Category Archives: 2016-17

2016-17

Don’t Miss Awesome Fun Night!

On Friday every student was given a permission slip for Awesome Fun Night, which will be on Friday, December 9, from 6pm to 8:30pm. Extra copies are available in the office, or you can reprint it here. Students will need the permission slip to attend.

Tickets are $5 if paid in advance, or $7 at the door. Tickets for food will be available the night of the event (pizza slices will be $1, and snacks/drinks will be 50 cents each). Don’t miss it – it will be Awesome and Fun!!

2016-17

Letter from the Principal

Dear JMS Parents and Students,

Over the last few weeks I have walked the halls of Jackson Middle School talking with our students. I have had the opportunity to speak with many parents during conferences, PTA meetings, at LEARNstein, and simply when passing by in the halls or office. I have spent time with our teachers during PD, in the classrooms, at the copier, and around the water cooler. There is no question that for all of us, students and adults alike, current events that surround us weigh heavily on our minds. This is not about politics, but it is about many of us finding ourselves in a moment in time when it is important to reaffirm our commitment to each other, to our community, and to our value of acceptance and anti-hate.
To that end, students have had a number of small, timely, teachable moments in the classrooms that remind us of basic values that we hold important. These discussions, some impromptu while others planned and facilitated, will certainly continue as your children are often the ones leading the way in these meaningful conversations.
Over the next two Wednesdays, all classrooms will be engaging in discussions, role playing activities, and lessons around empathy. Adolescence is a time when we begin to define ourselves more by our relationships with others. Understanding empathy is the first step in understanding what it means to be an up-stander rather than a by-stander. Empathy builds our relationships with others and aides in creating a school and community environment that embraces every one of us as an individual with talents, goals, dreams, and emotions.

The “Be A Hero” wall in the cafeteria will remain through the month for all to post and read. It is a graffiti wall for students to express concern and care for their community near and far.

In the coming week, we look forward to introducing our new counselor to Jackson, who will work closely with Ms. De Leon while Ms. Knochel is on leave. Together, they will continue the work of caring for all our students, helping them to solve problems and express concerns.

These efforts, activities, and opportunities are all aimed at reassuring our students and reminding our community that Jackson Middle School stands united for and because of our diversity. Together we must care for one another to protect that diversity. For our young teens, this is a constant reminder that words have power and we must choose to use them to build each other up.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and thank you for being amazing parents working as a community to raise our outstanding JMS students.


Kevin Crotchett

2016-17

PTA Minutes-November 16th, 2016

Jackson Middle School PTA

General Meeting

November 16th, 2016

The general meeting of Jackson Middle School PTA was called to order at 6:34pm, Wednesday, October 16th, 2016 by President Debora Cox.  A quorum of members was present.

President Deborah Cox called for a vote to approve the October minutes.  All present approved.

Treasurer Kelly Christopherson reviewed the accounts:

  • Membership forms and Pay Pal have been reconciled. Small discrepancy and Kelly is waiting for additional forms to come in.  Money has been accounted for, just missing a few membership forms.
  • Teacher allocations have been made.
  • Berstein has been funded.
  • $350 was allocated for a new PC for volunteer/visitor check in.
  • Working on collecting $40 in NSF
  • Working on correcting a long ongoing Tofino expense that was erroneously accounted for as a bank charge. Kelly expects a refund from Tofino.

Vice President Jessica Christiansen reviewed fundraising efforts:

  • Learnstein has a small group of volunteers to man the stations
  • Food costs slightly higher due to adding salad and rolls. $2,000 budgeted for event.
  • All JMS staff to eat free along with 11 peer helpers
  • Sign up boards to be in hallway
  • Year End Ask:
    • Support Full Chrome
    • Mailer going out in early December
    • Stated goal for Year End ask is $25,000 (or two Chrome carts).
  • Cookie Dough fundraiser allocated to the general fund.
  • Dough for Dollars is on December 6th, 2016.

Volunteer Coordinator Marci Forbes reviewed volunteer needs:

  • 15-20 volunteers needed for Kids Night Out
  • PTA Clothing Closet
  • A discussion was had that there is no lead for the GNO. Marilyn Bellgique (?) suggested as a possible committee participant and Kevin Crotchett will work with Marilyn to find a committee.  PTA has money in budget to support.
  • A committee is needed for the 8th Grade Legacy project. Kevin will help navigate a student-led group.  New picnic tables are needed and this could be an easy project on a Saturday for students to participate in.
  • Not enough volunteers in general and a discussion was had about emailing 6th grade parents for participation.

President Deb Cox received a grant proposal for $400 for a sound system from PE teachers to encourage activity during PE.  The PE program is growing and there is a greater need for balls, nets and other supplies.

  • Marci Forbes made a motion to approve. Jessica Christiansen 2nd the motion.  All approved.

Present were:

President Debora Cox

Vice President Jessica Christiansen

Treasurer Kelly Christopherson

Volunteer Coordinator Marci Forbes

Secretary Kara Murray

 

Adjournment was announced at 7:54pm.

 

 

 

2016-17

Scholastic Book Fair Won’t Be Open Without YOUR Help!

We desperately need volunteers to man the scholastic book fair or we will have to close during key hours! Consider calling a friend and signing up together. We still need help setting up AND taking down the fair, as well as volunteers Wednesday morning and various times throughout Thursday. Jackson kids look forward to the book fair each year and parents enjoy buying books as a way to reward their kids for good news. If you have some time that week, please consider volunteering some of it.

https://www.volunteersignup.org/3TYLD?utm_source=Jackson+MS&utm_campaign=450741dfb5-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2016_11_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_afc003a8c8-450741dfb5-158495369

2016-17

Food Drive This Week

Please support Jackson students in need by donating non-perishable food through Thursday of this week. Donations will be collected in front of the auditorium before school. Examples include cereal, rice, peanut butter, canned food, etc. The grade who donates the largest number of items (not pounds) will win extra recess time!

2016-17

Attend a Presentation During Conferences

Principal’s Message

We are looking forward to seeing you all at parent teacher conferences next week, Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th. Conferences at Jackson are held in an arena style in the cafeteria. The morning session begins at 8:30am and ends at noon. An afternoon session is available from 3:15pm to 5:00pm, and the day wraps up with an evening session from 6:00pm to 8:30pm. We ask that parents please plan to arrive no later than 40 minutes prior to the end of any session to ensure there is enough time to visit all teachers prior to the end of the session.

This year, Greg Crabtree (Assistant Principal) and I look forward to offering up short presentations and parent discussion sessions during the AM and PM sessions. Please see which interest you and join us in the library during the noted times (presentations are both Wednesday and Thursday).

Kids and Devices
9:30am and 6:00pm

How can you better monitor technology? How do you protect your teen from all the Internet has to offer until they are ready? How can you use technology to better monitor your teen?
Presented by Kevin Crotchett

What’s Up with AVID?
9:00am and 7:30pm

This year, JMS joins middle schools throughout the district in implementing AVID: Advanced Via Individual Determination. Learn more about AVID as a whole school and individual elective program.
Presented by Greg Crabtree

Success Wednesdays
11:15am and 7:00pm

Every Wednesday, minus late openings, your students spend an extra 25 minutes with their 1st period teachers in SUCCESS. Learn more about this whole school JMS program.
Presented by Kevin Crotchett

Facilitating Independence
10:30am and 6:30pm

From homework to monitoring grades, self-monitoring to self-advocacy, this session will focus on ways to help your student become more academically independent.
Presented by Greg Crabtree