The JagWire
Jackson Middle School Newsletter - October 4, 2024
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Good afternoon and welcome to October! This week there are several topics to cover and some important reminders.
Drop-Off Kudos
First, I would like to thank parents for not parking in the “No Stopping or Parking” zone in the front of the school. I spent a few days talking with folks and the issue is becoming less of a concern. This creates a much safer environment for our students who cross the street in that location. When cars are parked illegally, passing drivers cannot see the students who are trying to cross the road. Please keep up the great work!
"No Fragrance Zone"
Second, at this time we are declaring Jackson Middle School as a Fragrance-Free Space. We have many students and staff members who are sensitive or allergic to perfumes and other store bought fragrances. We would appreciate your assistance in asking your child to keep all fragrances and perfumes at home.
Locker Rules
Third, we have had many students who are either storing their personal belongings in other student’s lockers or allowing other students to store things in their locker. This creates several issues. First, if they have their stuff in another student’s locker and they need to get something out, we will not open the locker for them if it is not their assigned locker. That will cause a problem in their next class. Another issue is that there have been cases when a student has stored contraband in another student’s locker. If we do a locker search and find contraband, whoever is assigned the locker will have the same consequences as the person who actually brought the contraband into the building. While it may seem unfair, there are many times when we will never get to the bottom of who actually owns the materials. So to resolve the issue, students need to use their own lockers every day.
RAT Race
Finally, mark your calendars for October 24th. We are bringing back the RAT (Race for Arts and Technology) Race. This is similar to a fun run you may have experienced when your child was in elementary school. More information will be coming out from the PTA soon but the two main points are that we will be raising money this fall and we will need quite a few volunteers on that day.
That is it for this week. Have a great weekend!
Sincerely,
John Ferraro
Hey Jackson families! We need soil donations!
The Leadership Garden Committee is renovating the greenhouse for both science classes and families in need of fresh produce. If you are able, please drop off a bag of soil in the main office to help us get the garden up and growing again!
Thank you so much,
JMS Leadership Students.
October 24th - Mark Your Calendars
The JMS RAT Race (Run for Arts and Technology) will be held on Thursday, October 24th. This is a PTA fundraising event and all students are encouraged to collect donations from friends, family and neighbors for the purpose of funding Arts and Technology at Jackson. More details soon!
Volunteer Coaches Needed
Hello! We have had two successful years of OBOB at Jackson. I would love to continue the streak. I am a parent of a student who completed 3 years at Jackson. I’m looking for other parents to help out. I have developed tools to help organize (sign ups), advertise, and run practice battles. I’m looking for parents willing to help show up, maybe help run mock battles or help spread the word with the students and faculty at Jackson. -David F., OBOB@jacksonpta.org
For more information on OBOB, check out the website at https://www.oregonbattleofthebooks.org/.
All sports for Jackson students are through PIL Youth Athletics (Wells cluster). Their website has changed. For more information about teams and registration, please go to:
Go Wells Youth Athletics (and GO JAGS!)
Bullying Concerns
At the start of the school year, we understand that bullying is a major concern for both students and families. Rest assured, we are proactively addressing this issue through several initiatives. These include:
- daily advisory lessons,
- school counselor-led sessions
- collaboration with our student leadership team to foster a more inclusive environment.
If students or families need to report an incident, they can do so in the office using a student incident report or anonymously through SafeOregon.
Nicole Ayala
Assistant Principal