Jefferson Journal

Hello Jefferson Families!

Our school year is off to a fantastic start! Walking through the hallways, we are already seeing vibrant classrooms filled with active engagement, deep learning, and enthusiastic students. From hands-on projects to lively group discussions, our teachers and students have hit the ground running.

We would love for you to get involved and join in the fun with our school community! We have great events coming up, including Family Paint Night and our upcoming Skating Party. We also invite you to join us at our next PTO meeting. It is a wonderful way to connect, share ideas, and support our school.

This newsletter includes key updates and event details to keep our momentum going strong. As always, please reach out if you have any questions or need support. Thank you for your continued partnership, and we hope to see you 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

• 9/10- Family Paint Night- 4:30-6:30 PM
• 9/11- Patriot Day Parade- Wear Red, White, & Blue
• 9/11- Popcorn Pre-Orders Due Today
• 9/14- Fall Mum Fundraiser Orders Due Today
• 9/15- PTO Meeting- 3:25 at Jefferson Elementary
• 9/23- Skating Party- 6-8:30 PM at United Skates

• Every year on 9/11 we recognize and thank our community first responders by making signs and cards. They drive their vehicles through our back parking lot as a parade for our students while we all wave and cheer for them. Please have your child wear red, white, and blue on Wednesday to join in on this day of remembrance.
• Along with the cards and signs, we would like to donate snacks to our Eastlake Police Department, Eastlake Fire Department, and City of Eastlake service employees as a thank you for their service to our community. If your family would like to send in pre-packaged snacks to contribute to these donations of appreciation, please have your child bring them to school by Thursday, 9/10. Thank you!

• It is very important that the school is aware of your child’s daily dismissal plan. Please communicate with the school 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.

We appreciate your patience with our morning and afternoon car line. Our arrival/dismissal typically takes a little bit of time to get acclimated to from staff, students, and families. We could use your help to make our process run safely and smoothly:

• Follow Staff Instructions: Pay close attention to and follow all directions from staff members in the car loop.

• Stay in Your Vehicle: Parents and drivers must remain inside the car at all times to keep the line moving efficiently.

• Student Independence: Students should enter and exit the vehicle on their own whenever possible, loading and unloading on the building side of the vehicle for safety.

• Need Assistance? If your child needs help getting out of the car, simply roll down your window and let a staff member know so we can assist.

• Morning Drop-Off Line: Please allow staff members room to park so they can safely get into the building on time.

• Morning Drop-Off Stop Point: Unloading happens between the Stop sign and the end of the sidewalk. Please pull all the way up.

• Afternoon Pick-Up Stop Point: Pull all the way forward and stop at the crosswalk to load.

• Afternoon Pick-Up Mirror Tag: Always display your assigned car tag on your rearview mirror each afternoon with the number facing outward so staff can easily read it through the windshield.

Track the bus with the Bus Zone App!

Picture Day information was sent home this week with your child. Please review the flyer for how to order pictures. Our picture day is October 13th.

The Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools Board of Education has placed a proposed 0.75%

earned income tax on the November 3, 2026, ballot. The outcome will determine whether the

district continues operating two comprehensive high schools or transitions to one.

The proposed 0.75% earned income tax would generate about $14 million a year on a

continuing basis, with roughly $9.6 million for operations and $4.4 million dedicated to

permanent improvements such as buildings, technology, security, and buses. A resident with

$50,000 in active income would pay approximately $375 per year.

An earned income tax is applied to the active income of district residents and does not apply to

passive income, such as Social Security benefits, pensions, capital gains, interest, dividends, or

other investment income.

If the proposed tax is approved, under the district's current plan:

● North and South would continue operating as two comprehensive high schools.

● Other reductions would happen on a more measured timeline.

● We would have more time to evaluate enrollment, building use, and long-term facility needs.

What happens if the earned income tax levy fails? Beginning in the 28-29 school year, the Board would need to implement the following cost-savings measures:

● Reduction in district staffing to match new footprint

● Consolidation to one high school and one middle school

Full details are available at www.weschools.org/futurereadyfinances.

• 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 related arts 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.

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

Annual Family Paint Night- Please use the link to buy tickets so we can order enough supplies!! This will be a presale only event!!

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/family-paint-night--2026

Our Fall Mum fundraiser is underway! All orders are due by 9/14. Pick up will be on October 2nd from 4:30-6 PM. You can follow these links: www.fundraiseit.org or https://app.fundraiseit.org/refer.php

Click here for the link to order by 9/11: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/popcorn-presale-for-2026--2027