We kicked off our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Zero period this past week, on Wednesday! Students will receive the Character Strong sessions again, and this consistently catapults their academic and personal success and well-being. Students can see their Zero Period teacher and classroom by looking at their schedule in Skyward. The zero period is the first listed.

We hope that you carefully take a look at our updates and information below; we do our very best to provide clear information, present opportunities, and update you on processes. Finally, we encourage all of our students and families to take a few moments to look through our JMS Handbook. We want you to know we love your children and have the highest expectations for academics and behavior!

The JMS administrative team is here to support students, teachers, and families. If you need anything, please reach out to us. As always, we thank our parents and our staff for what they do to help our students be the best they can be.

Phil Cox, Principal, pcox@ortn.edu

Ben Fowler, Vice Principal, bjfowler@ortn.edu

Jacob Quilliams, Dean of Students jrquilliams@ortn.edu

Elizabeth Leavitt, Instructional Technology Coach, ealeavitt@ortn.edu

August 7: B Day

• Cheer Practice 3:00-5:00
• Cross Country Practice 3:00-4:30
• Volleyball Game vs. Oliver Springs @ JMS JV 4:30, V 5:30 JV
• Football Game vs. Lenoir City @ Blankenship Field 6:00 Board of Ed Meeting SAB 5:00
  

Tuesday, August 8: A Day

• PTO Meeting 7:45 V
• Cross Country Practice 3:00-4:30
• Volleyball Game vs. Lake City @ Lake City JV 4:30, V 5:30
• Football Game vs. Norris @ ACHS 7:00
  

Wednesday, August 9: B Day

• Cheer Pictures 1:00-2:00 V
• Volleyball Practice 1:00-3:00
• Football Practice 1:00-3:00
  

Thursday, August 10: A Day

• Volleyball Game vs. Norris (Varsity ONLY) @ Norris 6:30
• Cross Country Practice 3:00-4:30
• Football Practice 3:00-5:15
  

Friday, August 11: B Day

• Cross Country Practice 3:00-4:30
  
• Volleyball Practice 3:00-5:15
• Football Practice 3:00-4:30
  

FOR ALL 6th-8th graders: Your student reports for the SY 22-23 TCAP/End of Course exams are going home on Monday. You can use those reports to access the TN.gov family portal linked below.

Current 5th graders: We have not received your reports...yet. We will get them out to you as soon as we do.

The links below contain resources for setting up and accessing Skyward and Canvas, an updated calendar, along with a welcome message from our ITC coach and a link to district and school websites.

• Elizabeth Leavitt, ITC: Welcome Message

• School Calendar

• ORS District Website

• Jefferson Middle School Website

• Canvas Parent Account Setup.docx
  
• Skyward Family Access Account SETUP .docx
  

Please reach out to Elizabeth Leavitt at ealeavit@ortn.edu

Please contact our HR Department TODAY!

$94.00 - $141.00 / Per Day

https://ortn.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx

• JMS's weather policy is to load busses and release car riders during most weather events EXCEPT lightning or severe rain/wind. When lightning is present we will push our students back to the building and delay releasing students. We have had three major lightning issues and a major wind/rain events during our releases over the first term of last year, and we wanted to reiterate what our hold policy is. We thank our parents for their patience as we do our best to keep our students safe.
• DO NOT enter the bus loop when buses are present!
• Please pull your vehicle all the way up so we can keep as many cars as possible off of Fairbanks Road.
• When dropping off AFTER 7:30am, students will be directed towards the main entrance. Go ahead and pull all the way up.
• Make sure your child is ready to exit the vehicle and doesn't have to access the trunk for items, as this holds up the line.
• DO NOT park or leave your vehicles in the neighborhoods across the street from Jefferson. Traffic is heavy during pickup and drop off and parking on those streets only increases the danger to our students and parents attempting to navigate the traffic.

You have received many communications this summer from the district about registering for the Bus through Skyward. If you have, but are not sure what bus your student is riding, here is how you check it.

FIRST! Log into Tyler's Versatrans E-Link https://transportation.ortn.edu/elinkrp/Login.aspx

Username: (use student’s name) firstname.lastname This is case sensitive–example: john.smith
Password: (use student birth date) in this format 03122007 for March 12, 2007

Click on Students, then View My Students. If you see a bus route there, you should be good. If you DO NOT see a bus route, you will need to update bus service! You will not have bus service on the first day of school.

To get bus service, log into Skyward and click on Forms. There is a bus request form. Transportation is working to move quickly to add new students to the bus, but it will take a few days before your student can be added to bus service.

First Student Transportation is working hard to get routes assigned to all students who requested bus service.

Once you are registered for transportation, you will be able to track your child's bus using the app information detailed below. Please see information on how to register for MyStop below.

MyStop - Parent/Student Login (You may click on the MyStop Picture to the left!)

• Username: (use student’s name - case sensitive) firstname.lastname
• Password: (use student birth date) in this format 03122007 for March 12, 2007

MyStop Phone App Available In Your App Store

Go to: Versatrans My Stop™ provides mobile access to bus information. This app displays the location of the user’s assigned school bus, as well as the estimated time of arrival to their stop. Students can plan for late or on-time arrival, and prevent missed pick-ups or being left outside in inclement weather.

Can’t Access the MyStop App?

If you are having difficulty accessing the MyStop App please take the following steps:

1. Please confirm the following:
2. You have downloaded the App from Tyler Technologies.
3. You are using the legal student name as listed in Skyward.
4. You have selected all lower case letters.First Student Transportation is working hard to get routes assigned to all students who requested bus service.

   
   

No worries! Though the video is an old one, it still checks out for all of our current procedures. If you are unsure of where or how to drop off or pick up, watch the video below!

PARENTS on the Softball Field / 5th Grade:

You may be asked to move by Dr. Quilliams, Mr. Cox, or Mr. Fowler if you are parked right at the bus loop entrance OR next to the small median between the loop. Parking in these locations makes it more difficult for bus drivers to maneuver into position.

Additionally, STUDENTS SHOULD NEVER CROSS THE BUS LOOP. They may take the sidewalk around, or cross into the parking lot under direction from the administrator there and walk down the grass field to the sidewalk. This is a safety issue for students and drivers.

Please reach out to Susanne Wren if you are interested:

jeffersonmspto@gmail.com

Please be sure students are coming to school in dress code and dressed for success! JMS Administration would like to remind students and families of ORS Code of Conduct.

Students are prohibited from wearing:

• Clothing that resembles sleepwear such as lounging pants, or other lounging items. This also includes house shoes.
• Students are not permitted to wear pants or shorts with holes above the knee. This includes wearing any type of shorts or leggings underneath ripped attire.

We have another busy week of JMS athletics ahead! On Monday evening, the JMS JV football team will host Lenoir City at Blankenship for a JV game kicking off at 6pm. The Lady Eagles volleyball team will host Oliver Springs in their first home match of the season on Monday. JV will begin at 4:30pm, followed by varsity at 5:30pm. On Tuesday, the Lady Eagles volleyball team travels to Lake City and the Eagles football team travels to Norris. On Thursday, The Lady Eagles volleyball team will travel to Norris. Go Eagles!!!

As always, GO EAGLES!

Thank you,

Coach Bolling

Ms. Katie Cormack (Left- 5th and 7th Grade)- My name is Katie Cormack and am the school counselor for grades 5 and 7, following their cohort until they go to the high school! I am entering my 6th year as a school counselor and was previously a special education teaching assistant. This is my third year at Jefferson Middle School, and it absolutely feels like home. JMS is a very special place. I consider working with your children a true blessing. Please know I am always here to help in any way- just reach out! My office number is 865-425-9252. Here’s to a great year!

Ms. Candie Price (Right- 6th and 8th Grade)- Hello JMS Family! I will be the School Counselor for grades 6 and 8 this year. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our three children. I love being a school counselor and am thankful to have the opportunity to work with you and your children. Please contact me with any questions or concerns! Go Eagles!

Please contact our school counseling department with any other questions at 865-425-9302. Ms. Amy Myers, school registrar, is happy to assist with enrollment, withdrawal paperwork, transportation, Skyward, school updates, etc.

Parent Needs Assessment

We have had a great first full week with students. If you have not already done so please, take a minute to complete the JMS Parent Needs Assessment so we may know how to best serve our students this year.

Back to School: Parent Involvement is Key

We understand this time of year can bring excitement and energy along with stressors and unknowns. Take a moment to review these back-to-school tips for supporting your child. Back to School – Ideas for Parents (cdc.gov)

Classroom Lesson Update

We had a great week visiting P.E. classes and meeting your students in a smaller classroom setting! Students learned who their school counselors are, how school counselors can help, how to request a meeting with their school counselor, and completed a "Minute Meeting" survey. We utilize the "Minute Meeting" survey results as a way to get to know more about your child and learn how we can best serve them as their school counselors. We look forward to building an even stronger rapport with your child throughout this year!

JMS Family Resource Survey

We are happy to partner with some great community resources in order to help our families and students. Please complete the digital form below if you would like to receive any community services at this time.

School Programs:
1. Second Harvest Food Bags: Bag of nutritional snacks placed discretely in student's lockers every Friday before dismissal.
2. Angel Tree Gifts: Supports through the Holiday Season with buying your children a gift(s)
3. Holiday Food Baskets: Helps to put a meal on your table during the special holiday season!
4. ADFAC Backpack program: Helps provide students with a new backpack and school supplies each year

This month’s Character Strong focus is Respect. One way to think about respect is “seeing value in all people and things & treating them with care.” Many people feel Respected in different ways and we hope this month inspires discussions with your family about what Respect means to you and how you can practice it together! Respect is 1 of 3 traits we will focus on throughout the year that helps students Be Kind. Throughout the school, students will be developing skills like perspective-taking, conflict resolution, and leadership.

Have some fun connecting as a family this month while practicing Respect. Here are family activities for you to complete together. How many can you do this month?

Family Pursuit #1:

Review Respect as a family! Remember that in our lessons we are teaching that Respect means to see value in people and things and treat them with care. Agree as a family to set aside a certain time each day this week to unplug from devices and plug into family time. It shows Respect to practice being present in the moment without the distractions that can come from technology. Debrief and discuss this challenge afterward and commit to this practice at least 1 day each week!

Family Pursuit #2:

Find a time to sit in a circle together and celebrate all the ways you have seen each other practice Respect. Take turns sharing responses to the following prompts or make up your own! Remember to practice Respect as you listen to each other. Pursuit #1 Pursuit #3 Have some fun connecting as a family this month while practicing Respect.

Celebration Prompts:

• What family member(s) do you want to celebrate for their Respect?
• Share 1 way you have demonstrated leadership

Parents,

We are sad to report that student vaping has increased significantly at the secondary level this school year. School Administration and staff are committed to addressing this concern, but effectively controlling this trend will be challenging. Student access, the ability to hide vapes and the odorless nature of vapes increases the difficulty of monitoring and reducing this dangerous trend.

This trend is resulting in lost instructional time for many students. Students using or possessing vapes that contain nicotine products are being assigned multiple days of out of school suspension. Students identified as using vapes or being in possession of vapes containing THC, are being expelled for a full calendar year. Approximately 50% of the students currently assigned to the Secret City Academy are there due to using a vape that contained THC.

Due to the increase in vapes containing THC, we are informing parents that the Secret City Academy is currently at capacity. The Oak Ridge Schools Code of Conduct clearly communicates our expectations regarding the unauthorized use or possession of drugs. Students confirmed of using or being in possession of drugs at school, or at a school activity, will be expelled in accordance with the Oak Ridge Schools Code of Conduct.

If your child is expelled, it is likely that they will only have the option to participate in on-line learning. Expelled students will be placed on a waiting list and granted access to the Secret City Academy when a student complete their time at the SCA. Choosing to use a vape containing THC or participating in other zero tolerance events while at school or at a school event will remove your child's ability to participate in face-to-face instruction.

Oak Ridge Schools clearly recognizes the value of attending school in person, but we also understand the importance and are committed to providing students a drug free learning environment.

Please continue speaking with your child or children regarding the harm of vaping and drugs. We are in the process of scheduling a Vaping Education Week which will focus on providing students an educational assembly to communicate the harms of vaping. We are also looking to provide a similar evening opportunity for parents to attend.

Respectfully,

Oak Ridge Schools

Youth Vaping Prevention - Additional Resources & Information

2022-2023 ORS Student Code of Conduct Handbook (see pgs 22-24)

National Institute of Health (NIH) - Smoke Free Teen

Alcohol & Substance Abuse Prevention of Anderson County - Parent & Teen Resources

CATCH My Breath - Vaping Epidemic - Parent Toolkit