East Elementary Newsletter

It’s time for Lunch Bunch at East Elementary! Parents of students in 1st, 3rd, and 4th grade are invited to join their child for lunch on Friday, October 3.

Schedule

• 3rd Grade: 11:00–11:40
• 1st Grade: 11:45–12:25
• 4th Grade: 12:30–1:10

Lunch will be picnic-style on our large playground. You may bring lunch for yourself and your child, or your child can get lunch from the cafeteria. A few picnic tables will be available, but we encourage families to bring a blanket and/or lawn chairs. Please arrive up to five minutes before your grade’s time to set up your spot. Students will meet you outside as their class comes out.

After eating, you’re welcome to enjoy recess and play with your child. When your child’s lunch period ends, they will line up with their class to return inside. Parents should exit the playground through the southeast gate by the building.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Note: Kindergarten and 2nd grade Lunch Bunch will be held on Friday, April 10, 2026.

In math, we often hear the terms fluency and automaticity. While they are connected, they are not the same.

• Automaticity means recalling basic facts instantly, without hesitation. For example, knowing that 6 × 7 = 42 or that 9 + 8 = 17 right away, without stopping to count.
• Fluency includes automaticity but goes further. Math fluency is solving problems accurately, efficiently, and flexibly. This means not only recalling facts quickly but also choosing the best strategy for the situation—like breaking apart numbers or spotting patterns.

In short: automaticity is being quick with the facts, while fluency is using those facts to solve problems smoothly.

Listed below are the grade-level fluency goals for addition/subtraction (and multiplication/division where appropriate). Our goal is for students to leave their grade level in May having mastered these expectations. While students can use strategies flexibly, we often see that automaticity—the quick recall of facts—is where they struggle. This is where you can help at home! Please see the tips section below for ideas. The very first tip is the most important starting point right now.

Grade-Level Fluency Goals

• Kindergarten: I can demonstrate fluency with addition and subtraction within 5.
• 1st Grade: I can demonstrate fluency with addition and subtraction within 10.
• 2nd Grade: I can demonstrate fluency with addition and subtraction within 100.
• 3rd Grade: I can fluently add and subtract within 1,000. I can apply strategies to fluently multiply and divide one-digit numbers with units 0-10.
• 4th Grade: I can demonstrate fluency with addition and subtraction of whole numbers up to one million. I can multiply a whole number up to four digits by a one-digit whole number to multiply two two-digit numbers and justify the solution. I can find whole number quotients and remainders with up to four digit dividends and one-digit divisors and justify the solution.

Tips to Build These Skills at Home

• Practice facts in short bursts: 5–10 minutes of flashcards, math apps, or oral practice can strengthen automaticity.
• Play math games: Card games, dice games, or board games that use adding, subtracting, or multiplying keep practice fun.
• Use real-life math: Ask your child to figure out totals at the grocery store, split a recipe in half, or count change.
• Encourage strategy talk: When your child solves a problem, ask, “How did you figure that out?” This builds fluency by reinforcing flexible thinking.

Celebrate progress: Praise both speed (automaticity) and smart strategies (fluency). Together, they help students feel confident and ready for more complex math learning!

Our September Winners for Got Caught Reading are:

Wade Driskell - K

Dang Tran - 1st

Jacob Phelps - 2nd

Kimber Headrick - 3rd

Adelynn Hill - 4th

DID YOU KNOW?

This year there will only be TWO — yes, just TWO — school-wide fundraisers!

• Auction: Happening THIS month

• Annual Fun Run: Coming this spring

Parents asked for fewer fundraisers, and we listened. These two events fund:

• Spirit ticket gumballs

• Teacher appreciation meals

• Play Day shirts

• Field Trips

• Large playground equipment

• …and so much more!

That means we need everyone’s help to make these two fundraisers a BIG success. Find all the auction details in the flyer.

OCTOBER EVENT - Trunk or Treat

Back for its 4th year, this event is a crowd favorite!

• Kids will love filling their bags with candy

• Parents say the real treat is seeing all the little Pikachus, Pirates, and Princesses

• 58 spots available — sign up early to reserve yours! More information below.

Can’t make it? You can still participate by donating candy. Your homeroom parent coordinator will reach out when it is time!

THANK YOU! Your participation makes everything possible — from fun events to teacher support.

We couldn’t do it without our amazing parents and teachers. THANK YOU!

Parent teacher conferences will be held on Thursday, October 23 and Tuesday, October 28 from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. Teachers will send invitation letters/emails home soon. Please specify the time and date that works best for you and return to school. Please come and support your child! Our goal is to have 100% participation.

In an effort to help students navigate technology responsibly both in and out of the classroom, the Jackson R-2 School District provides Digital Citizenship education to all students in grades K-12. These lessons include how to practice responsible, respectful, and safe behavior when using technology and the internet. Safety is always our number one priority, which includes technology.

Jackson R-2 has recently partnered with an education support company called Parent ProTech, which creates digital content for parents to learn more about technology trends that their children may be using. Parents and tech experts founded the company to address the growing gap between what adults know about technology and how kids use it. This program is offered at no cost to parents. It will require parents to register to create an account to access the valuable information.

Parent ProTech helps parents and educators understand and manage children's digital lives by offering a variety of resources:

• Guides and videos: The platform provides expert-backed guides and video content to explain new social media trends, popular gaming apps, and other technology relevant to students.

• Parental controls: Users can access step-by-step instructions on setting up and using parental controls on various devices and apps.

• Conversation starters: The platform provides prompts and tips to help parents initiate conversations with their children about topics such as screen time, online privacy, and responsible digital behavior.

• Monthly updates: Content is regularly updated to stay current with the rapidly evolving digital landscape and introduce new technology topics.

To create an account, visit Parent ProTech. https://app.parentprotech.com/613/jackson-rii/en/signup?source=admin

You may also read the flyer attached to this email. It includes a QR code that allows you to sign up for free to protect your students online.

As always, we want to ensure all students are safe. Digital Citizenship education for our students and parent education on technology trends and platforms are key ways we can work together. Education is truly a partnership between schools and families. We will continue to keep you informed and provide resources when possible.

Our Scholastic Book Fair is coming soon!!! For detailed information and the digital flyer, please click here.

We are excited to host our fourth annual Trunk or Treat on Thursday, October 30!

Costumes at School

• Students may wear costumes to school that day.
• Costumes should be school-appropriate.
• Please limit face paint, as it becomes uncomfortable by the end of the day.
• Choose a costume your child can manage on their own for bathroom breaks and one that allows them to move and play at recess.
• Costume accessories should stay in backpacks until Trunk or Treat begins.
• Send a bag or bucket with your child to collect candy.

Event Details for Parents

• Only parents who are signed up to host a trunk may attend. [Click here to sign up your trunk!]
• Parents can begin decorating trunks at 12:30 p.m.
• Trunk or Treat begins at 1:00 p.m., with each grade level walking through in 20-minute rotations until about 2:40 p.m.
• We expect about 440 students. Please plan to hand out one piece of candy per student.
• All you need is your decorated trunk, candy, and a lawn chair!

Important Notes

• This event is weather permitting. If it rains, we will move indoors and send an update by email.
• We would prefer students remain at school until regular dismissal.

We look forward to this fun tradition and hope you’ll join us in making it a great day! If you have any questions, please contact the school office.

Our reading intervention groups are well underway. If your child has received a Reading Success Plan or if you are curious about the instructional resources utilized for intervention, you can review our Reading Success Plan instructional resources here. As always please reach out to one of our reading interventionists with any questions or concerns you may have.

Lauren Foeste- lfoeste@jr2mail.org

Kate Palisch - kpalisch@jr2mail.org

Stacy Bohnsack sbohnsack@jr2mail.org

Third grade students have already been hard at work, preparing patriotic music for our upcoming Veterans Day Concert on Nov. 6th at 6:00pm. Students are invited to wear red, white, and blue, or patriotic clothing for this special event. We also invite families to extend the invitation to any military service member who either has served, or is currently serving in our country's armed forces. Our students plan to make them feel very honored and special as we present what it means to give the greatest sacrifice in serving our country.

Additionally, third graders will present again at an school-wide assembly on Nov. 7th at 9:00 a.m. This event is once again open to any service member to attend and be honored by our whole school. If your family has a veteran to invite, please welcome them to come be recognized by our whole school that Friday morning! Please RSVP here. We will have the local Honor Guard there to present the flags.

All students are invited to wear red, white, and blue or patriotic attire Friday, Nov. 7th at school for our assembly!

East families, if you would like to help our library grow by joining the Birthday Book Club, you can find more information here: bit.ly/eastbbc

September Birthday Book Club

Emeri Johnston

Ada Richardson

Piper Grace Miller

Grady Eskew

Zoey Lemmer

Nora Lohman

Lizzy Francis

Krue Deck

Orra Stults

Thad Adams

Gracie Mattson

Kinley DIllick

Oliver Brinkman

It's yearbook time, order yours today! There are two ways to order, CLICK HERE to order online or order using the paper order form here. Please print, complete, and return to school along with $16 (cash or check). The deadline to order is January 31.

Parents of New students,

First of all, I have enjoyed getting to know your child over the past couple of weeks! It has been wonderful getting to paint and get messy with them. I am letting you know that if your child is coming from a school that previously did Artsonia and you would like me to link their old account to their new East account, I would be happy to do that. If you let me know the school they are transferring from, their old screen name and the class they are in this year at East, I can merge all of their artwork into one log in (and you won't have to keep track of 2 separate accounts). Feel free to email me (ljob@jackson.k12.mo.us ) or send a note with your child that contains all of that information listed above. Again, thank you for sharing your little artist with me and I can't wait to see what we create together!

We appreciate everyone keeping their child home when sick!

After School Kids’ Club (ASKC):

Jackson R-2 School District offers After School Kids’ Club for JR2 students in preschool-6th grade. The program operates Monday–Friday after school until 5:45 PM, whenever school is in session. ASKC is a safe, fun, and engaging childcare program where students can work on homework (if needed) and play at stations that build social, emotional, cognitive, and physical skills! Cost: $8 per day for the first child. $7 per day for each additional child.

Full Day Kids’ Club (FDKC):

Jackson R-2 School District offers Full Day Kids’ Club for JR2 students in preschool- 6th grade. The program operates most days when school is NOT in session. FDKC is a safe, fun, and engaging childcare program where students play at stations that build social, emotional, cognitive, and physical skills! Our first FDKC program operates Friday, October 31, 2025 and Monday, November 3, 2025.

Cost: $30 per day for the first child. $25 per day for each additional child.

For more details or to schedule a day, visit:

Kids’ Club Website

Do you have a side business, craft, or product you’re proud of?
We’d love for you to showcase your amazing items at our very first Holiday Bonanza at JMS!

This is a great opportunity to:

• Share your talents with fellow staff and the community
  

• Promote your business
  

• Help everyone get a head start on holiday shopping

Location: Jackson Middle School Gym

If you’re interested in participating, please check out the JMS Holiday Bonanza flyer listed below for vendor information and details. Let’s make this first Holiday Bonanza a fun, festive, and successful tradition!

October 2 - Custodian Appreciation Day

October 3 - Lunch Bunch for 3rd (11:00-11:45), 1st (11:45-12:30), and 4th (12:30-1:15)

October 6-10 - Fire Prevention Week

October 10 - 2nd Grade Fieldtrip

October 10 - End of 1st Quarter

October 13-17 - Food Service Recognition Week

October 13-17 - National School Lunch Week

October 13 - Columbus/Indigenous Peoples' Day

October 15 - Missouri Day

October 16 - PTO Auction

October 17 - Dental Screening/Dental Varnish Round 1

October 23 - Parent Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:00 pm

October 23 - PTO Auction Pick-up 4:00-7:00

October 23-30 - Scholastic Book Fair

October 28 - Parent Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:00 pm

October 30 - Trunk or Treat

October 31 - No School due to Parent Teacher Conferences

October 31 - Happy Halloween

November 3 - No School due to Professional Development Day

Email: eweadon@jackson.k12.mo.us
Website: www.jacksonr2schools.com/East-Elementary-school/
Location: 455 North Lacey Street, Jackson, MO, USA
Phone: 573-243-5271
Facebook: facebook.com/EastElementaryJR2/