TJ Today
Thomas Jefferson Middle School 2020 - 21
September 2020
Sept. 4 - Labor Day - No School
Sept. 11 - Fri. Midterm Grades/eligibilitySept. 25 - Fri. 1/2 day of school for all students -dismissal 11:30
TJMS PARENTS AND STUDENTS ARE AWESOME!
We would like to thank our wonderful parents for how supportive they have been through this new challenge we are facing with Covid 19. Parents have been so cooperative in informing us if their child hasn't been feeling great and following all the precautions that have been put in place for our students' well-being. We realize this is not always convenient to families, but the positive attitudes we have received have definitely been helpful. I know not all schools have had this type of support from their parents and it is truly appreciated.
We also want to let you know our students are doing a fantastic job of wearing masks, keeping them in place and following all our safety measures. They come in everyday masks on and ready to start the day with positive attitudes. What a great way to start our day!
(*Reminder: Parents, please make sure that your student's mask gets cleaned every couple days and is still fitting properly. Some masks have a tendency to stretch out and not fit properly to protect your child.)
6th Keeps on rolling
6th Grade:
Off to a good start!
Things have been rolling right along for the TJMS 6th Grade. The hallways are still bustling, but the students are starting to settle in! You can see the ‘middle-schooler’ confidence that wasn’t there before.
Wow, Time Flies!
It’s hard to believe that we are in our 3rd full week of school! Please make sure your students have all of the supplies needed for their classes. If you need a copy of the 6th grade supply sheet, click here.
What’cha Reading?
All 6th grade students are getting ready to start reading Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen. It’s a story about Cole Matthews, a troubled teen who experiences a life-altering encounter with the mythical Spirit Bear. Students and teachers alike are enjoying lively discussions based on their reactions to the text!
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Parents--if you could please:
Check grades and assignments on Skyward/Canvas weekly.
If you see a missing assignment, communicate with your child and let them know it needs to be completed/turned in.
Contact your child’s teacher with any questions/concerns if your child is struggling academically—We all want your children to be successful!
7th Great Start
7th Grade is off to a great start! We have enjoyed getting to know all of our students, both in person and remote! A few quick reminders:
-ALL students should be checking Canvas daily! This is a very important step for students to make sure they are staying up to date on all assignments. As a reminder, all assignments are posted in Canvas and all grades are posted in Skyward.
-Please make sure your student has earbuds/headphones that they bring to school with them daily. Inexpensive ones work perfectly! Many classes have students listen to audio or watch a video on a regular basis.
-Please check around your home or ask your student to check for any books or materials (Media Center Books, Teacher Library Books, Textbooks, etc) that they did not turn in last year.
-For our Remote Learners: Please make sure you are reading the weekly newsletter that is sent home every Monday. There is valuable information for you in that newsletter each week, including days which classes are live streamed.
-If you have recently changed your email address, please make sure and update that information in Skyward as well.
8th Grade Happenings
8th grade- The Final Middle School Frontier
Can you believe it? Your child is now in their final year of middle school. It probably seems like yesterday when they were frightened, anxious, and hopefully a little excited as they entered the doors of TJMS for the first time.
Many changes can occur in three years. And in 8th grade, one of our goals as a team of teachers is to transition your child into high school. Throughout the year, we will engage in several activities to help prepare them for that next step of high school. Some events that will occur include:
*Class of 2025 t-shirts with designated colors by Viking Time
*PSAT testing in October
*Career exploration and surveys with our guidance counselors
*Information and presentations regarding colleges, specialized training programs, and vocational education
*Programs based on planning for the future and finances
*High school scheduling
We look forward to not only teaching your student curriculum, but we hope to prepare them for what lies ahead as well.
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*Remote learners: It is imperative that you log into Canvas every day during the school day! Some tasks that teachers assign need to be done during their scheduled class period and/or regular school hours.
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The best time to reach the 8th grade team is between 9:00 am and 9:30 am daily.
Builders Club News
Thomas Jefferson will, once again, be having Builders Club this year! We will have 2 advisors; Ms. Perry will be joining Mrs. Janowiak to double our fun and involvement. The details of the club are still being worked out, so watch the announcements for an upcoming call out meeting. We can’t wait to get started hiking our trail at Meadowbrook and planning new ways to help our school and community.
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
~Mahatma Ghandi
REMINDER OF OUR NEW PROCEDURES
No student drop off in front of the building from 8:00 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. Buses are dropping off in this time period.
SCHOOL Pictures Delayed
TJMS Aide Position
Share your pictures
Parents and students--We KNOW you take amazing pictures--like those amazing action shots during sporting events, or group shots of you and your friends---and we want to publish your work in our yearbook!
Have you downloaded the Replayit app on your phone yet? No? No worries! You can upload your amazing photos by visiting www.replayit.com
Thanks for sharing your moments with us!