Family Update - August 11, 2024

Dear Families,

The first few days were great, and we are looking forward to spending a full week with your students! Many thanks to our amazing PTO for our staff breakfast last Tuesday! They spoil us so well :)

As a reminder, parent reports for Ohio State Testing will be passed out during Open House on August 29. If you are unable to attend, we will send it home with your student on Friday, August 30.

Best of luck to our fall athletes who are starting their competitive seasons! We look forward to seeing them in action soon.

Finally, thank you for sending us such amazing kids! It's great to be back!

Warm regards,

Aimee White, Principal

Keona Walker, Assistant Principal

The Fall 2024 Spirit Wear Sale is now OPEN! A portion of each sale will go directly to the PTO. The store closes on August 23rd, and all orders will ship by mid-September. Shop directly at the link below. A flyer is also attached with additional information. Thanks for your support of the Jones PTO!

https://jonesfall2024spiritwearsale.itemorder.com/shop/home/

• Quick-reference guide to digital platforms (such as Canvas, SeeSaw, PowerSchool, EZpay)

• Quick-reference guide to tech support

Here is the link to Jones Weekend Update:

https://youtu.be/0KDyUza_U7o

Please do not apply stickers or write on the iPad keyboard cases, as devices may be reassigned to other students throughout the year. Reassignment occurs when students graduate, transfer, or when devices need repair. The new keyboard cases are district property and durable assets intended to last for several years, not consumable items.

META Columbus will be performing scheduled maintenance on Saturday August 17 from 6AM to 6PM in order to replace the data center's uninterruptible power supply (UPS).

During this time, Powerschool and other services will be unavailable.

We have received some questions about what stylus, or specifically Apple Pencil, would work with the new iPads that students are receiving for this school year. The answer is that, like the headphones, any USB-C stylus, including the Apple Pencil USB-C, will connect with the new 10th generation iPads. Students can also continue to use any non-USB-C stylus, such as the Apple Pencil 1st generation, but will need to purchase a USB-C adapter to connect the stylus to their new iPad. It is important to note that specifically the Apple Pencil Pro along with the Apple Pencil (2nd Generation) will NOT work with the student iPads.

Get ready for school by downloading the new Upper Arlington Schools app! The launch of our new district app coincides with our new website, launched in June. The app gives families access to important information like school year calendars, school day schedules, and information to report a student absence — all in the palm of their hands. You can download the app in the App Store or Google Play.

Just a reminder: If you placed an order, yearbooks will be mailed to your home and should start arriving at the BEGINNING OF AUGUST. Please contact our new yearbook advisor, Alice Speegle with questions. Her email address is aspeegle@uaschools.org.

Instructional fees will be applied to specific courses, similar to the high school. You will see this on your child’s EZ Pay account when fees are assigned. As a reminder, all fees must be paid through EZ Pay. This system allows for accurate record keeping and the ability to use debit or credit cards to pay without a convenience fee. Instructional fees will be added to your student's EZ Pay account in early September.

For the 2024-2025 school year, free or reduced-price meals will be available to the families that qualify based upon financial need. All other students will be charged for meals and a la carte items / snacks purchased through the school cafeteria, and families may add money to their students’ meal accounts through SPS EZpay beginning in early August. Families that qualify may apply for the free or reduced-price meal benefit by accessing the application in the Linq Connect Portal (click on “Apply for Meals Today”).

We are excited to offer a trip to Washington, DC for the 8th-grade class from May 13 to 16, 2025! In order to prepare for the trip, there is a MANDATORY parent and student meeting on October 1, 2024 at 7:30 pm in the JMS auditorium. This is a required meeting that we have been advertising since June. Please make sure it is on your calendar so that the date and time are reserved for this meeting. You will hear some details about the trip, learn about the registration process, and complete a required form. PLEASE BRING A PEN! If you have questions, please contact Frau (Christy) Charlton: ccharlton@uaschools.org.

If you are absolutely unable to attend the meeting at Jones on 10/1, please attend the meeting at Hastings on 10/2 at 7:30.

See you in October!

Please see the Student Handbook, which is attached, for details concerning attendance procedures. These procedures are Central Office/ Board of Education directives and approved. A few highlights:

Parents must notify the school of their student’s absence by calling the school attendance line (614) 487-5077, ext. 3500, or emailing the attendance secretary, Denise Pontious, at jonesattendance@uaschools.org by 9am.

• Students who are absent more than half a day (11:45am) or who go home ill may not participate in co- or extra-curricular activities that day. This includes athletic practices and competitions.

• Students who need to leave school early for an appointment or other reason should turn in a note from a parent/guardian to the attendance office between 7:30am-8:10am, the morning of the appointment, to receive an early dismissal pass.

• Students who arrive at school at or after 8:10am, must check in at the attendance office prior to going to class.

• Students who are being picked up for lunch/appointments MUST be picked up by their own parents. Students are not permitted to leave school grounds with parents of other students.

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2024

August 20 - Fall Pro Auditions, 4:00 - 7:00pm

August 21 - Fall Pro Auditions, 4:00 - 7:00pm

August 22 - New to UA Student Lunch

August 22 - Fall Pro Callback Auditions, 4:00 - 7:00pm

August 26 - PTO Meeting, 8:30am

August 26 - Fall Pro Registration Meeting, 6:30 - 7:30pm

August 27 - Fall Pro Rehearsals Begin

August 28 - School Picture Day, 8:20am

August 28 - 6th Grade Camp Parent Meeting, 7pm

August 29 - Open House Night, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

September 2 - No School - Labor Day

September 9 - PTO Meeting, 8:30am

September 13 - Service Learning Day Speaker, Advisory

September 13 - Service Learning Fair, Lunch Periods

September 13 - 8th Grade Band @ UAHS, 7pm

September 23 - 26 - 6th Grade Camp