Cougar Community Newsletter

Hello Cougars!

This has been a busy summer and school is right around the corner! Staff have been working hard to close out the business of the last school year and prepare for the upcoming school year. This week campus principals held leadership retreats and attended in-depth professional development to gear up for the start of school. Excitement is in the air! We are looking forward to having our students and staff back inside our schools in a few weeks.

In the midst of these preparations, we are also closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation. In our community, COVID-19 numbers have increased and Williamson County has returned to phase "Red."

The district has prepared an updated Back-to-School safety plan. It is available on our website and you can provide feedback on this plan through August 6. Read the Back-to-School plan online. The plan outlines the following:

• As we shared with you last spring, Jarrell ISD will be 100 percent in-person. There will be no virtual option for students. We are unable to provide a virtual learning option because the Texas Education Agency and the State of Texas are not providing funding. Without adequate funding, offering both in-person and virtual learning is extremely challenging for teaching staff in small districts such as Jarrell ISD.
• Masks will be optional. Staying compliant with the Governor's executive order GA-36, Jarrell ISD will not require the wearing of masks, however, anyone who chooses to wear a mask is welcome to do so.

As we get closer to school starting, we will continue to communicate important information about the start of school and our safety plans.

Read more below about the exciting happening in our community. Football is returning August 13 with scrimmage against Rockdale, a local gas station is launching a Giving Pump on August 1, and much, much more.

It is a privilege to be a part of Cougar Nation. Thank you for your continued support.

Go Cougars!

Toni Hicks, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Cougar Nation is looking forward to an outstanding 2021-2022 school year that kicks off August 18. These are a few of the most important things parents should know about next school year.

1. Jarrell ISD will be back to in-person learning, districtwide. We are looking forward to welcoming everyone back inside our schools. There will be no virtual option for students. (At this time, the Texas Education Agency and the State of Texas have made the decision not to fund schools for a virtual option. Without adequate funding, offering both in-person and virtual learning is extremely challenging for teaching staff in small districts such as Jarrell ISD. The district is currently preparing an updated Back-to-School safety plan and will make the plan available to all families upon its completion. ) See the district calendar for more information about holidays and grading periods.
   
   
2. Jarrell ISD has resources to assist families. Need school supplies? Contact your child’s campus counselor. Need other resources? Check here. Reminder: The tax-free weekend in Texas is Aug. 6-8, 2021. The dress code is available in the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct.
   
   
3. All new students must enroll for the 2021-22 school year. Returning students must complete registration. These processes are online for the convenience of our families.
   
   
4. Complete the Free and Reduced Lunch Application. Completing this application is very important because it may provide your child with additional resources during the 2021-22 school year. Complete the application.
   
   
5. Get involved! In Jarrell ISD, we recognize the importance of teaming with our community! If you are interested in joining the JISD team as a volunteer or mentor, please complete this form.

The Board of Trustees has approved the purchase of a trailer for the Jarrell High School marching band. As the district continues to grow, we are appreciative of the Board and administration for meeting the needs of our students and their programs.

On July 21, the Jarrell ISD Board of Trustees approved the schematic design for Elementary #3 as part of the 2021 Bond Program!

Want to learn more? All of the 2021 Bond Program Management files are available online.

Beginning August 1, 2021, the QMart Jarrell Travel Center located at 11710 North I-35 Frontage Road, Jarrell, Texas 76537, is participating in Shell’s Giving Pump program.

During the four-month duration of the program, until November 1st, visitors to the travel center will be able to fill up using a designated Jarrell ISD gas pump. Two cents per every gallon filled on this pump will be donated directly back to Jarrell ISD, providing funding for children’s education in the local community.

“On behalf of Jarrell ISD, we are thrilled by this partnership with the NWP Group Partners, Shell and the Jarrell Travel Center,” said Superintendent Dr. Toni Hicks. “Working with a community gas station to create a Giving Pump serves as a visible reflection of this community’s support for our students and schools. We are so grateful to NWP Group Partners and Shell for making this partnership possible.”

We hope to see the Jarrell community in the next few months take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to raise money for our kids!

Thank you to Sun City Neighborhood 84! We are overwhelmed by your generosity and commitment to ensure our students have what they need for a successful school year!

For the convenience of Jarrell ISD families, registration for returning students and enrollment for new students is an online process through Ascender - Parent Portal.

Learn more.

We are pretty excited to share that new and improved campus websites are here! We appreciate your patience and understanding during this process.

As we work to transfer our old sites to the new sites, we know we will encounter broken links and other issues. If you spot one, you can help us improve by completing this form.

Jarrell ISD is located in northern Williamson County. The mascot is The Cougars. It has four campuses: Jarrell High School, Jarrell Middle School, Igo Elementary School and Jarrell Elementary. The district is home to more than 2,300 students. Enrollment is projected to double in the next 10 years.

Email: communications@jarrellisd.org
Website: www.jarrellisd.org
Location: 108 East Avenue F, Jarrell, TX, USA
Phone: 512-746-2124
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JarrellIndependentSchoolDistrict
Twitter: @Jarrell_ISD

Got celebrations to share? Send them to communications@jarrellisd.org. Thank you!

We are proud to showcase excellent students and staff. To see more, follow us on Twitter @hicksJISD ; @Jarrell_ISD; @JES_cougars; @IEScougars; @jarrell_ms; and @JarrellHS.