TJMS Weekly Family Newsletter

Jaguar Families,

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and is prepared for another hot week. I'm a deep believer that we should always try to look for the good. But that doesn't mean we should pretend everything is good when there are problems to address. With that, there are a few issues I need to share with families.

Thursday, September 19, was our first Loved Ones on the Lawn day. It is my FAVORITE day! I love seeing families come onto campus and spend time with students and staff. Both lunches were perfect, right up until about the last 4 minutes of 7th grade lunch. There was a fight between two students, followed by almost every 7th grade student running towards it. To say we were embarrassed is an understatement. We don't like fights. You don't like fights. And we pride ourselves on how few fights we have. But we learned that the fight was instigated by a parent who took advantage of an opportunity when welcomed onto campus. This is absolutely unacceptable. It's difficult to teach students best ways to deal with conflict when it's not modeled by some adults. Know that we took the strongest steps possible to hold the adult accountable. I was absolutely shocked by the conduct and saddened that it wasn't something I thought to predict. It also made me question the practice of inviting our families to join us for lunch if this is something we have to consider. Thank you to everyone that reported what you observed. And thank you for talking to your children about NOT running towards danger of any kind. We need helpers or for students to stay out of the way when an unsafe situation happens.

Good news! 8th graders are doing a great job during lunch for the most part of being responsible and cleaning up after themselves. Unfortunately, 7th grade students need some improvement. We need 7th grade students not to run to the lunch line, to Keep Their Hands, Feet, and Other Objects to Themselves, and to throw their trash in trash cans. They will be eating in the cafeteria and not out on campus until this improves. Individual students that continue not to follow the rules, will be assigned Saturday Detention.

Finally, this week there have been endless “talks” about talks about school shootings and alleged threats to Toby. Please see a response I sent to a parent in an email. I’m hopeful this gives you all some information that alleviates your concerns and helps you discuss the topic with your child.

“Hello, Ms. ___________,

Thank you for reaching out. I’m sorry ____________ is feeling so anxious. As far as an update, there has not been a single confirmed report of any threat about a school shooting at Toby. Unfortunately, because of social media posts last week about other schools in our district, county and nation, lots of kids are talking about kids talking about school shootings. If anyone reports hearing or seeing something specific (from a specific person or post), we immediately report to EGUSD and Law Enforcement. The few people that have reported hearing something specific to me have been reported. In each case, law enforcement personally went to the home of the individual, and each time, it’s been confirmed to be false or “just joking”. I know these are concerning times. We’re doing our best to teach students NOT to joke about, talk about, or repost about school shootings, but to report any concerns to an adult. Sharing or making false threats can be a crime.”

I know this was a heavier weekly message. But the information is important. Thank you for your constant support and for reinforcing similar messages at home. Let's all try to make it a great week! 😊

GO JAGS!!! 💜

Jenny Keyport

TJMS Principal

• TJMS Website
• TJMS 24-25 Bell Schedules
  
• Reporting Student Absences
• My School Bucks
• TJMS Calendar
• TJMS Student Handbook
• TJMS Activities
• EGUSD Synergy, ParentVue and StudentVue help
  
• EGUSD Calendars
  
• 2024-2025 EGUSD Parent and Student Handbook
  

LOOKING AHEAD:

• 9/25, Homecoming Rally
• 9/25, 4:00 School Site Council Meeting via Zoom
  
• 9/26, Picture Makeup Day, 8:00-10:00 in the MP Room
• 9/28, Saturday Detention - 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
• 9/30-10/4, Homecoming Spirit Week
• 10/3, Student of the Month
• 10/4, Homecoming Parade

To see all events and activities, go to the TJMS Website and click on “VIEW ALL DATES” to see our up to date activities and events calendar.

We will continue to teach and reinforce our 4 core values in all locations on campus. We will also be discussing showing kindness at school. Teachers will reward students who are meeting our core values by handing out Jag Swag. Families can continue the conversation at home by asking their child(ren) what our core values are at school and how they relate to your values as a family.

JAG SWAG PULL

This week we will have a Jag Swag Pull for the treat truck. Students who are pulled will receive 1 ticket for themselves and 4 to share with friends. The treat truck's menu is always changing but we always have a variety of ice cream, drinks, snacks, and non-food treats too!

2024-25 EGUSD School Year Calendar
The EGUSD 2024-2025 School Year Calendar – English | Spanish .

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Elk Grove Upcoming Events and Key Dates

Approved Fliers:

• Elk Grove Lacrosse

• Next Level Flag Football

• Crossover Basketball League
  

• VHS Sports

• 2024 Dreams in Motion Color Run

• SacBreathe Flyers

• CSD Winter Events

• Young Champions Cheerleading
  

• CSD Giant Pumpkin Festival
• CSD Fall Formal Dance

• Rotary Youth Exchange

• CSD Teen Fall Classes

• Ole Soccer Academy

• Sacramento Performing Art Conservatory
  
• CSD Healthy Kids Extravaganza

• Golden Harvest Parade

Mandarins Music Academy
Attention 4th, 5th & 6th grade parents! The Mandarins Music Academy is a FREE beginning band program that is fun and educational at the same time. Your child will learn to read and perform music, while learning other valuable life skills at the same time! Band classes will be held twice a week before or after school and will take place on-site at your elementary school. Apply at mandarins.org/mma24.

• This program is brought to you by EGUSD and the Sacramento Mandarins. For more info, please visit mandarins.org or email DirectorMMA@mandarins.org.

Varsity Tutors for Schools
Elk Grove Unified is pleased to announce an exciting partnership with Varsity Tutors for Schools, a leading platform for live online tutoring at no cost to EGUSD students and families. When students need help with homework or are struggling to solve a problem, they can immediately chat with a tutor, 24/7, to get the help they need. Students can take practice tests and follow personal lesson plans for guided self-study. They can also sign up for expert-led live classes, and learn subjects like geometry, middle school math, elementary school reading and more, alongside their peers. The Varsity Tutors for School platform is now visible in the EGUSD student portal.

• Varsity Tutors Announcement

Visual Arts Curriculum Parent Preview Nights
EGUSD is excited to invite parents and guardians to preview nights on Tuesday, September 17th, and Monday, September 23rd, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Robert L. Trigg Center, Conference Room 117. These events are specifically designed for families with children in TK through 6th grade. This is a valuable opportunity for you to explore and provide feedback on the "Discover Your Inner Artist" visual arts curriculum, which is currently under consideration for adoption. We look forward to hearing your insights and perspectives!

Spanish Family Wellness Series 2024
El Santuario de Mariposas (Spanish-Speaking Affinity Group) is thrilled to reintroduce the Spanish Family Wellness Series, featuring new topics tailored for our Spanish-speaking families and community in EGUSD. Our upcoming workshops, which will cover a variety of subjects including mental health, ParentVue, parenting, paint night, and more. Register by selecting the links in the Spanish Family Wellness Series flyer. If you have any questions, please call Alma Avalos at (916) 831-5552. Thank you for supporting our community’s growth and well-being!

Student Score Reports for 2024 State Assessments
Student score reports are now available from the Spring 2024 administration of these state assessments:

• California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP)
• English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC)

If your child(ren) participated in one or both of these state assessments, you may download their official score report via ParentVUE under “State Tests.” Please visit Accessing State Score Reports on ParentVUE for instructions and information. If you do not yet have a ParentVUE account, we encourage you to contact your child’s school office in order to activate your account.

Now Until December 19, 2024: Free Food Distribution
EGUSD will continue to host bi-monthly food distribution events through the summer and fall of 2024. Please note in July and August there will be one event. These events are held at Calvine High School (8333 Vintage Park Dr.) from 3:45 to 5:15 pm.
Free Food Distribution Flyer (translated flyers included)

July to October Student Immunization Clinics
Clinics will be held at both the Newcomer Welcome Center (8661 Power Inn Rd, Elk Grove) and Trigg Education Center (9510 Elk Grove Florin Rd, Elk Grove). All immunizations required for school entry will be provided for students in Preschool through 12th grade wanting to enter into Elk Grove Unified School District. Clinic is by appointment only.
Student Immunization Clinic Location/Schedule (translated flyers included)

Sacramento County Immunization Assistance Program
Free for those who do not have commercial insurance. Serving children ages 0-18. Clinic is by appointment only. Call (916) 875-7468 to schedule an appointment.
Immunization Assistance Program Flyer (translated flyers included)

The Dangers of Smoking & Vaping Resources
As we start a new school year, talking to your children about the dangers of smoking and vaping can be daunting. EGUSD’s Youth Development’s Tobacco Use Prevention Education program has some tips and resources for having those talks.
View The Dangers of Smoking & Vaping Resources

FREE Mental Health App
Explore your mental health journey with us. Soluna offers confidential support for California residents aged 13 to 25, completely free of charge. Engage in one-on-one chats with a professional coach, utilize interactive tools to manage stress, or dive into a variety of quizzes, videos, forums, and more. The choice is yours! No cost. No pressure.
Learn More About Soluna