Jefferson Elementary

Greetings Jefferson Families:

It's hard to believe summer is hitting its midpoint! My hope is that your summer has been relaxing, rejuvenating and full of fun family time together. You may have noticed back to school supplies are starting to show up on store shelves and students and staff are starting to build excitement for the upcoming school year.

As we prepare to start the new year. Linked below are a few resources to help get you started. The second link is our district website. It has our upcoming calendar year and school supply list for your reference.

SAVE THE DATE~ On August 28th we will be partnering with our wonderful PTO to host a special family event we are calling "Popsicles on the Playground". Our the goal is to bring together our Jefferson Families to provide an opportunity for them to connect with one another, catch up on summer happenings or meet someone new in our Jefferson community. We will send out more details as the date gets closer!

Lastly, be checking your parent portal for upcoming information about updating your child's census and health information.

I will be sending out another communication early to mid-August about some additional fall items including class lists, entrance conferences information and other important items for the start of our school year.

Until then take care and enjoy these warm days!!!

You might have noticed if you have swung by the Jefferson playground that our basketball hoops are in! These hoops were just one of the many items that we were able to purchase with our Jefferson Jog funds. One of the benches and all of the picnic tables also came from the money raised. So AWESOME!!!

Mark your calendars! Join us on Monday, July 22, from 11 AM to 11 PM at Buffalo Wild Wings (BW3). Dine in or take out and mention the Jefferson fundraiser or show the flyer to support our cause. For takeout, remember to mention "Jefferson" when picking up your food! Spread the word and hope to connect families over the summer!

We have had some exciting updates with staffing at Jefferson. Ms. Larson, our former 5th grade teacher has moved into 2nd grade. Prior to her time at Jefferson, Ms. Larson taught 2nd grade at Washington Elementary. Ms. Fitzloff will now be teaching Art in our District. We are also welcoming 2 new staff to Jefferson! Wren Zwaschka (Teacher Wren) will be joining our Special Education team with Ms. Shea and serving as an additional instructor on that team. Taylor Vargason will be teaching our 5th grade section this year. Check out their welcome letters to get to know a little more about them.

Hi Jeferrson Jaguar Community!

I'm Teacher Wren! I'm the new special education teacher and case manager in coordination with Ms. Shea. I will primarily be working with special education 3rd - 5th grader students with some overlap as Ms. Shea and I work to service our Jefferson Jaguar students.

Some students and families might recognize me as I was a substitute teacher for District 77 in the spring of 2023. After substituting, I was a special education teacher and case manager for 6th - 9th graders at Kato Public Charter School for the 2023-2024 school year. I also teach swimming lessons and lifeguard for Community Education.

I went to Ripon College in Ripon, WI, for my undergraduate degree where I tutored, was a Resident Assistant, and became involved in our Diversity and Service organizations. I'm currently pursuing my Masters in Special Education as an online student through the University of Minnesota.

During my free time, I enjoy being active with my family and friends. I have a big family with two younger brothers at Mankato West High School and a nephew going into 2nd grade. My older sister works at a bank in Mankato as a manager. I have two pets that are surprisingly best friends; Charlie is my eight year old Cocker Spaniel Poodle and Raven is my Mini-Rex bunny. I like to read, ski, skateboard, roller blade, craft, go for runs, swim, bike, do puzzles, and play games.

I'm really looking forward to meeting all of you this upcoming school year! Have a great rest of your summer!

Hi everyone! My name is Taylor Vargason. I am thrilled to be Jefferson's 5th-grade teacher! I

am excited to have the opportunity to grow within the school community. I grew up in the small

town of Dassel, Minnesota. In December 2023, I graduated from Minnesota State University,

Mankato. Following graduation, I taught 4th grade and Special Education. I like to spend my

free time playing sports, hiking, and reading. I look forward to a fantastic school year of learning,

growth, and fun!

Traditionally, Jefferson has always provided after school child care on site through our ACES program. We are looking to provide that same care before school for our families who need it. If you are interested click on the link below for details.