The August 19th, 2025 Newsletter
Janney's Three Parent-Led Organizations
Janney benefits from three parent-led organizations that collaborate to strengthen our school community—supporting our school leadership, teachers, staff, and families in intersecting but distinct ways. While each has its own mission, they often partner on shared goals.
🍎 Local School Advisory Team (LSAT): A committee of elected parents and teachers who meet monthly to advise the principal on teaching and learning, leadership, professional development, resources, safe and effective learning environments, and family engagement.
🍎 Parent Teacher Association (PTA): Builds connections between families and school staff, fosters an inclusive community, and raises funds to provide enhanced opportunities for students.
🍎 Janney+ Executive Board: Provides oversight for the organization’s fulfillment of its mission to the community: to add to the lives of Janney students, families, and staff by providing opportunities for enrichment and care that enhance the school’s educational purposes.
Interested in learning more or getting involved?
Contact the LSAT, PTA, or Janney+ Programs Exec Board- we’d love to connect with you!
Fall Beautification Day
🌱 Saturday, August 23 at 9am–1pm
Come spruce up Janney before the students arrive! Families and friends are welcome this Saturday, August 23rd, beginning at 10am. Join us for as long as you like, and we'll have a special boost with a bus of GW University volunteers arriving at 12pm to lend a hand! Mike Barnhart will be the day-of leader for the event, assisted by the Centennial and Garden Committees.
Please bring gloves, gardening tools labeled with your name, and any other larger equipment is very much appreciated (e.g. - pressure washers, leaf blowers). Email centennial@janneyschool.org if you have equipment to contribute.
Fall Picnic
🍂 Friday, September 12 at 6–8pm
Enjoy a fun evening with your fellow Jaguars for a night of food and fun!
The picnic will take place on the blacktop and surrounding areas with plenty of picnic tables and a back-up plan for inclement weather. Dinner and dessert available for purchase from The Big Cheese Truck, PhoWheels, Captain Cookie, and Clayboys. DJ Rich Casey will entertain the kids with dancing and fun activities.
Be on the lookout for more details as we get closer including sign-up links to volunteer to make this event a success.
🎃 The Return of our the Halloween Costume Swap!
Instead of purchasing a new Halloween costume every year, find a gently used and new-to-you costume at the Fall Picnic! Please bring in clean Halloween costumes to donate during drop-off or pick-up in the marked container outside the gym from September 2nd to 10th. All sizes from PK through 5th grade are welcome. Costumes will be sorted and ready for your kiddo to search for a new one at the Fall Picnic.
💙 Back-to-School Anticipatory Stress
Just a friendly reminder that the start of school can bring both excitement and worry. Some kids show anticipatory stress through stomachaches, sleep changes, clinginess, or meltdowns.
Try these mindful supports:
- Ask intentional questions like “What made you smile today?”.
- Create simple routines, morning breakfast, bedtime chat.
- Normalize big feelings: It’s okay to be nervous when starting something new.
Small moments of connection help children feel safe and supported during transitions.