Jaguar Journal

Dear Jepson families,

Willis Jepson Middle School is very active as we prepare for important transitions. Counselors Angi Roe, Cynthia Ayala, and Chabelli Lopez recently helped our 7th grade students choose their classes for next year. Jepson students joined our counselors for visits to our “feeder” elementary schools to welcome our new Jaguars and share what makes our school special. And our 8th graders have selected their high school classes and are “finishing up strong!”

Our school clubs and Leadership continue to thrive, Jepson Boys and Girls Soccer Teams are excelling in league play, and we enjoyed celebrating our students for their academic achievements and musical talents. We appreciate our parents and staff for making Jepson an exciting and inclusive school.

We wish you a relaxing and memorable Spring Break with family and friends.

Go Jags!

Tom McHale, Principal

Joe Cooney, Assistant Principal

Jackie Carmona, Dean of Learning Support

• Friday, 4/7 - Friday 4/14: No School, Spring Break
  
• Friday, 4/21: Spring Fling Semi-Formal Dance
• Monday, 4/24 - Tuesday 5/9: CAASPP Testing, Block Schedule
• Monday, 5/29: No School, Memorial Day
• Tuesday, 6/6: 8th Grade Activity Night
• Thursday, 6/8: Last Day of School

Each spring, students in grades 3 through 8 and high school participate in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). Jepson will administer the CAASPP to our 7th and 8th grade students and the Science CAST to our 8th grade students, April 24th - May 9th. All Jepson students will be on a block schedule to allow students sufficient time to test in class.

This year, your 7th grade student will take the following test:

• Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment: English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics

This year, your 8th grade student will take the following tests:

• Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment: English Language Arts/Literacy and Mathematics
• California Science Test (CAST)

The Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments and the CAST are online tests that measure a student's understanding of Common Core Standards in the areas of: English Language Arts, Math, and Science. The tests include many different types of questions that allow students to interact with the test questions. Results help identify gaps in knowledge or skills early on so your child can get the support he or she needs to be successful in school.

For more information about CAASPP testing, to access Parent Resources for CAASPP testing and/or to view sample questions, please visit: https://ca.startingsmarter.org/

We encourage our students to prepare for our CAASPP and CAST testing by starting the day off with breakfast, arriving at school well-rested, and trying their best.

As always, we thank you for partnering with us in your child’s educational journey. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Office at (707) 453-6280.

Sincerely,

Jepson Admin

Our Soccer season is in full swing! We had some rain postponements so we are playing a couple of games in April. But so far so good! The teams are doing well and really jelling as a JEPSON team. All of the players are really taking pride in playing for our school!

Keep it up Jepson Soccer!!

Track and field season is next. If you have any questions, contact Coach Lou Velasquez (LuisV@vacavilleusd.org). Training begins after Spring Break

Track meets will be:

May 3 @ Vaca High

May 12 @ Wood

May 18 @ Vanden

Yearbook pre-orders will continue now through April 22nd, 2023. In order to guarantee a yearbook please make sure you preorder your book using the link or QR code below. Our basic book package is still available at $35. After April 22nd the only other opportunity to purchase a yearbook is in-person sales. In-person sales will happen during the last week of school and the basic yearbook price will increase to $40.

Congratulations to Ainsley Banuelos and Safyre-Rose Franklin who were honored by our district at last Thursday’s VUSD Board of Education meeting.

Ainsley Banuelos is an inspiring presence every day at Willis Jepson Middle School. With her broad smile, enthusiastic Jaguar Spirit, and boundless determination, Ainsley makes our school a better place. Ainsley is active on our campus as a member of our WJMS Choir, Art Club and Leadership. She is respected by her peers and the Jepson staff because she treats people with kindness, comes to class with a positive attitude, and gives her best effort. We are very fortunate to have Ainsley at Willis Jepson Middle School.

Safyre-Rose Franklin is a model student who makes the most of her opportunities at Willis Jepson Middle School. From the moment she arrived at Jepson, Safyre-Rose embraced campus life by joining our band and the wrestling team. This year she has distinguished herself as a member of the Creative Writing Club, Ballet Folklorico, and Leadership. Because of her outgoing and approachable nature, Safyre-Rose makes friends easily. She excels academically, leads by example, and does her best to make our school a special and welcoming place for all students.

This year’s Willis Jepson Middle School’s Outstanding Volunteers are Tess Johnson and Katherine Valencia. As students, Tess and Katherine distinguished themselves as members of the Willis Jepson Middle School and Vacaville High School Dance Drill Teams and held leadership positions in both. We are so fortunate to have them back to inspire a new generation of spirited Jaguars. Tess and Katherine arrive at our school before 7:00 am, Monday through Thursday each week, to teach our students routines and build a positive and collaborative team culture. Their dedication and creativity shine through in our Dance Drill Team’s outstanding performances at our assemblies, lunchtime events, and sports games. Thank you to Camille Neitz for mentoring and inspiring Tess and Katherine.

This past weekend, the Jepson community was treated to outstanding performances by our school’s talented instrumental musicians, choral singers, and music teachers. The USO Show and Dinner Dance, presented by the WJMS Music Department, was on hold for the past two years. However, this year’s event was better than ever thanks to our generous and creative music booster President, Matt Hermon, Booster Board - Laurie Edde, Kymberly Hawkins, Steve Nutley, and our colleagues Justin Au, Kenna Guy, Melinda Ellis, and Sergio Cabada who devoted much energy and spirit to making this a very memorable experience for everyone. Guests enjoyed a variety of inspirational and festive music and a delicious dinner followed by a dance to tunes played by the Jepson Jazz Ensemble and the VHS Jazz Ensemble.

Our Leadership, Service Learning, and Multimedia Journalism students are doing a great job this month helping Jepson students to consider many opportunities awaiting them. On Friday, lunch activities included learning about colleges and professions, meeting VHS career pathway students, and interacting with members of the Vacaville Fire Department, some of whom attended Jepson. Go Jags!

More than 400 students and staff came together to experience our first BDTW last week. Participants gathered in fellowship to learn more about themselves, their friends, and peers they did not know well before. Conversations and activities lowered barriers and helped everyone appreciate the importance of respecting one another and working together. Thank you to our many colleagues who made BDTW possible.

Thank you to Hayley Brigham for organizing and coordinating our annual Book Fair. English classes enjoyed the chance to view and purchase the latest literature for younger readers. Our Book Fair is a great opportunity to promote reading and raise funds for our school.

We honored and inducted over 90 Jaguars into the National Junior Honor Society at our annual ceremony. Students presented the important ideals of NJHS membership and Joe Cooney announced the recipients’ names. Our PTC hosted a reception for everyone in our MPR. Kudos to Cynthia Coble and Jeanine Thiessen for organizing this special event.

Have you logged into Aeries Parent Portal, yet? The portal allows you to track your student's grades and attendance on a daily basis! Click HERE to learn how to create an account.

If you need your student's ID number and verification code, please call us at (707)453-6280.