2025 JMS Eagle Eye #28

Good morning!

Well, that was week! We hope everyone has stayed warm over the last couple of days. We have TWO weeks remaining in the term. Benchmarks start on Monday. We like to remind parents that the Benchmarks help us figure out what your students need before we get to TCAP testing in April. They are formative, but we also need students to give it their all so we know how to remediate and advance. It is a fine balance of stress that students often place on themselves during this time. They are important but they are not the whole representation of your student. We know that as well.

So, for the next couple of weeks, please make sure your kids are sleeping well, eating well, and doing the best they can. Additionally, as the term draws to a close, teachers will start clearing out missing assignments as their gradebooks are due on March 7th. Please check with your students to make sure they have submitted what they need to earn the grades they deserve and we want for them.

Intersession forms are out. We are only three weeks away, so now is the time to make plans for your student attending. We also have a lot of fun community opportunities, so check them out below. Benchmarks start NEXT week.

As always, we are here to support, so if you need anything let us know.

Mr. Phil Cox, Principal pcox@ortn.edu

Dr. Benjamin Fowler, Vice Principal bjfowler@ortn.edu

Mr. Michael Martin, Dean of Students mmartin@ortn.edu

Monday 24 A Day

• Benchmarks Begin
• Lego League Secret Innovation 2:45-4:15
• Track Practice 2:45-4:30
• School Board Meeting, SAB 5:00

Tuesday 25 B day

• Track Practice 1:15-2:30

Wednesday 26 A Day

• Track Practice 1:00-2:3

Thursday 27 B Day

• 5th Grade to ORHS to see “Addams’ Family” Musical
• Track Practice 2:45-4:30

Friday 28 A Day

• Chess Club Library 2:45-3:45
• Track Practice 2:45-4:30

Benchmarks are starting this week and will continue into the following week. Because of the weather days, there may be some delays into which days some subjects test.

Overall, we will be starting with ELA testing on Monday and Tuesday. Be sure to look at your student's announcements for when teachers are testing.

TCAP testing will begin on Tuesday, April 15. The ELA tests will be April 15-16-17th. Good Friday is the 18th and we will be out of school. We will complete makeups the following Monday and then complete the bulk of our testing that week, April 21-25th. Any required makeups will take place the following week. We want to give you some heads up as you begin planning for that three day weekend.

A couple of weeks ago, we brought you the story of Elias Jones, 6th grader, who donated his allowance to the Scarboro 85 Monument. It has sparked a district wide fundraiser effort. Click on the image to donate!

We have seen a resurgence of large over-the-ear headphones since Winter Break. Many have received them as gifts. We have safety concerns with large over the ear headphones, as well as some instructional concerns.

As a reminder, our policy is that students should NOT be wearing them unless instructed by a teacher or administrator. That includes in class, between classes. and in the hallways. Headphones should be stored in their laptop bags. Because of the storage space issue, we will allow small in ear headphones or small over the ears that are storable inside their student laptop bag.

We will continue enforcing this policy this week with a reminder to students on Monday and Tuesday. Starting Wednesday, we will treat any issues with headphones like we treat any cell phone violation. If a student needs a pair of earphones, they can reach out to their teachers.

UPDATE: Final Due date to sign up extended: Wednesday, February 26.

Jefferson Middle School is dedicated to providing students with the tools needed to be successful. Twice a year, Jefferson offers an Intersession during Fall and Spring Breaks. The intent is to offer a program that will provide either reinforcement of prior skills or enrichment to further them. Students will be enrolled in two courses (1.5 hours each), unless they choose the full Sports and Conditioning class.

Spring Intersession will be offered from Monday, March 10th through Thursday, March 13th from 8:30-11:30am each day.

A few things to consider:

1. Intersession is FREE!

2. Students will need to choose their top three options. While we hope each student will be able to participate in their top choices, we are limited in space for each class.

3. Forms are due back to homeroom teachers by Wednesday, February 26th. Forms can also be turned in to the main office or to Coach Bolling.

4. Transportation can be provided if requested by Wednesday, February 26th.

5. Breakfast and lunch will be available for purchase.

6. Doors will open at 8am each day.

Questions? Contact Coach Bolling at ksbolling@ortn.edu or 865-425-9291.

At Jefferson, these core values are what we believe for students, and we will instill in them in how we expect staff and students to work and learn at JMS.

Because of our odd week last week, we did not put out a call for Eagle greatness. We will update this space NEXT week.

The following students have been nominated. Congratulations to these fantastic students!

Eagle Behavior

(Students recognized for their outstanding behavior in school, befitting a JMS Eagle)

Eagle Excellence

(Students recognized for their outstanding achievement in school, befitting a JMS Eagle)

Lily Coffman

Eagle Expectations

(Students recognized for their outstanding manner of living up-to and exceeding JMS expectations in school, befitting a JMS Eagle)

Cailyn Kyek

Thomas Ray

Derek Funk

Eagle Accountability

(Students recognized for holding themselves accountable to the high expectations in school, befitting a JMS Eagle)

Amelia Wiscaver

Zelly Itzel Santillan-Villegas

Austin Miley

Erika Schildt

Track season is right around the corner with our first meet on Thursday, March 6th. Please make plans to come out and support the Eagles this spring! Spring athletics try-out information will be announced after Spring Break. Go Eagles!

It is always recommended that JMS students have a change of clothes in their backpack or locker. Middle school students can get into a mess: be it in gym, working a lab experiment, the lunch line, or personal accident. With the weather alternating between hot and cold, a change of clothes can help a student avoid a dress code infraction and help them get back to class faster.

Please discuss with your student about a back up outfit. Thanks!

Flu, cold, and allergy season is upon us, and with it comes all of the coughing and sore throats. Most cough drops have active ingredients, meaning too many can be harmful, and there is potential for side effects or allergic reactions. For this reason, students cannot be allowed to bring them to school and/or keep them on their person. This is a district wide policy for student safety.

As with any other over-the-counter medication, if you would like your student to have cough drops at school, please bring them to the nurse and complete a medication administration form so that they can be administered in a safe way. The medication form can also be found on the JMS website under the "Forms" section of the "Parent + Student" tab.

Just a reminder: STUDENTS are NOT allowed to carry or bring medication to school. Parents must bring the medication in and fill out a form with the school nurse.

If a student has medications for asthma, allergies, or seizures (or any other potential emergencies) that needs to be with them at school, please reach out to me via phone (865-425-9338) or email (kcjones@ortn.edu) or come see me in the clinic.

About the Program: The School-Based Dental Prevention Program is a state-funded initiative aimed at reducing the prevalence of dental disease among school-aged children. The program provides access to preventive dental care services directly at schools, ensuring that all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background, have access to essential oral health care.

Services Offered: The program includes the following services, all of which are provided at no cost to families:

· Oral Health Screenings: Professional evaluations to identify potential dental issues early.

· Fluoride Treatments: Applications to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities.

· Dental Sealants: Protective coatings applied to the chewing surfaces of molars to prevent decay.

· Oral Health Education: Age-appropriate lessons to teach students the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene habits.

Benefits of Participation: Research shows that children with good oral health are more likely to perform well academically and miss fewer days of school due to dental-related issues. By bringing these services directly to the school, the program:

· Reduces barriers to care, such as transportation and cost.

· Provides early intervention to prevent serious dental problems.

· Promotes long-term health and wellness among students.

Implementation Process:

1. Consent Forms: Parental or guardian consent is required for student participation. These forms will be distributed, collected, and managed by JMS. They have been sent home. Please return them to the school.

2. Scheduling Services: JMS looks to schedule screenings and treatments at convenient times to minimize disruption to instructional time, sometime in early May after TCAP testing.

3. Follow-Up Care: If additional dental care is needed, families will be referred to local dental providers for further treatment.

Students and staff have had access to Adobe Express for the past year, but we wanted to take a moment to reintroduce it. Adobe Express can be accessed via Clever or by visiting https://express.adobe.com and using the “Already a user?” link on the page. When prompted to select a profile please choose “Oak Ridge Schools”. Use your ORS credentials to log in.

What is Adobe Express?

Adobe Express makes it easy to get started with tons of professionally designed templates and assets for media content, logos, and more. Feel like you’ve got the help of a trusted designer in your corner with the entire Adobe Stock* royalty-free photo collection plus a full library of Adobe Fonts at your fingertips. Create anything you need with intuitive tools that let you remove backgrounds, animate text, add your brand, and so much more. With just a few taps you can resize content and add Adobe Photoshop quality effects in a snap

Teens have a lot on their minds. Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all connected, and it’s common for everyone to fall into unhelpful thinking patterns where their thoughts make them feel overwhelmed, anxious, sad or frustrated.

The good news is that teens can learn to manage their thoughts. By recognizing how their thoughts make them feel, asking themselves how helpful or realistic their thoughts are, and reframing unhelpful or unrealistic thoughts into ones that are more helpful or realistic, teens can decrease uncomfortable emotions and better manage difficult situations.

Below is a summary of the KEY SKILLS from the video.

• Thoughts are not always facts and are temporary.

• Thoughts can be either helpful or unhelpful.

• You can practice changing unhelpful thoughts to thoughts that are more realistic or helpful.

Order your yearbook!

Have you been receiving emails from Lifetouch about yearbooks? These are legitimate. Lifetouch is who we moved to for photos AND yearbook this year. You can click on the link above or the links provided by the emails. Their customer service is really good, so if you have questions about the order, you should click on the customer service help button.

For students in 6th through 9th grade, West Point will host its annual Summer STEM Workshops. During these workshops, students will explore the Academy grounds, experience cadet life, and participate in a variety of hands-on STEM activities. Workshop topics include human physiology, fuel cell cars, propellants, robotics, cantilevers, soldering circuits, fish biodiversity, water chemistry, meteorology, egg drop engineering, data analytics, and more.

The workshops are scheduled as follows:

• June 2–6 for 6th-7th graders
• June 9–13 for 8th-9th graders

Applications for Summer STEM are open now through February 28, 2025.

For more information, visit the Center for Leader Development in STEM (CLDSTEM) website:

Center for Leader Development in STEM | United States Military Academy West Point

Apply to Summer STEM: Summer STEM Workshop Application

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) welcomes all K-12 students to participate in the 2024-25 Wildlife Forever Art of Conversation’s Fish Art Contest. Artwork featuring a wild fish must be the student’s original hand-drawn creation and can be inspired by a photo, video, and other artwork. A creative writing piece is also required for participants in grades 4-12.

Interested students should submit the entry form by Friday, February 28. Learn more about the contest rules and information on submissions specific to Tennessee contestants on the TWRA website. All questions can be directed to Emily.A.Buck@tn.gov.

The JMS PTO would like to thank all the parents that came out for Open House. If you couldn't make it, we invite you to learn more about PTO activities and how you can get involved. Email us at jmseaglespto@gmail.com if you are interested!

We are moving our meetings to the evening times this year due to parent requests. We will start at 530 in the Jefferson Library. Look to this space for updates from JMS PTO President, Kayla Colwell.

We are at that time of year where absences have started to rack up and some parents are getting their notices about truancy. Below is the absence policy.

Excused Absences

Students must be in school unless the absence has been excused for one of the reasons listed below. It is the responsibility of each student’s parent/guardian to explain the student’s absence to the school in a manner satisfactory to the principal. Absences may be classified as either excused or unexcused as determined by the principal or his/her designee. Absences will only be excused for the following reasons:

1. Personal illness
1. Only seven days, whether consecutive or not can be excused by a parent note;
2. After a child has had (7) days, not necessarily consecutive, of illness related absences excused by a parent note, any future illness related absence must have a doctor’s note stating that the absence is medically necessary.
3. All parent and doctor notes must be turned into the school within three school days of the child returning to school.
2. Death in the family
3. Religious observations
4. Extreme weather conditions
5. Court appearance or legal mandates
6. Verifiable family emergency
7. School sponsored events
8. Principal has discretion to excuse absences based on the following:

1. The absence must be prearranged
2. The absence must not have an adverse effect on the child’s academic standing
3. The child must have a good attendance history
4. The child must have a good behavior record
5. The Director of Schools must agree

Any absence that does not fit any of the criteria listed above will be considered unexcused. The criteria listed above will also apply to tardies and early dismissals.

A student is considered legally truant following five (5) cumulative unexcused absences (TCA 49-6-3007).

The Board of Education may excuse children from compulsory attendance in accordance with guidelines developed by the State Board of Education (TCA 49-6- 3005). Students may be subject to withdrawal from Oak Ridge Schools after ten consecutive unexcused absences or fifteen unexcused absences during a semester (TCA 49-6-3017[c]). In cases of IEP students, the IEP team will convene to discuss appropriate options available.

You get a ton of forms at the start of the year, so here is a quick guide as to what is what and where.

Forms on Paper:

ORS district handbook have been sent home. There is a paper form in the front for you to sign. Please have you AND your student sign it and return it this week to your student's first period teacher.

Forms in ParentSquare:

• McKinney Vento
• Parent Occupational Survey

• Media Release

• Survey Opt-In form
• Biometric Form (Cafeteria Identification Form)

Forms in Skyward

These forms will need to be filled out in Skyward Family Access in web browser, not the app

• First Student- Bus

• Free and Reduced Lunch

If you have any issues with the forms, please reach out to John Smith, our Innovation coach at jrsmith@ortn.edu or Dr. Fowler at bjfowler@ortn.edu

Safety is our number one priority at Jefferson Middle School. The video below helps show the process for both drop off and pick up each day. We want our parents and students to be aware of the process in order to create the safest environment for all during these busy times. The following times below give you the best idea for drop off times:

There are two loops on campus. One loop on the gym/football field side of campus, which is a car drop off loop all morning long. The second loop on the softball field side is the bus loop at the beginning of the morning and becomes a car loop after buses leave. Buses will enter the loop from 7am - 7:10am each day. Please do not enter the loop if buses are present. In addition, please do not pass buses at any time while in the loop.

Please utilize the loop on the gym side to drop off your child each morning. When 5th grade students arrive on campus, they report to the gym until 7:30 am.

• Free and Reduced Lunch forms are now available in Skyward. Be sure to log in to your Skyward Account to complete the form. The sooner we get that processed, the sooner we can make sure we are serving your students as best we can.
• Students must be enrolled in a school to receive school meals. Students attending virtual academies are not eligible to participate in either of the federal school meal programs.
• Meals shall only be provided and served on days when school is in session.

For additional information, please visit:

https://www.ortn.edu/district/food-services/food-services/

The Board of Education believes that appropriate dress and grooming contribute to a productive learning environment. The Board expects students to give proper attention to personal cleanliness and to wear suitable clothing. Students are asked to wear simple, comfortable clothing that is clean and neat. Shoes should be always worn. Students are not to wear clothing which compromises safety or modesty; nor clothing which is disruptive to the educational process.

Students are prohibited from wearing:

1. Clothing or accessories which by reasonable judgment is considered unsafe, dangerous or a health hazard (examples include, but are not limited to wallet chains, spiked collars, necklaces or rings with spikes or sharp edges, oversized belt buckles, picks and combs.

2. Clothing or accessories which contain or suggest offensive or obscene symbols, signs, slogans or words degrading any gender, cultural, religious or ethnic values.

3. Clothing or accessories which contain or suggest language or symbols oriented toward violence, vandalism, sex, drugs, alcohol or tobacco.

4. Pajamas or clothing resembling sleepwear. This also includes house shoes.

5. Apparel

• a. Shirts, shorts, jeans or pants with holes, skirts and dresses that compromise modesty or are disruptive to the learning environment.
• b. The following attire is not permitted: bare midriffs; halter or tube tops; short shorts; tight, see through, or revealing clothing; or clothing which allows underwear to be exposed, such as sagging pants, spaghetti strap tops, muscle shirts.
• c. A belt is mandatory if pants or shorts will not stay at the waist without one.
• d. Hats, head coverings, bandanas, and sunglasses are not to be worn inside the school building.

6. Any articles which can be related to gang activity such as: items with gang names; gang initials; or individual gang member monikers; gang related jewelry; gang related tattoos; or self-inflicted scars. (TCA 49-6- 4215)

7. Any manner of grooming, which by its color, arrangement, trademark, or any other attribute that is gang related. This may include such items as shoelaces, belt buckles, hats or tattoos.

8. All students must wear shoes. It is strongly suggested that students wear shoes which either enclose the foot or are secured with heel straps. Flip flops are not allowed in grades PreK-4.

9. Heavy coats must be removed upon arrival at school, be placed in lockers and left there until the student leaves the building. (At campuses that have multiple buildings that require outside travel between classes, the principal may exercise discretion.)

The school building administrator may make exceptions to dress requirements to accommodate the special needs of classes (examples include but are not limited to science labs, welding, cooking labs) and/or certain sports/activities.

All students are expected to comply with the general dress code policy of the Oak Ridge School Board. Students who fail to comply with the Dress Code Policy shall be advised of the policy and offered the opportunity to take corrective action. The school shall attempt to contact the student's parents. Students who repeatedly fail to dress in accordance with the Dress Code Policy may be subject to disciplinary actions as set forth in the Oak Ridge Schools Discipline Code. The Administration reserves the right to judge what is appropriate or not.

Consequences for violations of the dress code guidelines will follow the ORS District Disciplinary Code.

https://www.ortn.edu/jefferson/supply-lists/

Please be sure to visit the link below to review this year's Student Handbook.

Students are required to turn off phones and place in lockers when they arrive to school. Students are not permitted to have phones throughout the building. In the event of an emergency, parents can contact the main phone line (425-9301) and students may use the main phone line to contact home.

Additionally, NO wired or wireless headphones or earbuds or personal electronic devices are permitted for use during the school day unless at the direction of a teacher for a classroom activity.

Due to concerns about social media and improper use of cell phones during the school day, please see detailed cell phone policy below:

1. Students must turn off cell phone upon arriving to campus and place in their locker.

2. Students are not to use cell phones during the school day unless instructed by a teacher. Teachers will make administration aware when they will be using phones in advance.

3. Any student found to be sharing or distributing inappropriate messages or pictures online will be immediately reported to our SRO and the Oak Ridge Police Department.

4. Per the ORS Code of Conduct, "students are prohibited from using personally owned devices to record (video, audio, photograph) others". This could also be considered Cyberbullying - the use of cell phones, social networking sites or other types of digital technology to harass, threaten, discriminate, or intimidate others.

Any violation of the cell phone policy will lead to action from administration including but not limited to consequences below:

1st violation: student cell phone, headphones, earbuds, or personal electronic devices will be confiscated and sent to the office. Student will be issued a warning in Skyward and phone will be kept in the office until parent/guardian comes to the school to pick up the phone.

2nd violation: student cell phone, headphones, earbuds, or personal electronic devices will be confiscated and sent to the office. Student will be assigned an after-school detention in Skyward and phone will be kept in the office until parent/guardian comes to the school to pick up the phone.

3rd violation: student cell phone, headphones, earbuds, or personal electronic devices will be confiscated and sent to the office. Student will be issued ISS in Skyward and phone will be kept in the office until parent/guardian comes to the school to pick up the phone.

4th violation: student cell phone, headphones, earbuds, or personal electronic devices will be confiscated and sent to the office. Student will be issued an OSS in Skyward and phone will be kept in the office until parent/guardian comes to the school to pick up the phone. In addition, student may lose privilege of bringing phone to school for a time to be determined.

SECURE ENTRANCE TELEPHONE USAGE

School phones are for business and emergency use only. Students who are required to remain after school to make up work or for other reasons can call to arrange a ride home.

Canvas is our learning management system. We utilize Canvas in order to communicate with students and parents including announcements, information that is important to the class, links to resources to help support in class learning and also digital assignments.

Our teachers are AMAZING in the amount of detail they provide on their Canvas page. We encourage parents to spend 10 minutes each week with their child logged on to Canvas and read the details for each teacher's page, announcements, and assignments.

In Canvas our teachers work to provide:

• Announcements - A weekly look at what will be taught throughout the week
• Assignments - Some assignments will be digital and completed through Canvas and some will be analog and completed on paper. The goal for teachers here is to update with information to help explain the assignment and the due date.
• Calendar - A student calendar that shows all of the student's class and helps to color code each. The calendar allows for parents to see due dates for assignments, quiz and test dates

To learn more about Canvas and how we use it each day, please access the video below.