TJMS Weekly Family Newsletter
October 27, 2024
ADMINISTRATION
Jaguar Families,
We're fully immersed in Fall and the 2nd academic quarter. Our French students are with us for three more days and we are going to MISS them when they're gone. The Multilingual Family Night is Monday, October 28. This is Red Ribbon Week to focus on a healthy drug free lifestyle with 5 spirit days. Our Jaguar Band was on the front page of the Elk Grove Citizen. And don't forget, we're trying to bring in as many canned goods as we can to donate to the Elk Grove Food Bank. There's a ton going on and we're engaged with students and the community in many meaningful ways. I hope we provide you with a way to feel connected to what we're doing as well.
GO NINERS!! 🤎
GO JAGS!!! 💜
Jenny Keyport
TJMS Principal
JAGUAR BAND SHINES
At the Franklin High School Band Review, the TJMS Jaguar Band Placed 1st in our division in both Jazz and Concert. And although we got 2nd place in Marching, to a pretty darn good marching school (Winton - From the Bay Area), we matched their score in the category of Music. GO JAGS!
IMPORTANT LINKS
IMPORTANT DATES
LOOKING AHEAD:
- 10/28-11/1, Red Ribbon Week
- 10/28, Multilingual Family Fall Gathering, 6:00 PM
- 11/5, Toby Tuesday @ Panda Express
- 11/8, "Tags and Treats" for 3.0 GPA and up
- 11/8, Movie Night
To see all events and activities, go to the TJMS Website and click on “VIEW ALL DATES” to see our up to date activities and events calendar.
MULTILINGUAL LEARNER SPOTLIGHT
Students in Mrs. Martin’s 8th grade Advanced Academic Writing Class were given the challenge to identify a need in the school or broader community. They interviewed stakeholders and experts and designed a response to the need they selected. Many of the projects are intended to help families and students in the Toby Johnson community. Check out their products of their heartfelt work in THIS FOLDER.
Topics include:
- Hijab Education
- Kids Can Food Drive
- Newcomer Families
- Sports Equipment Drive
- TJMS Clubs
KIDS CAN
TJMS students will be partnering up with other students across the district this fall to help fill our local food banks and ensure that all local families are fed by participating in the KidsCan Food Drive! Starting on Monday 10/14 until Friday 11/3 KIDS CAN help by bringing canned and non-perishable food items to school. Items can be turned in before school or at lunch to the window outside of MC6. Each item donated will earn you a gray point in 5-Star. The 10 seventh grade students and 10 eight grade students with the most gray points will win a ticket to a special pizza party for themselves and a friend. Each can also enters you into a special Toby Swag raffle
This year we are competing against Pinkerton to see which school can bring in the most cans. We believe TOBY KIDS CAN!
Leadership has set a goal of bringing in 7000 cans this year. If each student brings just 5 cans we will surpass our goal of 7000 cans and hopefully beat Pinkerton!
WEAR IT WEDNESDAY
Show your school spirit by wearing any Toby shirt or by wearing purple every Wednesday.
Staff and students with 3 or more pieces of Toby or Purple Flair (shirt, lanyard, another accessory) can spin the wheel to win prizes outside MC6 at lunch on Wednesdays.
RED RIBBON SPIRIT WEEK
Monday 10/28 to Friday 11/1 is Red Ribbon Week, show your school spirit and commitment to living a healthy drug free lifestyle by dressing up each day! If you dress up remember to stop by MC6 each day at lunch for a chance to scan & win.
- Monday 10/28 Celebrate Red Ribbon Week by wearing red
- Tuesday 10/29 Without drugs you are free to be who you want to be, dress as your future career
- Wednesday 10/30 Drugs and I don’t mix, wear mix and match clothing
- Thursday 10/31 Scare away drugs by wearing costumes or Halloween themed clothes (no masks)
- Friday 11/1 Tune out drugs by dressing as your favorite music artist or wearing artist merch
TOBY TUESDAY 11/5
Save the date, The first Tuesday of every month is Toby Tuesday (our dine-out day)! Help support Toby by dining at Panda Express on 11/5. Remember to tell them you are with Toby and we will get a portion of the profits. Bring your receipt to MC6 the next day at lunch for a prize!
TAGS & TREATS
Tuesday 11/8, leadership will be handing out Tags & Treats to all students who earned a 3.0 or higher GPA in Term 1. Please encourage your students to check their GPA in Synergy to know if they qualify. Students will bring their ID to the tables outside MC6 at lunch on 11/8 to receive their Term 1 - Dog Tag & Treat.
MOVIE NIGHT
Leadership will be hosting our annual movie night on Friday, November 8th.. The movie night will be from 7:00-9:00 PM. This event is for Toby Johnson students only. The movie night cost will be $5 or $3 with an ASB sticker. The ticket price includes admission, a bag of popcorn, a bottle of water, and a glow bracelet. Additional snacks and drinks will be available for purchase at the event. Students may bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on. Outside food and drink will not be allowed. Tickets will be on sale 11/4 to 11/7 at the student store windows at lunch. You must have a student ID to purchase a ticket and to enter the event. Students will be sent an email through Synergy with a link to vote for the movie we will show at movie night.
PBIS FOCUS:
Our theme for October is Respect. Advocacy will have short lessons on how to show respect to adults and peers on campus and how to show respect for our school by taking care of our campus.
JAG SWAG PULL
This week we will have a Jag Swag Pull for the treat truck. Students who are pulled will receive 1 ticket for themselves and 4 to share with friends. The treat truck's menu is always changing but we always have a variety of ice cream, drinks, snacks, and non-food treats too!
ATHLETICS
Week of October 28, 2024
Athletic Clearance applications are now accepted for the 2024-2025 Academic Year. Parents/Students must use the Home Campus website to complete the application. A new online Athletic Clearance is needed every academic year.
WRESTLING
Head Coach Todd Wong, p_a_phi@yahoo.com
Tuesday - Friday, 6:15 - 8:30 PM, MP Room
Parent Meeting, Monday, October 28 @ 6:00 PM, TJMS Dance Room
FULL Athletics Clearance is required to participate starting October 29
Join the REMIND app for Apple and Google to stay up-to-date with information, class code is 2d2be7
8th Grade GIRLS BASKETBALL
Head Coach Jeff Gonzalvo, jgonzalvo@hotmail.com
Practice:
Monday-Wednesday, October 28-30 (no practice)
Thursday and Friday, 4:00-6:00 PM
Parent Meeting: Thursday, October 31 @ 5:40 PM (Gym)
8th Grade BOYS BASKETBALL
Head Coach CT Tactacan, coachct3@gmail.com
Practice:
Monday - Friday, 6:30-8:30 PM
LOOKING AHEAD
7th Grade Basketball Tryouts - January 7-9, 2025
Boys Volleyball Tryouts - March 24-26, 2025
Co-Ed Track - March 24, 2025
* For more information related to athletics, contact TJMS Athletic Director, Ms. Jones at thjones@egusd.net.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
2024-25 EGUSD School Year Calendar
The EGUSD 2024-2025 School Year Calendar – English | Spanish .
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Elk Grove Upcoming Events and Key Dates
Approved Fliers:
Now until May 2025: Parent Education at Elk Grove Adult and Community Education
Join our eight-week free course designed for all parents, offering practical strategies and insights to enhance parenting skills. Court-approved, it covers communication, discipline, child development, and family dynamics. Experience a supportive environment to exchange experiences and gain essential tools.
Parent Education Registration Information
Mandarins Music Academy
Attention 4th, 5th & 6th grade parents! The Mandarins Music Academy is a FREE beginning band program that is fun and educational at the same time. Your child will learn to read and perform music, while learning other valuable life skills at the same time! Band classes will be held twice a week before or after school and will take place on-site at your elementary school. Apply at mandarins.org/mma24.
- This program is brought to you by EGUSD and the Sacramento Mandarins. For more info, please visit mandarins.org or email DirectorMMA@mandarins.org.
Varsity Tutors for Schools
Elk Grove Unified is pleased to announce an exciting partnership with Varsity Tutors for Schools, a leading platform for live online tutoring at no cost to EGUSD students and families. When students need help with homework or are struggling to solve a problem, they can immediately chat with a tutor, 24/7, to get the help they need. Students can take practice tests and follow personal lesson plans for guided self-study. They can also sign up for expert-led live classes, and learn subjects like geometry, middle school math, elementary school reading and more, alongside their peers. The Varsity Tutors for School platform is now visible in the EGUSD student portal.
Student Score Reports for 2024 State Assessments
Student score reports are now available from the Spring 2024 administration of these state assessments:
- California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP)
- English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)
If your child(ren) participated in one or both of these state assessments, you may download their official score report via ParentVUE under “State Tests.” Please visit Accessing State Score Reports on ParentVUE for instructions and information. If you do not yet have a ParentVUE account, we encourage you to contact your child’s school office in order to activate your account.
Now Until December 19, 2024: Free Food Distribution
EGUSD will continue to host bi-monthly food distribution events through the summer and fall of 2024. Please note in July and August there will be one event. These events are held at Calvine High School (8333 Vintage Park Dr.) from 3:45 to 5:15 pm.
Free Food Distribution Flyer (translated flyers included)
Sacramento County Immunization Assistance Program
Free for those who do not have commercial insurance. Serving children ages 0-18. Clinic is by appointment only. Call (916) 875-7468 to schedule an appointment.
Immunization Assistance Program Flyer (translated flyers included)
The Dangers of Smoking & Vaping Resources
As we start a new school year, talking to your children about the dangers of smoking and vaping can be daunting. EGUSD’s Youth Development’s Tobacco Use Prevention Education program has some tips and resources for having those talks.
View The Dangers of Smoking & Vaping Resources
FREE Mental Health App
Explore your mental health journey with us. Soluna offers confidential support for California residents aged 13 to 25, completely free of charge. Engage in one-on-one chats with a professional coach, utilize interactive tools to manage stress, or dive into a variety of quizzes, videos, forums, and more. The choice is yours! No cost. No pressure.
Learn More About Soluna
Toby Johnson Middle School
10099 Franklin High Road
Elk Grove, CA 95757
For general information:
Front Office
For safety/emergency needs, please call:
Safety and Security Department
(916) 686-7786