Cougar Staff Newsletter

Hello Cougars!

This has been a great week in Jarrell ISD! If you are watching our social media accounts, you’ll know some highlights include, we had student athletes participate in the area track meet and several advanced to regionals. The Jarrell High School one-act-play is performing at regionals today (break a leg!). It was announced last night our FFA members advanced to the state competition. Today students and staff rallied together and wore purple to support the children of military service members. We are announcing this week our campus-level teachers-of-the-year and paraprofessionals-of-the-year. And this Saturday, Jarrell High School is holding Prom!

Phew! That is an impressive list! Congratulations to everyone involved in these activities. These achievements take hard work, perseverance, and dedication. Let’s continue these celebrations as we go into the weekend.

Proud Jarrell Cougar,

Toni Hicks

Jarrell ISD covers about 84 square miles and includes the City of Jarrell, Sonterra, and even parts of Sun City and the City of Georgetown. There are 16,894 registered voters who reside in Jarrell ISD within Williamson County. And. Every. Vote. Counts!

Want to know more?
Follow this link and enter your name and birth date and select your address to see your sample ballot: https://www.wilco.org/Departments/Elections.

Make a plan to vote!
Early voting begins on Monday, April 19. Jarrell ISD’s Administration Building is our local voting site, 108 East Avenue F. To find another early voting location, visit https://www.jarrellisdbond.com/voting-info

Jarrell ISD Superintendent Dr. Toni Hicks is hosting a virtual bond presentation on Tuesday, April 20 at 6 p.m. to provide the community another opportunity to learn about the 2021 Bond Election.

Watch the presentation on YouTube (available April 20 at 6 p.m.).

Submit your questions about the bond here.

This week, Jarrell ISD is very proud to celebrate shining stars amongst our staff members. Earlier this spring, staff nominated and voted for the paraprofessional-of-the-year and teacher-of-the-year to represent their campus, and the winners for the 2020-21 school year are:

Paraprofessionals-of-the-Year:

Charli Gick, Jarrell High School

Sandi Dotson, Jarrell Middle School

Audrey Zuniga, Jarrell Elementary

Kelly Henrickson, Igo Elementary

Teachers-of-the-Year:

Tara Granberry, Jarrell High school

Brad Louder, Jarrell Middle School

Kadie Tibbetts, Igo Elementary

Michelle West, Jarrell Elementary

A selection committee will determine a single district elementary-level winner and a single secondary-level winner for Teacher-of-the-Year. Those two finalists will go on to the regional level with the chance of advancing to the statewide recognition program.

Congratulations to these awesome employees for being recognized by your peers. We sincerely appreciate your service to the students of Jarrell ISD!

Congratulations to the Jarrell Middle School Bands at UIL Concert and Sight Reading Evaluations.

The combined Symphonic and Concert Band, under the direction of Mr. Ryan Oster, received Excellent ratings (2) for their stage performance and Superior Ratings (1) for their Sight Reading.

The Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Mr. Stephen Grant, received Superior Ratings (1) for their stage performance and Superior Ratings (1) for their Sight Reading. This results in the Sweepstakes Award.

This is the fifth consecutive year of First Divisions our Middle School Bands have received at UIL.

Jarrell High School students placed second at Area XII Contest and now head to the State FFA Range Career Development Event!

At last night’s School Board meeting, the Trustees voted to update the district's COVID-19 mitigation protocols. These updates come after careful review of TEA’s most recent guidance and Williamson County being moved from the red to orange phase. Jarrell ISD currently has 1 COVID positive case.

We are thankful that most Jarrell ISD staff have had the opportunity to get vaccinated. Because staff members are now more protected through vaccine access, and positive cases are down, Jarrell ISD is able to make some adjustments to our practices as we move toward a more typical learning environment.

Jarrell ISD staff, administrators, and community members reviewed TEA’s guidance and made the following recommendations based on our community’s needs.

COVID-19 Safety Protocol Updates:

• Jarrell ISD students, teachers and staff will continue with current practices for mask wearing while in doors through the end of the school year, with the following exceptions:

• During PE and recess masks are optional when actively exercising

• Masks will be encouraged but optional for all outdoor activities, including extracurricular activities.

• Students will be allowed mask breaks. Teachers and staff will give permission to students to briefly remove their masks when socially distanced (6 feet apart) and in well-ventilated areas. (ie: hallway or outside)

• Jarrell ISD is reducing the number of quarantine days due to “close contact” exposure from 14 to 10 days.

• If a student or staff member is symptomatic for COVID-19, in order to return to school before the 10-day quarantine, he/she must provide a negative PCR test. The district will not accept the results of a RAPID test if the individual is symptomatic.

• Parents and community members can attend some school events, indoors with a mask and outside a mask is optional. Principals will develop event-specific procedures regarding limited capacity and social distancing.

• Parents will not be allowed to be around other students without a mask on campus. No lunch visitors yet due to limited space for social distancing.

• Following updated CDC guidelines, social distance guidelines will be reduced from 6 feet to 3 feet when masks are worn.

Jarrell ISD will continue to closely monitor student and staff positive cases, community spread, Williamson County phase status, and the Wilco Health Department guidance. The district may revise the practices again should the number of positive cases rise again.

Students, parents, staff, and community members are invited to attend a meet and greet to welcome Coach Murr to Jarrell ISD on Wednesday, April 28 from 5-6 p.m., at the Jarrell High School Auditorium.

Jarrell ISD is seeking qualified applicants for the 2021-22 school year for all positions, professional teaching and auxiliary. The district is holding a Job Fair on Thursday, April 29 from 5-7 p.m. in the Igo Elementary Cafeteria (1601 CR 314 in Jarrell).

Come to the job fair and meet the principals from Jarrell High School, Jarrell Middle School, Jarrell Elementary, and Igo Elementary and department directors for Transportation, Custodial, Maintenance, and Food Service. Bring your resume.

Jarrell ISD is excited to welcome our incoming Pre-K and Kindergarten students! This spring, we are offering an easy, 3-step process to help families register.

Packet Pick-up is May 3-7 at Igo and Jarrell Elementary. All paperwork should be completed at home. Call your child's school and set up an appointment at Igo Elementary on May 18 from 2-7 p.m. and Jarrell Elementary on May 19 from 2-7 p.m. Only completed packets with all of the required documentation will get processed during scheduled appointments.

Read more.

Jarrell is home to the Healthy Kids Running Series. Running events are starting soon! Elementary students may register, and middle and high school students can volunteer. Sign up today and get involved in this great program that promotes healthy lifestyles!

Children need nutritious meals to learn, grow and thrive — even when school is out

With the Summer Meal Programs, children and teens ages 18 and younger, and enrolled students with disabilities up to 21 years old can continue to eat healthy throughout the summer at no cost.

No form of identification is required, kids simply show up. Meal service begins June 1, the meal site will be Igo Elementary.

We will be serving breakfast & lunch for Summer School/Summer Feeding serving breakfast from 7 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. and lunch service from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

• April 19-27 Early Voting (No Sunday Voting)
  
• April 21 - Board of Trustees Meeting, Admin Annex, 6:30 p.m.
• May 1 - Election Day
• May 19 - Board of Trustees Meeting, Admin Annex, 6:30 p.m.
• May 27 - Last Day of School
• May 31 - Memorial Day
• June 1 - Summer Meal Program Begins

Jarrell ISD is located in northern Williamson County. The mascot is The Cougars. It has four campuses: Jarrell High School, Jarrell Middle School, Igo Elementary School and Jarrell Elementary. The district is home to more than 2,300 students. Enrollment is projected to double in the next 10 years.

Email: communications@jarrellisd.org
Website: www.jarrellisd.org
Location: 108 East Avenue F, Jarrell, TX, USA
Phone: 512-746-2124
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JarrellIndependentSchoolDistrict
Twitter: @Jarrell_ISD

Got celebrations to share? Send them to communications@jarrellisd.org. Thank you!

We are proud to showcase excellent students and staff. To see more, follow us on Twitter @hicksJISD ; @Jarrell_ISD; @JES_cougars; @IEScougars; @jarrell_ms; and @JarrellHS.