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News and events - October 7, 2022
![News and events - October 7, 2022](https://cdn.smore.com/u/thumbs/071d/thumb-d7961af365d4ff651b947469cd0b662b.jpeg)
A message from the principal
Happy Autumn!
It is hard to believe that we are about to enter our sixth week of school already! We are off to an amazing start to the school year. On behalf of the teaching staff at JMS, we are excited to meet with our parents & guardians again over the next two weeks for our Parent-Teacher conferences which will be conducted on the evenings of October 11, 13, & 18. We strongly encourage you to bring your student with you for conferences.
Scheduling Meetings with JMS Staff and Administrators
We are here to serve you and are always happy to meet with you to discuss student, family, and school concerns. As you can imagine, schools are a complicated system with a variety of responsibilities for teachers and administrators throughout the day. Our first priority being the safety and learning of all students. We are very happy to meet with parents and guardians, but ask that meetings be scheduled in advance. It can be difficult to accommodate drop-in meeting requests with little to no notice. Unexpected meeting requests can result often times in waiting for periods of time. We value your time and your commitment to your student. Thank you in advance for working with us and scheduling all meetings in advance.
Contacting Students during the school day
Unplanned doctor visits, weather related transportation conflicts, and a host of challenges are faced by parents every day. Communicating with your student in a timely manner is important. We want to partner with you in that communication as well to ensure your student has the information they need. We have an expectation that students are not using their cell phones during the school day so they can stay focused on learning and not be distracted by their phone. Well intended parents will sometimes call their student or text them during the day to communicate changes in pick up times, appointments, etc. As you can imagine, students are in classrooms throughout the day. When students respond to phone calls or texts, it often times becomes a disruption to the students learning, and often times the class as a whole. We want to keep kids engaged in class and not run the risk of an accidental conflict or disruption due to phone use. When possible, we ask that any messages that need to be communicated to your student through the main office. We will be glad to get important messages to your student in a timely manner that won't disrupt or distract them. We sincerely appreciate you help.
Thanks for playing an important role in the success of your student each and every day! I look forward to seeing you at conferences.
Regards,
Joel Young
Upcoming events
Trimester 1 Conferences
Fall conferences are on Tuesday, October 11, from 3:45 – 7:35 pm; Thursday, October 13, and Tuesday, October 18, from 3:45 – 7:30 pm.
Be sure to schedule your conference times if you have not already done so. Families can select in-person or virtual conferences. Staff will be conducting Parent/Teacher conferences from their classrooms. With this in mind, please try and schedule your conferences by grade level and/or building locations. Scheduling conference appointments every other time slot will also create some travel time for your conference evenings.
Information will be available on supporting students through anxiety. Sessions will be held on all three nights of conferences at 5:30pm in the Rebel Cafe.
Parking is available on the east end of the building (Door #4) and on the west end after 4:30 pm (Door #58). If you have any problems with the sign up, please call 763-506-5331 for help.
Interpreter Services Available during Conferences
Hello Families of English Language Learners!
Throughout conferences at Jackson Middle School on Tuesday Oct. 11, Thursday Oct. 13, and Tues. Oct. 18 we will have interpreters available for families to better assist in our communication.
If you have not already scheduled a conference, please click on this link to sign up for meetings with any of your child’s teachers, or send contact me and I can do it for you.
https://myconferencetime.com/jacksonms
If you would like to have an interpreter available during conferences and have not already had one arranged, please contact me so I can also arrange an interpreter for you.
Please message me with questions.
I hope the first month of school went well for you and your student!
Carrie Jerome
Carrie L. Jerome
EL Department Lead
Jackson Middle School
Phone: 763-506-5290
Email: Carrie.Jerome@ahschools.us
Parent Sessions During Parent-Teacher Conferences October 11, 13, & 18
DROP-IN SESSIONS (no sign up needed)
Supporting Students through Anxiety @ 5:30 PM, JMS Rebel Café - OPEN TO ALL PARENTS
School Social Worker, Jennifer Chasco will educate parents on what to look for when their students are struggling with mental health. She will also educate parents on the various mental health supports available at JMS and how to contact them with questions or concerns. She will be available to answer questions. Interpreters will be available in Hmong, Somali, and Spanish for each presentations.
Supporting Our JMS Students @ 4:30 & 6:30 PM - FOR PARENTS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Hmong Interpreted in Rebel Café
Spanish Interpreted in Rebel Center
Somali Interpreted in Room O603
Counselors will talk about the different support available at school for all of our students. We will teach parents how to check their students' grades and connect with their teachers. Counselors will also be available to answer questions and gather feedback.
Picture Retake Day - Tuesday, October 18
Picture Retake Day will be Tuessday, October 18. If your student has not yet had their school picture taken, they should be sure to have their picture taken on October 18. If you would like to have your student's picture retaken, simply return the original picture package on October 18. . Pictures can be ordered online using the code EVT678QBS.
Scholastic Book Fair
Jackson is proud to host our fall Scholastic Book Fair. The Book Fair will be open the week of October 10-14 during the school day and during conferences the evening of October 11 and 13. Students, parents, and staff members should make plans to stop by and check out the great selection of books! NEW! - Scholastic Book Fair is now offering a Book Fair eWallet as a payment option. Put money on an account for your student, then they can shop cash-free at the book fair.
7th Grade Immunization Exclusion Day
7th graders need their updated vaccines by October 18. This is the 7th Grade immunization exclusion day and if your 7th grader does not have proof of those immunizations they will not be allowed to attend school beginning October 18, or until the proper paperwork is shared with our school.
If you have any questions please contact our Health Office at 763-506-5204 or email our school nurse at kimberly.skavnak@ahschools.us
Middle School Football Attendance Policy Reminder
All middle school students will need to show a JMS ID and need to be accompanied by a paying adult to purchase a football ticket. Each adult will be allowed to purchase up to 2 student tickets, and must attend the game with the middle school students. The adult purchasing the ticket will be responsible for the students during the game. Once in the stadium, students are expected to sit in the bleachers in the student or adult sections. Students that are running around or not behaving appropriately will be asked to leave the venue for the remainder of the game. Middle school students that do not have an adult parent or guardian in attendance or their ID will not be allowed to purchase a ticket to the game. Thank you for your support with this event protocol as we enjoy our 2022 Football Season!
Go Rebels!
Young Scientist Roundtable
Looking for a fun science event to attend in the evening? Check out the Young Scientist Roundtable. If you can't make it to this event, no worries, there will be another one next month with a new topic.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is Monday, October 10
Monday, October 10th is Indigenous Peoples' Day. Indigenous Peoples' Day recognizes and honors the past, present and futures of Native Americans. While Minneapolis and St. Paul recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day as a holiday, it is not yet a state holiday. Read more
Take Advantage of the Anoka-Hennepin Technology Protection Plan
A simple and cost effective way to avoid large repair costs.
A Technology Protection Plan is available for all Anoka-Hennpin students that are issued a 1:1 Chromebook, including all grade 6-12 students. The Protection Plan is elective; it is not required. However, without the Protection Plan families will be accountable for actual damages.The plan cost is $20 per student or $60 per family per school year. If the student qualifies for reduced price lunch, the cost will be reduced to $10 ($30 for families). If the student qualifies for free lunch, the cost will be reduced to zero.
By electing not to participate in the Protection Plan, families may be required to reimburse the school district up to the full replacement cost of a Chromebook for any repair or replacement of damaged or stolen Chromebooks in the care of their students. Below is a summary of Chromebook replacement costs.
Damaged or broken screens may cost between $100 to $190 depending on parts needed.
Replacement cost for the entire device is up to $410.
For more information, including how to enroll, please click this link.
Parents needed for special education advisory council
Join the district’s Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school year. A broad range of parents/guardians are needed, from those representing early childhood, all the way to elementary, middle school, high school, and transition-aged students - with a full continuum of student disabilities.
Those interested in participating in future meetings should complete an application either by completing a Google form, or by contacting Mary Esch at 763-506-1362, or mary.esch@ahschools.us. Parents/guardians who wish to be part of SEAC are asked to make an effort to attend all four meetings as council members. The application process will close October 10. Learn more about SEAC and what it means to be involved.
Policies in place to provide safe and welcoming environment at district athletic and activities events
The goal of co-curricular activities in Anoka-Hennepin Schools is to provide a fun, safe and engaging opportunity for students and community members to support high school students and student-athletes as they perform in sports, fine arts, and other activities.
The following guidelines are in place to ensure that all who attend a co-curricular activity experience a safe, welcoming and positive environment.
It is important to remember that athletic events are governed by the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL), and that student conduct at school and district events is governed by the Anoka-Hennepin Schools Policy Handbook. Read more
Apply for educational benefits for the 2022-23 school year
All Anoka-Hennepin families are encouraged to apply for the educational benefits program for the upcoming school year. A new application must be submitted each school year.
By completing this application, students may receive free or reduced fees for transportation, meals, academic, and co-curricular activities. Please visit ahschools.us/freereduced to set up, or log in to your SchoolCafe account and complete an application for free or reduced-price meal and other benefits. The educational benefits program not only ensures that students have access to nutritious meals, it also provides critical federal funding for schools.
As a reminder, the federal subsidy to provide free school meals for every student will no longer be available this school year. Only one application is needed per household. Please contact the child nutrition department with any questions or assistance at 763-506-1240 or staff.CnpEnrollment@ahschools.us.
Parent Engage 360 Podcast Episode 27: How to prepare for parent/teacher conferences
Parents and guardians may have recently been invited to sign up for the first round of parent/teacher conferences for this school year, and they may be wondering what to expect or how to prepare for conferences with your child’s teacher or teachers.
In the latest episode of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast, host Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator; Nikole Wodash, Sunrise Elementary School assistant principal; and Jill Alton, Coon Rapids High School assistant principal, hope to answer what parents can expect from conferences, how to prepare, and ways that parents/guardians can work with their child’s teacher(s) in partnership to support success in the classroom.
Tune in to the latest Parent Engage 360 Podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or at ahschools.us/parentengage360.
The Parent Engage 360 Podcast aims to provide parents and guardians with knowledge from experts in chemical health, mental health, internet safety and more, as well as the tools needed to support their children. Anoka-Hennepin hopes that providing timely and helpful information through the Parent Engage 360 podcast series will strengthen the bond between school and home with resources parents and guardians can use and share with others.
This e-newsletter is published by Jackson Middle School, supported by the Anoka-Hennepin communication and public relations department. Questions, comment or concerns about the school e-newsletter? Contact us.