Jefferson Elementary Newsletter
Patriot Press
Dear Families,
Happy Black History Month! Throughout the month, we are celebrating the achievements, contributions, and lasting impact of Black leaders, inventors, and trailblazers who have helped shape our nation and the world.
Our students in 1st through 5th grade have been participating by sharing morning announcements highlighting influential Black inventors and changemakers throughout history. We are proud of their leadership and look forward to the meaningful learning experiences this month will bring.
We also want to remind you about our upcoming PTO Bingo Night fundraiser. This is always a fun-filled evening for our school community, and we hope to see many of our families there in support of this great cause.
Additionally, please mark your calendars for our STEM Family Night on March 5. This will be a wonderful opportunity for students and families to engage in hands-on STEM activities together. More details will be shared soon!
Thank you for your continued partnership and support.
Warm regards,
Lady Jones
🔴📢Yearbook Ordering Link - Last Call📢🔴
Last call for yearbook orders! All orders are due by March 6, 2026.
*This is the final date to order. There will not be any additional yearbooks for purchase at the end of the year.
Yearbooks are available for purchase directly from Network Photography only for $15 using this link. Students that ordered yearbooks will receive them at the end of the school year.
Recess with Relatives
Recess with Relatives: Building Relationships with Jefferson students and their families one recess at a time!
When: Wednesday, February 25, 2025*
Time:
Kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th Grade Students - 11:40 am to 12:05 pm
1st, 3rd, and 5th Grade Students - 12:05 pm to 12:25 pm
*If inclement weather, Recess with Relatives will be postponed.
General Guidelines:
Before finding your child on the playground, please see a recess supervisor with a yellow vest on for a visitor badge. Please stay until the end of your child’s recess time, and say good-bye outside. 🙂
For some students it may be hard to see you go at the end of recess. Before you leave, please remind your students that you will see them later and their job is to go back to learning and make it a great afternoon.
We understand some of you may not be able to come. However, it can be hard for some students. Thus we encourage you to have a conversation with your students about it, and remind them that you love them and that they can have fun with their friends and their relatives.
Have fun, be safe, and respectful to all others.
This is a special time for family members to visit our students, get some fresh air, and enjoy a fun recess together!
Now Hiring: Substitute School Nurse (RN, BSN)
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.
Reporting Student Attendance 💛
To help us support your student’s success and safety, all attendance notifications need to come through the school office. This includes:
✨ Absences — Please let us know each day your child is out, especially if they’re sick for multiple days. You may email doctor's notes to the school secretary or send them to school with your student.
✨ Late Arrivals & Early Pick-Ups — Inform the office so we can properly record the day.
✨ Extended Vacations - Please fill out the Pre-Planned Absence Form (link is located at the bottom of the newsletter) and return it to the office with your student.
✨ Attendance may be reported to the office via phone, secretary email, or via Infinite Campus Parent Portal under "more" and "absence requests".
📧 Email: katie.ascher@oshkosh.k12.wi.us
📞 Phone: 920-424-0165
If someone other than a parent/guardian will be picking up your student, please notify the office ahead of time. For everyone’s safety, the person picking up must show a valid ID at pickup so we can confirm they’re approved to take your child.
Thank you for staying connected and helping us ensure every student’s day is safe, smooth, and successful!
🚗 Morning Drop-Off & Afternoon Pick-Up Reminder
📍 View the official Jefferson Elementary Traffic Flow & Parking Map:
👉 Jefferson Traffic Flow/Parking Map (official)
Where you can park & walk:
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11th Ave (from the end of the bus loading zone down toward Oregon St.) — Street parking is allowed. You may park, exit your vehicle, and walk your student to the blacktop.
Surrounding streets: 10th Avenue, Oregon Street, and other designated green areas on the map.
Where you cannot park:
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Minnesota Street (along the school) — Loading zone only. Pull up, drop off or pick up quickly, do not park and exit your car here.
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Blacktop in front of the playground (11th Ave) — Bus zone only. No parking or loading here.
Safety reminder:
Please keep traffic heading north on Minnesota Street. Stopping in the middle of the road to drop off creates a safety hazard with oncoming cars.
A message from Mrs. Boettcher and Mrs. Vollbrecht
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
Information from: "Building Reading Stamina" Reading Rockets, 2012.
Join us for our next PTO meeting - March 2nd at 5:30 PM in the Library Media Center.
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!
Volunteer in the OASD
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!