Jackson eNews
6/12/2024
JACKSON MISSION STATEMENT:
The mission of Jackson Elementary School is to provide a safe and supportive learning environment in order to ensure high levels of learning for ALL students.
JACKSON VISION STATEMENT:
We are mission-driven, highly motivated, and maintain the highest expectations for ourselves, our students, and our colleagues. Our students are precious, and we will treat them kindly and with love every day. All of our students will succeed academically no matter what! Our tenacity and focus on what’s best for our children will guide our actions every day.
Hello Jackson Families!
It is hard to believe that it is December already, but I am enjoying the autumn colors, cooler weather and holiday decorations. December will be a short month with Winter Break, but there will be a lot going on!
We want to congratulate the following students who were recognized as Jaguars of the month for November by demonstrating the trait of Gratitude.
Kindergarten: Ausleigh Daneman, Evalena Delacerda, Narkis Duarte Alarcon, Mathias Olivares Gutierrez, Yinirella Sandoval Marquez, Luis Yar
First Grade: Nicoll Blanco, Mia Carrasco, Lucia Gonzalez, Sebastian Medina, Jhonalis Urdaneta, Lyric Whitfield
Second Grade: Samuel Ben-Daniel, Tailer Nastasi Julio, Dulce Perdomo, Kennedy Reyes, Luciano Romero
Third Grade: Jeremiah Campbell, Wendy Delgadillo Romero, Andy Garcia Balzan, Tayeeba Hasan, Mathias Hidalgo, Austin Plaza
Fourth Grade: Billy Barasa, Soliannis Barros Duarte, Misael Gonzalez, Ram Shyam, Romina Toyo
Fifth Grade: Lucas Bracho, Valery Castillo, Dylan Contreras, An Nguyen, Autumn Wilborn
Our November Jaguars of the Month received recognition on JagTube and attended a popsicle party this afternoon with Mr. Farris, Ms. Hardy and Ms. Sollie! Students also received a certificate, wristband, and a Jackson Jaguar pencil. Grade level group photos will be displayed on the bulletin board near the front office. The Jaguar of the Month trait for December is Empathy - understanding and connecting to other people's feelings. We are certain that we will see many students displaying the empathy trait this month. Keep up the good work, Jaguars!
We also had a lot of excitement and suspense with three Spelling Bees on Friday! The morning began with the 4th/5th grade English Spelling Bee, followed by the 3rd grade Spanish Spelling Bee. The 4th/5th grade Spanish Spelling Bee was held later in the afternoon. Each Spelling Bee had us sitting on the edge of our seats, but our students kept their cool! The English Spelling Bee went for 34 rounds! Below are the results of our Spelling competitions:
- Ahmad Saqafee, 5th grade, was the winner of the 4th/5th grade English Spelling Bee and the runner-up was Amir Safi, 4th grade.
- Juan Martinez Fernandez, 5th grade, was the 4th/5th grade Spanish Spelling Bee champion and Soliannis Barros Duarte, 4th grade, was the runner-up.
- Our 3rd grade Spanish Spelling Bee winner was Juan David Morales Ruz and Raiber Arroyo Vera was the runner-up.
We are so proud of our Spelling Bee champions and ALL of the students who participated in these competitions. It took a lot of hard work and dedication to prepare for the Spelling Bees. A big THANK YOU to Ms. Fancher, Ms. Gordon, Ms. Killion, Ms. Steinbaugh, Ms. Tate, Ms. Aguilera Salas, and Ms. Garcia Salinas for organizing and presiding over these competitions. WAY-TO-GO!
From December 9 - 20, Jackson students will be participating in MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) Growth assessments. You can help your student have a successful testing experience by making sure your student gets a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast on testing days. I am confident that the results of these assessments will show how much our students have grown academically so far this year! Please read more about MAP testing below.
The Fall Fundraiser orders are expected to arrive at Jackson on Tuesday, 12/17. PTA is working on a plan to distribute the orders and families will be notified with pick up information.
Thank you!
Crystal Roach
Principal
Jackson Elementary
2024 Jackson English Spelling Bee Champion and Runner-Up
Spanish Spelling Bee Champions - More Pictures Coming
3rd Grade Spanish Spelling Bee Champion
3rd Grade Spanish Spelling Bee
4th/5th Grade Spanish Spelling Bee Champion
MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) Growth Assessments
Dear Parent/Guardian,
We are excited to announce that students at Jackson will soon participate in the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) Growth assessment. This important test is designed to help us understand your student's academic progress and guide their learning throughout the school year.
What is the MAP Growth Test?
The MAP Growth test is an adaptive assessment that measures your student's proficiency in key subjects such as reading, math, and science. Unlike traditional standardized tests, MAP Growth adapts to each student's learning level by adjusting the difficulty of questions based on their responses. This provides a more accurate picture of what your student knows and what they are ready to learn next. You may find more family resources on the NWEA MAP Family Toolkit webpage at https://www.nwea.org/family-toolkit/.
Why is the MAP Growth Test important?
MAP Growth results allow us to identify your student's strengths and areas for improvement. Teachers use these results to tailor their instruction to meet the needs of individual students, ensuring that every student is appropriately challenged and supported. Additionally, these results help track your student's academic growth over time, providing valuable insights for teachers and parents.
When will the MAP Growth Test be administered?
Jackson will be administering the MAP Growth test to all students during the upcoming dates:
Reading MAP Test → December 9-11
Math MAP Test → December 11-13
Science MAP Test (3-5 only) → December 16-17
Language Usage (2-5 only) → December 18-19
What is MAP Language Usage?
Beginning in second grade, students have the opportunity to take the MAP Growth Language Usage assessment. This test measures a student's writing and grammar skills across a variety of levels. Similar to the other MAP Growth tests, Language Usage is an untimed, computer-adaptive assessment. It consists of 40-43 questions that aim to gauge students' understanding of the writing process, sentence structure, mechanics, and parts of speech.
How can you support your student?
Ensure Rest and Nutrition - Make sure your student gets a good night’s sleep and a healthy breakfast on testing days.
Reinforce a Positive Attitude - Encourage your student to approach the test with confidence and a positive mindset.
Discuss the Test - Let your student know that this test is just one of the many ways we assess their learning, and it's an opportunity to show what they know.
Thank you for your continued support in helping your student achieve their full potential! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Crystal Roach (crystal.roach@pisd.edu)
Sincerely,
Crystal Roach
Principal
Jackson Elementary
Volunteer Opportunities at Jackson
Plano ISD's partnership with Communities in Schools (C.I.S.) is a valuable resource for providing daily intervention to high-need students and families. Jackson's own wonderful CIS staff member, Teresa Ventura, is in need of volunteers to help with some ongoing and holiday assistance programs.
If you are able to assist with any of these programs, please reach out to Teresa at Teresa.ventura@pisd.edu. Anyone interested in volunteering will also need to create a VOLY account and complete the volunteer approval process.
- Starting Monday, 11/4, C.I.S. and PTA will team up for a Winter Clothing Drive. Donations of new and gently used winter coats, shoes, sweatpants, jeans, leggings, undies and socks would be appreciated. Volunteers will be needed to help sort donations.
- Plans for a Holiday Assistance Program (similar to Angel Tree) are underway. We will need volunteers for this program as well.
- Jackson is part of the Food4Kids Program that provides students with a bag full of nutritious, nonperishable, kid-friendly food every Friday afternoon. We need volunteers to help during the week with sorting snacks and filling bags. We could also use help placing the bags in lockers on Fridays.
- The Mentor Program at Jackson is an opportunity for community members to volunteer to be a mentor for a selected student. Mentor duties include lunch once a week and working with the student 1:1. If you are interested in becoming a Mentor, you will be asked to fill out a mentoring questionnaire to assist Teresa in matching you with a student. Jackson is especially in need of bilingual mentors.
We greatly appreciate your willingness to invest your time and efforts into supporting Jackson students, families and staff.
Thank you!
Winter Clothing Drive
Important Dates
DECEMBER 2024
December 9-11
- Reading MAP Test, Grades K-5
- Math MAP Test, Grades K-5
December 16-17
- Science MAP Test, Grades 3-5
December 18-19
- Language Usage MAP Test, Grades 2-5
Wednesday, December 18
- K-2 Awards Assembly (end of 2nd 9 weeks), 8:05 a.m., gym
- 3rd-5th Awards Assembly (end of 2nd 9 weeks), 8:05 a.m., gym
Friday, December 20
- Winter Sing Along - 8:00 a.m., gym
- End of 2nd 9 weeks
- Early Release, 12:00 noon
December 23rd - January 4th
- Winter Break for Students and Teachers
Monday, January 6
- Professional Learning Day for Staff/Student Holiday
Tuesday, January 7
- Students Return from Break
The district calendars for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 academic years have been published. Please use these dates to plan family vacations when school is not in session. It is important that students do not miss school for vacations that can be planned during times of school closure. The Texas State Attendance law requires students to be in school for at least 90% of the school days in order to not face the possibility of being retained in that grade level and parents facing required court appearance and possible fines. If your child is absent from school, you must email the secretary to let her know why they are out (sick, doctor appointment, etc.). Thank you!
Click HERE for 2024-25 PISD Calendar
Click HERE for 2025-26 PISD Calendar
Hello Jackson Families,
AVID is a district wide program that helps our students become college and career ready at an early age. Jackson teachers work hard to implement AVID strategies each and every day into everything we do to help your child succeed.
Here is this month's AVID Family Focus!
Collaboration: Let’s get talking!
Whether it’s asking, “How was your day?” or talking around the dinner table, students sometimes do not know how to express themselves. Below is the scholarly language card that teachers use with their students to encourage them to have positive conversations with their peers and family. Give it a try!!!
A paper copy will be coming home with your child for each family to have to help guide great conversations.
If you have any questions about these AVID strategies, please contact me, Shelly Arthur, AVID Coordinator, at shelly.arthur@pisd.edu.
Thank you!
Classroom Lessons
Welcome to the Counselors’ Corner! We will use this section of the eNews to inform you all of topics we will be covering in our Counselor lessons and any other important or useful information! Students come with their class to the counselor bi-weekly to receive lessons. We absolutely love this time with them!
For our next lesson, the weeks of 12/09 & 12/16, we will still be focusing on Conflict Resolution by reviewing appropriate Coping Skills when presented with a conflict! In our previous lessons, we discussed how when we have strong emotions, it keeps us from thinking clearly! Sometimes our brains can cause us trouble when we experience emotions with intensity and we temporarily lose control of our actions (we refer to this as “flipping your lid”). Many times, this results in acting without thinking, which can get you in trouble or result in being more upset! During these lessons, we will focus on teaching appropriate coping skills students can utilize here at school and at home, specifically when there is a conflict occurring. It is important students know whether we are frustrated with a friend or in an argument with a family member, we need tools to help us navigate conflict successfully. Students will be reminded how to use the Tree of Choices, which is a simple tool to lead us toward successful conflict resolution, and be given other conflict resolution strategies. Our goal is to help students understand and manage their emotions and reactions. This emotional awareness is crucial for self-regulation, allowing students to handle stress, frustration, and conflict effectively!
Jaguar of the Month Program
Jaguar of the Month is a student reward program (Grades K-5) that incorporates character traits from the program, CharacterStrong. A new character trait is introduced every month and students will engage in classroom discussions and activities to reinforce the trait. At the end of the month, each teacher will identify a student who consistently demonstrated the targeted trait. These students will be recognized on JagTube, receive a certificate, wristband, and a Jackson Jaguar pencil. Grade level group photos will be displayed on the bulletin board near the front office AND Jaguars of the Month will attend a popsicle party with Dr. Roach, our principal!
Our Jaguar of the Month Trait for December is EMPATHY! Our definition of Empathy is understanding and connecting to other people’s feelings. Check out the CharacterStrong Family Letter (English) / CharacterStrong Family Letter (Spanish) for more information about PurposeFull People and some fun ways you can join us in teaching and reinforcing Responsibility! Monthly Family Newsletters will be sent home that outline the CharacterStrong skills students are learning in class and provide fun ideas to grow as a family at home.
We hope you find this Counselors’ Corner helpful! Please never hesitate to reach out for anything! We are always here to support you and your students!
Thank you!
Michelle Hardy (Grades PK, 1, 3, 5)
(469) 752-2115
Nicole Sollie (Grades K, 2, 4)
Nicole.sollie@pisd.edu
(469) 752-2116
December Activity Calendar
Our awesome P.E. coaches are sharing a monthly calendar with fitness challenges and other activities that promote the development of motor skills, physical fitness, and social skills. These activities can be done at home with family or friends. Have fun with fitness!
Report Absences in Skyward Family Access
FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Dear Jackson Parents,
Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! My name is Jacquie Wooten, and I am honored to be your PTA President for this upcoming school year. I have lived in Plano for 14 years and 11 years in this neighborhood. My youngest is a 3rd grader at Jackson this year and I also have a 13- and 11-year-old who are Jackson graduates and now attend Wilson Middle School.
I am a registered nurse and work full time as a nurse manager at a local hospital. I know what it's like being a working mom and juggling a job and family! I want to share with everyone the importance of PTA and the support it provides to our students and teachers. I would love to get more Jackson families involved in whatever capacity they are able. I hope to have the opportunity to meet each of you and work together to make a lasting and positive educational experience for our students!
Thank you!
Jacquie Wooten
Jackson PTA President
816-506-0510
More Ways to Support Jackson PTA
Kroger Community Rewards
World Wear Project
You can also support our PTA by bringing any household donations (clothes, shoes, etc.) to the donation bin in the back parking lot. You will be helping our PTA and the environment by recycling!
Girl Scout Troop 1437, Jackson Elementary
Vines Sweethearts' Winter Wonderland Camp
The Vines Sweethearts are thrilled to invite your children to our Winter Wonderland Camp on Monday, January 20th, at Vines High School!
✨ Camp Details:
- Half-Day or Full-Day Options!
- Lunch included with full-day pricing.
🎉 Activities Include:
- Slime making
- Cookie decorating
- Dancing
- A holiday-themed movie
- And so much more!
Don't miss this magical opportunity for your kids to enjoy a fun-filled day while you take some time for yourself. Spaces are limited, so reserve your spot today!
For more information and registration details, visit https://vhssweetheartboosterclub.membershiptoolkit.com/winterwonderland2025https://vhssweetheartboosterclub.membershiptoolkit.com/winterwonderland2025
We can’t wait to see your little ones there! 🌟
Helpful Links
Parent Information Night Grade Level Presentations
Programa de Lenguaje Dual en PISD
PreK Parent Information Night Presentation - English and Spanish
Kindergarten Parent Information Night Presentation - English
Kindergarten Parent Information Night Presentation - Spanish
1st Grade Parent Information Night Presentation - English
1st Grade Parent Information Night Presentation - Spanish
2nd Grade Parent Information Night Presentation - English
2nd Grade Parent Information Night Presentation - Spanish
3rd Grade Parent Information Night Presentation - English
3rd Grade Parent Information Night Presentation - Spanish
4th Grade Parent Information Night Presentation - English
4th Grade Parent Information Night Presentation - Spanish
5th Grade Parent Information Night Presentation - English
Stay Connected!
Make Sure Your Communication Preferences Are Up To Date!
Visit www.pisd.edu/schoolmessenger to choose how you prefer to receive communications from Jackson and Plano ISD.
Jackson Elementary
Website: http://pisd.edu/jackson
Location: 1101 Jackson Drive, Plano, TX, United States
Phone: 469-752-2100
Twitter: @JacksonPlano