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News and events - November 10, 2023
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Fall Musical - The Little Mermaid Jr.
Jackson Middle School Theater is excited to present "The Little Mermaid Jr." The performances are November 17 at 7 pm, and November 18 at 3 and 7 pm. All performances are in Jaguar Gym 1. Come support this amazing cast and crew! Tickets are sold at the door-- $10 family, $5 adults, $2 students. The doors will open a half hour before each performance. Come early to get a good seat!
WEB is also hosting a preview performance of the musical after school on November 16. This free event is open to all sixth graders at JMS with parent or guardian permission.
Kindess Poster Contest
Congratulations to Carter Zbanski for winning the Jackson Middle School Kindness Poster Contest! As a part of October’s National Bullying Prevention campaign, Jackson Middle School participated in the 20th annual Kindness Poster Contest. This year’s kindness poster theme is "Make Kindness your Purpose." All participants helped create and spread kindness messages in their schools through this competition. Carter's winning poster advances to district-level voting and will be judged the week of November 6 by district staff at the Educational Services Center. Good luck Carter!
Jackson Middle School Yearbook - on sale now!
Jackson Middle School 23-24 yearbooks are on sale now! We sold out last year, so make sure you order soon!
For more information, please visit the Jackson Middle School Webpage.
Calendar Reminders
Nov. 22 - No school, conference conversion day
Nov. 23 -24 - No school, Thanksgiving break
Nov. 30 - End of Tri 1
Dec. 1 - No School - Staff planning/grading day
Dec. 4 - No School - Staff development day
Vocational and Community Experiences Classes Booth at CPHS Craft Fair
Mrs. Batt’s and Mrs. Biegler’s Vocational and Community Experiences Classes from Jackson Middle School had a booth at the Champlin Women of Today Craft Fair on November 4 at Champlin Park High School. They were just one of over 100 vendors selling their wares.
Since the start of school, the students in these classes have made amazing crafts out of mostly recycled materials. They have painted, stenciled, drilled, screwed, sanded, sewn, and filled over 900 items in preparation for the fair. In addition, they learned about pricing, greeting, salesmanship, and cashiering. Parents and staff joined in the fun on the day of the fair to lend a helping hand.
Not only did students make these amazing items, they were able to get feedback from the people at the fair. It was great fun to see the students interact with community members and share how they made their creations.
Jackson Middle School Observatory
Join us at the JMS Observatory to look at stars, the moon, constellations, and anything else we can find in space. Public viewings will be held , along with special event nights, as long as the sky is clear, when something of interest is happening in the sky above us. Weather is always an issue so if it is cloudy, raining, or snowing, the public viewing will be cancelled. Dress for the weather as the temperature of the dome is the same as that of the outdoors.
Please check the Observatory page on the JMS website at 6:00 p.m. on viewing dates to make sure viewing has not been cancelled.
Upcoming dates:
Monday, November 20 - 6 - 8 PM
Tuesday, November 21 - 6 - 8 PM
Monday, November 27 - 6 - 8 PM
Tuesday, November 28 - 6 - 8 PM
Directions to the Observatory
Family resource: Screen time and sleep deprivation in teens
It is important for both parents/guardians and students to regularly check in with their use of mobile devices, especially in the evenings and at bedtime.
In a blog post from icanhelp.net titled, “Screen Time Linked to Teen Sleep Deprivation,” parents are provided with seven tips to help teenagers avoid sleep deprivation.
Set Screen Time Boundaries.
Establish a Bedtime Routine.
Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment.
Designate a Screen-Free Zone.
Watch Out for Evening Stimulants.
Get Those Extra 30 Minutes.
Remove Electronic Devices.
Read the full blog post, which provides more detail on each of the seven tips.
Providing choice, empowering minds: Four specialty and magnet schools at the high school level
Anoka-Hennepin offers four specialty and magnet schools at the high school level that are designed to provide families with additional choices at no cost. Students in kindergarten - grade 12 who live within the Anoka-Hennepin boundaries may apply to enroll at any of the specialty or magnet schools as an opportunity to explore interest areas in depth.
The specialty and magnet programs provide in-demand educational options such as the arts, science, technology, math, engineering and biomedical sciences (STEM/STEAM), as well as International Baccalaureate (IB).
Magnet schools
Offered to students districtwide in partnership with the Northwest Suburban Integration School District (NWSISD).
Transportation is provided.
The application window is open for the 2024-25 school year and closes Dec. 31, 2023.
Specialty schools
Students may enroll at the specialty schools using an in-district transfer process.
Families are responsible for providing transportation.
Applications are accepted between Dec. 1, 2023 and Jan. 15, 2024 for priority consideration.
The specialty and magnet schools are hosting information nights/open houses for families to learn more about the programs offered. The schools are also offering in-person tours upon request. View the full list of school offerings and open house or tour information.
Upcoming open house/information nights:
Nov. 13 - 5:30 p.m. - Blaine High School - CEMS Tours
Nov. 15 - 6:30-8 p.m. - Anoka High School - Open House/Showcase - Atrium
Dec. 12 - 6-7 p.m. - Champlin Park High School - South Lecture Hall
Dec. 13 - 6:30 p.m. - Coon Rapids High School - Incoming 9th Grade Registration Night - Auditorium
Dec. 13 - 6:30-8 p.m. - Anoka High School - Information Night - LMC/Makerspace
Jan. 4 - 6-7 p.m. - Champlin Park High School - South Lecture Hall
Curriculum Open House provides parent input opportunity
Anoka-Hennepin School District families, students, staff, and community members are invited to review and provide feedback on eight new curriculum options in the areas of secondary science, math, and social studies. The district will offer both in-person and virtual open house opportunities in November.
Open house information:
In-person: 5:30-7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16 at the Educational Service Center, 2727 N Ferry St., Anoka.
Virtual: Nov. 15-29. Participants will be provided links and videos to review online. Interested participants must register online by Monday, Nov. 13. Complete this form to register for the virtual review option.
These new curriculum review options are in the areas of (view detailed descriptions of each area):
AP Calculus
Physics
Biology
IB Chemistry
IB Biology
U.S. Studies - 7
U.S. History - 10
World History - 11
As the district reviews and adopts new materials in courses, it involves students, parents, and the community as part of a comprehensive 41-step process. Current math, language arts, science, social studies, and health materials were all adopted after community engagement and public review of the materials, and future purchases will also be reviewed publicly before official adoption.
Special Education Advisory Council Resource Information Night set for Nov. 16
The Anoka-Hennepin Schools Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) is hosting a resource information night on Thursday, Nov. 16 for families of students with special needs. A total of seven different vendors will be in attendance to share information with families about community resources.
Event information:
Thursday, Nov. 16 from 6-7:30 p.m.
Educational Service Center, 2727 N Ferry St., Anoka.
Erling Johnson A & B
Families will be able to speak with various vendors at stations which will be set up in the room.
Vendors will cover activities, dental care, sports, and community groups for students with special needs.
The intent of the SEAC is to provide tools and resources to help guardians of children receiving special education services and collaborate with the district in order to promote continuous growth of special education services to best meet the needs of students. Members serve as a representative of district learners with disabilities from birth through age 22. SEAC strives to promote, educate and share resources between families, schools, and communities.
The council is a partnership between parents/guardians and the school district and meets four times (three in person and one virtual) during the school year.
This e-newsletter is published by Jackson Middle School, supported by the Anoka-Hennepin communication and public relations department. Questions, comment or concerns about the school e-newsletter? Contact us.