Parent Newsletter #2

I hope this message finds your families well. Our teachers have been diligently preparing their classrooms and are eager to welcome your children back. As parents, I’m sure you are excited to see your kids head back to school! Our middle school team is equally excited to welcome everyone for the 2024-2025 school year. Below, you’ll find a few updates as we gear up for our opening day on Tuesday, September 3rd.

LCJSMS is proud of our Bond Referendum, which will significantly enhance the middle school experience for our students. The referendum will provide new instructional spaces for STEAM and small group instruction, as well as a brand new cafeteria with modern amenities, a wellness center, an upgraded security area, and eventually air conditioning. While our team has made tremendous progress over the summer, we are in the final stages of completing the project. Please see the updates below:

Cafeteria: We are expecting this space to be complete in the next two weeks. Students will eat lunch at tables in the gym during the first two weeks of school. Teachers will walk their classes down to the gym the first two days of school while students get acclimated. Please note that Pomptoian will be selling grab and go items during this time for students to purchase. Our menu will be limited during the first two weeks until our kitchen is fully operational. In the meantime, the meal items below will be prepped at another school in the district and transported to the middle school for lunch. Some students may wish to bring their lunch until we have the full array of items. Once the new space is available in two weeks, we will have all the traditional food items.

Daily menu would be all grab & go:

Grill items (chicken patties, burgers, chicken tenders, etc)

Pre made deli sandwiches

Pizzeria pizza

Pre made salads

Unlimited farmstand (fresh fruits & vegetables)

Juice, milk, water, Snapple

Limited snack items a la carte

Breakfast:

Please note that our breakfast service will start on Monday, September 9th and we will not be serving breakfast during the first week of school.

Lockers:

Due to the constraints of our current construction project, we are unable to assign lockers at the start of the school year. While we understand this is not ideal, we’ve had to adjust our plans for this year.

For the first two weeks of school, students will need to use their backpacks to carry their items.

If students bring cell phones to school, they must keep them turned off or on silent and stored in their backpacks. We anticipate that lockers will be assigned in the next two weeks, at which point students can use them to store their belongings. Thank you for your understanding and flexibility.

New Classrooms:

The construction crew is working diligently to prepare the new classroom spaces for your children. If your child is assigned to a room that isn't yet ready for instruction, they will be temporarily moved to another classroom until the construction is complete. We expect the six new classrooms to be ready very soon. Arrangements will be made on the first day of school to ensure that your child knows where to go.

I understand that many of you were looking forward to our traditional 6th-grade orientation, which unfortunately had to be canceled this year due to construction. However, we've taken several steps to ensure your child will have a smooth transition into middle school.

A few weeks ago, I worked with our Sixth-Grade team leaders to develop engaging welcome activities. During the first week of school, our dedicated Sixth-Grade team will spend extra time with the students to help them adjust to their new environment. Rest assured, your children are in excellent hands, and we are committed to making their introduction to middle school positive and welcoming.

In addition to the in-class activities, on the second day of school, my administrative team will hold an assembly for all 6th-grade students. This assembly will cover much of what would have been included in our traditional orientation.

Thank you for your understanding and support.

On the first day of school, please ensure your children know the correct door to go to for the start of the day:

• 6th Grade: Students should enter through the door at the intersection of Oakland Place and Summit Avenue (Front Entrance & Side Entrance).

• 7th Grade: Students should gather on the front steps outside the Main Entrance.

• 8th Grade: Students should enter through the doors closest to Summit Avenue and Morris Avenue.

Please avoid entering the back of the building for drop-offs in the morning. Our construction crew will be on-site for the first few weeks, and we need to keep that area clear to allow them to complete their work efficiently.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!