In Coach Riley's fitness and aerobics class, students had a blast playing "Fitness Monopoly," a fun and unique twist on the classic board game that got them moving and building their fitness levels! The goal of this activity was to keep students physically active while improving their fitness, all while reinforcing teamwork and sportsmanship.

Throughout the quarter, students have been introduced to a variety of fitness movements, including exercises for muscular strength, endurance, cardiovascular strength, and flexibility. The Fitness Monopoly game gave students an opportunity to review these movements while also preparing them for our upcoming focus on the different types of physical fitness.

Instructional Strategies to Highlight:

• Movement Variety: Students participated in a range of exercises, including push-ups, planks, jumping jacks, and stretches, targeting various aspects of physical fitness.
• Team Collaboration: The game was designed for students to work in teams, reinforcing the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship in physical activity.
• Engagement: By turning fitness into a game, students were able to enjoy a creative and interactive way to apply what they’ve learned so far in a dynamic environment.

The best part? Students were not just improving their physical fitness—they were also strengthening their ability to collaborate, communicate, and support one another.

We can’t wait to see how students continue to build on these skills in the final weeks as they explore different types of physical fitness and how they contribute to a healthy lifestyle!

We met with students to discuss our school and district's expectations outlined in our Madison City Code of Conduct and JMS Student Handbook. Below is our presentation.

1. Students must practice good personal hygiene.

2. Shoes or sandals must be worn and properly laced or fastened. Foot apparel

Determined to be dangerous or a safety hazard may not be worn.

3. Hair must be clean and sanitary and worn so that it does not impair vision and

is not considered unsafe or hazardous.

4. Clothing must not include pictures, writings, symbols, etc., promoting,

Acknowledging or suggesting drugs, tobacco products, alcohol, sexual activities

or anything of a sexual nature, gangs, groups, individuals, or activities that would

be considered potentially dangerous, disruptive, or hazardous to the student to

other students, or to the school environment. Tattoos with pictures, writings,

symbols etc., prohibited by this paragraph must be kept covered by the student's ‘

clothing, and not otherwise displayed in the overall school environment during

any activity.

5. Students in a classroom or participating in other indoor activities may be asked

to remove outer garments normally intended for outdoor wear. Garments to be

removed include overcoats, trench coats, bulky and/or oversized jackets, or

oversized pullovers. Garments that equate to a lightweight windbreaker or

sweater are permissible. Parents and students should assure that student attire

provides for adequate comfort indoors without the wearing of outdoor garments.

6. Clothing that is revealing due to excessive tightness, tearing, or sheer (see-through)

exposing the midriff is prohibited. Shorts, skirts, dresses, etc. should

be a minimum of fingertip length (while standing with your arms by your sides).

Clothing that is not able to provide coverage to undergarments and private body

areas at all times is not permitted. This includes clothing with rips, tears, or holes

that expose underwear or private areas of the body. Rips, tears, and holes in

clothing that expose the skin should be below fingertip length. Rips, tears, and

holes above fingertip length that do not expose the skin are acceptable.

Shirts with a strap of less than 1.5” or that reveal midriff, cleavage, or lower back

are not permitted. Leggings, jeggings, yoga pants, etc., can be worn with a shirt

that reaches the top of the thigh, covering the bottom and private body areas.

7. Students may not wear hats, caps, hoods, or head coverings in school

buildings or on school premises. Exceptions include headgear worn with a school

uniform as directed by the staff sponsor to be worn during the school day,

religious headwear, and head coverings to be worn

outside during extreme weather. Sunglasses cannot be worn on the face covering

the eyes during indoor school activities.

8. With the approval of the Principal, student participants of scheduled

School-sponsored activities, e.g., dance team, cheerleaders, drama class, etc.,

may dress in a manner that does not conform to the dress code as long as the

dress is consistent with the traditional uniform or costume of the activity.

12/6 - Band Winter Concert

12/9 - Basketball vs. Meridianville (home)

12/10 - First Priority Club

12/10 - Drama Club

12/10 - Basketball vs. Austin (away)

12/12 - Basketball vs. Monrovia (away)

12/13 - FCA Club

The second middle school i-Ready diagnostic testing for math and ELA opens on November 18th and closes on December 20th. During this time, math and ELA teachers will administer the i-Ready diagnostic to all students over two class periods. Teachers will use their email distribution lists to let parents know which two days students will be tested. Students who are absent during the diagnostic will have an opportunity to make up the test. Teachers use iReady data to help individualize instruction for each of our students to help them grow and meet their academic goals. Please encourage your student to do their best on the i-Ready math and ELA diagnostic tests.

Please review the JMS 24-25 Fall Exam Schedule which can also be found on our school website. Early exams are not permitted. If a student requires a makeup exam related to an excused absence on exam day, the parent or guardian should email Dr. Treva Stewart, tdstewart@madisoncity.k12.al.us , to request approval for a makeup exam appointment. Makeup exam appointments will be scheduled for January 6th which is our district teacher workday.

Students who are unexpectedly absent on the day of an exam must make up that exam before receiving a grade for Q2. Students or parents should reach out to teachers to make plans for making up exams due to unexpected absences.

Next week, our P2 focus will be on another aspect of the "Other People Mindset: Knowing My Words and Actions Affect Others". When we use kind words and actions towards others, we help them feel happy. But our words and actions also help us feel good inside. When we speak or act with a kind and positive attitude, we are also demonstrating the character strengths of gratitude, humility, and kindness.

Our 2nd annual JMS Band Winter Holiday Concert will be held this evening, December 6, in the auditorium at James Clemens High School. The concert begins at 7:00pm and is free and open to the public.

Each of our bands will present a program of three fun holiday selections. Beginner Band will perform first on the program, followed by the Concert Band, and finally the Symphonic Band. I hope you can join us for a night of wonderful holiday music.

Calling all competitive spellers! Journey will be hosting a school-wide spelling bee in January. If you have any interest, please fill out this Google Interest Form. All students who fill it out will receive a wordlist to study and more information the week of December 9th.

Are you passionate about engineering, technology, and sustainability? Do you want to be part of an exciting team that designs, builds, and races electric cars? Greenpower Racing is calling for students like YOU to get involved! Whether you're a beginner or have some experience in engineering or racing, there's a place for you. Join us and be part of a dynamic team that’s pushing the limits of innovation and competing on a national stage! The Greenpower class is not a requirement to be on the team! Complete the application below. The due date is December 18.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScaE8UerKAtPN9MVM2mloklpLRWmkrR3skLLoAidb7xmwC4aA/viewform

Come join us Monday, January 13th, from 6 to 8 pm at Insanity Skate Complex for a JMS Skate Night! Cost and additional information can be found on the flyer below.

Remember to purchase your yearbook!

Two purchase options:

1) YearbookForever.com

-Go to https://www.yearbookforever.com/

-Search Journey Middle School, Madison Alabama

-Use the code jOURney to receive $5 off your yearbook price (only online orders)!

2) Cash/Check to Mrs. Bess in room 236

If we hit our goal of 360 yearbooks sold by December 20, there will be drawings for a free yearbook and yearbook personalization, a cookie party for the advisory class with the most yearbooks sold, and a school-wide spirit day to celebrate. The price of yearbooks will increase to $55 on December 21, so please order your yearbook soon. You may order online or see Mrs. Bess in room 236 Yellow to pay with cash or check.

Do you have photos that you want to be considered for the 24-25 yearbook? Submit them through Yearbook Snap! There are two ways to submit, the site or the app, and the code is Journey25. Help us to make this year's yearbook the best one ever!

As the holiday season approaches, Journey would like to provide additional support to JMS families who could use a helping hand. If you would like to help us provide a happy holiday for our JMS families in need, please use this Angel Tree link to view items requested for donation. The directions and the timeline for participating in our JMS Angel tree are included within the link. We appreciate your generosity.

Click the link below to sign up to be a 2024-2025 Journey PTA member! It is a part-time commitment, and you will be put on our volunteer list to help when you can.

Click "Givebacks" below. Be sure to select 2024-2025 from the drop-down menu. Membership is only $10.00!

If you have any questions, email journeymiddleschoolpta@gmail.com.

Our JMS PTA has opened its spirit store. Orders placed by 12/16/24 can be picked up for the holidays at their local store in Madison. Here is the link: https://journey.deco-apparel.com/

Want to help Journey's Choir reach their donation goal?

Watch the short video below to find out more or click on this link to donate!

Calling all bookworms! Whether you're already an avid reader or looking to devote more time to reading this year, we've got a club for you; it's called the Silent Book Club. All readers are welcome—whether you enjoy ebooks or audiobooks, poetry or prose, fiction or non-fiction... it's BYOBook. Starting in September, the Silent Book Club will meet in the Media Center each week on Thursday afternoons from 3:30 - 4:30 pm. If you're interested, check out the flyers around the school or talk to Mrs. Young in the Media Center!

Careers are rarely linear and we are looking for volunteers to share their career experience and pathway with our secondary students. Would you be willing to share your WHY for your career? Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit? Do you make an impact helping people? Can you truly relate to the concept of career reinvention because you've been there? Have you learned lessons from failing forward and/or taking risks? Have you started at an entry-level job and advanced throughout the years? Have you built a career in the corporate and higher-education arenas, working your way up to leadership roles?

If you can answer Yes to any of these questions, we need your help. If you are willing to be a speaker, mentor, or volunteer, please consider filling out this community volunteers & resources form.

Thank You!

MCS Career Coach Team (Michelle Hyams, Sara Baragona, Jodi Jones)

Below are our December menus.

Below is the link to our MCS Code of Conduct.

Below is the link to our JMS Student Handbook.

Please review our Madison City Schools district calendar.

Below are our 2024-2025 weekly rotations.

The Advisory Schedule will begin on Tuesday, August 20. Unless otherwise announced, we will be on the advisory schedule every Tuesday.

Our first i-Ready Math and Reading Diagnostic window has closed. Families may access a Parent Report by following the directions included in the i-Ready Parents' Results Directions Document. In each student's i-Ready account, there are additional i-Ready Personalized Instructional Materials for both Math and Reading that students may choose to work on at home to help them build critical skills. These i-Ready skills are also linked directly to the individual skills tested each spring on the ACAP Math and Reading state tests. We encourage all students to spend time weekly working within their i-Ready Personalized Instructional Materials. Families with questions about i-Ready data or personalized instructional materials should reach out to students' math and ELA teachers.

All students are required to take final exams, and attendance is very important. Please review our JMS Fall Exam and Spring Exam schedules. Please make travel arrangements after these dates, as early exams are not given. If the parent/guardian contacts the principal to make arrangements, any missed exams will have to be taken at a later time. These tests will impact the student’s grades. EXAMS WILL NOT BE GIVEN EARLY.

Below is our 2024-2025 Grading Calendar.

Below is our i-Ready testing calendar.

Below is our 2024-2025 State Testing Dates.

You can now pay the $25.00 General Fee and $25.00 2024-2025 PE uniform fee. This year's PE uniform is a purple t-shirt and short with gold writing. All PE uniforms will given to students in PE class.

These payments can be made at the eschool payment link below. Our eschool payment link be located on our Journey homepage on the task bar labeled Online Fee Payments, click Proceed to Payment Pages, and click Journey Middle School , and complete the form to make payments.

Course Fee sheets will be given to students next week.

These payments can be made at the eschool payment link below and there is a quick JMS Fee Reference Sheet for parents. Our eschool payment link be located on our Journey homepage on the task bar labeled Online Fee Payments, click Proceed to Payment Pages, and click Journey Middle School , and complete the form to make payments.

All extracurricular fees may be paid on our Journey homepage on the task bar labeled Online Fee Payments (link below); click Proceed to Payment Pages, click Journey Middle School , and complete the form to make payments.

Alabama state law requires that students be present during school hours. Parents will be notified of student absences by an automated email and by written notification according to the following guidelines:

• An automated email will be sent after each absence, and a letter will be sent home after a student has accumulated five unexcused absences.
• After the seventh unexcused absence, the system's attendance office will petition the District Attorney's office.

All parent and doctor absence notes should be uploaded through your parent portal account. You will get an email notification that your note has been received from JMS personnel. If, for some reason, you are unable to upload your excuses to PowerSchool, please email your student's excuse to jmsattendance@madisoncity.k12.al.us. Please check PowerSchool to ensure your excuse note has been coded correctly. We will not accept excuses by any other means, and notes will not be accepted outside the MCS Board Policy three-day window.

As a reminder, students in secondary schools are allowed to be excused on a parent's note five days per semester. If the school needs clarification on a message, you may be asked to bring an original copy of the doctor's note to the school.

If a child is absent for more than 18 days, whether the absences are excused or unexcused, the Alabama State Department of Education considers them chronically absent. Points are taken away from the school on the A-F Accountability Report Card for EACH child who has 18 absences or more each school year, no matter the reason for the excuse.

The school administration monitors tardies. It is essential that your child is present at the beginning of the school day, and instruction begins at 8:15 a.m.

Below are the instructions to upload your excuse notes in PowerSchool. Additionally, you mail email all excusenotes to jmsattendance@madisoncity.k12.al.us.

All parent and student resources can be located on our website on our Parents/Students under Resources.

Madison City Schools is excited to partner with Health Establishments at Local School, Inc. (HEALS Inc.) to offer a mobile clinic for students who do not have private medical and/or dental insurance. Click the link to see the calendar below for when the Mobile Clinic will be at our schools.

Parents and students can view weekly announcements on their PowerSchool homepage and The Journey Journal will be sent home weekly. Additonally, all events can be located on or JMS school calendar on our website. The link is below.

Lost and found items will be placed in the main office. We will donate any items not retrieved to charity at the end of each nine weeks. Students may visit the Lost and Found before or after school.

We will issue Chromebooks to our new students during the first few weeks of school. If there are any needs regarding a student device. Click the Incident IQ link below to create a support ticket.

Parents/Guardians, should you wish to purchase an additional charger on your own accord, here is what is compatible with the student Chromebooks: 45W USB C Charger Fit for Acer Chromebook 511/Spin 511 C736 C736T C741L C741LT R752T R752TN R756T R756TN CP511-1H CP511-1HN CP511-2HT Series Laptop Computer Power Adapter Cord N16Q10 N16Q11 N16Q12

Parents and students may view our bus stops and daily bus arrivals/departures/updates. These documents can be located under Parents & Students/Resources on our website and are linked below. JC and BJ athletic buses will pick up daily. If there is a day they cannot pick athletes up, we will notify students. We will update all bus information when we receive it form Transportation. Additionally, we will send an email via Blackboard Messenger.

The Edulog Parent Portal Lite app provides you with information on the GPS location of your child’s school bus and sends you an optional push notification when the bus is nearing your stop or other locations that you define - such as the school or neighborhood entrance. All instructions for downloading Edulog are below. We will send a Blackboard Messenger email with our school code for Edulog before school before the first day of school.

Parents will enter and exit our car line on Shorter Street from east and west. We will remove our cones to allow parents to access the stadium parking lot at 7:30 a.m. After entering Shorter Street, traffic will flow down the west side of the parking lot, and the car drop-off is on the southwest side of the campus (reference the loop near the bike rack).

Once cars enter the car loop, the first car will pull around to the end of the sidewalk,with the cars following, lining up directly beside each other, and students will exit or enter their vehicles. All students should be prepared to enter and exit their vehcicles quickly and safely.

It is important for everyone to follow our official car line route for safety precautions. Garner Rd. is not apart of the JMS Carline. Student should not be dropped off and picked up on Garner Rd.

Please remember there is no adult supervision before 7:40 a.m., and the car line closes at 8:10 a.m. Students arriving after 8:10 a.m. will need to enter through the front doors. Our afternoon carline is from 3:20-3:45 p.m. We will open carline at 2:30 p.m. After 3:45 p.m., all students waiting on a ride will be escorted to the main entrance to contact their parents and wait to be picked up at the main entrance.

Parents, if you need to come inside the school, please access the school from Celtic Dr.

If your student is a walker or bike rider, they will use the sidewalk on Garner Street and ride/walk to the pedestrian crosswalk adjacent to our car rider loop located near the back of our building. Our bike racks are near the crosswalk. Please see the snippet below from our Car Line Map.

Below is our 2024 Basketball Schedules.

All students interested in being an athletic team manager should complete the Google form by Friday, August 16.

Website: https://www.madisoncity.k12.al.us/Journey
Location: 217 Celtic Drive, Madison, AL, USA
Phone: 256-774-4695
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journeyjags/
X (Formely Twitter): @journeyjaguars