Lunar New Year Newsletter

Gong Hei Fat Choy! You may have heard this phrase as we prepare to welcome the Chinese New Year, but what does it mean? This common Cantonese greeting translates to "wishing you prosperity and good fortune"—a warm wish for the year ahead! The Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year, is a time of renewal, family gatherings, and traditions meant to bring luck and success. This year, we are welcoming the Year of the Dragon, which symbolizes strength, courage, and wisdom.

As we celebrate new beginnings, we also take time to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and service to others continues to inspire us. Dr. King once said, "The time is always right to do what is right." Let’s take this message to heart by putting his dream into action—through kindness, respect, and standing up for what is just.

A quick reminder: We are out of school today, Monday, January 20, in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Additionally, there will be no school for students tomorrow, Tuesday, January 21, as teachers will be participating in professional development. Teachers will not be available for meetings during this time.

Wishing you all a wonderful week ahead!

I believe in maintaining open and transparent communication with our families to ensure our students receive the best support possible. We share the responsibility for our student's success and will do our very best to fulfill our commitments. Please visit our school's website, Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/irabjones/, and follow us on Instagram @IraB.JonesElementary for upcoming events, important reminders and to keep up with all the wonderful things our students and teachers are doing. Also, I send out a weekly family newsletter, so please ensure we have your updated contact information.

As a school leader and a parent myself, I understand the importance of healthy communication between families and the school. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, celebrations, or concerns. You can call the school at 828.350.6700 or email me at ruafika.cobb@acsgmail.net.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Warm regards,

Ruafika Cobb

Principal

Ira B. Jones Elementary School

#noplacelikejones

IBJ Families,

Mark your calendars! We are excited to invite you to our Black Excellence Program on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. Join us as our talented Jones Scholars showcase their achievements and share the rich culture, history, and contributions of Black excellence.

This year, we are honored to welcome Black community members who will be joining us to showcase their art, singing, and other creative expressions as we celebrate Black excellence together.

Make it a full evening by joining us for a Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser at 4:30 PM before the program begins! This fundraiser will support our 5th graders in raising money for their culminating elementary school experience trip to Atlanta, GA. Enjoy a delicious meal while contributing to this special opportunity for our students.

We look forward to seeing you there and celebrating as a community! #NoPlaceLikeJones

With winter weather being so unpredictable, we want to ensure that our students don’t miss a beat in their learning. To support this, we are sending home Remote Learning Packets to be used in the event of a Remote Learning Day due to inclement weather.

What You Need to Know:

✅ Purpose: These packets are designed to keep students engaged in learning and aligned with their classroom curriculum when school is closed due to weather.
✅ Distribution: Your child’s Remote Learning Packet is being sent home—please check their backpack or folder to ensure you receive it.
✅ Storage: Keep the packet in a safe and accessible place at home. It should remain unused until an official Remote Learning Day is announced.

On a Remote Learning Day:

📢 Families will be notified via Parent Square, social media, and news broadcasts if a Remote Learning Day is called.
📖 Students should complete the activities in the packet, following the included instructions.
📩 Completed work must be returned to your child’s teacher on the next in-person school day. This is how students receive attendance credit for Remote Learning Days.

📌 Important Reminder: If your child has not yet returned their Remote Learning Packets for the January 10 and 13 Remote Learning Days, please ensure they are turned in by Wednesday, January 22 so their teacher can update attendance records for these days.

Thank you for your support in keeping learning uninterrupted, no matter the weather! If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s teacher or the school office.

Stay safe and warm!

#NoPlaceLikeJones

January 6 - February 7 : USNS Testing Window

January 13 - February 4 : mClass Testing Window

January 20: No School for Students

January 21: No School for Students

January 30: Fall Picture Retakes

Feb 4: Black Excellence Event & Spaghetti Dinner

Developing a growth mindset requires students to understand how to put effort into their work, a willingness to try new strategies for learning, and recognize when to seek support from others (Carol Dweck, 2015).When students learn to see themselves as capable of success, despite setbacks and challenges, their social and emotional skills will increase. The alternative, a fixed mindset, is defined as believing your intelligence and talents cannot grow or change. A fixed mindset does not allow personal growth or persistence to a task. Growth mindset plays a critical role in a number of social emotional learning concepts students learn throughout elementary school, such as perseverance, flexibility and adaptability.

Modeling a growth mindset, practicing positive affirmations, encouraging solutions, and reinforcing growth through the power of social emotional children’s books are all strategies that can help to facilitate and strengthen a growth mindset. According to Dweck, incorporating the use of the term “YET” with the understanding that learning something new takes both time and practice, is a powerful tool in supporting your student’s ability to see a path forward.

Research shows caregivers can have a powerful impact on their student’s mindsets. Giving praise, talking about the brain, accepting mistakes as learning opportunities, and understanding the role of emotions in learning are all important practices when it comes to modeling growth mindset. (Dr. Kendra Coates, 2020).

Model Growth Mindset: Students learn a lot by observing their caregivers. When caregivers demonstrate a growth mindset in their daily interactions, students notice and mimic these behaviors. One of the best ways you can model a growth mindset is to talk openly about mistakes you’ve made, and what you’ve learned from them. This will show your student that taking risks and making mistakes are a natural part of the learning process (Dr. Kendra Coates, 2020).

Practice Positive Affirmations: Affirmations can be verbally recited, written and/or listened to. Attached is a link to an article that discusses how to implement them into your daily routine. An example of a positive affirmation is “ I can keep trying or I can learn from my mistakes”.

Did You Know...?

The cultivation of a growth mindset plays a crucial role in social and emotional learning (SEL), and is embedded in our elementary SEL lessons. Students learn to develop self-confidence, a growth mindset, and positive self-esteem, aligning with the American School Counselor Association's focus on self awareness and the ability to identify and overcome barriers.

As a reminder, this is the final week to register for Growing Minds AND make payments for those who have registered. If you have not already, please make your payments via Paypal or check.

Visit the Ira B. Jones FTO website for more information!

Dear Kindergarten Families,
Starting Wednesday, January 22, morning drop-off for kindergarten students will take place in front of the school, not in the PreK-K parking lot. This is the main drop-off area for all students, so please plan accordingly.

To help us ensure a smooth and efficient drop-off process:

• Move your child's car seat to the right side of the car so staff can easily assist your child out of the vehicle.
• Please remain in your car. Our staff will assist your child to keep the line moving and avoid traffic backups on Kimberly Ave.

If you need to get out of your car to assist your child, please park in one of the designated visitor spaces.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and efficient morning routine!