that are too difficult to read alone. If your child will be reading with you, choose books that are lively and engaging.

3. Set reasonable goals. Most toddlers and preschoolers find it difficult to sit for long periods of time, even with the most engaging book! When starting out, limit book time to just a few minutes and work up from there. For elementary aged readers, consider starting with 10-15 minutes of reading time, and work up from there. Add a few minutes to your reading time every week or so.

4. Celebrate progress. Without getting too caught up on the number of minutes spent reading, celebrate the time that is spent reading. Share your favorite parts of books read, plan the next visit to the library, and share progress with other family members.

Spending longer periods of time reading means fewer interruptions and more time reading what you love. As your child moves into higher grades, having reading stamina will help your child navigate the longer texts and assignments. Using these tips can help develop more stamina in your reader.

Source: https://www.readingrockets.org/article/building-reading-stamina

Mid-January is the end of the first semester of school. How is your child feeling about their grade-level math so far? Now is a great time to explore their outlook with fresh [2026] eyes and make necessary adjustments. Inspiring or even maintaining a love of math will mean incorporating a healthy mix of challenges.

Consider some of these strategies:

1. If math has often been hard and challenging, help your child identify one good thing about their math experience so far. With every challenge, there is growth. 📈

2. Incorporate a “feelings chart” or “feelings thermometer” into your child’s math work. 🌡️

3. Allow your child to sit with [and talk through] their emotions and to reach out for support [from teachers]. 🙋

4. Relieve stress through physical activities [like counting jumps during jump rope]. 🏃

6. Inspire self-compassion by helping your child acknowledge when they have worked hard, tried their best, and been brave [in math class]. 🤗

Remember that strong emotional-learning skills will lead to successful academic performance in all subject areas and will build a healthy member of society.

*These are some adapted suggestions from Mathnasium.

Hello! Here is an update on what your students are learning in guidance this month.

Students are getting to know Ms. Schlueter around the building and will be seeing her about twice a month in the classroom for guidance lessons.

Kindergarten- Students are learning about the differences between tattling and reporting.

1st Grade - Students are learning how to be a super friend.

2nd Grade- Students are learning about resiliency and how to bounce back from problems.

3rd Grade- Students are learning how to be an Upstander by standing up for others.

4th Grade- Students are learning about the importance of following directions and listening carefully.

5th Grade- Students are learning and practicing active listening skills.

All 2nd-5th Grade Classes will be taking the mySAEBRS screener during their guidance lessons at the end of this month.

Ms. Schlueter

Susan Martin LPN/Health Assistant and Liz Lynch, BSN, RN, NCSN

Check back next newsletter for an update!

Enjoy the beauty of the season, surround yourself with the love of family and friends, and cherish the memories throughout a happy and healthy New Year.

Cold and Flu Season

Washing your hands is the first and best defense to protect yourself against germs. Use Hand Sanitizer to help stop the spread of germs. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Clean and disinfect common surfaces that are frequently touched that may carry germs. School age children should get between 9 to 12 hours of sleep a night. Drink lots of water to keep your body healthy and safe. Talk to your pediatrician about yearly vaccinations to protect against diseases.

Fire Safety (Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Detectors)

Practice fire safety. Most residential fires occur during the winter months, so don’t leave fireplaces, space heaters, food cooking on stoves, or candles unattended. Have an emergency plan and practice it regularly. Smoke Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Detectors should be checked on a monthly basis and change out the batteries.

Healthy Eating Tips

Prepare food safely. Remember these simple steps: Wash hands and surfaces often, avoid cross-contamination, cook foods to proper temperatures and refrigerate foods promptly. Eat healthy, stay active. Eat fruits and vegetables which pack nutrients and help lower the risk for certain diseases. Limit your portion sizes and foods high in fat, salt, and sugar. Also, be active for at least 2½ hours a week and help kids and teens be active for at least 1 hour a day.

Benefits of Sleep and Less Screen Time

School age children should get between 9 to 12 hours of sleep a night. Children ages 5 and older are recommended to have no more than two hours per day of screen (videos, tv and tablets/ipads) time , except for homework.

Holiday Family Bucket List Inspiration

If your student has a change in their health or has a healthcare need at school, please contact Susan Martin susanm.martin@oshkosh.k12.wi.us or Liz Lynch elizabeth.lynch@oshkosh.k12.wi.us

Medication Information:

If your student will need to take medication during the school day, please have your child’s provider fill out and sign the appropriate form below. These can then be returned to the office or faxed by the provider to: 920-424-7583.

Over the Counter Medication Form *parent signature only required*

Prescribed Medication Form

Inhaler/Asthma Action Plan

Epipen/Allergy & Anaphylaxis Form

REMINDERS:

• Directions on the medication bottle/box must match the written order on the medication request form.
• Stock Epi-pens do NOT go on field trips.
• Please fill out an Emergency Epi-Pen/Anaphylaxis Plan even if you don’t have a personal Epi at school.
• PRN medications (Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Tums etc.) must come in a new and unopened bottle.
• Is your child up to date with their immunizations? Please contact the doctor for physicals and immunizations! All students at Jefferson are required to have their Tdap, Polio, MMR, Varicella and Hep B! Please check with your doctor to see what wellness requirements are needed for your child.

Join us for our next PTO meeting - February 2nd at 5:30 PM in the Library Media Center - we will be doing a gift card raffle for our teachers! When you attend you will get a raffle ticket for your child/children’s teacher to win a gift card. Additionally if their teacher comes, they get an additional entry into the raffle! Let’s increase attendance at our meetings so we can do more together! Check out their Facebook page here.

The PTO plays a vital role in supporting our students through various events and activities, including field trips, Opera for the Young, and school events. We’d love to see you there and share how you can help make a difference!

Save the date for a PTO sponsored BINGO night at Jefferson Elementary on Friday, February 20th. More information to come!

Reminder - Yearbooks are available for purchase directly from Network Photography only for $15 using this link.

Yearbook orders are due by March 6, 2026. After this date, they will not be available for purchase from Network Photography and Jefferson Elementary will not have any on hand at the end of year for purchase.

Yearbooks will be delivered to students that ordered them at the end of the school year.

Are you looking to order your student or yourself Jefferson gear? Look no further! Our school spirit store is now OPEN at this link! A portion of the proceeds go back to the Jefferson PTO to help support fun events and activities at Jefferson. Orders will be shipped directly to your address.

As a reminder, if you are interested in volunteering by helping in your child's classroom or chaperoning a field trip, you must have a pre-approved volunteer application on file before the volunteering event. Applications are good for 3 years, and are effective for all OASD schools. You can find the application HERE.

Important!: Once you have completed your application, let the office know so that we can request that the application be processed; this does not happen automatically, and can take up to 48 hours, so please plan accordingly!