Jefferson Elementary

Our school community gathered for our bimonthly All-School Meeting, celebrating achievements and fostering school spirit! We recognized our Rock Star Readers and Jammin’ JAGS from the past two months, highlighting their hard work and dedication. The energy was high as we showed off our best dance moves and teamed up for an exciting Minute-to-Win-It relay.

We were also honored to welcome Shannon Zika, a local photojournalist and author, who shared her latest book ideas in celebration of I Love to Read Month. She engaged students in a fascinating discussion about how nature has inspired the creation of everyday useful items. Students were amazed to learn how the natural world has influenced innovation in ways they had never imagined!

Dear Jefferson Families,

We want to share an update about our school counselor, Ms. Olivo. She will be extending her medical leave for the remainder of the school year as she focuses on her health and ongoing cancer treatments. Our thoughts are with her, and we know our Jefferson community will continue to send her strength and support.

In the meantime, we are working to ensure that students continue to receive the care and guidance they need. We will keep you updated as we finalize plans for coverage. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Climb Theater visited Jefferson this week, captivating students with an engaging performance that combined entertainment with meaningful social-emotional lessons. Through the art of storytelling, they delivered important messages in a way that truly resonated with our students.

“This activity is made possible in part by a grant from the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council with funds appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature from its general fund.”

We are excited to share that we had another successful NEON NIGHT at Jefferson! It was wonderful to see so many students and families join us for a fun-filled evening. From playing a few rounds of Blingo to dancing the night away and enjoying the beautiful artwork created by our talented students, it was truly a night to remember.

A special thank you goes out to all of our volunteers and our amazing PTO for their hard work in making this event such a success. We appreciate all of your support in helping create a memorable experience for our school community.

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Ignite the Night Flyer

March 21st is our only school store date.

One tradition we have at Jefferson is offering a School Store on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month. It will be set up outside of the office during lunch times and will be supervised by an adult and run by our 5th Grade Student Leadership Team Members. Students wanting to purchase an item(s) from the store should bring between $1-$5 dollars in a plastic baggie labeled with your student’s name. Students will be allowed to visit the school store once they have finished their lunch and can purchase items that range in price from 0.25 - $2.00. Funds from the school store are used to provide school wide items. For example, last year funds from the school store were used to purchase grade level playground equipment.

Focus School Transition Update

March 1st is the deadline for families to accept the invitation to attend Jefferson next school year. To recap, we invited 36 students to join our Jefferson community.

Once the invitations are confirmed, we will officially welcome those families who have accepted. On March 12th, we will host a tour and information session for all new families to Jefferson.

For our current Jefferson families, we will have designated time blocks during spring conferences for families to stop by and check in about Focus Schools.

Future Events:

• March 12: Building tour and information session for new Jefferson families.
• March 19: Task Force meeting for input on progress.
• April 15: We Are Jefferson Night—outdoor learning experiences for students and families.

Students go outside for recess daily, weather permitting. Please ensure your child is dressed properly for the weather: snow boots, snow pants, winter jacket, winter hat and snow gloves. If your student is in need of winter gear please fill out this form.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfOeFrQvoqZq2BAv-sDN_pBAANeypHiD6Wua4woGl_QamPkSA/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0

Winter weather will be here soon, so it’s a good idea to have a plan for your family in case of school closings, early dismissals, or late starts.

Notices for school closings and early dismissals will be posted on the following websites, radio, and television stations. You can also hear a recorded message on the District Notification Line at 507-387-6046.

Other ways to track school closing delays/dismissals/closures:

● www.isd77.org ● katoinfo.com ● mankatofreepress.com ● southernminnesotanews.com ● keyc.com ● KEYC 12 - TV AND MANY MORE.

Please Note: Blue Earth Area Schools is a smaller school district south of us. When you hear or see this, IT IS NOT Mankato Area Public Schools. Winter Closings are listed as Mankato Area Public Schools.

Click HERE for a copy of the Winter Weather Information.

We received many questions from families asking what a two-hour late start means. Simply put, school start times shift exactly 2 hours later than usual.

For example, if a school typically starts at 8:00 a.m., it will begin at 10:00 a.m. This change applies to all schools.

2 Hour Late Start Times for all schools

Buses still run on 2 hour late starts. For example, if your bus stop pick up time is 7:05, it will now be 9:05.

We have a opening for position for a Student Success Coach here at Jefferson. If you are interested in applying for this opportunity please click on the link below to see more details around the position as well as what qualifications are needed.

https://www.applitrack.com/isd77/onlineapp/jobpostings/view.asp?category=Support+Staff&AppliTrackJobId=4303&AppliTrackLayoutMode=detail&AppliTrackViewPosting=1

Get ready for a night of great food and school spirit! Join us on March 18 from 4–8 PM at Chipotle (1600 Warren Street, Ste 1) for Jefferson’s Chipotle Night! Every bite counts—grab your favorite burrito, bowl, or tacos, and a portion of the proceeds will support our school. 25% of sales goes back to Jefferson. Mark your calendars, bring your friends and family, and let’s make this a night to remember!

The PTO is seeking a Treasurer for the next school year! If you’re organized, detail-oriented, and passionate about supporting our school, we’d love to have you on our team. Please email jeffersonjagspto@gmail.com if interested or have questions.

• Sign up for Remind app: https://www.remind.com/join/jefpto