The Jaguar Journal
December 2025
Email: jamessales@fpschools.org
Website: jamessales.fpschools.org
Location: 1301 113th St S, Tacoma, WA, USA
Phone: 253-298-4200
FAX: 253-298-4215
December 3 ~ EARLY RELEASE - 1:55
December 4 ~ Picture re-take day
December 4 ~ Treat money due by 9 AM
December 5 ~ Treat Friday - Fruit Snacks
December 10 ~ Lindquist dental screening forms due
December 10 ~ EARLY RELEASE - 1:55
December 11-18 ~ Book fair for students during their specialist times
December 11 ~ Treat money due by 9 AM
December 12 ~ Treat Friday - Popcorn
December 13 ~ Adventure Club - 4th and 5th grade students and parents - Geocaching at Pt. Defiance
December 16 ~ Grinch-tastic Book Fair - 5:30-7 in the library for the whole family!
December 17 ~ EARLY RELEASE - 1:55
December 22 - January 2 ~ NO SCHOOL - Winter Break
January 5 ~ First day back at school - FULL DAY OF SCHOOL
January 8 ~ Lindquist dental screening day
Hello James Sales Families,
Wow! Can you believe that we are one month away from celebrating the new year, 2026? Where has 2025 gone? We have had a great start to the year here at James Sales. Thank you families, for partnering with us. Please know we love every opportunity you have to meet or chat with us about how we can best collaborate together as a school and home to meet the needs of students. Mr. Moore and I are always open to having conversations as we join together to support our students.
This year we are continuing our Principal's Fab 50 club. Students who are 'caught' by a staff member being helpful in some way, having especially good behavior, or exceeding behavior expectations in some way, will call home with a principal and also receive a 'Teachermon' card to collect and trade with other students. Ask your child if they have received a Teachermon card to show it to you.
Another way we are encouraging good behaviors is to reward classrooms with a Badge of the Week. Classes have the opportunity to earn badges for keeping their classroom clean, raising their hands to speak, walking in the hallways quietly, and many others!
Wednesday, November 19 we dismissed students at 11:55 so teachers could work on student report cards. Report card scores reflect students’ progress toward end of the year grade level standards. If a student receives a / or X in a standard it means that the teacher doesn’t have enough information to give a score (/) or has not introduced the standard yet (X). Report cards are found in Family Access starting on the afternoon of Monday, December 1st. Please take time to review your child’s report card with them. Don’t hesitate to contact the teacher if you have any questions.
Please remember to take time as a family to remember the things we are grateful for. This time of year can be stressful for a variety of reasons. We look forward to continuing our partnerships with students and families.
Sincerely,
Brandy Nelson
Principal
James Sales Elementary
As the weather becomes colder, it is important that you have a plan for emergency school closures and limited or delayed bus runs. School may be delayed or canceled in the case of bad weather or an emergency. If the regular school schedule is changed, local radio and television stations will be notified.
"School Closed" means that all schools will be closed for that one day only. All school related activities will be canceled. If schools close early, parents are asked to make arrangements for their child's care.
"Late Start" means that all schools will start late and transportation will be delayed by the amount of time specified for that one day only. Breakfast will not be served on late start days. School related activities may or may not be altered.
Staff and families can expect to receive information about school closures and delays in the following ways:
· Recorded phone message - contact the main office at your child's school to ensure your contact information is up-to-date
· SMS message via ParentSquare
· Email from ParentSquare
· Notification via the ParentSquare app (if downloaded)
· Visit: www.fpschools.org
School will dismiss at the regular time, 3:25, on Friday, December 19th for Winter Break. School will resume on Monday, January 5th which will be a full day of school. We will see you in 2026!
If you are struggling to feed your family, you can check for availability of food resources on this district webpage . The district will update the webpage as they learn of more resources. Also, Emergency Food Network’s website is also a great resource as EFN supports over 75 food pantries in the county.
Is your child missing a coat or jacket? Our lost and found has many items that we would like to return to the proper owners! Please have your child check our lost and found items. (They can come to the office and we will show them where it is.) Anything that is left by the last day of school before Winter break will be donated. As always, it is a good idea to put your child's name in their coat so we can return it to them easily.
Lindquist Dental Clinic for Children, a local nonprofit organization partnering with the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department, is offering preventative dental services at James Sales on Thursday, January 8th. These services are free and you will not receive a bill. If a dental issue is identified, you will be notified. For your child to participate, please complete the lavender form that your child brought home and return it to the school by Wednesday, December 10th to reserve your child's spot. If you need a form, please contact the office and we will send one home with your child.
The end of the day at James Sales is a hectic time! If you forgot to send a note in the morning and need to call the office with a change to your child’s schedule, please do so before 2:40 so the office can get a message to your student before they leave for the day. All end of day schedule changes must be made through the office, not with the classroom teacher. The office will ensure the teacher is informed of the change.
Our James Sales Junior Adventure Club for 4th and 5th graders and their parents is ready to hike! Once a month these students will have the opportunity to go on an adventure somewhere in the Puget Sound area. Each student must be accompanied by a parent/guardian/relative. Any adult attending the adventures must be cleared as a volunteer. Access the volunteer application here! Please allow plenty of time for your application to be processed. It can take up to two weeks to be approved so do it as soon as possible.
Our next Adventure Club outing will be Geocaching at Point Defiance on Saturday, December 13th. The bus will leave James Sales at 9 AM and return at around 3 PM. Wear sturdy hiking boots/shoes (no crocs) and wear appropriate clothing for the weather. Bring a water bottle, and snacks in a backpack. Make sure your permission slips are turned in right away!
If you wish to give permission or decline permission for your child to be included in pictures for publication in our newsletter, in our James Sales social media, and on our website you can indicate your wishes by going to this form. If you give your permission for your child to appear in pictures, we can include them in photos from Adventure Club trips, activities at school and on field trips, etc. You can access the form here.
Congratulations to November’s students of the month who were honored at an assembly on December 5th!
These students were selected by their teachers for showing determination and goal setting:
Carleia Emma S., Alisa A.,Delilah A., Rosalia A., Madison S., Grace Q., Kinzlie W., Callahan S., Mohammad K., Josephine W., Aaleiya C., Elissa A., Areli M., Matthew P., Judith U., Miles B., Dafne P., Brealyn J., Bentley T., Hailey Caswell., Irving D., Romiyah B., Tamia M., Mathias M., Alimamy K., Zamaya T., Theo R., Gracie W., Abigail D., Ally R., Margaret T., Yoally R., Sophia A., Kamba N., Khloe M., Gunnar H., and Sadie P.
From the Health Room
Please make sure your child comes to school dressed for the weather! Students are outside every day for recess and need warm jackets, hats, and proper footwear. It is cold and wet outside and we want our students coming back to class refreshed and ready to learn, not damp and shivering for the remainder of the day.
It is a good idea for younger students to bring a change of clothes in their backpacks just in case of a bathroom accident or a particularly wet day outside. Put the clothing in a plastic bag into their backpack, then when the clothing is needed, they can put the wet clothing into the plastic bag and bring it home to be laundered. If we have lent your child clothes, please wash them and return them to the health room so we can use them for the next child in need. Thank you!
Butter Braid Fundraiser
Attendance Matters
We enjoy treat Fridays each week at James Sales. Treats alternate between fruit snacks and popcorn. See calendar attached to this newsletter to see which treat is offered on which Friday. Please read the details of treat Friday below.
- Treats are 50¢ each week (exact change only)
- One treat per student may be purchased each week.
- Treat money must be turned in to teachers by 9 AM on the Thursday before Treat Friday! Late money will not be accepted.
- Parent volunteers to help with treat Fridays are needed. Please contact Mrs. Nelson (bnelson@fpschools.org) if you are interested in volunteering an hour or so each week.
We will resume Treat Fridays after Winter Break on January 15 (for the money collection) and 16 (for the treats). You may once again pre-pay for 10 weeks by sending $5 with your student any time by January 15 at 9 AM. Otherwise you can pay 50¢ weekly on Thursdays by 9 AM.
Homework
Homework provides practice on important skills and is valuable to student learning. It is important to practice basic skills and concepts taught in class. Completing homework is also an important skill you will need in middle school and high school. At James Sales, we ask that you practice reading and math daily.
- Read for 20 minutes
- Practice math facts
- Teachers may send home any work that was not completed during the day or any work that is independent practice.
Please read these important reminders from the office!
- If you need to come into the building, please press the intercom button on your right as you look at the front door. This will enable the office to see you and to buzz you into the entry if needed.
- Please notify the office of any changes in the way your child will go home at the end of the day. We need this information before 2:45 so we have time to get a note to the teacher.
- Call the office (253-298-4200) if your child will be absent. If they have an appointment, please ask the doctor, dentist, counselor, etc. for a note for school. Offices that treat children are accustomed to giving notes to students for excuses! Tardies and leaving school early shows on your child's attendance record. Please make appointments outside of school hours when possible.
- If you need to take your child out of school before the end of the school day, please come before 2:45 so we can easily locate your child and you won't be stuck in the end-of-the-day pick-up line! You will need to sign your child out and wait for them to come from their classroom, so allow plenty of time.
- If your phone number, email address, or home address changes, please let us know so we have the most up-to-date contact information for you. If students become ill, or otherwise need your help, we need a way to contact you! Thank you.
Each trimester our students have the opportunity to earn a special treat reward for meeting the following goals:
- Behavior - One or fewer Write -ups
- Attendance - Three or fewer absences and/or tardies
We hope all of our Jaguars will be able to meet these goals!
We anticipate the need for volunteers for field trips and other occasions. If you are interested in volunteering as a chaperone for field trips or in any other capacity that may come up, please complete the volunteer application as soon as possible. It may take two weeks or more to process an application and we don't want you to be left out of a volunteer opportunity because you are not approved yet! Click here to begin your volunteer application. If you need assistance with your application please come to the office, call 253-298-4200, or email Linda Morrison - limorrison@fpschools.org .
James Sales houses a before and after school care program on-site for our students. The care is provided by Right at School. Right at School provides a safe environment to learn, to play, and to grow. Click here for more information and to register.
Franklin Pierce Schools has a resource center for our families. You will find information and help for all sorts of situations and needs - food, diapers, formula, community referrals, and more. Click here to access the Family Resource Center website.
