Jackson Jottings

• May 1st -- NO Distance Learning Day
• May 4th -- NO Distance Learning Day
• May 25th -- NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day)
• June 4th -- LAST DAY of Distance Learning

Hello Parents!

Just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for all you are doing at home to help our students do their best in this distance learning model. The many challenges of teaching and learning in this manner stretch to all of us, and we know that we cannot facilitate any level of success without your guidance at home. Please know that all staff at Jackson miss their students greatly and anxiously wait for the day that school life returns to normal. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your invaluable partnership navigating through this as we continue to make the best of this leaning model.

Respectfully,

Dr. Kevin Bjerken, Principal

Our Digital Learning Team has been busy working to support teachers, students, and parents. We know that there have been bumps in the road and struggles to overcome. But I think it is important to recognize the efforts of all involved. Our Jackson staff worked tirelessly to figure out how to create meaningful learning for our students in a completely digital environment. Our Jackson parents have juggled work, school, and the emotional rollercoasters that have come with these major changes. Our Jackson students have worked to learn a new set of routines for online school all while missing their teachers, friends, and the familiarity of their normal days.

With so many in our community living in these new circumstances, I encourage you to reach out to someone who has positively impacted you in these past few weeks. Send them a message of gratitude. Let them know that you see their efforts and appreciate them.

My message of appreciation is to all of our parents.

Overnight, you were asked to do some pretty remarkable and overwhelming tasks. You were suddenly asked to work and help your child through their school work. Or possibly you found yourself without a job, worried about how to pay your bills. You were asked to learn about a variety of educational tools that we use regularly in our classes (Seesaw, RAZ Kids, iXL, Canvas, and more). You pushed through. You reached out for help. You shed some tears. But you got back up. Your children are watching you handle this situation and they are grateful for you too. They are grateful for your guidance, even though they may not show it.

Parents…you have been amazing in this ever-evolving situation. Please know that we are listening to your emails, phone calls, and text messages. We care deeply for your children, their academic growth, and emotional health; please keep in contact with us. Know that we may not always get it right, but behind every decision, we are trying.

With gratitude and respect,

Natalie Weatherman

Digital Learning Coach

nweather@shakopee.k12.mn.us

Thank you to all of our volunteers this year that helped with field trips, class parties, workroom projects, teacher projects, Art Adventure, Junior Achievement and much much more! All the hours and work you put in this year did not go unnoticed so THANK YOU!

As we try to navigate this new normal of distance learning and everything in life I just wanted to send a note to say enjoy all the moments as much as you can with all the time you are having with your immediate family and HAVE A GREAT SUMMER!

If you have any questions or need anything regarding volunteering please do not hesitate to reach out. Otherwise, I look forward to next fall and working with all of our great volunteers then!

Jennifer Klecker

Jackson Volunteer Site Coordinator

jklecker@shakopee.k12.mn.us

952-496-5802

Even though the school year did not end the way we expected it is hard to believe that we are nearing the end of another school year!

We know a lot of you have already picked up your medication from the nurse office so but if you have not we need you to do that. All (over-the-counter and prescription) medications need to be picked up before the end of the year. Please contact us by phone or email to set up a time to pick up your medications. If you do not come to pick them before the end of year they will be disposed of because NO medication can be left at school over the summer.

THANK YOU!

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out to me!

Andrea Richards

School Nurse at Jackson

arichard@shakopee.k12.mn.us

952-496-5804

Candace Rotert

Licensed School Nurse for Jackson and Sun Path

crotert@shakopee.k12.mn.us

Greetings from the Art Department!

I hope this finds you and your family well! I appreciate being able to write you this message more than ever because it gives us one more tool for communication. Over the past month and a half we have certainly had a learning curve on what our instruction would look like. I hope Distance Learning is going well for your students. I also hope it is going well for YOU!

I do not want to add to your plate of things to do during this time. The art lessons I am posting on Seesaw include skills and techniques the students should be able to do on their own. Also, I post the lesson on Wednesday each week. But, if your student is too busy with other school work during the week, feel free to have them save their art lesson for something fun to do on the weekend. It does not have to be done on Wednesday.

Please let your students know that I miss them every day! I am extremely disappointed that we are not going to be able to have our 3rd grade field trip to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the District Art Show, and Literacy and Beyond Night! This is always such a fun time of year and a time for celebrations. It is OK to have these feelings but in the future we can enjoy these events with immense gratitude! Please let our 5th grade students know that I wish them all the best as they finish the year and move on to 6th grade!

P.S. Remind the students that I send out a Seesaw video announcement each week so they can see me and I can say “Hi”!

Sincerely,

Mr. Olson

(dolson@shakopee.k12.mn.us)

AND

Mrs. Hall

(thall@shakopee.k12.mn.us)

Jackson Art Specialists

WOW! This past month sure has been a unique and different way to teach and learn music! I

have just LOVED seeing and hearing all the SEESAW posts of students sharing their activities and music with me. If you ever have an issue with a SEESAW activity or link, please email me at sflatnes@shakopee.k12.mn.us. We are all navigating this unique time together and doing our best!

Here are the I CAN statements for the month of MAY in Distance Learning!

KINDERGARTEN:

• I CAN sing the pitches so-mi
• I CAN perform rhythm patterns
• I CAN show opposites in music

1ST GRADE:

• I CAN identify the instruments and themes in the story “Peter and the Wolf”
• I CAN create movement to show Section A and B
• I CAN echo the pitches mi-so-la

2ND GRADE:

• I CAN echo the pitches do-re-mi
• I CAN create and perform an ostinato pattern
• I CAN perform rhythm patterns

3RD GRADE:

• I CAN name instruments I see and hear
• I CAN create and perform an ostinato pattern
• I CAN sing the pentatonic scale or melody on solfege

4TH GRADE:

• I CAN perform a Somali lullaby and Ode to Joy on my recorder
• I CAN create and perform a song on my recorder

5TH GRADE:

• I CAN analyze blues and jazz music using the Elements of Music vocabulary
• I CAN create words to a blues song
• I CAN play the 12 bar blues on my ipad ukulele

COMING UP…………. “The 2020 Virtual Jackson Talent Show!”

We are saddened at the fact that our 2020 Jackson Talent show will not be able to happen.

We still want to make a special memory for the all the students, BUT……. we need your help!

If you are interested in performing an act in our “2020 Virtual Talent Show”, we need you to

record yourself and send to Mrs. Flatness through Seesaw by Friday, May 8th. We will be

combining all of the acts summited and making a movie that we will send to all students to

enjoy at the end of year! **Please remember to show Jackson Pride when submitting your video and remember that Jackson staff has authority to not include your act if not appropriate.

An act for this production could include: singing (no lip-syncing please!), dancing, juggling,

joke telling, playing piano or playing another instrument. Your act may be up to 30 seconds

long. Jackson staff reserves the right to only use part of your act to complete the video if

needed.

We look forward to seeing and hearing all of the amazing talent at Jackson!

ONE LAST THING......THANK YOU and WE WISH YOU WELL, MS. ASKEGAARD!

As always, please feel free to reach out to me by leaving a message in SEESAW or emailing me if you have any questions about music!

By: Sari Flatness

sflatnes@shakopee.k12.mn.us

I am enjoying seeing you all through Distance Learning!

5th Grade Band Students - please remember to send in your lesson work each week after you practice.

If you have any questions regarding band please do not hesitate to reach out to me! You are doing a great job, keep it up!

Julie Lund

jlund@shakopee.k12.mn.us

(952) 496-5862 ext. 7026.

With the announcement of the school closures for the remainder of the year, we have had to make changes to the way we start 5th grade band. Normally, we do band presentations and choose instruments in the spring. With the unprecedented Covid-19 situation, we are going to have to do our 5th grade band presentations and instrument selections in the fall. There will also be no summer lessons for beginning band students through Community Education this summer. Please know that you do NOT need to make any decisions regarding band at this time. Watch for more information regarding registration and re-scheduled band open house in the first week or two of school this fall. Your music teachers will communicate the process for selecting instruments at that time, taking into account current health and safety measures.

Please let us know if you have any questions:

Carrie Beckler (Sun Path and Sweeney) cbeckler@shakopee.k12.mn.us

Julie Lund (Jackson) jlund@shakopee.k12.mn.us

Chris Taylor (Red Oak) ctaylor@shakopee.k12.mn.us

Ann Nimchuck (Eagle Creek) animchuk@shakopee.k12.mn.us

Be well!

Your 5th grade band teachers

Hello boys and Girls! Hope everybody is doing well at home and you are doing: your classroom, Music, Media, Art and Especially Physical Education lessons. Mrs. Tanberg and Mr. Casey miss seeing you all in the Gym.

Last quarter we did a variety of activities. We started with dance which was so much fun. Then we did our popular Cup Stacking Skills. We also got to see you having fun with our Tumbling and Rope Jump lessons. It was great to see a lot of you participating and so much fun to watch you try different skills.

This 4th quarter we will not be having our bike to school day, but we encourage all of you to go biking with your Parents. If you are going by yourself make sure you have your Parent’s permission, and don’t bike on the streets or after dark.

We are also going to be doing Fitness Testing (exercises) with Mrs. Tanberg. Tests she will be teaching will be: Curl ups, Push ups, Sit and Reach, and Mile Run. You will also be doing Badminton skills with Mr. Casey. We will go over: underhand serve, overhead serve, backhand serve, and forehand hit skills.

As you know we always have our traditional “Track and Field day” This year it will be different, but you will do your track and field events at home. This will be a lot of fun as you can beat your Mother, Father and your brother and sisters in your events.

We also will be practicing our baseball, softball skills. This will be great fun as you get to go outside and practice your hitting, throwing and catching skills. I know you will love it and get much better.

A note from the American Heart Association regarding Jumprope for Heart Prizes:

Hello Jackson Families!

We sure miss all your smiling faces in class, but we are happy to know that you are staying healthy and safe at home. As you know we wrapped up our Kids Heart Challenge (Jump Rope for Heart) event shortly before we started our break from school and many of you earned some thank you gifts. We have placed the order but unfortunately the American Heart Association is unable to ship them until our school doors are back open. They are a large health organization and they too are required to follow the safety guidelines of both the state and federal levels. You can imagine how sending the thank you gifts could in fact cause the very thing we are all seeking to avoid. We apologize that you have to wait, but know that the American Heart Association, Ms. Tanberg and Mr. Casey will do everything they can to get you these well-deserved gifts when our school doors are re-open.

Mrs. Tanberg and Mr. Casey want to wish all of you a good spring and a safe and happy summer. We can’t wait to see you next year!

Mr. Jeff Casy (jcasey@shakopee.k2.mn.us)

Mrs. Susan Tanberg (stanberg@shakopee.k12.mn.us)

Mr. Dan Koenig (dkoenig@shakopee.k12.mn.us)

If anyone has some old tennis shoes that they would like to donate to the Physical Education Department it be greatly appreciated. We have students who do not have tennis shoes to wear for physical education and we would like to give them a pair. Please make sure the tennis shoes are clean and free of rips and tears.

End-of-Year Library Book Return

Please be ready to return all school library books when you go to clean out desks and lockers for the year.

For summer reading, continue to access eBooks.

HAPPY READING!

Maud Hart Lovelace Children’s Book Award 2020:

Jackson students (grades 3-5) will be voting on their favorite Maud Hart Lovelace book nominee (see the image below for the Maud Hart Lovelace 2020 Award Books).

Those students who read at least 3 of the 10 books will be able to vote. Voting

will take place the end of May, so keep reading! There will be an announcement given in Seesaw

with more details around this vote.

A big thank you to all teachers and parents who encouraged and supported students to participate!

Congratulations to Mrs. Arvin! Ayla Katherine Arvin was born April 6, 2020!

End of Year Thoughts/Well Wishes:

Thank you for the opportunity to be your media teacher during the distance learning months! I wish all of you a great summer, filled with adventure and reading!

Please feel to reach out to me with any questions or comments or concerns!

By: Diane Markovich

(Long-Term Sub Media Specialist for Betsi Arvin)

dmarkovich@shakopee.k12.mn.us

Hello Jackson Families!

How can it be May already? Every year goes faster and faster but this crazy year has really taken the cake. Of course everything for the PTO has changed along with everything else in the world. All of our year end events have been canceled but we are still keeping busy working on a couple projects and making plans for next year.

This first week of May we are getting creative and trying to show our teachers and staff as much love as we can from a distance. We will spoil them extra in the Fall too. We are also taking this time with an empty playground to get to work on some creative active learning ideas we hope to create on areas of the playground.

I apologize for those who placed orders for spirit wear through Spirit and Pride. They shut down right when the order was due. I finally was able to reach someone this week and they plan to reopen on 5/11/20 and will update us about our orders at that time.

We are looking forward to another great busy year at Jackson in 2020-2021. If we’ve learned anything from this year, we shouldn’t take anything for granted and our staff at Jackson are truly amazing. We wish you all a safe, healthy, and happy summer and can not wait to see everyone back at Jackson in the Fall! If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at jacksonpto28@gmail.com.

As always thank you for supporting our Jackson Community!

Kjersta Hoffman

PTO President