Keeping you informed of all the "tracks" we make at school and in our community!

Characteristic of a Successful Learner (CSL): Strive for Personal Best

Bucket-Filling Trait: Respect

With the safety of our students at the forefront, we have a resource officer in our building daily. The resource officer visits classrooms for safety lessons, helps with safety drills, visits with students during lunch and recess, and provides support during arrival and dismissal. We feel fortunate to have them in our building each day, they have become a part of our JSE family!

Greetings, JSE Families,

It's a Marvelous Monday at JSE! And together we are ALL making a difference! #BearcatPrid

We are well in the learning groove and our schoolhouse is so very happy to have kids eager to see their teacher, excited to work hard, and overjoyed to chat with their friends. This is JSE!

I want to take a moment of your time to tell you THANK YOU for your partnership! We know our partnership with you makes an incredible impact on your child's academic and social growth. We know you are busy too, juggling schedules, making time for everything in your daily schedules, running a household and most importantly doing your best to raise the little people in your home! AND again we THANK YOU for still finding time to talk with your child about school, work with your child on homework, check their orange folder, stay in touch with your child's teacher and read nightly. Together we have the incredible honor to make a difference every day in the lives of our kids!

Very sincerely,

Mrs. Barnes

Snacks: Your child may bring a snack from home or purchase one from our cafe to eat throughout the day! We sell extra snacks such as chips and goldfish as well as extra lunch servings and ice-cream in the cafe during your child's lunch.

Birthdays and Classroom Parties:

We want to celebrate birthdays and have our annual classroom parties here at JSE, however we can only share treats that are store bought and pre-packaged such as pre-packaged Rice Krispie Treats or Mini Chips Ahoy Cookies. The treats must come with the nutrition label attached for our nurse to check. Grocery store made cupcakes and cookies are no longer acceptable.

If you have any questions about what to bring or send in with your child, please contact your child's teacher.

Hi JSE Families,

Thank you to parents, staff, and our bus drivers for supporting our arrival and dismissal procedures. We appreciate your continued communication with teachers and our main office regarding your child's transportation plans. We also appreciate your patience and understanding as we adjust to new procedures. Please spread the word to JSE parents of the importance of our main office having your updated e-mail and cell phone information. We are able to text immediately when we have transportation changes or other communications we want to get to you.

If you have any concerns or questions, please let me know. If there are any changes you need to make to your child's dismissal plans, we ask that you call our main office as well as email Mrs. Rittel at brittel@union.k12.in.us. Please make sure we confirm your dismissal changes by phone or email.

• PTO Events: Stay tuned for more chances to purchase spirit wear!
• Thursday: Coupon Book Fundraiser Begins, see the below FLYER.
• Join our facebook page and let us know if you are interested in joining our meetings and looking for ways to get involved in our school! Please reach out to us through our facebook page or our PTO email.
  
• PTO Meetings usually occur the first Tuesday of each month at 6PM. Please consider attending the meetings this year, every JSE parent is welcome and encouraged to attend!

August 27-8 Coupon Book Fundraiser

September 6 Labor Day No-School

September 8 Coupon Book Fundraiser

September 17 Game Truck here for Coupon Book Fundraiser

September 15 Fall Pictures

October 11 Student E-Learning Day and Elementary Parent Teacher Conferences

October 12-22 PTO Candy Wars

October 27 Spooktacular Trick or Treat at JSE PTO Event

October 28-29 Fall Break No School

November 5 No School UTSC Teacher In-Service Day

November 11 Veterans Day

November 24-26 Thanksgiving Break

Harmony Parent Portal LINK: https://sis.union.k12.in.us/familyaccess.nsf/hello.xsp

Your child(ren) have participated or will soon be participating in our fall benchmark assessments for math and reading skills that we utilize to determine strengths and weaknesses in students’ academic levels. We utilize the assessment tool: NWEA Map Growth, for Reading and Math. NWEA mirrors the assessment platform that a teacher and student experiences during the ILEARN (grades 3-5) testing in the spring. We look forward to reviewing student assessment reports that will assist in developing individual goals for each of our students to perform their very best.

NWEA is given to students as a beginning, middle, and end of the year benchmark assessment. Our first testing window is occurring this week. Exact dates and times will vary depending on your child(ren) specific grade.

You will receive your child's report information in Thursday's Folder. Please review the information and call your child's teacher should you have any questions or concerns.

The following provides a link to parent resources with detailed information about the Map Growth Assessment and will support answering your questions. I encourage you to access this site.

The important communication below was emailed to you directly. If you have not yet read the information, please do so now. When it comes to safety we ALL need to be aware and proactive to protect our most precious asset, our children!

8:30AM Free optional breakfast for all students

8:40AM First Bell

8:50AM Tardy Bell and School Begins

Lunch Schedule below *Lunch is free this year also

3:20 Car Rides and Walkers/Bike Riders *see car rider directions below

3:25 Bus Dismissal

**Masks are optional during the school day and required on the bus.

https://jsimatovich.union.k12.in.us/

Our school's website has registration, daily schedules, lunch information, and other important information for you! Consider adding the UTSC website app to your phone!

Want to work at Union Township Schools? If so, please take a look at the below postings or click the UTSC Corporation website HERE:

• Building Aide-Interested applicants should email Leigh Barnes at lbarnes@union.k12.in.us

• Bus Aide/Bus Substitute Driver- Interested applicants should email Superintendent John Hunter at jhunter@union.k12.in.us

• JSE Substitute Custodian/Substitute Kitchen Dishwasher- Interested applicants should email Leigh Barnes at lbarnes@union.k12.in.us

Please let us know how we can strengthen our partnership with you!

Leigh Barnes, Principal ext 3001

Barb Rittel, Secretary ext 3000

Lisa Morton, Home School Advisor ext 3003

Kathy Maniszko, School Nurse ext 3002

Email: lbarnes@union.k12.in.us
Website: http://jsimatovich.union.k12.in.us/
Location: 424 West 500 North, Valparaiso, IN, United States
Phone: (219)759-2508
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/JSEPTO/
Twitter: @JSimatovichElem