Friday Focus 8/14/2026
School District of Jefferson Empowering Futures Together
August 14, 2026
Dear School District of Jefferson Families,
The back-to-school countdown is on! ⌛
Only 2 more weeks until we are back to school and our new teachers start next week. Families were sent an email about the August 31st Transition Day for 4K, 5K, 6th and 9th graders. Please read that email for more details and thank you for reading this edition of the Friday Focus!
📣 ONE DISTRICT. ONE STORY.
Follow us for all #JeffersonPride celebrations, updates, and stories on our district Facebook and Instagram pages!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sdojefferson/
School Meals 🍎
The School District of Jefferson will be using Aramark as our food service provider for the 2026-2027 school year. We are excited to introduce new food choices and expanded menu options this year!
Meal prices can be found on Aramark's SDoJ website under Meal Prices. Please note that while we were grateful to offer free breakfast to all students for the last 5 years, breakfast will return to standard pricing for students who do not qualify for free or reduced-price meal benefits.
Reminder, parents can add money to student's meal account online through My School Bucks, or cash or checks can be brought to the school office to be deposited onto student's meal accounts.
Act 42 and Cell Phones in Schools
2025 Wisconsin Act 42 required each school board to adopt a policy generally prohibiting students from using wireless communication devices during instructional time in order to create a safe, focused, and distraction-free learning environment. This includes any personal communication device (PCD) capable of voice, messaging, or data communication.
As we begin the year we want to make families aware of our District policy.
Link- Full Personal Communication Devices Policy (5136)
Specific procedures and routines will be communicated by your child's school.
- Elementary and Middle school aged students may only use PCDs before and after school.
- High School students may use PCDs before and after school, during their lunch break, in between classes as long as they do not create a distraction, disruption or otherwise interfere with the educational environment, during after school activities (e.g., extra‑curricular activities), or at school-related functions.
Please watch for communication from your child’s school with more detailed information. Thank you for helping us to comply with the new state law, and for creating a distraction-free learning environment.
JHS looking for TWO AFS host families! 🌎
Bring the world into your home with the life-changing AFS Intercultural Programs!
SDoJ is still looking for TWO families to host AFS students for the upcoming school year and there are many incredible students waiting to hear where they will spend the next year.
For decades, JHS has worked with AFS to welcome international exchange students from all across the world into our school. This is made possible by local families stepping forward to invite a foreign exchange student to live with them for a year or semester. By signing up to be a host family, you can give a student from another part of the world the experience of a lifetime and give your family the opportunity to learn about the world and build a meaningful intercultural connection!
All types of families are encouraged to apply. To be a host family, you must provide three meals a day, coordinate transportation when needed, and have a bed for the student. Students arrive between August and early September and depart at the end of June. If you are interested, a local AFS volunteer will talk with you to learn more about your family and your interests and help match you to the right student! You ultimately choose who will join your family. Local volunteers provide support throughout the year to students and host families to ensure you have everything you need to make your journey together a success.
School Registration
If you have not yet completed registration for your students please do so ASAP! The online registration process must be completed for all district students annually.
Parents with returning students should log in to their PowerSchool Parent Portal account to access the online registration form.
Visit our Back-to-School Hub for all registration information.
If you have more questions, or need help, please contact one of the below staff. We can help you over the phone or set up an appointment to help you in person in our offices.
- Tanya Dwyer - District-wide Registrar - (920) 675-1126
- Stephanie Leath - Jefferson Middle School - (920) 675-1305 Hablo Español
- Josie Simonson - District Office - (920) 675-1061
- Andrea Bonofiglio - District Office - (920) 675-1043
Stay up to date with the SDOJ School Board.
Care Solace: Get connected to support in our community
Care Solace is a free, confidential service that connects students, staff and their families to mental health providers, substance use treatment, and social services matched to their needs. This service is available through the School District of Jefferson at no cost to you!
If you’re struggling with food, housing, or access to affordable medical or dental care, you don’t have to face it alone. Care Solace is here to help connect you to trusted resources and guide you through eligibility information. No matter what you're experiencing, there is hope and help. Care Solace is here to help us build a healthier, more vibrant school community. With a network of over 560,000 providers and services, Care Solace will help you find the right help at the right time, 24/7/365.
📱 You can access Care Solace services in three ways:
- Call 888-515-0595 at any time. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365. A dedicated Care Companion will help you every step of the way to research options, secure appointments, and follow up to make sure it is a good fit.
- Search anonymously to get matched with an extensive list of care providers at caresolace.com/sdoj.
- Contact your school health professional, and they will submit a referral on your behalf.
If you have a life-threatening emergency, please call 9-1-1 or The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 9-8-8 (https://988lifeline.org/). Care Solace is not an emergency response service or mental health services provider.
SDOJ Press Releases
Timely Topics and info from SDOJ.
Employment Opportunities
Join Our Team!
Community Flyers
Community Happenings for SDOJ Families
Go Eagles!
Charles Urness, Ph.D.
District Administrator
Email: urnessc@sdoj.org
Phone: 920.675.1000
Location: 206 South Taft Avenue, Jefferson, WI, USA
Website: sdoj.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SDofJ
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