JJHS Update

September 17: Fall Fundraiser Prize Day 1

September 18: Vision & Hearing Screenings

September 18: Sign up for Parent/Guardian- Teacher Conferences

September 20: Picture Retake Day

September 23: Fall Fundraiser Prize Day 2

September 27: 8th Grade Field Trip

September 30: SOS Presentation to 6th Grade

October 8: Home & School Meeting

October 10-11: Parent/Guardian- Teacher Conferences

October 18: Career Motive-8 for 8th Grade Students

October 20: Team NEF Race

Jefferson’s Parent/Guardian-Teacher Conferences will be held virtually on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 5-8:30 p.m., and on Friday, Oct. 11, from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. All Parent/Guardian-Teacher Conferences will take place via Zoom. In the case that you are unable to participate via Zoom, please contact the teacher directly.

To schedule your virtual conferences, you will log into PTC Wizard. You may login on Wednesday, September 18th, and begin scheduling. The process is not lengthy, and the PTC Wizard Parent Guide (PTC Wizard Guía para los Padres) will help you navigate the system. You will access the PTC Wizard website at: https://naperville203.ptcwizard.com/parent/ and login using your Campus Parent username and password.

Please note that parents/guardians must have a Campus Parent account before signing up for Parent-Teacher Conferences. Please see PTC Wizard Login Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

PTC Wizard will close for scheduling conferences on Thursday, Oct. 3. Anyone with limited computer access can receive assistance with conference scheduling by calling the school.

On behalf of our Jefferson staff, I want to thank you for participating in these conferences. We look forward to seeing you then.

Kim Fricke
Principal

Review this Home and School special edition newsletter to learn more about the Annual Home and School Fundraiser and how it can support your student and our school community!

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year. We are excited to announce a new submission for the Patriot Newsletter. This year we will include a SEL corner called: The Mindful Minute. There are 3 counselors, 4 social workers, and 2 psychologists on our student service team this year. Here are our school roles: School Social Worker: School Social Workers are trained mental health professionals who assist with behavioral concerns, positive behavioral support, crisis intervention, consultation with teachers, parents, and administrators as well as provide referrals for additional outside resources. An essential role of the Naperville District 203 Social Workers is to foster the acquisition of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills among all students in order to help them become critical thinkers, effective communicators, collaborative workers, as well as responsible and productive citizens. School Psychologists: School psychologists are mental health professionals with specialized training in psychology and education. They use their training and skills to team with educators, parents, and other mental health professionals to ensure that every child learns in a safe, positive, and supportive environment. School psychologists identify and resolve barriers to school success by helping students build their resilience, communication, problem solving, and self-regulation skills. They support students through counseling and behavioral support and through collaboration with their teachers and families. School Counselors: Each student is assigned a counselor who works with the student in a variety of ways. The Counselors are concerned with students' orientation to school, the adjustments of individuals to the total school setting, and the development of maturity, responsibility, and a good self concept. Students may see the Counselors by requesting an appointment.

Don't forget to upload your Family Selfie by September 27th! We want all of our students and families included in this year's banner!

Retakes will be held on September 20, 2024. Afterwards, you’ll be able to view your images, order packages and select your image for your yearbook (please remember to do so before it’s selected for you), all orders will be delivered to your home.

To view and order photos from Picture Day: You’ll receive an email when your images are ready to view online. Or, you can search for them at vipis.com shortly after photos are taken. If you need further assistance, contact VIP at support@vipis.com.

As we continue our efforts to proactively support our students’ social-emotional health, D203 is continuing to partner with Elyssa’s mission, a nonprofit organization dedicated to suicide prevention, to implement the Signs of Suicide (SOS) Program and/or refresher in grades 6-12. SOS is an evidence-based program that incorporates two key suicide prevention strategies: a curriculum that raises awareness of suicide and mental health issues and a brief screening for depression and other risk factors associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

The program is designed to:

• Increase knowledge and awareness about depression;
• Encourage students to seek help for themselves or on behalf of a friend;
• Reduce stigma around mental illness; and
• Engage parents and school staff as partners in suicide prevention.

On September 30th, all 6th grade students will be presented with the program.

The program will be facilitated by Student Support Services who will engage students by showing the SOS video and leading students in a discussion about how to implement the key message of Acknowledge, Care, and Tell (ACT). Following the discussion, students will complete a brief depression screener, as well as a response card that allows them to indicate if they would like to speak to an adult about themselves or a friend.

The depression screener addresses thoughts and feelings a student may be experiencing that may not be evident to parents or teachers. The screener does not provide a diagnosis of depression but rather alerts school staff to students who need further investigation. Student services staff (social workers, school psychologist, or counselor) or a qualified community mental health partner will meet with any student whose screener indicates a need. Parents/guardians will be notified if their student is seen and provided with any necessary next steps which may include a referral to a community provider, the development of a school support plan, and/or the development of a progress monitoring plan with student services staff.

Additional information on Elyssa’s Mission, The Signs of Suicide program, and Suicide Prevention can be found by visiting www.elyssasmission.org or https://www.mindwise.org/parents/. Be sure to visit the parent page where you will find a video that outlines the warning signs of suicide and how to keep your student safe.

If you have any questions and/or do NOT want your child to participate in the SOS program and/or refresher, please contact Lindsay Haymon, Assistant Principal, lhaymon@naperville203.org prior to the program date. If we do not hear from you, we will assume your student has permission to participate in this program.

In partnership with area businesses, Naperville 203 will host an 8th Grade Career Exploration Day to motive-8 students to continue career exploration and planning. The event, called Career Motive-8, will provide students with a hands-on experience, aligned with the district’s comprehensive counseling curriculum, to deepen their understanding of various careers. All 8th grade students from each Junior High will attend this event on Friday, October 18, 2024 held at the Naperville Yard.

Naperville 203 Career Motive-8 Video

More information can be found on the district website at https://www.naperville203.org/Page/9997.

Any individuals (businesses/organizations) wishing to join us at Career Motive-8 need to complete this Volunteer Form. Our goal is to have 150 individuals and businesses representing a variety of career pathways and provide a hands-on activity to engage students in learning about each career.

We are looking forward to a great experience for all our eighth grade students on October 18, 2024, and encourage you to speak with your child about Career Motive-8!

Future Naperville North Huskie and Naperville Central Redhawk Families,

Friday night football games are one of the greatest traditions at Naperville 203 High Schools. These games allow us to celebrate our athletic department, our school spirit, and the Naperville community we love.

While we encourage parents and students of all ages to attend our games, safety of those in attendance and providing a positive environment where all spectators can enjoy the game is of the utmost importance to us. Therefore, we need your help.

Over the years, we have experienced a large number of unsupervised junior high and elementary school students at our games. While some watch the game from the stands, far too many are not watching the game at all. Instead, they are engaging in playground and rough-housing behavior in our stadium area which puts themselves and others at risk. This includes tackling, throwing balls and frisbees in crowded areas, and other types of unacceptable behaviors. With over 5,000 people in attendance at our games, it is impossible for us to supervise all of them.

With respect to the 2024-25 school year, all high school students in good standing are allowed to attend - but must show their high school IDs (physical card or electronic image from Infinite Campus) upon entry to each game. Junior high and elementary students must enter the stadium with a paying adult. Students should not bring frisbees, balls, or any other toy or object that can be thrown. Parents are expected to supervise their children while at the game

Thank you for your continued support and partnership with our school and our goal of providing a safe, positive environment during athletic events.

Sincerely,

The Naperville 203 High School Administrative Teams

Students are routinely screened for vision in the Early Childhood Program, grades 2 and 8, and for hearing in Early Childhood, K, 1, 2, 3. Students in special education are screened for vision and hearing annually. Students can also be screened by teacher or parent request if a child exhibits symptoms. This is only a screening and does not take the place of an examination by a doctor. A more comprehensive vision exam can be obtained through an optometrist or ophthalmologist.

These screenings will take place at Jefferson Junior High on September 18th.

If you would like to order a 2024-2025 yearbook for your student, please use this link to place your order. If you do not preorder, there is no guarantee that your student will be able to purchase a yearbook in May. We have sold out the last three years. If you have any questions, please contact Christine Levernier at clevernier@naperville203.org.

Jefferson Junior High Spirit Wear Available at jefferson.spiritsale.com

Access Code: patriots

Your student will receive the items from their PE teacher once they arrive at Jefferson.

We're excited to welcome students back to school in collaboration with our food service provider, OrganicLife. Our Nutrition Services site has been updated with essential information including weekly menus, meal pricing and more. We encourage you to participate in our Naperville 203 Food Service and Wellness Survey to provide valuable feedback on the services we provide. Welcome back!

The ALIVE Teen Center is excited to begin their Youth Peer Mentor Program. This program is uniquely designed to support student's personal and academic growth. This program pairs junior high students with upperclassmen (Juniors & Seniors) who can guide, encourage, and help younger students navigate the challenges of school and life.

What the Program Offers:

• Personalized Support: Get advice and guidance from older students who have been in their shoes.
• Skill Development: Learn valuable skills such as goal setting and effective communication.
• Safe Space: Share their thoughts and concerns with someone who understands and is here to help.

How to Join:

If a student is interested in becoming a mentee, please fill have parent or guardian fill out the application form:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16EKw7UeoG1h-VBYbi_xajd0YYqXSyW8pmloeN9lKSBQ/edit

Parent/Mentee Training session and Meet N Greet Mentor will be hosted on September 27, 2024

Deadline to submit above application: September 16, 2024

We’ll match students with a mentor who best fits their needs and interests. We believe that every student has the potential to excel and make connections. We look forward to having students from Jefferson Junior High School as part of this program. If you have any questions or need more information, please don't hesitate to contact us at Becky@alivecenter.org.

Click here for JJHS Calendar

Click here for District Newsletter

Email: kfricke@naperville203.org
Website: naperville203.org/jjhs
Location: 1525 North Loomis Street, Naperville, IL, USA
Phone: (630)420-6363
Twitter: @JJHSPatriots