Jefferson Journal

Hello Jefferson Families!

We hope your summer has been filled with fun, relaxation, and wonderful memories. As the new school year approaches, our excitement is building! We cannot wait to kick off another year filled with learning, growth, and joyful moments. This newsletter contains all the important information to help you feel fully prepared for a fantastic start. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions because we are always happy to help. We are looking forward to welcoming our students back to school soon!

Warmly,

Mrs. Platt and Mr. Eberly

35980 Lakeshore Blvd. Eastlake, OH 44095

Office Email: tj.office@weschools.org

Main Office Line: 440-942-7244

Attendance Line: 855-612-7207 (24 Hours)

Transportation Department: 440-975-3736

• Mrs. Candace Platt, Principal
• Mr. David Eberly, Assistant Principal
• Mrs. Lori Dugger, Principal's Secretary
• Mrs. Lori Miller, Administrative Secretary
• Mrs. Jacque Sparent, Family Liaison
• Ms. Katie Klemencic, School Nurse

• It is important that you know your Parent Portal Login, as this will allow you to view your child's teacher and bus route information.
• Kindergarten students and students that are new to Jefferson this year will have their Parent Portal Login information mailed to them.
• Any returning Jefferson student in grades 1-5 already has Parent Portal Login information. If you do not know your Parent Portal Login, please complete THIS FORM and we will email your login information to you as soon as possible.
• Families will be able to view their child's teacher(s) in the Parent Portal on Friday, August 14th at 4 PM.
• Login here: https://www.weschools.org/W-EParentStudentPortal.aspx

We are proud to welcome some new staff members to our school. There are also some staff members changing positions within our school or had a name change due to getting married. We are excited to see the impact our staff makes in the lives of our students and in our school community!

• Miss Maryssa Bratt (3rd Grade Teacher)
• Ms. Vicky Cander (Noon Supervisor)
• Mrs. Kate Collins (Resource Room Intervention Specialist)
• Mrs. Jill Deitrick (2nd Grade Teacher)
• Mr. Wayne Dudgeon (Plant Supervisor)
• Mrs. Rosanne Eastabrooks (Library Aide)
• Mrs. Ursula Fani (3rd Grade Teacher)
• Mr. Jelani Jordan (Paraprofessional in Miss Sawaya's Class)
• Ms. Stephanie Knauss (4th Grade Teacher)
• Ms. Nicole Kussman (2nd Grade Teacher)
• Mrs. Alice Marthe (K-5 Elementary Tutor)
• Ms. Karly Mangano (Crossroads Provider)
• Mrs. Lori Miller (Administrative Secretary)
• Mr. Michael Militello (Building Sub)
• Ms. Naudia Miller (K-5 Building Paraprofessional)
• Mrs. Allie Piepenburg (Grades K & 5 Intervention Specialist)
• Ms. Danielle Rathman (Occupational Therapist)
• Mrs. Cory Serda (Noon Supervisor)
• Mrs. Donna Turk (STEAM)
• Ms. Adriana Valletta (Grades 2 & 4 Intervention Specialist)

• It is very important that the school is aware of your child’s daily dismissal plan. Please communicate with the teacher with a note or email, if there will be changes to their dismissal for the day.

• Our Jefferson School hours are 8:15 AM.– 3:00 PM. First bell to enter the building is 8:05 AM. During inclement weather, students will be allowed to wait indoors.

• Buses will arrive between 8:05-8:15 AM for morning drop-off, using the Bus Only lanes. Buses will line-up between 2:45-3:00 PM in the Bus Lanes. Student dismissal is 3:00 PM.

• To help ensure a safe and efficient dismissal process, families are encouraged to arrive at or near the designated dismissal time. Arriving significantly before dismissal can create traffic congestion around the school and does not expedite student pickup.

• Buses Only in the front of the school during the following times:

• 7:55-8:15 AM

• 2:45-3:15 PM

• It is a single lane. Parents will use this loop for student Drop-Off/Pick-Up. Please follow the traffic pattern. Drop-off is from 8:00-8:15 AM.

• Students may NOT be dropped off prior to 8:00 AM. Teachers are there to supervise at that time.

• After 8:15 AM, students must enter through the main doors and buzz the office in the vestibule. They will be instructed to report to the office before going to class. Parents/Guardians do not need to come in to sign a student in.

• Pick-up begins at 3:00 PM and concludes at 3:15 PM. The gate will be open at 2:45 PM. By 3:15 PM, any child that has not been picked up will be brought into the office and a parent/guardian will be contacted by phone.

Please fill out this form for every child you have who attends Jefferson Elementary School and will regularly be picked up in a car. You can pick up the car tag at our Meet the Teacher event on 8/18 from 5:30-6:30 PM. Kindergarten families will get their car tags from their child's teacher during their individual interview times. This tag will need to be clearly displayed hanging from your mirror each day in the pick up line. Thank you!

To improve efficiency and provide consistent service for the more than 4,000 students who ride a bus every day, our district has streamlined school start and end times and implemented a new transportation routing system.

• Tuesday, August 11th , bus information will be available in PowerSchools parent portal, MyPowerHub.
• On Thursday, August 13th, you will see our bus fleet out in the community completing their annual Simulation Day. Our drivers will perform their morning and afternoon routes before providing feedback that will help us make any final adjustments. Please be patient, as they provide support for over 60 bus routes and 5,000 bus stops.
• Bus route information will continue to be accessible through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. You can also download the BusZoneTracker App. BusZone allows you to track your child’s bus in real time.
• Our Transportation Webpage is the best place to start if you have questions concerning transportation. There, you'll find an FAQ guide, resources, and contact information. If you have a question concerning bus information, please reach out to our transportation department at 440-975-3736. You can also ask questions or leave a comment using our Transportation Feedback Form.
• Families of students who receive specialized transportation as part of their IEP will receive transportation information based on the type of vehicle assigned. If your child is transported by school bus, route information will be available through the PowerSchool Parent Portal, as described above. If your child is transported by van, the transportation company will contact you directly with your child's pickup and drop-off times.

• If your child will be absent from school, please call the school’s attendance line at, 855-612-7207 (24-hour line) by 9:00 AM. If we do not receive a call from you, and your child is absent, we will call you to verify the absence. We will also utilize all emergency contacts. If you still cannot be reached, a home visit may be conducted to verify the safety of the child. This is for the safety of your child.
• If your child needs to be released from school prior to dismissal, please send in a signed note with your child’s name, child’s teacher and the time they will be leaving school early. The office gets these notes first thing in the morning from your child’s teacher. It is very helpful to know ahead of time when a student is leaving. Please note, if your child has an early release, it must be by 2:45 PM. Buses enter the front lot starting at 2:45 PM. When the buses are in the front lot, cars are not permitted there.

• All visitors to Jefferson Elementary School will be required to run their License/State ID through our Raptor Security Kiosk in the vestibule. Please be sure to tell anyone who may be picking up your child to bring their License/State ID, as this is a safety requirement. Visitors will be instructed to come to the main office for a visitor’s pass. If you are picking your child up early for any reason, we will call down to your child’s classroom and he/she can meet you in the vestibule. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation regarding our school’s safety procedures.

• For a child to take any over the counter medication, a form must be filled out, IN ADVANCE. Any doctor prescribed medication, given to children at school, requires a physician’s note. This includes inhalers. Medication forms are available on our district’s website HERE. If you have any questions, please call the school clinic at 440-283-2257.

• Students are not permitted to transport any medication, including over the counter medicine like Tylenol or Advil, to school themselves. It must be brought to school by an adult.

• Click HERE for Absence Guidelines

• Information from the school and district will be sent out regularly. All information from our school will be sent through School Messenger. Twice a month there will be a school newsletter, The Jefferson Journal, emailed out with important information. We also post regularly on our school Facebook page. Be sure to check our website regularly for updates and information, as well.

• At Jefferson Elementary we use Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to encourage and celebrate positive behavior choices from our students. It is also a way to set explicit expectations for students. We focus on our PRIDE Promise of being Prepared, Respectful, having Integrity, Dedication, and Excellence along with being kind. Students may earn rewards and incentives for their positive actions on their Jag Tags, Positive Student Shout Outs Referrals, and Student of the Month parties with the principals.
• Having conversations with your child to review school expectations can be very beneficial. HERE are the expectations for the different areas of our school. If you are looking for a back to school family activity try choosing two areas to discuss with your child. Ask them how they show "PRIDE" in those areas. You can also see if your child remembers our "PRIDE Promise"!

• Please make every attempt to get your child to school on time as we are required to monitor students’ hours absent, due to House Bill 410. It is important for every student in Ohio to attend school every day. Missing too much school has long-term, negative effects on students, such as lower achievement and graduation rates. It is extremely important to always call our attendance line to let us know when they will be out. Providing a doctor's note when applicable is helpful as well. When students hit certain benchmarks of hours of school missed, you will receive a letter notifying you of this. Certain benchmarks require meetings and/or intervention plans to take place. The highest of benchmarks could require further actions and local resources to be involved. Click HERE for a link to more information regarding House Bill 410. Please reach out to the school if you need help!

• Please take some time to review the district’s Code of Conduct HERE and have a discussion with your child about the expectations of the school.

• We enjoy celebrating our students on their birthday by announcing their name and providing them with a special birthday pencil. We also respect that many parents would like to send in items for their child’s class on this special day. Sending in an item on your child’s birthday is optional, but please follow the following guidelines if you choose to provide something for the class.
• Due to allergies and other health concerns, no food treats or deliveries of flowers, balloons, etc. are permitted.
• If you choose to send in a non-food treat, please communicate with the teacher and provide enough for each student in the class.
• In order to limit class interruptions, all treats must be sent in with the student or brought to the main office as we are unable to accommodate guests for individual birthday celebrations. Teachers will send the treat home with students at the end of the day.
• Students may not pass out birthday invitations. If the family is having a party and wants to invite the entire class, the parent may contact the teacher and request for the teacher to pass the invitations out to all students in the class.

• Our District is 1:1 with Chromebook devices for every student! Please review the Chromebook Handbook HERE.
• Students in grades K-2 will keep their devices at school and students in grades 3-5 will take them back and forth between school and home each day. Please help your child remember to charge their device at home and bring it to school!

• To ensure safety during recess and physical education times, we highly recommend students wear sneakers to school each day. Students who are not wearing appropriate footwear may not be able to participate in all activities and spaces that day.
• Students will be going out to recess in many types of weather conditions. Please ensure that they are dressed appropriately for the weather.
• Please send a water bottle with a lid labeled with your child’s name to school each day. Due to the frequency of spills, we ask that only water be sent in your child’s water bottle please.

• Student cell phones must be turned off and stored in student backpacks. Students may not have their cell phones in their pockets (pants, sweatshirts, jackets etc). Some bus drivers allow kids to use their phones on the bus, but they should not be walking in or out of school with them in their hands/pockets.
• Offense #1 - Staff Member reminds the student to turn the phone off and put it in their backpack (notify classroom teacher for tracking purposes).
  • Classroom teacher discretion whether to notify parents or not.
• ​​​Offense #2 - Staff Member takes the student’s phone and keeps it in their possession (or gives it to the classroom teacher to keep in their possession) until the end of the school day.
  • Classroom teacher will notify parents of the 2nd offense and warn about the consequences of a third offense.
• Offense #3 - Staff Member notifies the classroom teacher and brings the student’s cell phone to the office.
• Principal or Assistant Principal calls home and informs parents that the phone will remain in the office until picked up by the parent.

• Smart watches may only be used to tell time. If students are using them for communication or gaming purposes, they will follow the same rules above stated for cell phones.

  Students are not allowed to have their personal headphones (airpods, earbuds) during class time (unless approved by teacher for use), recess, or during ENCORE classes. Unauthorized use of these items will result in the above stated processes for cell phones and smart watches.

• Students should not bring their own toys, balls, or electronics to school and may not bring them out to recess. If they do bring them to school (for before/after school use), this is at their own risk, and they need to be kept in the student’s backpack. The school is NOT responsible for lost or stolen items.

• Students may wear hoodies inside the school, but they must keep their hoods down at all times. Having hoods up makes it difficult to identify students and their actions, and often leads to academic disengagement. Hats are not permitted inside the school unless it is a designated “hat day”.

• Outside Food Deliveries are Prohibited (Uber Eats, GrubHub, etc). If a student forgets a lunch, and the family can’t drop one off prior to the student lunch period, we will provide them with a school lunch.

All students in the Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools may enjoy one free breakfast meal and one free lunch meal daily. Breakfast and lunch are provided free for every student at no charge. There are no income requirements to qualify due to the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), a federal program.

If families need assistance with the payment of school fees, the Household Survey Form must be completed online through Meal Magic in the MyPowerHub Parent Portal. It only needs to be completed for fee waiver assistance, not for meal services.

RevTrak (for paying school fees) and Meal Magic (monitoring of student meal accounts) are available to access from the MyPowerHub parent portal.

Every parent is already a member of the PTO, no need to join or pay a fee- just come to a meeting and get involved! Our PTO meets the third Tuesday of every month at 3:10 PM at Jefferson Elementary. Your child can stay at school and do a fun activity with a staff member while you attend the meeting. Plan to come to a meeting and help make our school even better for our students and community!

We have a very active PTO and we are always looking for more people to get involved to help create fun, engaging, and memorable experiences for our students and families! You are already a member of the PTO by having a child attend our school. There are no membership fees and requirements- plan to attend a meeting!

PTO meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 3:25 PM at Jefferson Elementary. The first PTO meeting will be Tuesday, 9/15. Your child can stay after school to have a snack and do a fun activity with one of our staff members while you attend our meeting! The meetings are typically under an hour each time. You can come to a meeting or two or attend every one throughout the year. We cannot wait to meet you!

Contact: jefferson.pto01@gmail.com

• Celebrate the new school year with your Jefferson Elementary community at our Back to School Pool Party
  
• All children must be accompanied by an adult.
• Tickets must be bought in advance through THIS link. No tickets will be available at the door.
• Your registration helps the PTO plan safely and cover event costs, so we can keep offering fun, low-stress ways to strengthen our school community and support student well-being. $5 per person or $20 per family.
• Please note that this is for Jefferson Elementary students only.
• Contact jefferson.pto01@gmail.com with any questions.