Junior High Journal

The staff of the D.C. Everest Junior High School want to officially welcome all of our families for the 2024-25 school year. We take great pride in the building and our school community. In order to improve communication, we will be publishing a quarterly newsletter to highlight some of the critical items that we want to ensure our families understand. However, we also have several sources that you can use depending on your preference. Junior High Channels of Communication.

Click on photos below and meet our Junior High Administrative Team.

To ensure that all students and families are prepared for our first day, we are offering multiple orientations dates. We invite all students and families to attend. You only need to attend one session but are welcome to join as many as you like. JH Orientation Information

The JH is fortunate to have a fantastic staff to work with you and your student(s). It is my pleasure to introduce you to our new staff members.

The JH will open each morning at 7:00am. At that time, students can enter the building and utilize the IMC or go to the cafeteria for breakfast. Then, at 7:20am students can enter the hallways, go to lockers, or spend some time with a staff member to get any assistance that may be needed for classes. Our first period class will begin at 7:40am. We begin each day with announcements, so you will notice that first period is a little longer than those for the remainder of the day.

JH Daily Schedule 2024-25

I know that drop-off and pick-up times can be potentially frustrating due to the high volume of traffic. In the morning, vehicles accessing the front of the building are asked to pull all the way into the drop-off zone before allowing students to exit a vehicle. This will ensure that our line steadily moves, and protects the safety of all our students. I also encourage using the south point of the campus, Everest Avenue as another drop-off and pick-up point. Students can use the sidewalk there to walk to the back of the school and wait until the doors open at 7:00am each morning. If your student rides the bus in the morning, they will be dropped off at the north doors between the JH and Steihm Stadium. From this point, students will walk to the back of the school and join classmates that may have been dropped off in the front of the building or on Everest Avenue.

At the conclusion of the day, families can access the front of the building or Everest Avenue for student pick-ups. The north parking lot is utilized as the bus transfer site for students in grades 6-12. As a result, vehicles will not have any access to this area until approximately 3:15pm each day.

For any appointments during the day, students will be given a pass for the time that they need to leave and families can simply pick students up in the front of the building after the students have signed out in the main office.

JH Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures Video

If you know your student will be missing any or all of a school day due to an appointment or trip, please send them with a note to the office when they get to school or call attendance before 8:30 am. The office will then give them a “Permit to Leave School” pass on paper and the teacher will release them from class at the time designated on the pass. Your student will check out in the office and meet you outside.

If the absence will be more than 5 days, a pre-approved absence request form will be given to the student when they bring in the note, for each of their teachers to sign. The student is then responsible for the homework that the teacher gives them on the form when they return. If they are absent more than 10 days in a year, a doctor’s note will be required for any further absences.

If your student becomes ill during the school day, they MUST first check in the health room. The health nurse will then determine if the child should be sent home. The health nurse will notify the parent for pick-up. Please discourage students from calling or texting you directly for pickup. Encourage them to first check in the health room before release.

JH Attendance Video

School Lunch Menus, Pricing & Payment information can be seen on the the district website. There is a small fee to make payments online or checks/cash can be brought into school lunchroom. Students use their PIN number to debit their accounts for their daily breakfast/lunch expenses. The price of a single breakfast is $1.50 and lunch is $2.20.

DRESS CODE REMINDERS
Students’s standard of dress and appearance should be a positive reflection of themselves and compatible with an effective learning environment. Dress and appearance should promote respect, and responsibility. Below are some bullet points to remember regarding our dress code.

• Bare midriffs and exposed stomach or "crop tops" should not be worn.
• No see-through clothing should be worn.
• clothing that contains pictures and or writing referring to alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, sexual references, profanity, promotion of gambling and drugs/drug use is prohibited.
• Exposed undergarments are not allowed.
• Head coverings that are not of a religious or traditional ethnic attire cannot be worn in the building.
• Skirts or shorts should be approximately mid-thigh in length.

JH Dress Code Video

One of the factors to ensuring success at the JH is engagement. Our staff will provide many opportunities for our students to get involved in athletics, clubs, and organizations. These offerings provide a means for students to meet new friends and to learn about leadership and other life skills. On Friday, September 13, we will conduct our activities fair in the gym. At this event, students will be able to learn more about the various clubs and organizations and sign up for them.

JH Clubs
JH Sports/Activities

Yearbooks can be purchased now or throughout the school year for $25. They can be purchased in the office or via your Infinite Campus account.

All students must have their photo taken for a student ID and a photo for the yearbook. Purchasing additional photos is optional and can be done through Payne Photography. If you didn’t get the opportunity to have your photo taken during orientation days, you will have another opportunity on October 12 during photo retake day. Payne Photography Flyer

If you haven’t yet, please take the time to read through the 2024-25 Student Handbook. It is important that students and families are familiar with the details in the handbook.

Our extended learning period (ELT) is 8th hour during our daily schedule. This period is critical to allow students and staff to meet to discuss questions, to make up work, or to complete assessments. When a student is called by a staff member to meet, an automatic email is sent to the families of our students. This will allow for the sharing of academic needs and potential concerns. If you have any questions please contact either a staff member, Student Services , or someone in the main office for support.

Students at the JH have the opportunity to utilize two different tip-lines for sharing critical information with administration. The first method is a system called Speak-Up. Speak-Up is designed to help students communicate information about bullying and harassment, conflicts, threats of violence and students in crisis.

The second option is called P3 and is directly tied to Marathon County Crime Stoppers. This can be accessed via all student iPads with the P3 app. This option focuses on crimes or potential crimes at school or in the community.

Students that use either tip-line are eligible for quick $50 payouts.

Planners are available for $2 in the main office. There are also various organizational apps available on your iPad.

It is important to regularly clean out your locker and backpack. Folders and notebooks will help keep sheets from piling up.. If you need tips or help with organization, see your school counselor.

The D.C. Everest School District continues to create academic and social-emotional support systems linked directly to the assessed needs of our students. This system, known as the Everest System of Supports (E.S.S.), provides all students with timely and targeted instruction and intervention based upon the data-driven results of universal screening tools.
JH Universal Screening Letter

As part of its Directory Data Notice, and in compliance with specific Federal Acts and State Statutes, the D.C. Everest Area School Board is required to define specific student information as “directory information”. At D.C. Everest, directory information includes:

• Student name
• Student photograph(s)
• Officially-recognized sports and activities the student participates in
• Student height and weight, if a member of an athletic team
• Graduation date
• Degrees and awards received

If families prefer the above-noted student information not be shared, they must inform the District - in writing - which of the directory information items they refuse to permit the District to designate as “Directory Data” for their student. For example, if a parent/guardian decides photos of their student should not be released, then the student’s photo will not appear in the yearbook, in team photos, in photos shared on social media and with the media, etc. The Board defines “personally identifiable information” in its Directory Data Notice. (For complete list of the “personally identifiable information” data, view the DCE Directory Data Notice online).

The District is required to release specific personally identifiable information - the name, address, and telephone listing of a student - upon request from a military recruiter or institution of higher education without prior written parental/guardian consent unless parents request in writing that their student’s name, address and telephone number not be released to military recruiters or institutions of higher education without prior written parental consent. This specific request must be submitted to the Student Services Secretary.

Canvas is the tool where students find all of their lessons and homework. Canvas can show when work is completed or missing. Teachers are teaching their students where they can find their assignments in case they are gone. If your student is unable to show you where their homework is located, the student should talk with their teachers immediately. All students know how to upload their assignments to the system as well. If they are absent, the students need to go into Canvas to get their homework and hand it in.

• Parents: If you have already created an account, but forgot your password, please click forgot password. If you have never created an account or you need to add a student, please visit our Canvas-Getting Started Webpage. This site contains videos and documents to help you.

Annual Update: The signature page regarding use of technology, student handbook, field trips, medical treatment, earned privileges, etc. is completed online in the Infinite Campus (IC) parent portal. The Annual Update can be found under the “more” button after signing in. Parents, please make sure you have an email listed in IC. If you are unsure if you have an IC parent portal account or you forgot your login and password, please email the Student Services Secretary Peggy Piepenburg.

Student Demographics: Parent/guardians are reminded to review your student’s demographic information in IC. Parents can change some information (address, phone number, etc.) themselves. If you are unable to make the changes you need, please email the Student Services Secretary Peggy Piepenburg.

In an effort to be more environmentally friendly and reduce expenses, several years ago we began distributing progress reports and parent updates primarily through electronic means. Final report cards can be viewed when you login to Infinite Campus.

Parent/Teacher Conferences are right around the corner. Please mark your calendar! We will continue to use our online Parent/Teacher Conference Scheduling website. Specific registration information will be mailed out in the middle of October. Fall Conferences dates are:

Wednesday, October 23, 3:30pm-8:00pm & Thursday, November 7, 3:30pm-6:00pm

To assist students with educational, career, personal/social and health issues, we have a variety of student services staff available. Our role is to provide students with assistance as needed and connect them with relevant school and community resources. See full DCE Student Services & Community Resources.

Our Giving Tree Pantry is available to all students and families at any time. The pantry has nonperishable food, basic hygiene products, clothing, shoes, and winter apparel. It also houses our weekly food pick up program. Please contact Lisa Morgan ext. 5610 if your family is in need of assistance.

If you are living in a temporary or transitional situation, you can receive additional assistance and support. This includes: information and help connecting with local resources, assistance with enrollment, school fees waived, transportation assistance, and other supports while in transition. Please contact Lisa Morgan ext. 5610, School Social Worker for assistance.

Receive Dental Care right at school!

• Oral Screening
• Dental Cleanings
• Fluoride Varnish
• Sealants

Services are provided during the school day and visits are held throughout the year.

ENROLL NOW FOR THIS FALL - Click this LINK to enroll!

Bridging Brighter Smiles, Inc. accepts Forward/Badger Care insurances ONLY. Any questions please call Bridging Brighter Smiles at 262-896-9891 or visit bridgingbrightersmiles.org

D.C. Everest administrators and staff have been proactively working with law enforcement, first responders and our Superintendent’s Office in Wisconsin to update our Comprehensive School Safety Plans and put into place effective drills that will help prepare us for incidents emergencies or disasters that may occur at school or within the community. Below is a link to important safety information we encourage you to review prior to the start of the school year.

School Safety Information

For purposes of understanding: A “visitor” means an unpaid person who attends a district sponsored event or activity. As part of D.C. Everest Board Policy 8410 school safety plan, all doors to the school are locked during the school day. Visitors will need to press a call button located near the center of the front doors to enter the building. All visitors are required to register in the school office.

• “Visitor” is typically a parent/guardian/family support person attending a school event, sporting event, theater production, class choir, or school family event OR is a parent/guardian dropping off/picking up their child from school.
• Visitors attending school events shall report their presence and sign in at the school office if the visit occurs during the instructional day; but may not be required to sign in if the event or activity is after the instructional day.
• Visitors dropping off/picking up their child from school outside normal drop/pickup times will press the call button located near the center of the front doors to enter the building and drop off/pick up their child in the office lobby area.

DCE EVERGREEN VOLUNTEER PROGRAM utilizing Volunteer Tracker

Every day, D.C. Everest volunteers make a huge impact on the educational experience of our students. Volunteers are welcome and greatly appreciated. Whether you are interested in a one-time, one-hour project or an ongoing opportunity, we will find something that fits your schedule, talents and desires.

We continually strive to build a culture of civic engagement across our K-12 curriculum and strengthen connections district wide through meaningful engagement. With safety as a top priority, D.C. Everest has updated how it approaches the use of volunteers who may work with our students. All school sites across the D.C. Everest Area School District (DCE) and Greenheck Fieldhouse Recreational Programming will utilize an automated volunteer management program called Volunteer Tracker to manage volunteer opportunities. Volunteer Tracker allows us to manage our volunteer program across the district, track and recognize the volunteer contributions of community members, send reminders to our volunteers/staff, and conduct criminal background screenings. A snapshot of the different levels of volunteer opportunities and an overview of the application and background check procedures associated with each is provided below. If you have questions about volunteer opportunities at a specific school, please contact the principals office.

In-depth Information related to district volunteer opportunities and/or protocols

JH Volunteer Opportunity Video

AUGUST

21 Orientation/Open House 7:30am-9:00am & 6:00pm-7:30pm

27 Orientation/Open House 9:00am-12:00pm

SEPTEMBER

3 First Day of School

30 Independent Learning Day

OCTOBER

2 8th Grade Heavy Metal Tour

9 Marathon County Kids Vote

23 P/T Conferences 3:30pm-8:00pm

24 No School - Teacher Prof Dev

25 No School - Fall Holiday

NOVEMBER

4 No School - End of 1st Quarter

7 P/T Conferences 3:30pm-6:00pm

27-29 No School - Thanksgiving Break

DECEMBER

23-31 No School - Holiday Break

JANUARY

1 No School - Holiday Break

17 End of Semester

20 No School - Teacher Work Day

FEBRUARY

12 History Day

14 Winterfest

20 Independent Learning Day

20 P/T Conferences 3:30pm-8:00pm

21 No School - Teacher Professional Development

23-27 AP Gov to DC/Philadelphia

28-29 EVERCON

MARCH

1-2 EVERCON

6 P/T Conferences 3:30pm-6:00pm

14 Pie Assembly

21-28 No School - Spring Break

APRIL

7-9 State Testing

18 No School - Spring Holiday

MAY

7 Adventure Day

14 Civil War Day

26 No School - Memorial Day

27-29 8th Grade Rivers Trip

JUNE

5 Last Day of School

.

PHONE 715-359-0511

OFFICE STAFF

Jason McFarlane - Principal - ext. 3022

Scott Gremminger - Assistant Principal - ext. 3401

Erin Lauersdorf - Dean of Students - ext. 3403

Cory Heckel - Athletic Director - ext. 3402

Lisa Becker - Principal's Secretary - ext. 3021

Holly Thomas - Attendance Secretary - ext. 3404

Jennifer Clark - Athletic Secretary - ext. 3048

STUDENT SERVICES STAFF

Alicia Reimann - School Psychologist - ext. 3025

Peg Piepenburg - Student Services Secretary - ext. 3505

Theresa Pederson - Counselor grade 8 - ext. 3506

Leah Wipperfurth - Counselor grade 9 - ext. 3507

Lisa Morgan - School Social Worker - ext. 5610

Greg Schremp - Police Liaison Officer - ext. 3333

Candace Sillars - Health Assistant - ext. 3023

The D.C. Everest School Board does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, sex, (including transgender status, change of sex or gender identity), or physical, mental, emotional, or learning disability ("Protected Classes") in any of its student programs and activities. The following staff are designated to receive inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Sarah Trimner, Director of Talent and Culture, 6100 Alderson Street, Weston, WI 54476, (715) 359-4221, ext. 1225, strimner@dce.k12.wi.us or Kelley Strike, Assistant Superintendent of Operations, 6100 Alderson Street, Weston, WI 54476, (715) 359-4221, ext. 1243, kstrike@dce.k12.wi.us.