Family Update - August 9, 2026

Parent Update, August 9, 2026

Dear Families,

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! It was great to see so many students and families at Golden Bear Day. It makes us excited for this week to have the halls filled with students again. We are ready! Please do not hesitate to contact our office at (614) 487-5080 if you have any questions or need assistance.

Here is the New to UA presentation from our new family meeting. There are links and information in this presentation that may be helpful for new and returning families.

Counselor Grade Levels

6th Grade Darin Billiter

7th Grade Catherine Shapiro

8th Grade Jeff Williams

First Day of School

Wednesday, August 12th for all 6th graders and students new to UA

Thursday, August 13th all students

A reminder that schedule change requests will not be accepted after August 9th.

Cell Phones

As a reminder, last year the state passed legislation that personal communication devices are not permitted during the school day. Beginning with the 2025-26 school year, Upper Arlington students will need to keep cellphones secured in a locker, backpack, purse or approved storage system throughout the instructional day, including lunch periods and recess, study halls and class transitions. Students in middle school and high school will be allowed to wear smartwatches during school only if the Wi-Fi, cellular and other connectivity functions are disabled. If a student has a cell phone out, it will be taken to the office where the student can pick it up at the end of the day. If this happens a second time, the parent will be notified and the student will receive a lunch detention. If this happens a third time, a parent will be called to pick up the cell phone from the main office and the student will have an afterschool detention. The cell phone policy helps students focus and limits distractions. There is a phone in the main office that students can use at anytime. Also, if you call and need to give your child a message, we will make sure they receive that message.

In order to respect all student's privacy, Meta glasses are not permitted at school.

We are excited to see your students, and we look forward to a great 2026-2027 school year!

Warm regards,

Jasa George, Principal

Keona Walker, Assistant Principal

Welcome to another exciting academic year! We wanted to make you aware of some upcoming events that the PTO will be supporting as we kick off the school year.

• Wednesday, August 12th - 6th Grade Parent Coffee 8:15am in the JMS Cafeteria - Come meet the PTO officers & Jones Administration for a cup of coffee, as your student begins their middle school journey (parents of new 7th & new 8th graders are also welcome!)
• Friday, August 14th - PTO will provide popsicles to all students upon dismissal! This is just one of many things the PTO does to support our school and its students. If you would like to support the PTO, please visit: Support the PTO | Jones Middle School
• Monday, August 24th - 1st PTO Meeting of the Year 8:30am in the JMS Learning Center - Join us for our first monthly meeting. To see a full list of meeting dates, please visit: www.jonespto.com

We also encourage you to follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/jones_pto.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the PTO at jonesschoolpto@gmail.com.

Here is the link to the district page for Student Handbooks. You can access all of the handbooks on this page. In the 2026-2027 Student Rights and Responsibilities there is updated information on AI and its usage in school. If you have any questions, please reach out to one of the administrators. This link will always be at the bottom of the page under "Important Links".

All 6th graders will report for a full day to JMS from 8:10am-3:20pm on August 12th. Buses will run all AM/PM routes on August 12th for our incoming 6th graders.

7th and 8th graders that are NEW TO UPPER ARLINGTON will also be invited to attend on August 12th from 8:00am-10am (note the time change). We will NOT have transportation running at 10am, so new to UA 7th and 8th grade students will need to arrange transportation at 10:00 am.

All 6th-8th grade students will report to school on Thursday, August 13th for a regular scheduled day (8:10am-3:20pm).

Reminders for August 12th:

• 6th graders:

• Students need their ipads.

• Students will report to their 9th period Flex class

• A printed copy of your schedule will be provided in your Flex class

• Bring all school supplies

• Bring a packed lunch or have money in your lunch account.

• Wear your new class t shirt.

• Be ready to have some fun :)

• This is not a typical school day. It is a community building day for the purpose of learning to navigate the building, meeting the 6th grade teachers, and making new friends!

• New to Upper Arlington 7th and 8th graders: (returning 7th and 8th graders do not attend)

• New to UA students are invited to attend on Wednesday morning from 8:10 am to 10:00 am. (Meet your Ambassador in the LC at the start of the day.)

• Parents/guardians provide transportation at 10:00 or permit their students to walk home.

• All 7th and 8th grade students - access your schedule with your iPad.

• Check your schedule for slight adjustments prior to arriving.

School supply lists for each grade level are linked below:

• 6th Grade Supplies: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OlaPRim1BxHJbfpDpCPfLTESJy0Ht5ERuG1CwvLt09U/edit?usp=sharing
• 7th Grade Supplies: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vCtwKSgHNj81YSsISEgHBzSk5wkaaAi9XEtERnyPdhg/edit?usp=sharing
• 8th Grade Supplies: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1I5qcTbvUNqt6ImEuIByAZXPpnfKZ-TYP-kzkpNQwfFQ/edit?usp=sharing

You can drop off medications/paperwork to the nurse.

Please bring in medications in the original, labeled container from the pharmacy along with the completed paperwork. Please click on the link/s below:

Prescribed Medication Form

Life Threatening Food Allergy Forms

Asthma Forms

Seizure Plan Forms

Please email Nurse Shannon at snjohnson@uaschools.org if you have any questions. Thanks!

Makeup pictures will be taken on August 18 and retake pictures will be taken on October 21.

School begins at 8:10. The bell rings and doors open at 8:05. If students ride the bus or need to be dropped off early, the cafeteria will be open at 7:40 each morning. If students arrive after 8:10, they will have to sign in at the attendance office. If a student arrives after 8:25, we ask that a parent come in with a student to sign them in.

New Attendance Policy for 2026-2027

Based on changes in Ohio law and Upper Arlington Schools Board of Education policy, new attendance requirements will be in effect beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. These changes affect how schools track student attendance, when families receive notifications, and when districts must intervene to address attendance concerns.

The biggest change is that all missed time is counted — includes tardies, medical absences, pre-planned absences, non-school-sponsored activities and competitions, and Religious Expression days — toward chronic absenteeism. Parents/guardians may find information about the changes in attendance policy on our website.

Pre-Planned Absences

As part of the new attendance policy, the pre-planned absence form has been updated. Here is the Updated Pre-planned Absence Form. Please read the pre-planned absence information so you are aware of of how absences are counted as excused or unexcused. This can also be found on the District or Jones Website under "students & families" the click on "attendance"

A few reminders about attendance

Parents must notify the school of their student’s absence by calling the school attendance line (614) 487-5077, ext. 3500, or emailing the attendance secretary, Christy McGeorge at jonesattendance@uaschools.org by 9am.

• Students who are absent more than half a day (11:45am) or who go home ill may not participate in co- or extra-curricular activities that day. This includes athletic practices and competitions.

• Students who need to leave school early for an appointment or other reason should turn in a note from a parent/guardian to the attendance office between 7:30am-8:10am, the morning of the appointment, to receive an early dismissal pass.

• Students who arrive at school at or after 8:10am, must check in at the attendance office prior to going to class. If a student arrives to school after 8:25, a parent must come into the building to sign in their child.

• Students who are being picked up during the lunch periods for lunch/appointments must be picked up by their own parents. A parent must come into the building to sign out their child.

• Students are not permitted to leave school grounds with parents of other students.

Signing In/Out

We will continue using the SchoolSafe ID kiosk for students to check-in and out. Students will still be able to check themselves out on the kiosk. We found this spring it made the process more efficient.

The following are the thresholds for tardies each quarter:

The 1st and 2nd tardies are warnings and a discussion with the student.

If a student receives a 3rd tardy=call/email home

If a student receives a 4th tardy=lunch detention

If a student receives a 5th tardy=after school detention

If a student receives a 6th tardy=Saturday detention

Our Jones PTO has generously donated a customized Jones planner to each student this year. We will distribute those the first week of school. We will have a few extra planners on hand for new students or in case a student loses their planner. The first planner is free and the second one is $5 as long as supplies last.

The Main Office and Attendance Office will be open from 8am to 3pm. Our incoming 6th graders and any student new to Jones this year as a 7th or 8th grader will attend on August 12. The building will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, August 10 and 11, to parents and students unless you have a scheduled appointment.

State law does allow a student’s parent or guardian to request up to three religious expression days for each school year without any academic penalty. Religious expression days may be used to take holidays for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system or participate in organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or other religious or spiritual organization.

Parents/guardians must submit this form within the 14 school days after the start of the school year (September 1, 2026) to request up to three religious expression days for the 2026-2027 school year. Requests received after 14 days from the start of the school year will not be approved. For additional information, visit our website.

As we look ahead to the next school year, we are excited to share the summer reading requirements for your student. Reading over the summer keeps minds engaged, builds empathy and critical thinking, and gives students a shared starting point for conversations in the fall.

Each grade level has a specific selection or focus, listed below:

2026 Summer Reading

Rising 6th Grade

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Rising 7th Grade

Olivetti by Allie Millington

Rising 8th Grade

A memoir of the student's choice (suggested titles will be shared)

Rising 9th Grade

See the high school website for grade-specific assignment.

Accessing a Copy

Students may buy their own copy or borrow from the public library. Students with a UA library card linked to the UA Library app on their school iPad can also check out a public library book at school. If your student does not yet have a UA library card, please apply prior to the last week of school so they are ready to check out their book. The Upper Arlington Public Library (UAPL) is a great community resource. Use the Library card drive link to sign up for a library card.

We encourage families to support students by discussing their book selections, helping them locate a copy, and ensuring they have time to read over the summer. Each student should complete their assigned reading by the start of the new school year.

If you have any questions or need help finding a suitable book, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for your continued support in building strong, thoughtful readers.

It’s time to start getting ready for the 2026-2027 school year! Here’s what you need to know now to be ready for August!

Back-to-school forms (K-12) — available late July: Families of returning students will receive information in late July in order to complete back-to-school forms in PowerSchool. Families will need to complete the forms prior to the first day of the school year.

Back-to-school fees (K-12) — available late July: Families of new and returning students can log in to PaySchools Central in late July to pay any fees associated with their students and put funds on their lunch accounts. The student fee schedule approved by the Board of Education reflects the elimination of all student class and course fees for the 2026-2027 school year. The annual fees for the 2026-2027 school year include:

• The optional Technology Protection Plan fee ($25) for students in grades K-12

• Athletic fees at the middle school and high school levels

Families wishing to purchase the optional Technology Protection Plan must complete the technology forms in PowerSchool AND pay the $25 fee in PaySchools Central before the first day of school for the 2026-2027 school year (August 12, 2026).

Finalized schedules and teacher assignments (grades 1-8) — available late July: Throughout the summer, our K-8 schools will be working on scheduling students for the upcoming school year. Schedules and teacher assignments for grades 1-8 will be finalized and available in PowerSchool on Wednesday, July 29. If schedules are inadvertently available to preview prior to that date, please be aware that they may not yet be finalized and are subject to change. Teacher assignments for incoming kindergarten students will be finalized and shared with families on August 7 following kindergarten screenings.

Submit a Change of Address Form: If you have moved recently, please complete a Change of Address Form as soon as possible to enrollment@uaschools.org along with a copy of your proof of residency.

Class activity fees are voluntary. However, they are used to provide social and community building opportunities for each grade. They can be paid through PaySchools as well as the optional technology protection plan fee.

6th Grade - $25

7th Grade - $25

8th Grade - $25

For the 2026-2027 school year, free or reduced-price meals will be available to the families that qualify based upon financial need. All other students will be charged for meals and a la carte items/snacks purchased through the school cafeteria, and families may add money to their students’ meal accounts through PaySchools beginning in early August. Families that qualify may apply for the free or reduced-price meal benefit by accessing the application in the Linq Connect Portal (click on “Apply for Meals Today”).

This summer, Upper Arlington Schools is transitioning to a new transportation app called BusRight, available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The app allows families to view their student's bus route information and track the bus in real time.

Parents/guardians who requested transportation for their student will receive an email invitation on July 31 to create their BusRight account. You must accept the invitation and set up your account before you can access your student's bus information for the 2026-2027 school year.

Need help? Please use the contact below that best matches your question:

• I didn't receive my BusRight email invitation: Contact the Transportation Department at 614-487-6477.

• I'm having trouble accessing the app or viewing my student's route information: Email support@busright.com.

• I have a question or concern about my student's assigned bus route: Email schoolbusquestions@uaschools.org.

Click here for directions to accessing the reports.

Washington, D.C. Parent Informational Meeting – September 15 at 7:30 PM (Jones Auditorium)
We’re excited to begin preparations for this year’s 8th-grade Washington, D.C. trip! It is extremely important that at least one parent or guardian attend this meeting, as we will be sharing critical information about the trip itinerary, cost, registration process, deadlines, and expectations. Please plan to join us on Tuesday, September 15 at 7:30 PM in the Jones auditorium.

We also want to be clear that no student should miss out on this incredible experience due to financial concerns. A scholarship fund is available to support families in need, and we are always looking for donations, especially this year. If you're able to help, please consider making a contribution. Checks can be made out to Upper Arlington City Schools with “JMS DC Scholarship Fund” in the memo line. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a meaningful impact.

Just a reminder: If you placed an order, yearbooks will be mailed to your home and should start arriving at the BEGINNING OF AUGUST. Please contact our yearbook advisor, Alice Speegle with questions. Her email address is aspeegle@uaschools.org.

Parent Information Night: Elementary Gifted Services

Elementary parents are invited to attend one of two Elementary Gifted Services Parent Information Nights in the coming weeks. These sessions are designed to help answer questions regarding gifted services, including gifted qualifications, gifted clusters and Written Education Plans (WEPs). The same presentation will be provided on both nights, so please select the date that works best for you.

• Monday, August 31: Jones Middle School auditorium, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, September 2: Hastings Middle School auditorium, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2026

August 10 - Convocation Day for Staff - Building Closed to Students & Parents

August 11 - Teacher Work Day - Building Closed to Students & Parents

August 12 - 1st Day ONLY for 6th Grade, 6th Grade Orientation, New to UA 7th/8th Grade Students

August 12 - 6th Grade Parent Coffee, 8:15am, JMS Cafeteria with PTO and Jones Admin.

August 13 - 1st Day for 7th and 8th Grade (6th Grade students report as well)

August 18 - School Picture Makeup Day, 8:30am

August 24 - PTO Meeting, 8:30am

August 24 - Fall Pro Registration Meeting, 6pm to 7pm

August 25 - Open House Night, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

September 2 - 6th Grade Camp Parent Meeting, 7pm

September 7 - No School - Labor Day

September 15 - DC Parent/Student Mandatory Meeting, 7:30pm

September 16 - Early Dismissal Day, 1:30pm

September 16 - Service Learning Day Kickoff

Strategic Plan

PaySchoolsCentral.com (Pay Fees and Add $$ to lunch accounts)

schoolbusquestion.org or call 614-487-6477 (Transportation)

https://www.uaschools.org/NutritionalServices.aspx (Nutritional Services)

https://ps-uar.metasolutions.net/public/home.html (PowerSchool Parent Portal)