September 8, 2023

We hope this week's Jefferson Journal finds you well and that your family is enjoying the wonderful world of literature! We've been having a blast diving into the hilarious pages of The Terrible Two with our students. Laughter, giggles, and great conversations have filled our classrooms, hallways and even the playground reminding us how special shared reading experiences can be.

Not only has One School One book helped us focus on the joy of reading, it is also a perfect example of "Synergize," from Stephen R. Covey's "The 7 Habits and The Leader In Me". Synergizing is all about the power of working together to achieve something greater than what we can accomplish individually.

As we continue our journey with The Terrible Two and explore the adventures of Miles and Niles, let's encourage our children to apply the concept of synergy in their interactions both at school and at home. We'd love to hear about the creative ways your family is synergizing, so please feel free to share your stories with us!

Thank you for your continued support in fostering a love for reading and personal growth in our students. Together, we're creating a vibrant community of lifelong learners.

Speaking of Synergize... We are able to offer so many great opportunties for our students thanks to the wonderful efforts of our PTO. Come join in the fun and add to the synergy of Jog For Jefferson. See the PTO section below for more details or click here to review the Jog Letter full of information for parents.

Our fall book fair is fast approaching. This is an event that gives students the opportunity to buy books with their families' permission and in return our library earns funds to buy new books. The Scholastic book fair is during conference week: Tuesday, September 26th-Friday, September 29th. Students will shop during their regular library time with their class. It will be during the school day for students only and open to families both conference nights.

I am in need of volunteers to make it run smoothly. Click here to see Book Fair Volunteer opportunities. Thank you!

Mrs. Hoar, Librarian

We all have times when we experience big emotions. This is not unique to childhood but it usually looks & sounds different than it does with adults. That's because they haven't had as much time to learn how to manage their big feelings. Just like us, kids want to feel seen and understood, especially when they are very upset.

Here are some ideas of what you can say to your child when they are experiencing big emotions:

• "You really wish you didn't have to go to ________. I believe you."

• "Nothing feels right today, huh? Nothing feels the way you want it to."

• "I'm here. I love you. Let it out, I'm right here with you."

• "Something about ______ feels bad to you. I believe you."

GRIN provides food to be sent home on Fridays for families in need. If this is something you would be interested in, please fill out this form and send it back to me. You can also email me at haringah@gjps.org.

If you have a social, emotional concern for your child that impacts them while they are at school and would like to share this with me to see how we can help support your child, please fill out this form. Family Counseling Referral Form

Please remember...

1) No cell phones when you are in the active drop off or pick up line- we need your attention focused on the students and driving- thank you.

2) Pull all the way up to the crosswalk and then fill in all available space. This will allow us to fit five cars at a time along the curb.

3) For pick up, write your child's name with a bold black marker on a piece of paper and display it on your car's dashboard or visor.

4) If you are exiting your car and walking to the front lawn to pick up your child, please use the west parking lot near the baseball diamonds.

• It is extremely important that students arrive on time to school.

• 7:40 Students eating breakfast may enter the building

• 7:45 All Students can enter the building

• 8:00 Front Doors close and Instruction begins

• A parent/guardian must walk their child to the main office entrance and sign students in if they arrive after 8:00.

• Notify the school in ALL cases of student absence. Calls should be made to the school office (614-478-5560) between the hours of 7:30 AM and 8:30 AM.

• If you have an upcoming trip/vacation that will cause your child to miss school, please notify the classroom teacher and Mr. Williams (williamsc@gjps.org) in the front office. You will also need to complete the planned absence form.

• Habitual tardies or absences will be documented via letter and you will be contacted to schedule a meeting with the truancy officer to develop an absence intervention plan.

Questions about student attendance? Please contact Mr. Williams (williamsc@gjps.org)

September 12 PTO Meeting 7:00 PM

September 15 Jog for Jefferson

September 16 Whit's Dine Out Event (All day- no flyer needed- just mention Jefferson Elementary)

September 22 Picture Day

September 25 Teacher Professional Learning Day, No School for Students

LUNCH MENU LINK

2023-24 GJPS District Calendar (PDF)