Jaguar News Journal

Dear JWE Families,

As principal of JWES, I want to personally welcome you and your student(s) to the 2024-2025 school year at John Wayland Elementary School! My hope is that our JWES Families have had a great summer thus far and that you are able to enjoy these final weeks as well! I hope you spent time relaxing, enjoying friends and family, reading, and playing outside. At JWE, our wish for our students is to return to school refreshed and excited for the year ahead! We are certainly looking forward to seeing everyone!

We have put together this newsletter to assist you in planning for the opening of school. My hope is that the information below is helpful and answers any questions you may have. We are excited to work with both our new and returning families to make the year ahead our best yet! Thank you in advance for your support and partnership. Together, we can help each and every child at John Wayland have success here at school!

Please don't hesitate to reach out should you have additional questions. I can be reached by phone at the school at 540-828-6081 or by email at shammill@rockingham.k12.va.us.

Sincerely.

Sara Hammill

Principal

Each year John Wayland Elementary School welcomes approximately 100 new students. Families of our newest students - usually our PreK and Kindergarteners - often have questions about "how school works". While going to school for the first time is very exciting, change can be difficult sometimes too. We look forward to working with our new families and students to welcome everyone and build confidence and independence in your children.

Your child's PreK and Kindergarten teachers will be in touch soon to introduce themselves. These teachers will work hard to help both you and your student be as comfortable as possible with the routines, procedures and expectations as your student begins school at JWES. PreK and Kindergarten Families will be contacted directly by your child's teacher and they will set up a time for you and your child to come and see the classroom and drop off any school supplies.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: Please remember that all incoming Kindergarten and PreK Students are required to provide us with proof of physical and updated immunization record. Students will not be permitted to start school until we have these.

Creating routines early for your child around going to school is important. This begins with ensuring they get good sleep. If your child will generally ride the bus to/from school, we encourage you to put them on the bus the first day to establish this as the norm. We also ask that families intentionally create opportunities for students to build skills around sharing, impulse control and body/space awareness so students are able to navigate our classrooms safely and without peer conflict. This promotes success in the classroom.

When does school start"

School starts Tuesday, August 20th for ALL students in PreK-5th grades. Our school day begins at 8:20am each day and ends at 3:00pm.

Where can I find a school supply list? The supply list is located on our school website and can also be found on our school facebook page. Finally, for your convenience, it's attached below in this newsletter.

Will school meals be free at JWES: Unfortunately, no. However, as we understand it, anyone who qualifies for reduced price meals this year will receive them for free (rather than at a reduced price). Anyone who does not qualify for free/reduced meals will have to pay full price for meals at school or pack/bring their own meals. Note: We ask families who may be eligible to fill out the Free and Reduced Meals Application as any debt accumulated prior to application approval is the responsibility of the family. The application will be available at Back to School Night and online through the RCPS Website. Only one form needs to be completed per family.

Are parents required to pay school fees? There are no school fees at the elementary level this year.

Is there a parent/student handbook for John Wayland Elementary? Yes, there sure is. You can find it under the Parent Resources section of our school website, but it's also linked here: JWES Parent/Student Handbook.

When will I find out pick up and drop off times for the bus? Specific information, including times, will be available on Back to School Night but should also be emailed to families directly from the RCPS Transportation Office around that time. We appreciate all of you who have reached out already letting us know of any changes to your child's transportation. If you have questions regarding your school transportation please call the school and speak with Jennifer Freeman.

What time can I drop my child off in the morning? Drop-off for students being transported by their family begins at 7:50am. Our tardy tone rings at 8:20. Please have students here by 8:15 and follow the drop-off procedures specified below. It's important that we all work together to keep this process flowing as safely and quickly as possible.

Can I walk my child to class in the morning? We do not allow families to walk children to classrooms. We have found that students transition well at the entrance to the school and we will provide support to any student who struggles separating in the first days and weeks of school. We have staff stationed throughout our building and use our Student Ambassador Team to ensure that students find their way to their classrooms.

What do I do if my child's usual transportation arrangement is changing for a day or few days?

We ask that you plan for your child's transportation in advance. Clear communication around this between home and school is essential. If a change is necessary, please contact the school office. The office will communicate with your child's teacher on changes. In order to ensure communication and safety, we ask that you contact the school office as soon as possible but no later than 1pm on the day of the change.

What time can I pick my child up each afternoon? Our school day ends at 3pm each day. Pick-up vehicles will line up per the procedures specified below. We begin loading students into vehicles after our first load of buses leave campus - approximately 3:05pm.

We understand that children and families are excited to learn who their teacher for this year will be this year. Families can expect an email from us right around August 7th that will inform you of which class placements. Teachers will also be in touch soon to welcome each child/family to their class for the year! When they reach out, teachers will check with your family to confirm your student's transportation plans and answer any questions you may have. They will also remind you about our Back to School Night Event on August 15th. Please see below for specific details.

PreK & Kindergarten Orientation/Back to School:

Our PreK and Kindergarten Teachers will be in touch and plans to schedule classroom visits for their students and families! Please be expecting to hear from your child's teacher soon!

Grades 1-5 Back to School/Meet Your Teacher Event:

We are excited to welcome students and families in grades 1-5 on August 15th from 4-7pm.

This will be an open-house style event. We encourage families to come, meet teachers, see your child's classroom AND drop off school supplies so your child doesn't have to carry them on the first day of school. If you are unable to attend this event, we encourage you to let your child's teacher know.

Does your child have a medical condition we need to be aware of? Allergies? Ashthma? Does he/she need to take medication during the school day? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, please plan to contact our school nurse, Renee Branner, to be sure she is informed and can partner with you towards any necessary care plans for your child. You can contact the school to reach her after August 12th or email her at rbranner@rockingham.k12.va.us.

Medication at School: If your child requires medication to be given at school or if you want your child to be able to given any medication for situational issues (headaches, etc.) you must complete and submit the RCPS Parent/Guardian Authorization for Medication Form. Please also be reminded that students may NOT transport medications to and from school. An adult must drop medications in person to Nurse Renee here in the JWES Office. Feel free to bring these on Back to School Night!

We've linked our supply list and school calendar for the year below for your convenience.

Each year we provide backpacks and school supplies for a handful of students/families. We are happy to do this as we receive supplies from Tools for Schools events and others like it. If your family needs assistance with supplies, please reach out to an administrator or school counselor here at John Wayland and we'll happily provide what's needed. The one supply we don't tend to get but do need are sets of headphones (wired not bluetooth). If your family would like to donate a set or a few sets of headphones we would welcome this. Please bring them with you to Back to School Night. We will have a box for donations at our welcome table. As a fun FYI - Our Amazing PTO is conducting a raffle related to donations! You will be given one entry per headphone donation and could win a $25.00 Target gift card as a thanks for your donation!

Parents are encouraged to keep in frequent communication with the school. We have several ways to stay in touch!

Weekly Newsletter- I will be utilizing school-wide parent email for weekly communication. I will send out a weekly Jaguar News Journal which you can expect to receive each Sunday afternoon. Please be sure we have a current email address in our database so you can receive these.

JWES Attendance Email - Parents may email jwesattendance@rockingham.k12.va.us to communicate about absences if/when your student must miss a day of school. Please be sure to put the student name and grade in your email as well as the reason he/she will be absent.

JWES Registration Email - If you have information or documentation to share with us related to your child's registration for school - proof of residency, birth certificate, physical/immunization records, etc. You may email it to jwesregistration@rockingham.k12.va.us.

Social Media - You can also see information and receive updates about JWE by following us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JohnWaylandElementary. We are hoping to branch out to include more social media platforms in the future!

Text - Text messages will be used for important, more brief communication. The division uses this for school delays and cancellations as well. Please be sure we have current phone numbers for the adults in your household.

Teacher communication - Teachers will continue to use multiple means of communication including Seesaw, email, newsletters and phone calls. We strive to respond to all received messages within twenty-four hours. Thanks for understanding that immediate response is not always possible.

Phone & Email: Please feel free to call the school with questions or concerns. We can be reached at 540-828-6081. You may also feel free to email us! Mrs. Hammill's email address is shammill@rockingham.k12.va.us and Mrs. Secord's email address is dsecord@rockingham.k12.va.us.

*Important Note: This email communication was sent to parents/guardians at the email addresses listed in the notification section on the school registration. If you or someone you know did not receive this email to the correct address, please call the school and let us know.

As many of you know, the traffic patterns on our campus can be complicated. Below you'll find specific information on our pick-up and drop-off procedures. We have included maps to clarify. Please read through these and reach out with any questions. Our goal is to keep drop-off and pick-up procedures safe and efficient.

Building independence in our students is important. Parents will not be permitted to walk students to their classrooms. We will have extra adults on hand to assist in escorting students as they find their way and learn routines at the beginning of the year. We always have staff in our hallways to help students as needed. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Student Drop-off begins at 7:50 each day. We cannot have students exit vehicles or enter the building any earlier as it creates a supervision/safety issues. Please refer to the process and map below for specifics on our morning drop-off procedures and afternoon pick-up procedures.

• Families dropping students off are to take the big loop around our north parking lot.
• Families are asked to be sure no intersections get blocked while on our campus.
• Families are to pull around to our crosswalk and line up.
• Families are asked to say their goodbyes and have students ready with belongings in hand by the time you pull your vehicle up to our crosswalk.
• At 7:50am, duty staff will come outside to signal that students are able to exit vehicles and go into our building. The first 3-4 vehicles in line can unload simultaneously. Please follow this procedure as it helps traffic keep moving.
• Students will enter the building through our yellow hallway doors - these are closest to the drop-off zone.
• Please have your child here by 8:15. Our day begins at 8:20 and any child not inside at that time will need to be checked in through our office by an adult.
• We ask adults to remain in the vehicle. This helps keep traffic moving. Staff are happy to assist children as needed. If your child needs significant assistance exiting a vehicle, please park in our upper parking lot and help them there then walk them across the crosswalk to our entry area.
• We ask that students unload on the passenger-side of the vehicle whenever possible - this is the side closest to our building.
• After you have dropped your student, exit the parking lot by driving through the staff lot in the front of the school (NOT our Bus Lane). See the map below for details.
• Drop-off traffic is expected to yield to buses at all times while on campus.
• If your child needs assistance exiting the vehicle and you don't want staff helping with this, please park in the lot closest to the drop off loop and walk your child to the crosswalk near the drop-off zone.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work to make afternoon pick-up procedures as safe and efficient as possible.

• Families picking students up are to take the big loop around our north parking lot, do not block any intersections as you do so.
• Families need to check-in with a staff member and provide the number assigned to your family for pick up. Each family will be given a card that will assist in this process. Please place these in a visible location in your vehicle. Note: All children in your family will have the same pick-up number.
• Duty staff will verify person picking up is on our approved list to do so. Please be sure you keep this list updated with Ms. Freeman in our office.
• Students will be called outside once check-in procedures are complete.
• After our first load of buses leave campus, families will be directed to pull up into the bus lane in one of our two lines. Please follow directions of the duty staff member.
• Staff will escort students to their vehicles and ensure they enter the correct vehicle.
• Once loaded, staff will assist in moving vehicles up to the traffic light.
• All pick-up traffic is expected to yield to buses while on our campus.
• Please work with your child so they can get in/out of your vehicle/their seat independently. We ask adults to stay in vehicles.
• Please share this information with all adults approved to pick up your child from school so they are familiar with our routines.

As is typical, we've had some staff leave and change roles. Mrs. Secord and I prioritized adding amazing people to our school team this spring and summer so took our time interviewing and working through personnel changes. While it's always sad to see people leave, we are very excited about the team we have in place! For your information, I've listed new staff and staff who have changed roles below.

New Staff

Sydney Coffey - Kindergarten Teacher

Linda Hamilin - Special Ed. Assistant

Katie Hoover - LETRS Assistant

Heidi Hutton - 4th Grade Teacher

Evan Maxey - Special Education Assistant

Emily Oldham - 2nd Grade Teacher

Mia Pieretti - 3rd Grade Teacher

Laurie Silva - Behavior Support Assistant (BSA)

Erica Teter - Kindergarten Teacher

MacKenzie Walling - Kindergarten Teacher

Jenny Waizecker - Part-Time Office Clerical

TBD - Special Education Assistant

Veteran Staff in New Roles

Melanie Bair - Former K Teacher, Now a Reading Specialist

Lori Pillichody - Former 1st Grade Teacher, Now a 2nd Grade Teacher

Lauren Threewitts - Former BSA, Now a Special Education Assistant

Staff with New Names - Congrats to Our Newlyweds!

Mrs. Anna Durren - Formerly Miss Smith

Mrs. Skylar Jordan - Formerly Miss Hedgepeth

Mrs. Keely Smith - Formerly Miss Hinkle

Email: shammill@rockingham.k12.va.us
Website: http://jwes.rockingham.k12.va.us/
Location: 801 North Main Street, Bridgewater, VA, USA
Phone: 540-828-6081
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JohnWaylandElementary