Cougar Newsletter

It has been a wonderful first full week back in Jarrell ISD, and we are ending it with lots of excitement. This morning, our cross-country team competed and Jasmine Benavidez won first place at the meet in Cedar Park. This afternoon, we celebrated our athletes and students at the high school pep rally. It was a fun-filled event with our cheerleaders building spirit and our band bringing it together with our school song. This evening our volleyball team heads to Troy and our football season officially begins with our first home game - complete with tailgating starting at 6:30 p.m.. Be loud and be proud!! We are painting Jarrell blue!

There were many high points this week, but we are also mindful of the difficult situations around us. We hurt for the injured, the loss of life and for those directly impacted by the situation in Afghanistan. The members of our armed forces, and their families, always hold a special place in our hearts. Jarrell ISD counselors are specially trained to support the children of military families who may be uniquely affected by these events. If you know someone who is struggling, please reach out.

We are also keeping a close eye on Tropical Storm Ida. It is expected to be a category 3 hurricane when it makes landfall. We don't expect it to have a direct impact on our community, but in the unlikely event that the situation changes, we are prepared and will keep our Jarrell ISD community informed.

It is truly a great time to be a Cougar! We have many wonderful things in the works. In this week's newsletter, we share information about a partnership that is bringing Tango Flight to Jarrell High School; we give an update on Family Health Clinic at Jarrell ISD; information on Grandparents Day events; how Anonymous Alerts is supporting student safety; and we are inviting parents and community members to get involved and volunteer.

Thank you for your continued support. I hope to see you all tonight! Go Cougars!

Have a great week!

Toni Hicks, Ed.D.

Superintendent

Jarrell ISD is in the beginning stages of bringing Tango Flight to Jarrell High School! Students involved in Tango Flight will have the opportunity to build an actual, FAA-certified airplane!

Tango Fight is a 501c3 educational non-profit corporation created to inspire the next generation of engineers, pilots, aviation mechanics, and technicians. We are excited to add Tango Flight to the catalog of career-focused learning opportunities at Jarrell High School.

Tango Flight is being made possible through the generosity of our community members, including the members of the Rotary of Sun City. We sincerely appreciate their assistance and partnership. We also thank the Jarrell ISD Board of Trustees for their support for this program.

Photo above: Sun City resident and Rotarian Sam Smith; Superintendent Dr. Toni Hicks; Jarrell High School Principal Dr. Joe Green

Go Cougars! JV Cougars had a big win Thursday night defeating Austin Reagan 38-0. What a way to start the season.

Jarrell ISD is pleased to invite grandparents and grandparent figures to eat lunch at Jarrell Elementary or at Igo Elementary with their student on Friday, September 10. Please contact your child's campus for more information.

Jarrell Middle School staff distribute Hero Rewards. Students and staff are building a positive culture centered on being safe, respectful and responsible!

We are very thankful for the support of JB Stone. Let’s all #paintjarrellblue!

Shout out to JHS student Sydni Garza for making this video.

The Jarrell ISD Student Handbook (page 34) states, "To receive credit or a final grade in a class, a student must attend at least 90 percent of the days the class is offered. A student who attends fewer than 90 percent of the days the class is offered will be referred to the attendance review committee to determine whether there are extenuating circumstances for the absences and how the student can regain credit or a final grade lost because of absences."

Jarrell ISD administrators understand the COVID-19 pandemic may place students and families in very difficult circumstances. The health and safety of our students remain our top priority. We do not want students to jeopardize themselves or others by attending school when they are sick because they are concerned about missing too much school. Therefore, if your child contracts COVID-19 and must miss 10 days of school for quarantine, students and parents are encouraged to work with their campus administration. An attendance committee will meet to determine if your student has mastered the class material. If your student demonstrates mastery of the class, the time missed due to COVID-19 will not impact his or her ability to receive full credit for the class. This applies to students in Kindergarten through 12th grade.

Please know our path forward regarding attendance during the pandemic is subject to change pending new legislation or guidance from the Texas Education Agency.

Jarrell ISD is pleased to introduce a new communications tool called Anonymous Alerts®.

What is the Anonymous Alerts app?
The Anonymous Alerts anti-bullying and safety app reporting system helps combat bullying and other negative activity in schools by empowering students to speak up. Social and peer pressure are some of the hardest obstacles for students to overcome.

The system allows for 1-way or 2-way anonymous encrypted communications between submitters (students, parents or community members) and district administration and/or school staff. Users of the system have the option to remain anonymous or reveal their identity when submitting a report.

Read more about this powerful tool.

The Family Health Center at Jarrell ISD is scheduled to open next month. The Family Health Center will be located at 301 East Avenue F.

When it opens, the clinic will soon offer scheduled and walk-in appointments to Jarrell ISD students and their family members, district staff, and community members – regardless of insurance status.

The cost of services will be charged on a sliding fee scale based on the ability to pay. Built on a commitment to expand access to health care, the Family Health Center at Jarrell ISD will offer medical examinations for illnesses, infections, colds, and flu as well as immunizations and sports physicals. Specialty care including psychiatric evaluations, medication reviews, counseling, and care coordination will also be available.

The clinic is made possible by a three-year federal grant award through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Texas A&M College of Nursing licensed faculty will provide medical care. Mental health and substance use counseling will be provided through Bluebonnet Trails Community Services.

On June 23, 2021, St. David’s Foundation announced a grant award of $300,000 supporting the renovation underway at the Family Health Center.

Jarrell ISD is looking for kind and caring individuals to volunteer inside our schools! Do you want to serve students as a mentor or volunteer?

Simply click the link below and complete the form.

For the convenience of our families payments for student fees are now online through RevTrak. Please do not send cash with your student.

Need a little help navigating the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)? Check out this toolkit.

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 2,800 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.