Jaguar Journal
September 2024
Jepson Families,
These first weeks of the school year have flown by, and it feels great to have our classrooms and hallways bustling with learning and energy here at Jepson! We have loved welcoming back our returning 8th graders, and we are excited to have added almost 500 7th graders graders and new 8th graders to the Jepson family. I continue to be so impressed with the level of enthusiasm that both our students and staff members bring to school each day. Jepson is a special place!
We have a full month ahead...the start of Fall sports, a September Attendance Challenge, our first school dance, progress reports, spirit days, and more! Our Leadership students will also be putting on activities to bring awareness to Suicide Prevention Month. Please be sure to read the information in this newsletter carefully, and continue to monitor Parent Square for updates throughout the month. We truly appreciate being able to work in partnership with our Jaguar families, and we were thrilled to have so many of you join us for Back-to-School Night! We look forward to continuing to share this school year with all of you!
Go Jags!
Melissa Mainini
Principal
Important Upcoming Dates
- September 2: Labor Day Holiday (No School)
- September 13: Welcome Back Dance
- September 19: Progress Reports sent via Parent Square
- September 26: Parent Teacher Conferences, Minimum Day
- October 11: End of Quarter 1
- October 14: School Holiday (No School)
Please refer to the 24-25 VUSD Middle School Calendar for more important dates.
September is Attendance Awareness Month!
We are dedicated to creating a culture of attendance every day, every month. We know that achievement and student success are inextricably linked to attendance. Willis Jepson Middle School leadership and staff are dedicated to ongoing communication, support, and encouragement around the importance of showing up.
The most important thing we can do for our children to be successful in life is to get them to school every day and every day on time. Here’s why:
In elementary years, children who miss school are more likely to struggle academically and, in later years, to drop out of school.
In the secondary years, attendance is the number one predictor of dropout and graduation rates.
Attendance is a top indicator of being on track for graduation and for college and career readiness.
Research shows that missing 10% of the school year (an average of 2 days per month) negatively impacts academic performance. Missing school = missing out.
If your student is unable to attend school due to illness (or other reasons), please call (707) 453-6284 or email our attendance clerk, Mrs. Fay, at GailF@vacavilleusd.org to report the absence. Please include your student's name and the reason for the absence in your message.
Every year, we strive for continuous attendance improvement. Last year, WJMS had 12.8% of students who were considered chronically absent (or fell below the Rule of 90). This year, we have a goal to be under 10%. With you on our team, we are recovering valuable learning time for our students. Thank you for your dedication all year long. Together we are making a difference!
Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences will take place on Thursday, September 26th. Jepson Staff Members may be contacting you in the coming weeks to schedule a conference for your student. Optional drop-in conferences will also take place. Please remember that both scheduled and drop-in conferences are meant to support students who are struggling. You are always welcome to reach out to our teachers anytime to discuss your student's progress! More details will be sent out via Parent Square later in the month.
Aeries & Parent Square
Jepson will continue to use both Aeries Parent Portal and Parent Square to communicate important information to parents/guardians. All teachers use Aeries to regularly post grades. Be sure to log-in to your Aeries Parent Portal to keep track of your student's academic progress!
Parent Square will continue to be used to send out important announcements. Progress Reports will also be sent to parents/guardians through Parent Square on September 19th! Please make sure you have created a Parent Square account.
Please contact our office if you have trouble accessing Aeries Parent Portal or Parent Square!
Boys and Girls Club
The Boys and Girls Club takes place on the Jepson campus and can be an amazing support for our students!! See the flyer below for more details.
Crutches & Medical Equipment on Campus
Students utilizing crutches and other medical equipment must provide our office with appropriate medical documentation. Please click HERE to read more about the guidelines.
PE Clothes
Our PE Teachers encourage students to have two sets of PE clothes. Students can purchase PE clothes anytime throughout the year from their PE Teacher. Sets of PE clothes consist of a shirt and shorts. The cost is $10 for an individual clothing item or $20 for the set. Cash and checks (made out to Willis Jepson Middle School) are accepted.