JKES Cardinal Chronicle
Week of September 27, 2026
😀 Dear Cardinal Families,
What a fun week it has been at JKES! 📸❤️💙 Our Cardinals were all smiles for Picture Day, and we loved seeing everyone looking their best!
We also have something BIG to celebrate—JKES won the division’s attendance challenge! 🎉 We are so proud of our students and families for making attendance a priority. To celebrate this accomplishment, our students enjoyed a special Kona Ice treat on Friday. 🍧 It was the perfect way to end a great week!
As September comes to a close, we are also wrapping up our PBIS monthly focus on manners. Throughout the month, students have been encouraged to demonstrate good manners through their words and actions while continuing to follow our Cardinal SOAR expectations: Safety, Outstanding Effort, Accountability, and Respect. We are proud of the many ways our Cardinals have put these expectations into practice!
Our winning House for September will receive a special treat on September 30th to celebrate their hard work and positive choices! 🏆 Beginning October 1st, our PBIS focus will shift to honesty and integrity. We look forward to helping students understand that doing the right thing—even when no one is watching—is an important part of being a Cardinal who SOARs.
Thank you, families, for your continued support and for helping our Cardinals come to school every day, ready to learn and SOAR! We appreciate your partnership in making JKES such a positive place for our students.
Have a wonderful weekend, Cardinal families! ❤️💙
Kevin Pittsnogle, Principal
Wendy Houser, Assistant Principal
📆 Important Dates
Scholastic Book Fair: September 21 - 29
First House Lunch & Hour: Friday, October 9 (remind your student to wear their house shirt)
Teacher Work Day: Monday, October 12 - No School for students
Hispanic Heritage Month
This month we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by honoring the rich cultures, traditions, history, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities.
We celebrate the diversity but most importantly, we celebrate family, culture, pride, and unity.
Thank you to our families for sharing your traditions and making our school community stronger.
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!
📝 New Student Sign-In & Sign-Out Procedures
✅ Attendance
📢 JKES PTO News
📔The JKES Book Fair is coming soon, and we need volunteers to help make it a great week for our students!
📚Book Fair Dates: September 21-29 during school hours
🌛Evening Book Fair: September 24, 3:00-6:00 p.m.
📍Location: JKES Library- all volunteers check-in at office first
Students will shop during their assigned Library Special, and we are looking for volunteers to help during morning and afternoon shifts throughout the fair, as well as during our evening event.
Can't stay for the entire shift? No problem! Sign up for the morning, afternoon, or evening slot that works best and simply leave a comment with the times you are available. Even an hour or two is a big help!
Please note: All volunteers must be an approved volunteer through Winchester Public Schools (WPS) before volunteering at JKES. If you have not completed the volunteer application, please do so here: Volunteering at Winchester Public Schools (if you complete the volunteer application, please email Mrs. Houser at houserw@wps.k12.va.us so she is able to pull your application for processing).
Sign Up to Volunteer for the Book Fair : JKES Book Fair Volunteers
Thank you for giving your time to help make the Book Fair a fun experience for our students!
🎃 JKES Pumpkin Run
The Pumpkin Run is a student event held during school hours and serves as a flat-fee donation fundraiser for our PTO. Proceeds support teachers and classrooms, fund family fun events, and help offset student field trip costs. Thank you for helping us make a difference at our school!
🎉JKES Scholastic Book Fair
Location: JKES Library
Book Fair Dates: September 21–29 (7 school days). Students will purchase their books during their assigned Library Special.
Book Fair Evening Event: September 24, 3:00–6:00 p.m.
✨ EXCEL
ExCEL - Fall Gifted Referral Window
Winchester Public Schools offers a referral window during the month of September for families who would like to refer their child for evaluation for gifted services. We've included a document below that explains some of the characteristics commonly demonstrated by gifted learners. If you believe your child demonstrates gifted characteristics, you may wish to consider referring them for evaluation.
Bertie Kingore. High Achiever.Gifted .Creative.pdf
Referral forms can be found on the WPS website under Departments → Gifted.
If you have questions about the evaluation process or gifted services offered by WPS, please contact our school's gifted chair, Sabrina Ramey rameys@wps.k12.va.us.
🤝 Referendum Parent Meetings
Join Dr. Van Heukelum and the Winchester Education Foundation to learn about the capital needs of WPS and the Foundation's initiatives prior to the referendum vote in November.
Tuesday, September 29, 2026 / 12:30-1:00 p.m. / Douglas School, 598 N Kent St
Thursday, October 8, 2026 / 6-6:30 p.m. / Douglas School, 598 N Kent St
Winchester Public Schools does not advocate for or against ballot measures. Our role is to share clear, factual information so community members can understand the referendum and the capital needs of the school division.
🔎 Annual Verification Form
We are still waiting on several families to complete the Annual Verification Form. Students are unable to use their Chromebooks until this is complete. REMINDER: If your form says Approved when you log in, be sure it is approved for the CURRENT school year. It should be submitted and approved after June 30, 2026 for the 2026-2027 school year. Please utilize these step-by-step instructions: Annual Forms on Web Browser and Annual Forms on Mobile.
‼️How To Report an Absence
📰 WPS Division News
🔊 Important Links
Use this step-by-step guide for completing the online process: https://bit.ly/WPSAnnualFormGuide (English and Spanish)
Winchester Public Schools has provided parent resources to include the 2026-2027 Parent/Student Handbook, K-12 standards and instruction, the yearly calendar, discipline policies and more on the WPS website. We encourage you to access Quick Links and News and Communication regularly for updates.
🚌 WinReady
WinReady On Demand Transportation
No more waiting for a bus, transferring routes, or long walks to bus stops. WinReady is a point-to-point service that will pick you up when you need to be picked up and take you where you need to go within the City of Winchester within 30 minutes. You can request or schedule a ride directly from your phone, and WinReady will get you there. (click the link for additional information)
Opt-In to School Texts
Not receiving school-related text messages? You must OPT-IN to receive messages. Text "Subscribe" to 67587. You should receive confirmation that you are registered. Don't forget to ensure all of your contact information is correct at your student's school, too!