PAWS and CLAWS NEWSLETTER

• The school day will begin at 8:45 AM and end at 3:50 PM.
• Students are marked tardy at 9:05 AM.
• Dismissal begins at 3:50 PM and ends at 4:00 PM
• Closed Campus: Student early dismissals will not be honored after 3:15 pm daily.

• October 31- End of 1st Marking Period

November 1: No School for Students: Teacher Inservice Day

November 4: No School for Students: Teacher Grading Day

November 5: Schools and Offices Closed, Election Day

November 6: Winning Wildcats Awards Assembly 9:30-11:20 AM (Families of Recipients will be notified)

November 6: School Board Member Visit to Johnson

November 8: Fire Drill at 9:30 AM

November 11: Schools and Offices Closed (Veterans Day)

November 12: Joe Corbi Deliveries

November 14: 4th Grade Fall Social Studies Test

November 14: WLC Monthly Council Meeting

November 19: Picture Retake Day

November 20: RCCSD School Board Meeting at RPES, 7 PM

November 25-26: Parent-Teacher Conferences, No School for Students

November 27: No School for Students: Professional Learning Day

November 28-29: No School - Thanksgiving Observance

We’re excited to celebrate our Wildcats who exemplify being Respectful, Responsible, and Ready at our upcoming Winning Wildcats Assembly on Wednesday, November 6!

Families of students who will be recognized for Marking Period 1 will be contacted by their classroom teacher and/or unified arts teacher. Congratulations to these students! Due to seating capacity, we kindly ask that families bring no more than 4 guests.

Assembly Schedule:

• Kindergarten & 5th Grade: 9:30 - 10:00 AM
• 4th & 3rd Grade: 10:10 - 10:40 AM
• 1st & 2nd Grade: 10:50 - 11:20 AM

Here is an overall review of what to expect.

1. Any student wishing to have a retake should bring their original picture package to exchange for the retake image.
2. When an order is placed online, the parent/guardian will receive a camera pass via email. This can either be printed or texted to the student and brought to picture day. The photographer will photograph the printed camera pass along with the student.
3. If a student is not able to print their camera pass, that is not a problem. We will match up the student to their order manually in the production process.
4. A parent may order from the flyer up until 24 hours after picture day. After 24 hours, the online ordering access may close. This will allow our imaging team to "Pull" all orders submitted and match them with the students photographed.
5. 5. When pictures are returned to school, all students that purchased pictures will receive their prepaid package. Any student that was photographed but did not order a package, will receive a "Proof" (PX) of their picture that was taken on picture day.

All proof packages offer parents a second opportunity to order prints. All orders are subject to shipping and handling costs of up to $8.50 and will be shipped directly to home.

Johnson Elementary celebrated our annual Trunk or Treat event and Character Day, and it was a fantastic success with the help of St. Ann School!

Below, we’ve included some photos of students picking out their costumes and enjoying the Trunk or Treat festivities. It's kindness and support like this that makes Johnson a great place for students to be.

Thank you to the JEJ Parent Engagement Team, JEJ staff, Johnson PTO, and Nutrition team for an incredible event!

Congrats to the winners of the Trunk or Treat.

Hi Johnson Families,

In honor of National Principals Month, I want to express my gratitude for the incredible support from Johnson students, staff, and families. It’s a privilege to serve as your principal and to be part of such a dedicated and inspiring community. Thank you for making every day meaningful and for your kinds words, thoughts and gifts for this day. Thank you for your messages that were submitted. I enjoyed reading them.

Warm regards,

Ms. Courtney

• Please trust that the Johnson staff will escort students to their classroom during the first week of school. We always have EXTRA staff the first few weeks to assist our students as they get accustomed to routines. Parents/Guardians will not be permitted to enter the school to walk your child to their classroom in the morning.
• It is important that your child’s teacher is informed how your child will be dismissed on the first student day and any changes to how he/she should be dismissed for the remainder of the year. Please note that daily changes to how a student is dismissed can be disruptive to procedures and can confuse the student.
• Students in grades K-2 are encouraged to have/wear a name tag the first two weeks of school. Include your child’s name, emergency contact information and transportation to and from school.
• The Red Clay Consolidated School District offers a voluntary low cost accident insurance for your student. Families can choose either during the school day or 24-hour coverage. The brochure is attached. Applications and fees should be sent directly to the Philadelphia Insurance Companies. There is no obligation to purchase this insurance. English brochure / Spanish brochure

i-Ready is an online program for reading and/or mathematics that will help your student’s teacher(s) determine your student’s needs, personalize their learning, and monitor progress throughout the school year. i-Ready allows your teacher(s) to meet your student exactly where they are and provides data to increase your student’s learning gains. i-Ready consists of two parts: Diagnostic and Personalized Instruction.

Learn more about i-Ready by watching this video!

https://i-readycentral.com/familycenter/

Congratulations to our 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms that received a donation from First Tee Golf of DE to complete a fall project. It's support like this that make our school a great place for students to be.

Our teachers take time to build relationships throughout the day. Mrs. Poll (Quinn) enjoys a lunch bunch with a student.

We will have TAG and Enrichment for our 2-5 grade students this year beginning next week. Students who are apart of the program scored as the top 10% of their grade level on various assessments. We welcome Ms. Dumas, who is new this year, and Ms. Honisch as our TAG teachers who support all WLC schools including Johnson. Students will be support up to 45 minutes on curriculum for reading or math.

Our school host two musical programs which include band and strings. School-specific information can be found at: www.tinyurl.com/RedClayBandInfo

On 10/29 our mentors returned to begin their orientation before support our students. We welcome all new and former mentors to Johnson who will be supported by Ms. Nancy Smith under the guidelines of Creative Mentoring. Students will begin meeting and building relationships with their mentors next week.

We aim for our mentors to help students in the areas of:

• Academic performance: Students with mentors may have higher grades, do better on tests, and complete more assignments.
• Attendance: Students with mentors are more like to show up to school.
• Sense of belonging: Mentoring can help students feel like they matter and are part of a community.
• Social-emotional development: Mentoring can help students develop emotionally and improve their relationships with other adults and peers.
  

Expectations are modeled and displayed on posters throughout the school. Wildcat cash is awarded to students who follow school-wide expectations. Dr. Joseph E. Johnson Jr. School's Tier 1 program sets clear behavioral expectations across all school areas—cafeteria, hallways, playgrounds, bathrooms, etc. These expectations are in alignment with our four R’s, Respectful, Responsible, Reset, and Ready. Students will have an opportunity on Fridays to cash in their Wildcat Cash for prizes from the class treasure chest.

All students in K-5 received a sweet treat from Mr. Softee to jump start our Tier 1 event in which students are expected to show our 4 R's, respectful, responsible, reset and ready.

What is the PTO? Why Join?

The top reason to join the PTO is to benefit your child and support your school. Here are more advantages:

• Get Connected: Stay informed about school events and updates.
• Tap into a Network: Meet other parents and teachers, share ideas, and discuss issues.
• Speak Up: Suggest and influence changes at your child’s school.
• Witness Improvement: Contribute to positive changes in the school environment.
• Be a Role Model: Show your child the value of education through your involvement.

Join the Johnson PTO! Contact your child’s teacher or call (302) 651-2715 to express your interest.

No full-time commitment required—contribute as you can.

Meeting dates for 2024-2025 will be announced soon.

The WLC is an educational nonprofit committed to creating positive change across schools in Wilmington, Delaware.

Spanning nine city schools and serving students from Pre-K through eighth grade within the Brandywine, Red Clay, and Christina school districts, our focus is to improve the overall educational landscape in Wilmington.

Our primary objective is to establish a rigorous and engaging learning experience for Wilmington students, in collaboration with our families, educators, and school leaders. Through our community-focused efforts, we aim to enhance overall student outcomes within the city of Wilmington schools. https://wlc-de.org/

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative (WLC) is partnering with Delaware State University and Your Teacher Tutors to launch The Teacher Assessment Preparation Program (TAPP). TAPP provides in-person tutoring to support educators preparing to take the Elementary & Secondary Praxis Exams and includes access to an online test prep platform, peer study groups, and tutoring on content areas and test prep strategies. This program is offered at no cost to participants.

Registration is now open for the fall Praxis exam prep classes and is open to all WLC school staff who need to pass the Praxis teaching exam. A select number of slots are available for Paraprofessionals who need to pass the ParaPro exam. Interested WLC staff members should use this link to register: Register to enroll in TAPP by October 14. This 6 week fall course will begin the week of October 21 and run through December 5, 2024. Classes will be offered once a week on the following subjects: Elementary ELA & Math, Secondary English & Math, ParaPro English/Math (limited slots). Additional subjects will be offered in spring. The course is structured to provide you with extended tutoring support to truly prepare you to PASS your exam! Weekly tutoring sessions are led by trained tutors who are experienced certified teachers. This is a course that requires a commitment to attending sessions weekly, utilizing a test prep platform for continued studying in between sessions and leveraging your peers for study group support. Upon successful completion of the course you will receive a voucher to cover the cost of taking the Praxis exam! Classes are held once a week in-person at the Delaware State University Riverfront building in Wilmington, DE in the evening. Childcare will be provided upon request.

Ready to pass the Praxis exam? Register to enroll in TAPP!

We look forward to launching a partnership between CU (College Unbound) and the WLC for Adult Learners who are staff members at a WLC School, emphasizing those with less than 60 college credit hours.

CU is an innovative, accredited college dedicated to reinventing higher education for underserved adult learners through a student-driven model. Graduates will be supported in entering an ARTC program to pursue teaching certification and commit to a teaching role within a WLC school.

A pilot cohort of 10 educators will begin their bachelor’s journey in January 2025, with applications opening this fall. Interested applicants can register to attend an upcoming College Unbound information session or contact jessica.crawley@collegeunbound.edu.

Thank you for your support of our new arrival and dismissal procedure. Our Johnson parents are the best! Please continue to follow the directions of the Johnson staff members who direct traffic.

Families will receive copies of the handbook on Monday night at the open house.

The Boys & Girls Club of Delaware offers before and after-school childcare. Families must provide transportation. Students can arrive as early as 6:30 am and stay until 6:00 pm. Students enter through the middle walkway from North Bancroft Parkway.

The Club may also offer care on early dismissal or school closure days. The program director will inform families of schedule changes. Students must follow the Club’s safety and participation rules, including cell phone policies. For more information, contact Shaquea Rogers at srogers-covington@bgclubs.org.

POC ID: 1710218900

Daycare information needs to be updated every year. Any daycare information should be sent to the school secretary, Coren Johnson. She can be reached at 302-651-2715 or email coren.johnson@redclay.k12.de.us

• Does your student use an inhaler? You can drop it off during this time or send it in with your student along with their action plan.

• Does your student take other medications? Be sure to discuss your student’s needs with the nurse.

Families, we'd like to introduce you to our new community and school's coordinator, Ms. Baker. She supports with helping to maintain or bring in new resources and ideas for our families. Each month she will put together a calendar to share with important dates for you to remember.

Project SEED is so excited to invite you to our Third Annual Rising Sons Dinner, a male-focused event taking place on Friday, November 8, 2024. Please see evite for details and RSVP, and share everyone who could benefit from this free event https://evite.me/risingsons2024.

We will have several speakers and experienced mentors who will share insights on their career journeys, best practices for success, and the importance of mentorship. Mentees are encouraged to engage directly with mentors, ask questions, and seek advice on specific challenges.

We look forward to an unforgettable evening of delicious food and meaningful connections. Don’t miss out!

Best regards,

Project Seeds Team

Following the incredible success of the inaugural Spelling Bee in February 2024 (for more information, visit our website), First State Educate is thrilled to announce it is sponsoring the 2025 Delaware Spelling Bee Competition! This exciting event offers your district a unique opportunity to highlight student excellence in your elementary and middle schools!

There will be three county-based Spelling Bee competitions between October 2024 – December 2024. County champions will receive fantastic prizes and public recognition. The top 15 spellers from each county will advance to the prestigious statewide competition on February 28thof 2025 on the campus of Delaware State University.

As enter into the 2024-2025 school year please encourage/identify students in grades 4-6 to participate! We would appreciate you sharing the attached flyer in your communications to parents. Parents can register students online using this registration form. (Please register ASAP)

Additionally, we would like to partner with educators interested in becoming "coaches" for students in their County. Coaches will receive a stipend and recognition during the program. Please share this information with your teachers and encourage them to apply online.

The Delaware Spelling Bee can be a powerful tool for promoting the importance of literacy skills and cultivating students' intrinsic motivation to improve their literacy skills. We hope you will join us in this community-led effort to focus Delaware's collective attention on literacy achievement and showcase the remarkable capabilities of students attending Delaware's public schools.

For more information, please visit our website or contact us at delawarespellingbee@firststateeducate.org. We look forward to partnering with you to make the 2025 Delaware Spelling Bee a resounding success!

Sincerely,

Ken Livingston

Our focus is character and sports development.

Click the images for access to the full calendars.

Our Website: https://www.redclayschools.com/johnson

Facebook: Joseph E. Johnson Jr. Elementary School

Twitter: @JohnsonSchoolDE

Instagram: @JEJohnson_Wildcats