Nov. 21, 2025
The Leader Is In The Room!
Stay Hydrated, Stay Focused: Water Bottles at school!
Many students bring water bottles to school, which is great. Staying hydrated is essential for maintaining focus and energy for learning!
To ensure a clean and distraction-free learning environment, please adhere to the following guidelines:
Water Only, Please: Water bottles must contain plain water only. We kindly ask that you do not send juice, lemonade, hot chocolate, soda, or any other sticky or sugary beverages. Spills from these items can attract pests and are harder to clean up..
Choose a Spill-Resistant Bottle: To minimize the chance of accidental spills, we highly recommend selecting a water bottle with a secure, leak-proof locking lid or a straw with an integrated valve. Bottles with simple screw-on caps or open tops are more prone to spilling and creating a mess.
đź’ˇ Principal's Priority: A Few Minutes a Day Adds Up!
At Jefferson, we understand that family time is precious, and finding the right balance between school work and home life is important. That's why we don't believe in overwhelming our students with hours of homework.
However, we know that a few focused minutes of "brain work" every day really adds up over time and is key to increasing academic achievement.
The Challenge: Before your child zones out on technology—whether it's watching videos or playing online games—we encourage you to set the expectation for a little learning first.
Simple Ways to Boost Learning Tonight:
Fluency Practice: All students should be reading their fluency passages on a regular basis. Consistency is everything here!
Online Learning: Encourage your child to log into DREAMBOX (for math) or LEXIA (for reading). These programs are personalized to their current needs.
Read a Good Book: Make sure your child spends time reading a book—either on their own, with an older sibling, or with an adult in the household. Reading is the foundation of all learning!
A few minutes of dedicated effort each night can make a dramatic difference in your child's academic success.
Need Login Help?
If you need directions for logging into Dreambox or Lexia, please contact your child's teacher or reach out directly to Mrs. Jen VanHorseen: vanhorssenj@gjps.org.
THANK YOU! It's Helping- Please continue to follow these guidelines....
đźš— Your Help is Needed: Let's Fix Dismissal Gridlock!
We love our Jefferson neighborhood, but our dismissal process is causing serious traffic issues that slow down everyone—including our buses.
The good news? The actual time it takes to load all car riders, from the first car to the last, is only 6 to 7 minutes!
Here's the Problem & The Simple Solution
Currently, many cars are arriving too early, causing gridlock and slowing the entire dismissal process (including bus loading).
The Solution? Delay your arrival!
Please do not arrive before 2:45 PM.
That's right—2:45 PM! Walkers and car riders are not dismissed until this time, and it takes a few minutes for students to reach the pick-up location.
Why 2:45 PM is Critical:
Bus Safety: We have buses that need to clear key intersections before 2:45 PM. Early car arrivals block their route.
The Wait: The first cars cannot leave until the first five cars are loaded. Due to "Murphy's Law," the first car often carries the student who is last out of the building!
End Result is the Same: By delaying your arrival, we avoid gridlock, make the process safer for buses and staff, and your student will still be loaded and headed home by 2:56 PM!
Your cooperation is essential to make this work!
Thank you in advance for helping us avoid gridlock and making dismissal safer for everyone. Remember: arrive at 2:45 PM!
P.S. There is an alternative: students can also walk home or ride an assigned bus!
A 10% Off Sale is great- Missing 10% of a school year is not!
Missing two days per month - excused or unexcused - can add up to a child being considered chronically absent.
Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more (approximately 18 days) during a school year, regardless if the absence is coded excused or unexcused!
🧥 The Case of the Vanishing Outerwear: Our Lost and Found is Overflowing! 🕵️‍♀️
Brace yourselves! With the wild temperature swings we've been experiencing—sunny one minute, chilly the next—our Lost and Found has exploded! It looks like a department store clearance rack full of lonely jackets, sweaters, and sweatshirts waiting for their owners.
If your student has been coming home without their favorite cozy item, the chances are high that it's taken a detour to its temporary home!
🔎 Lost and Found Hot Tip!
For the time being, if your child is missing a jacket, coat, or sweatshirt, please have them check the main location: the Cafeteria!
A Special Mission: PTO to the Rescue!
Our amazing PTO is launching a special Lost and Found project soon to help us reunite these lost treasures with their rightful owners! Stay tuned for more details on how they plan to tackle this massive collection. In the meantime, remind your child to check the lost and found in the cafeteria.
How YOU Can Help Solve the Mystery
Want to make sure your child’s jacket doesn't become a permanent resident of the Lost and Found? Two simple actions make a huge difference:
Name It to Claim It! Please, please, please take a moment to write your child's name clearly on the tag or inside of the item. Having a name increases the chances of a return!
Recess Reminder: The great outdoors is a common culprit! Please remind your student that if they wear a coat or sweatshirt out to recess, they need to keep wearing it and not leave it on the ground when they get too warm- tie it around your waist instead!
Let's work together to empty that Lost and Found and keep our kids warm!
Please make sure students are dressed warmly for recess as the weather gets colder. We will be outside for recess unless the temperature or wind chill is below 17 degrees.
If you need coats, hats, or gloves, please reach out to the front office or Mrs. Bills.
Mark Your Calendar...
November 24 5th Grade Biz-Town Trip
November 26-28 Thanksgiving Break- No School
December 11 3rd Grade Music Performance and 4th/5th Grade Choir 7:00 PM
December 17 Ice Skating Party Night (PTO Event)
December 19 Last day of school for students prior to Winter Break
Winter Break: December 22- January 2nd
January 5 First Day back for students after Winter Break
Jefferson Elementary Events Calendar
