Dear Ira B. Jones Families:

We have 19 days of school left!

I want to express my gratitude and appreciation for the love and support you showed to our teachers and staff last week during the Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week, especially to our FTO. Our teachers and staff work tirelessly to ensure that our Global Scholars and families receive the best education and support possible. They deserve all the appreciation and gratitude we can give them.

Also, thank you for attending the Spring Fling on Friday. It was a great event, and I genuinely appreciate our FTO's hard work and dedication to pulling an event like this together. The turnout was fantastic, and seeing our school community come together before the end of this school year was beautiful. Everyone had a great time; it was a perfect way to end the week. Thank you again for your support and dedication to our school community.

A few reminders:

• As we enter the final 3.5 weeks of the school year, our students must remain engaged, attentive, and present. The last quarter tends to be busy, and both their and your active participation are critical to a successful end of the year. Please continue to check the communication between your child's teacher and school. Many events will happen, and we don't want you to miss out on anything. For example, we will have a schoolwide talent show and dance party on the last day of school!

• The last quarter of the school year will include several assessments our students must take, including End of Grade Testing (EOGs) for 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. Although we will send testing information soon, the testing dates are as follows:
  • May 24: 5th Grade Science EOG
  • May 29: 3rd - 5th Grade Reading EOG
  • May 30: 3rd - 5th Grade Math EOG

• Lastly, I urge you to continue reviewing the school behavior expectations with your students. Your support in this area is greatly appreciated as it helps maintain a positive and conducive learning environment for all.

I invite you to visit our school's website and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/irabjones/ and follow us on Twitter @Principal_IBJ and Instagram @IraB.JonesElementary. These will serve as a resource tool for all upcoming events, the student/family handbook, and important reminders, and you can catch up with all the wonderful things our students and teachers are doing. I also send out a weekly family newsletter. Please ensure we have updated contact information so you can stay informed of all our school happenings.

As a school leader and a parent, I understand the necessity of healthy communication between families and the school. I welcome your questions, celebrations, or concerns at any time. You can call the school at 828.350.6700 or email me at ruafika.cobb@acsgmail.net.

In Partnership,

Ruafika A. Cobb

Principal

Ira B. Jones Elementary School

#noplacelikejones

Hello Jones families:

As we wrap up the school year, we want to remind you of the importance of maintaining a positive balance in your child's cafeteria account. Ensuring that your account is up to date before the end of the school year helps us effectively manage our cafeteria services. It ensures that all students can enjoy nutritious meals without interruption.

Please take a moment to review your child's cafeteria account balance and settle any outstanding payments before the end of the school year. You can easily check and manage your account balance with Mr. Travis or call the main office at 828.350.6700. You can also pay online using the following link: https://nc02214494.schoolwires.net/Domain/2737.

Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated and contributes to the smooth operation of our cafeteria services. If you have any questions or need assistance regarding your child's cafeteria account, please don't hesitate to reach out to our cafeteria staff or the school office.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward to finishing the school year strong together.

Please join us for the upcoming ACS Board Meeting on Monday, May 13th. You'll be able to attend either in person or virtually. During the Good News portion of the meeting, there will be celebrations to recognize all the good news from Jones. They will be celebrating the following events and achievements:

• Nutrition Team's perfect score
• Orange Peel School Performance
• District-wide art exhibit
• Elementary Battle of the Books

The Good News segment, a time of joy and pride, will be presented at 5:00 p.m., right at the beginning of the board meeting. We eagerly look forward to sharing these uplifting moments with you. We hope to see you there!

The Spring Concert for first and second grade will be May 15 in the gymnasium. Students need to arrive by 6:15 for the 6:30 performance. Students need to wear cool, comfortable clothing... no special attire required. "Looking nice" always a plus if possible! The concert will last about 30 minutes. Hope to see you there!

• April 22 – May 17, 2024: K-5 USNS Testing Window
• April 29 – May 17, 2024: K-5 End of Year mClass WIndow
• May 1 – 31, 2024: K-2 Math Summative Window
• May 1 – 21, 2024: End of Year Panorama Survey
• Wednesday, May 15: Spring Concert for 1st and 2nd grades
  
• Wednesday, May 22: Kindergarten Registration
  
• Friday, May 24: Science EOG (5th grade only)/Early Release Day
  
• Monday, May 27: Memorial Day (Holiday) No School
  
• Wednesday, May 29: Reading EOG (3rd - 5th grades)
  
• Thursday, May 30: Math EOG (3rd - 5th grades)
  
• Friday, June 7: Last Day of School/Early Release Day
  

It's crucial to understand that no amount of stress relief activities can compensate for neglecting your own well-being. Prioritizing our basic needs is the key to making stress relief activities truly effective.

What is Self-Care? Self-care is a conscious act promoting physical, mental, and emotional health. Unfortunately, many people view self-care as a luxury rather than a priority. Consequently, they feel overwhelmed, tired, and ill-equipped to handle life's inevitable challenges. It's essential to assess how you care for yourself in several domains to ensure you care for your mind and body.

Physical Self-Care: This encompasses how we nourish our bodies, the quality of our sleep, the level of physical activity we engage in, and how we attend to our physical needs.

Social Self-Care: Close connections are essential to your well-being. The best way to cultivate and maintain close relationships is to put time and energy into building supportive relationships with others.

Mental Self-Care: This includes doing things that keep your mind sharp and help you stay mentally healthy.

Emotional Self-Care: This may include activities that help you acknowledge and express your feelings.