ISSUE 10 - July 2026

A Newsletter for the Jennings School District and Community

For July, I am excited to share my message with our athletic department as we start building our athletic program for the 2026-27 school year. Two years ago, we hired Marlos Reynolds as our athletic director and charged him with strengthening our athletic programs, building coaching talent and expanding offerings at both the elementary and secondary levels.

Last fall, we introduced a new Warrior mascot that better represented and connected with our student population. This is the first logo we have created since the Indian Chief head was respectfully retired. Our students and community rallied around the new era of school pride.

Despite the challenges of the December flood at the high school and the temporary loss of our main gymnasium, Coach Reynolds and his team have helped the program move forward.

Now with a brand-new gym, we will return to hosting our community in comfort and style. We resurfaced our tennis courts and introduced new or expanded programs in soccer and flag football.

On April 15, for the first time, our district hosted Unified Sports' Special Olympics. Students from across the region came to Jennings to participate in athletic events, which were overseen by our coaching staff and student-athletes. We have an amazing new jumbotron on the high school football field to ensure that our community is a part of the action.

Every day is an opportunity to practice and perfect performance, not only in sports but in all academic pursuits. As we prepare for the new school year, including hosting our community at home and traveling in style in our new shuttle for away events, I want to thank Coach Reynolds and his entire coaching team for helping our students, pre-K through 12th grade, develop an appreciation for the skills learned through competitive sports and help them translate these skills to life lessons. Whether in sports or in real life, no matter the score, it's always a win when you play the Warrior Way.

In service together,

Dr. Paula D. Knight

Superintendent of Schools

The 2026-27 Jennings Back-to-School Jamboree is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, on the Gary Gore Campus (NEW LOCATION!)

This year's FREE event for the Jennings community promises to be even bigger and better than ever with free backpacks, school supplies, sports physicals and immunizations. Family-friendly entertainment includes arts and crafts, music, prizes, food, fun and more! Enrollment for PreK and support for K-12 families, plus registration for after-school programs, will be available during the Jamboree.

BIG NEWS! Free Park 'n' Ride shuttle service will be available to transport guests to the Jamboree on the Gore Campus, since there will be no guest parking available at Gore for attendees. Shuttles will run every 15 minutes to and from Northview Elementary School, Rose Mary Johnson Jennings Junior High School and Jennings High School locations and the Jamboree on the Gore campus. Looking forward to seeing you THIS Saturday!

Online enrollment is available via your Infinite Campus / Parent Portal account or during the annual Back-to-School Jamboree. If you have any questions, please contact your school office. Learn more about enrollment at www.JenningsK12.org/Enroll.

Announcing a new website for Jennings School District was launched the last week of July in preparation for the new school year. Check out the new home page with District News, District Calendar of Events, Social Media Stream and new home pages for each of our schools. With a new host, many of our pages have new URLs, so please be sure to check the bookmarks for your favorites and update if needed.

Parents looking ahead to the upcoming school year can get an early start on their back-to-school checklists. Thanks to a new community partnership between the Jennings School District and Affinia Healthcare, the Fairview Clinic is offering immunizations and boosters by appointment throughout the summer. Securing an appointment now ensures students are healthy, protected and fully prepared for day one. Parents can easily schedule a summer appointment by calling their child's school nurse.

The Jennings Athletic Department will be offering spirit wear in the J-Town Swag Shop and through an online store with BSN Sports. Purchased orders will be directly mailed to the address provided on the online order form. Watch for details to come on the Athletics website.

2026 Season Passes are NOW available for purchase online via GOFAN (link). The Athletic Department sells season passes for EACH SPORT. Please consider one of the following two individual season pass options to support our students and our school:

• All Athletic Season Pass - The bearer of this pass may be admitted to all athletic "home" events at Jennings High School when there is an admission charge. Price ranges from $12 to $30 based on the number of events for the individual sport season, due by Aug. 28 for fall, Nov. 21 for winter and March 8 for spring. ALL SEASONS Sports Passes are available for only $100 - contact the Athletic Department for more details.
• All Home Events Season Pass - The bearer of this pass may be admitted to all events (not just athletics) at Jennings High School when there is an admission charge.
• Children age 7 years and younger are admitted free to Jennings events listed above.

Warrior Athletic Club honors JHS athletes with GPAs of 3.0 or higher. WAC Student-of-the-Month starts with a first honor in September, so watch for the announcement in an upcoming Warrior Way News.

Seasonal elementary sports offer students physical and mental activities that develop and strengthen both the body and the mind. In the fall, students in kindergarten through third grade may participate in Jr. NBA basketball, while fourth- and fifth-graders play PAL kickball alongside a dedicated cheerleading program. The winter season shifts focus to fourth- through sixth-grade basketball, boxing, wrestling, cheerleading, tumbling and drums. The year concludes in the spring with flag football. Additional Girls on the Run is available for third- through eighth-grade student-athletes throughout the school year.

For more specific details and registrations, click here to visit the Elementary Activities section of the District Athletics website.

At RJJJH, junior high athletics foster personal growth, teamwork and school spirit while preparing students for high school competition. The Warriors athletic program offers cornhole each spring and fall, cheerleading in fall and winter, along with seasonal sports, including fall girls volleyball, winter basketball and spring track. Boxing is also available to all students ages 5 to 18 on a year-round basis.

For more details, click here to visit the Junior High Activities section of the District Athletics website.

For the second year, the Jennings Athletic Department is promoting a link called "Final Forms" to streamline the athletic process by eliminating the need for paper forms. Established by the Missouri State High School Athletic Association (MSHSAA), this forms portal (JSD Participation Information - Final Forms) makes it easier for parents/guardians to upload students' physicals and other required information. All mandatory information will be collected online.

1. Click on the link and set up an account in Final Forms. The physical examination for the 2026-2027 school year must be turned in before participating in any sport. If you created a Final Forms Account last year, you are all done! Physicals are good for two years.
2. Obtain a physical from your physician or from another community source, such as the Fairview Clinic in Jennings (designated dates will be posted), which is FREE to District students during designated hours. Other places, such as The Spot, Walgreens, CVS or Urgent Care, may charge. We will post a list of free sites on the Athletic web page.
3. Approval from the Athletic Department will come once all forms are in and have been reviewed.

Additional information:

• Link to MSHSAA FORMS (upload page 5 only to Final Forms)

The CareSTL Health Center at Fairview Elementary School provides licensed pediatric medical care and behavioral health services directly to enrolled Jennings students in grades PreK-12 during regular school hours. Families can easily access services like immunizations, physicals and chronic disease management without worrying about an inability to pay, as no upfront payments are requested from students' families. To book an appointment or manage your child's care online, you can sign up through the CareSTL Patient Portal or call their dedicated scheduling line at (314) 882-1284.

The SPOT at Jennings (JSPOT) is a school-based clinic opened at Jennings High School in 2015 by WashU Medicine to provide free, integrated medical care, behavioral health, and social services with community partners, as detailed on JHS JSPOT Portal. This clinic is an extension of Washington University in St. Louis's flagship initiative, The SPOT, a safe, free healthcare drop-in space for youth ages 13 to 24 located at 4169 Laclede Ave., 63108. The main center offers first-come, first-served walk-in medical services on Mondays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., while appointments for Tuesday through Friday can be scheduled online via The SPOT Website.

During last year's Convocation, JHS Football Coach Darrell Green stood before colleagues and community members and shared encouraging words for the new school year - and especially his words for his scholar-athletes: "Remember what’s in your DNA—Discipline, No excuses, Accountability." DNA is deeply embedded in our Jennings Athletic Department's core values that they build their program's foundation on five fundamental pillars: Accountability, Discipline, Sportsmanship, Academic Excellence, and Character & Leadership. In JSD, winning on the scoreboard is always secondary to developing champions in life.

Parent Meeting Thursdays:

• FALL SPORTS: August 13, 2026 at 6:15 p.m.
• WINTER SPORTS: November 5, 2026 at 6:15 p.m.
• SPRING SPORTS: March 4, 2027 at 6:15 p.m.

Community partners make inclusive athletic programs possible for children across the metro area. Through our partnership with the Special Olympics of Missouri, Unified Champion Schools ensures all scholars have the opportunity to participate in any sport they choose. Additionally, our collaboration with the Police Athletic League (PAL) helps promote unity across local neighborhoods. We know student success relies on strong community support and we are grateful to these sponsors for working alongside our families to help every student succeed.

MSHSAA stands for the Missouri State High School Activities Association. It is the voluntary, nonprofit governing body for interscholastic sports and non-athletic activities for roughly 750 junior high and high schools throughout Missouri. Headquartered in Columbia, it oversees state championships, sets eligibility standards and enforces safety regulations.

The competitive calendar begins with boys and girls cross country, football, boys soccer and volleyball in the fall. Winter sports shift indoors for boys and girls basketball. Spring athletics include flag football, boys track and field, girls track and field, and girls soccer. MSHSAA programs such as cheerleading (only in fall and winter for JSD), band, color guard and esports are outside of traditional single-season constraints and may operate year-long.

• Aug. 3-7: New Teacher Orientation
• Aug. 8: District Jamboree for SY 2026-27 (Click here for table registration)
• Aug. 10: District Convocation for Staff, Collaborative Planning and Cultural/Climate
• Aug. 11-14: District Professional Learning
• Aug. 14: J-Town Market distributions resume 2nd & 4th Fridays, 1 p.m., Gore Center
• Aug. 17-19: Building Orientation and Professional Learning
• Aug. 20-21: Teacher Workdays
• Aug. 24: First Day of School for SY 2026-27
• Sept. 7: Labor Day Holiday
• Sept. 14-18: Open House Week
• Nov. 23-27: Thanksgiving Break
• Dec. 21-Jan. 4: Winter Break and J Readiness Day
• March 22-29: Spring Break
• May 27: Last Day of School for Students

Missouri’s 2026 back-to-school sales tax holiday runs from Friday, Aug. 7, through Sunday, Aug. 9, waiving state and some local taxes on qualifying clothing, school supplies, and computers. For specific item limits and eligibility details, please check the Missouri Department of Revenue Back to School Sales Tax Holiday Guide.

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