The Jayhawk Journal

This week always ends up being one of my favorite memories of the year. For those who don't know, every year around this time, our PTSA puts together a dinner called Founder's Day. Each school joins and we celebrate one community member and one staff member for their dedication to our students. It always gives me a moment to stop and reflect upon how this is what it is all about. Working together, to do whatever we can to help our students!

Congrats to Mrs. Jenny Morgan from our PTA Board and Mrs. Jill Jablonski, our ESAP, for winning these awards!

I can't believe we are here, but we are now entering the month of March. We take pride in building up a March Is Reading Month Program every year here at Johnson. This year, "Take Me Out To The Ballgame!" is ready to get on its way. We will have an assembly next week to get our students ready. Please see the attached papers for March Is Reading Month to help get your student started.

Looking forward to a great month ahead!

- Mr. Traub

Johnson Upper Elementary School is committed to providing a safe, respectful environment that supports the academic and socio-emotional needs of every student as they develop the necessary skills to become capable, confident, life-long learners.

This week we focused on expectations for our classrooms here at Johnson. We always preach to students that their job is to come to school and learn. When we follow the classroom expectations, learning can happen for anyone. Take the time to talk with your student about how they are working hard in the classroom and what they are doing to be successful. We are looking forward to our SOAR Assembly which will be held later this week.

We would like to congratulate Ms. Connolly for being voted this award by her colleagues this week! Ms. Connolly is a Paraprofessional for our ASD Program here at Johnson. She is always willing to step in to help no matter what the situation. She is not only caring towards her students, but her colleagues as well. She has a calm demeanor and can spread that positivity to anyone that she comes in contact with. She is an essential part of the Jayhawk Team, and we are lucky to have her!

My Favorite Part of Being A Jayhawk Is....

The amazing staff and students that I get to work with every day!

Some Of My Favorite Things

Place To Travel: The beach

Foods: Mexican

Color: Black

College: Michigan

TV Show: The Pitt

Sports Team: Detroit Lions

School Subject: ELA

My Hobbies....

Attending my kids sporting events, hanging out with friends and family, reading.

We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on March 11th. Please see our attached flyer for our Dine-In for PTA Night at P.F. Chang's.

For the month of March, all LPS schools will focus on using integrity. Take the time to talk with your student about what that means to them and your family.

Monday 3/2 "Roll Into March" PJ Day

Tuesday 3/3

Wednesday 3/4

Thursday 3/5

Friday 3/6 Half Day a.m. (11:45 dismissal with no lunch)

3/2 "Roll Into March" PJ Day

3/6 Half Day a.m.

3/9 No School Professional Development Day

3/9 Dine to Donate at P.F. Chang's

3/10 SOAR Celebration

3/11 PTA Meeting 6 p.m.

3/12 Bagel Money Due

3/17 Bagel Day

3/18 Frost Counselors visit 6th Grade

3/19 Frost Preview Night for Incoming 7th Graders

3/30 - 4/3 Spring Break

We currently have an overflowing Lost and Found cart. Coats, water bottles, lunch boxes, gloves, boots and so very much more. It would be very helpful if items you send to school with your student are labeled in some way with your student's name so we can try to reunite them with their belongings. Please remind your student to take a moment to look through the lost and found and collect their items. We are running out of space on our rack for items! Thank you for your help.

Just a reminder for the upcoming weather that is expected. Please drive with extra caution in the parking lot as snow begins to fall. Practice patience and understanding as our staff works to keep all students and parents safe in the parking lot. We appreciate your ongoing partnership in these areas!

We will be going outside for recess as much as we can! We will only stay inside if the windchill is below 15 degrees Fahrenheit. This will be determined by using the Real Feel on Accuweather.com. Students are encouraged to bring boots and change in their lockers. If snow is on the ground, students can go anywhere if they have boots on. If students are in shoes, they will stay on the blacktop to play during that time.

Planning to volunteer this year? Fill out the iChat form now and you'll be all set for the year! Just enter today's date (or a day next week) for when you plan to begin volunteering. Then, you'll be all set when it comes time to help with Holiday Shop, Field Day, and other events.

We ask all parents/guardians to complete the welcome back checklist on parent connect. Why? This information is who we will contact in the event of an emergency. Year after year contacts will follow a student's file if they go unchecked. Please make sure all the contacts are current.

A nutritious lunch and breakfast is available for free each day at Johnson and at all Livonia Public Schools. If you forget to pack a lunch or just run out of time, we understand. Please know we will provide your student one of our lunch options always, no matter what. We hope this option will save you a trip up to the school. We also would like to remind parents that for safety reasons, we do not allow Door Dash orders for students. Thank you for understanding.

Students cannot be dropped off for school in the morning prior to 8:15am. This is when the doors open for breakfast and when staff is available to supervise students. Prior to this time, all school doors are locked. Students are not to be left unattended, arrangements must be made. Also, dismissal is at 3:30pm daily and at 11:45am on half days. It is required that all students who are picked up in the car loop be picked up no later than 3:45pm. Staff is not available to supervise students beyond that time. The district offers a SACC program for those students that cannot be picked up by 3:45pm. Please contact SACC at (734)744-2966 to make arrangements.

If your student is arriving after the last tardy bell, please note they need to check in at the office. They should enter the building through door number one (with the arch) and check in on the chromebook in the office. Parents do NOT need to come in to drop off students only to pick up.

If you need to pick up your student prior to the end of the school day, please know you will need to come into the office to sign them out and be verified by the office staff. Whomever is picking up a student early, must be listed on the Emergency Card.

Oftentimes a student will come to the office with a medical need. The office staff is able to dispense medication as needed as long as the medication is: 1) Delivered to school by a parent in the original unopened package or prescription container, {NO MEDICATION can be brought to school by students} 2) As long as there is an individual, signed medical authorization on file for each medication {form available in the office and online} Medication includes but is not limited to cough drops, aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, prescription drugs, creams, lotions, vitamins, inhalers, EpiPens, etc.… We cannot administer any medication that is not listed on file in the office. Please reach out to Jill Jablonski or Amy Dimmer in the office to set up a time to bring in medications and to review your student’s medical needs when they are in the building.

"If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours." - Dolly Parton