JTA Parent Update

Friday, January 16

• Winter Dance 3:00 - 5:00 pm
• Progress Reports coming home

Monday, January 19

• NO SCHOOL - MLK DAY

Tuesday, January 20

• 6th Graders ONLY - Percy Jackson permission slips coming home

Friday, January 23

• 8th Graders ONLY go to NHHS for tour - please return permission slips to Mrs. Howell by 1/22.

Monday, January 26

• 100th Day of School!

Wednesday, January 28

• 8th Graders ONLY - one to one scheduling with NHHS Counselors

Friday, January 30

• 6th Graders ONLY - Percy Jackson permission slips DUE
• LAST DAY TO PRE-ORDER YEARBOOKS!

I hope your family enjoyed a restful winter break and found time to reconnect, recharge, and enjoy the simple moments that make this season special. January always has a way of feeling like a fresh page—an opportunity to pause, reflect, and begin again.

A new year naturally invites us to think about new beginnings. For some of our students, the first half of the school year may not have gone exactly as hoped—academically, socially, or emotionally. January reminds us that it is always okay to start fresh. One semester does not define a child, and one difficult season does not determine what is possible next. Growth is rarely a straight line, and perseverance is built through opportunities to reflect, reset, and try again.

This is also a perfect time to recommit ourselves to kindness. It is never a bad moment to decide to be more patient, more understanding, or more compassionate—with others and with ourselves. Small acts of kindness have an incredible ripple effect in a school community. A kind word, a helping hand, or a moment of grace can make all the difference for a child who may be finding their footing.

At school, we will continue to encourage students to take responsibility for their learning, set meaningful goals, and believe in their ability to grow. Just as importantly, we will continue to emphasize respect, empathy, and positive relationships. When students feel supported and valued, they are far more likely to take risks, persevere through challenges, and discover their strengths.

As we step into the new year together, my hope is that January feels like an invitation—to try again, to be kinder, and to move forward with confidence and optimism. Thank you for the continued partnership you provide in supporting our students and our school community.

Warm regards,
Ms. Cassady

• PER KENTUCKY STATE LAW, if your students shows up late for school, a parent/guardian must sign them in. Please walk your child inside and sign them in. Thank you!
  
  
• Hardin County Schools has launched an app called Stopfinder that will allow parents and guardians to accurately track their children’s school bus in real-time. Go to this link to learn more - https://www.hardin.kyschools.us/post-detail/~board/hardin-county-schools/post/hcs-launches-bus-locator-app
  

We would love to recognize these students for showing characteristics of an Effective Communicator/ An effective communicator articulates ideas clearly, actively listens to understand and respond, uses communication for various purposes and audiences, and communicates respectfully while responsibly evaluating print and digital media.

"Shout out to Ami Lewis and Elizabeth Leasure for rocking out in robotics class. There robot was taken apart so they had to restart on a hard project and both showed great leadership skills and grit in tackling the project again."

The school nurse paperwork was sent home the first week of school. If you want your child to see the school nurse for any reason, they must have it completed and returned. That documentation MUST be on file for school health personnel to see and treat students.

Important Student Health Information

• In alignment with updated requirements from the Kentucky Board of Nursing and the Kentucky Department of Education, a written provider order must be on file before any prescribed medication can be administered by the school nurse. In the past, a grace period was allowed for submitting this documentation. However, effective with the 2025–2026 school year, that grace period will no longer be permitted. When bringing prescribed medication to school for administration by the nurse, you must also bring the written provider order at the same time. Without it, the medication cannot and will not be given to your student.
  
  
• Also in alignment with updated requirements, effective for the 2025-2026 school year, over-the-counter medications (i.e. Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Neosporin, Tums, etc.) cannot be given to a student without a written consent on file. If you give permission for your student to receive over-the-counter medications administered by the school nurse, please return your Healthy Kids Clinic registration forms with your consent. We will no longer be able to accept verbal permission.

We are encouraging our teachers to use Apptegy Rooms with you, so you can get consistent, quick, and reliable communication. The best feature is it is similar to texting because we know how busy life can be. Please download the Apptegy App and sign up to receive communication from your student's teachers!

A new Kentucky law, KRS 160.145 (aka Senate Bill 181), requires school districts to adopt a traceable communication system that “shall be the exclusive means for school district employees and volunteers to communicate electronically with students.” You can read more about HCS Traceable Communication when you CLICK HERE.

Hardin County Schools has another tool to communicate with students, parents, staff and the community. Smart device users can download the HCS App from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Each school and the district will still communicate through the all-call system with phone calls, text messages and/or emails. That is why it is critically important that your phone number and email address are current in the HCS Parent Portal

The Parent Portal is a wonderful tool to keep track of grades and attendance. Log in to the Parent Portal by CLICKING HERE. A Parent Portal app is also available from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. If parents do not have login credentials for the Parent Portal, they should contact their child’s school.

A new Kentucky law requires schools to provide a moment of silence or reflection at the beginning of each school day's first class. It shall be of at least one (1) minute but not to exceed two (2) minutes in duration. Students will be required to remain seated and silent and do nothing to distract others. See KRS 158.175 and Hardin County Board of Education Policy 8.1351 for more information.

Proper appearance and dress makes a good impression and keeps the educational and learning environment professional. The Hardin County School District asks that students and parents accept responsibilities concerning student dress code.

• Tank tops, tube tops, halter tops, crop tops, shirts that show the midriff, bareback tops, off-the-shoulder tops, spaghetti straps, low-cut and/or revealing tops, blouses or dresses are prohibited.
• Shorts, skirts, and dresses must meet the 5 inch rule, (no more than 5 inches from the top of the knee all of the way around using an index card placed vertically for measurement)
• Pajama pants are not allowed.
• Visible rips, tears, or holes located higher than finger-tip length are not permitted, unless an underlayer (ex: leggings, form-fitting pants, a neatly sewn patch, undershirt, etc.) is worn underneath the affected area.

Students may have cell phones and electronic devices in their possession, but they must be turned off or silenced during the school day. Cell phones, earbuds/headphones, & other electronic devices must remain out of sight from the time class starts at 8:00 AM until the time they exit the school building, except when authorized by a teacher or administrator. This includes use in the cafeteria at lunch and in the hallways during transition.

PARENT CONTACT DURING SCHOOL HOURS

If a student needs to contact their parent or guardian, the student should use the Student Signup form to put in a request to come to the front office to call home.

To minimize disruption to the learning environment, parents are kindly requested to contact the school's front office directly at 270-877-2135 if they need to relay an urgent message to their child during school hours. This allows school staff to deliver messages efficiently and ensures that classroom instruction remains uninterrupted.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

• 3 cups chicken broth

• 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup

• 1 cup milk

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

• 1 small onion, finely diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

• 1 cup frozen peas or mixed vegetables

Directions

1. Spray crockpot with non-stick spray.

2. Add chicken, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.

3. In a bowl, whisk broth, soup, and milk. Pour over chicken.

4. Cover and cook:

   • Low: 4–5 hours

   • High: 2–3 hours

5. Remove chicken, shred, and return to crockpot.

6. Stir in rice and frozen veggies.

7. Cover and cook 45–60 minutes until rice is tender.

8. Stir in cheese just before serving.