The Jag Spot

Dear Jackson Families,

The air is crisp, the leaves are turning colors, and October is in full swing! We wrapped up September on a high note with our Spanish Dual Language Program Fall Family Meet, Greet, & Eat event. It was such a joy to see our students and families connecting and building community together.

October has already brought: our Monthly Assembly, PTO Meeting, Walk & Roll to School Day, and our annual PTO Fun Run, and Pastries with the Principals. See our dates below for upcoming activities and mark your calendars for the 29th of October from 4:30-6:30pm with our Dia de los Muertos Fall Festival. The planning team is requesting donations of candy again for the event prizes. If you are able to donate, just send the candy with your student or bring to the office anytime! Lastly, students are making K-5 connections through our building-wide Cub Club program that pairs classes along the grade levels to focus on our character strong traits of the month. Ask your student what their Cub Club has been working on later this week.

With the cooler temperatures, please help your student stay comfortable by sending them in layers because our building temperatures can fluctuate, and students still play outside whenever possible. Check out our lost and found for any missing items. Also, thank you for your patience with our communication/texting system for families here at Jackson. It has been down for 2 weeks and service was just restored. We know that timely communication is important!

Lastly, Harvest Parties are coming up at the end of the month and students will be allowed to wear school appropriate costumes to school for the day! Reminder - No fake blood, gore, or weapons are allowed; students will be asked to change if costumes do not follow this guideline. With Halloween on a Friday this school year, we can’t wait to celebrate together while continuing to foster a positive, inclusive, and joyful school community.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support and partnership in making Jackson such a wonderful place to learn and grow.

Warmly,
Mrs. Jordan Gieg
Principal, Jackson Elementary

October 2025

• October 16th - Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill
• October 20th - Return Fun Run Packets to your child's teacher
• October 22nd - Fall Picture Retakes starting at 8:00am; Unity Day, Wear ORANGE
• October 24th - End of Quarter 1; Online Fun Run 99Pledges Closes
• October 27th - No School; Grading Day
• October 28th - Site Council; Media Center 2:45-3:30
• October 29th - Dia de los Muertos Fall Festival 4:30-6:30
• October 31st - Report Cards sent home; Halloween/Harvest Parties last hour of the day (unless otherwise specified by your child's teacher); all volunteers must be approved through the VIM process and food must be store bought. Halloween costumes can be worn to school but must follow these guidelines:

• Masks or facial covering are not allowed
• Costumes cannot include weapon-look-alikes, gore, or any other items not allowed at school
• Students need to be able to freely move and be at their desks throughout the day
• Costumes may be subject to wear and tear during recess, lunch and PE; please do not send your child to school in a costume if they cannot get it dirty

November 2025

• November 3rd - 5th Grade Cross Country meet with Coach Gross at Ruch Elementary
• November 5th - Monthly Assembly 8:05am in the Gym; Parents check-in at the main office with valid ID
• November 7th - November Birthday Cupcakes with the Principals; Commons 2:15-2:30pm
• November 11th - No School; Veteran's Day
• November 13th - PTO Meeting; Media Center 5:30-6:30
• November 17th - Site Council; Media Center 2:45-3:30
• November 19th - Cub Club, Pastries with the Principals; Music Room 8:00-8:40
• November 24th - November 28th - No School for Students, Thanksgiving Break
• November 24th & November 25th - Parent Teacher Conferences (More info to come!)

To see the full MSD calendar, click this link: https://www.medford.k12.or.us/our-district1/2025-2026-district-calendar

September was Attendance Awareness Month, but here at MSD, showing up every day is a priority all year long. Did you know that missing just two days a month can add up to 10% of the school year and significantly impact a child’s learning and connection with school?

As we head into fall, it’s a good time to talk about when it’s safe to send your child to school if they’re not feeling 100%. You might be surprised how often they can still attend! You can find out more information HERE at our district website.

Safety remains one of our top priorities at Jackson. Throughout the year, we practice several safety drills—such as Fire, Secure, and Lockdown drills—to help staff and students build confidence and readiness. In September, we conducted our first Secure/Lockdown Drill of the school year. Teachers thoughtfully prepared students by explaining what to expect, guiding them through the process, and allowing time for reflection and questions afterward.

Monthly Tests- As a reminder, our district site supervisor and head custodian test our Emergency Response Buttons (ERB) once each month before school. If you live nearby and hear this early—before 7:00 a.m.—please know it’s a routine test. In the event of a real emergency during the school day, families will be notified promptly through our communication system. If you ever have concerns or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the office.

You can find more information at our district website LINKED HERE

Our PE teacher Coach Gross and our STEAM Teacher Mr. Franklin have put together a monthly newsletter to keep families up-to-date with what is happening at Specials time for our Jaguars.

CLICK HERE to find out more!

You can connect/email with Coach Gross at william.gross@medford.k12.or.us

You can connect/email with Mr. Franklin at greg.franklin@medford.k12.or.us

Thank you to the families that joined us last Wednesday to Walk & Roll to school! Let's continue to promote those healthy habits together.

National Bullying Prevention Month (NBPM) is a campaign founded in 2006 by PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. The campaign is held during the month of October and connects communities around the world to help prevent bullying. WEAR ORANGE on the 22nd along with the Jackson staff! It is more important than ever to join together in creating a world that is kinder, more accepting, and more inclusive.

At Jackson Elementary, we’re dedicated to helping every child grow — academically, socially, and emotionally. Our Student Services Team works closely with students to support their well-being and help them overcome challenges that may affect learning, such as:

• Building healthy communication with others

• Understanding and following school expectations

• Managing social anxiety or emotional stress

• Navigating peer conflicts in positive ways

Our teachers create welcoming classrooms where every child can learn and shine. They:

• Offer choices and different ways for students to show what they know

• Encourage collaboration through group work and partner activities

• Provide leadership opportunities for all students

• Build confidence by recognizing effort, progress, and success

We also know that meeting basic needs helps students thrive. At Jackson, we’re proud to connect families with essential resources, including:

• Rogue Power Pack – providing nutritious food for students

• Community programs – offering shoes and clothing for kids in need

These supports help ensure every child feels safe, cared for, and ready to learn each day.

For more information about any of these programs or services, please contact the your child's teacher — we’re here to help!

In partnership,

Mr. Blanchard, Assistant Principal

This year's Fun Run was a great success! The weather was great, we had over 120 parents/families cheering on students as they ran, and the drive is going strong! We are currently around $7,500 raised of our 20K goal.

• Return all envelopes to your child's teacher or office by Monday, October 20th
• Online 99Pledges closes, October 24th - Click HERE To view the online pledges total!

Join PTO for their next Meeting on Thursday, November 13th at 5:30 in the Media Center to help plan for the Gallery of Trees and give your input on how the Fun Run Monies are spent! Childcare and Spanish interpretation always available.

If you have questions you can reach out to the PTO directly at their email: jacksonptomsd@gmail.com or follow them on Facebook by clicking HERE

Did you know, you can go to our MSD Jackson Elementary District website to:

• Find the most up-to-date calendar information
• See archived Jag Spot Family Newsletters
• Staff Directory
• Family Resources & More!

Explore today!

https://jackson.medford.k12.or.us/family-engagement

As a reminder- ALL visitors must have a valid ID on them to sign in at the front office when they arrive.

We have seen an increase in last minute calls for students to be picked up early. We understand emergencies happen, however we want to make sure we can get the information to your student in a timely manner. Please call the office before 2:00pm to ensure all notes and messages are delivered to students on time.

• Pick-up on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for Kindergarten is at 2:30pm
• Pick-up for Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for 1st - 5th grade is at 2:35pm
• Wednesday all students are dismissed at 1:00pm.

Our office closes promptly at 3:30pm. All students need to be picked up promptly from school at their grade's dismissal times.

For student safety, all volunteers must complete an application and pass a background check. VIM status is valid for two years. For questions specifically about the Official MSD Volunteer Application, becoming a VIM (Volunteer in Medford), or checking your expiration date, please visit the Jackson Office, call 541-842-3770, or email Jackson@medford.k12.or.us

Both breakfast and lunch are offered at no charge to students for this school year. You are welcome to send your student with a lunch as well.

Breakfast and Lunch Menus

The Elementary Parent Handbook contains District-wide information for all Medford elementary students and their parents. This document is also available at www.medford.k12.or.us on both the Student and Parent pages.

Email: jackson@medford.k12.or.us

Website: https://jackson.medford.k12.or.us/

Address: 713 Summit Avenue, Medford, OR 97501

Phone: 541-842-3770

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacksonjaguars549c/

PTO Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1129932258204918