JWMS November Newsletter

As we welcome November, I want to take a moment to reflect on the month of gratitude and togetherness. With the changing of the seasons, we have many opportunities to appreciate our community, our students, and the hard work everyone contributes to our school. Last week, we enjoyed the presence of hundreds our our family and community members at our Fall Festival. I am thankful to be part of a community who supports our school and learners.

November is a time for giving thanks, and I encourage each of you to take part in our upcoming events that foster connection and collaboration. Whether it’s our Thanksgiving community service project, or classroom activities, your involvement makes a difference in our students’ lives.

Additionally, as we approach the holiday season, let’s remind our students about the importance of kindness and generosity. Small acts can have a significant impact, and together we can create a warm and supportive environment for all.

Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication. I’m looking forward to a wonderful month filled with learning and community spirit.

Mid-October, we welcomed Ms. Rebecka Fishman, our newest Assistant Principal. Ms. Fishman joins us from the Coachella Valley Unified School District, but is not new to our district. Many of you may recognize her from our district's elementary music program. Ms. Fishman has been meeting many of our students in their classes, during passing period, and at lunchtime, getting to know them.

Ms. Fishman is the Assistant Principal over all of 6th grade, and 8th grade, last names L through Z. If you have any questions or concerns for her, you can call her at (760) 770-8540, or email at rfishman@psusd.us

We need your help to take care of our Chromebooks. Unfortunately, many have been misused and damaged. To address this, we’re asking students to keep their Chromebooks in their backpacks when not in class. We’ve seen a rise in the number of devices needing repairs or replacements due to misuse outside the classroom, which can be costly for our school. We appreciate your support in helping us maintain our technology!

We’re excited to kick off our Library Book Club with our first book: Holes by Louis Sachar. This novel offers a fantastic blend of adventure, mystery, and humor, and we can’t wait to dive into it together. Please visit the library for more information.

Book: Holes by Louis Sachar

Discussion Dates: December 10-11 through Google Classroom

Mr. Amaya

JWMS Librarian

jamaya@psusd.us

Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and on the job.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation.

• Frequent absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other difficulty.

• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.

• By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores

• Missing 10%, or 2 days a month, over the course of the school year, can affect a student’s academic success. Make school attendance a priority

• Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day.

• Help your children maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.

• Try not to schedule dental and non-urgent related medical appointments during the school day.

• Keep your student healthy. If you are concerned about about a contagious illness, call your school or health care provider.

• If your children must stay home because they are sick, make sure they have asked teachers for resources and materials to make up for the missed learning time in the classroom. Help your teen stay engaged

• Find out if your children feel engaged by their classes, and feel safe from bullies and other threats.

• Make sure your teens are not missing class because of challenges with behavioral issues or school discipline policies. If any of these are problems, contact the school and work with them to find a solution

.• Monitor you teen’s academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors when necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.

• Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated

.• Encourage your child to join meaningful after-school activities, including sports and clubs.

• Support your students if you notice signs of anxiety, and if needed, seek advice from your school or health provider Communicate with the school

• Know the school’s attendance policy – incentives and penalties.

• Check on your child’s attendance to be sure absences are not adding up.

• Seek help from school staff, other parents, or community agencies if you need support.

(https://www.attendanceworks.org/resources/handouts-for-families-2/)

If you anticipate that your student will be out of school for one or more days, please contact our office ahead of time so that we can prepare a packet of independent studies work for them. If the student completes the work upon returning to school from their absence, the absence will be counted as "attended" for the number of days worth of work they completed. If your student has regular appointments or a scheduled period of time away, this is a great way for you to ensure that their absences do not count as such.

JWMS also offers monthly Saturday school opportunities for students to make up absences. Watch Parent Square for Saturday School dates.

A School Resource Officer (SRO) is a dedicated law enforcement officer who works closely with our school community to promote safety and security.I t's important to share that seeing a police car at a school doesn't always indicate a serious incident. Often, it's a sign of proactive measures being taken to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff.

The primary role of an SRO is to:

• Enhance School Safety: The SRO works to prevent crime and minimize threats to our school.
• Build Positive Relationships: They interact with students, staff, and parents to foster a positive school climate.
• Provide Educational Programs: The SRO delivers educational programs on topics such as drug prevention, cyberbullying, and internet safety.
• Respond to Incidents: They are trained to respond to emergencies and crises on campus.
• Serve as a Resource: The SRO can be a resource for students, staff, and parents on a variety of issues.

Our School Resource Officer is a valuable member of our community, and will be working with us to provide parents with tips on relevant topics such as substance use, social media, and school safety.

• 2- Club Live Field Trip to Knotts
• 7- ELAC Meeting, 4-5 pm in the Media Center
• 8- SART Meeting
• 11- Veteran's Day- No School
• 14- Parent Forum Follow-Up 5 pm in Media Center
• 15- ASB Field Trip
• 16-- Saturday School/Band Car wash
• 22-Dodgeball Tournament
• 25-29- Thanksgiving Break