School News:
Health Room- We have seen an increase in Norovirus, Influenza, and Pertussis in students in the recent weeks. Please keep your student home if they have symptoms of viral illness. Due to the increase in Norovirus, Jefferson County Health Department is recommending students stay home a minimum of 48 hours following the last time an ill student vomits or has diarrhea. Students should remain home a minimum of 24 hours following their last fever, without the use of fever reducing medications. Pertussis is on the rise in our community, we therefore ask that your student see a doctor before returning to school if they have a cough that presents with a whistle or whoop in between coughs, with coughing fits lasting several minutes, vomiting after coughing or prolonged cough that starts to worsen after 2 weeks. We appreciate your help in keeping all of our students healthy.
Volunteer Hours - Our volunteers are appreciated and instrumental in our school's success. We request that families volunteer 20 hours per year. There are many ways to volunteer: classroom, lunchroom, field trips, PTO meetings/events, Board meetings, helping out with classroom projects at home, etc. While we don’t track each family, we do track our total volunteer hours as a part of our strategic plan and in applying for grants. When volunteering at school, your hours are logged in the Raptor system. If you volunteer outside of school, you can input your hours online using this link.
Continuation Pictures - Students in Kindergarten and 6th grade will have their continuation pictures taken on Thursday, January 23. Kindergarten students will wear a cap and gown (provided). 6th grade students are encouraged to personalize their picture with appropriate props ((jersey, sports equipment, music instrument, etc.). Families will be given a free picture distributed at the end of the school year. Proofs will be sent home a few weeks later so that families may order additional pictures online. There is no makeup day.
Chess Club - Calling all 3rd-6th graders. Join the chess club and become a master of strategy! You'll have fun learning new moves, challenging friends, and solving tricky puzzles. Whether you're a beginner or already know the basics, you'll improve your skills while making new friends! We will meet on the following Mondays:
February - 3, 10, 24
March 3, 10, 31
April 7, 14
Register HERE
English Language Curriculum Review- We are going to be purchasing a new curriculum. We have narrowed our selection down to three publishers. We will have samples available in the office until the end of the month if you are interested in reviewing them and providing feedback.
CMAS (Colorado Measure of Academic Success) - Students in 3rd- 6th grade take these tests every year. The timeframe for testing this year is April 7th - 24th. Please refrain from taking students out during testing.
Calendar:
Monday, January 20 - No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday, January 21 - Board meeting at 6:00 p.m. at the Secondary and via Zoom
February 18-28 - JA family survey
PTO News:
Important Message from Principal Mr. Feddema: Serving on the PTO
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Are you interested in making a difference at Jefferson Academy Elementary? This is your opportunity! The Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) is actively seeking volunteers for Board and Committee Lead positions for the 2025-26 school year.
We understand that you may have questions or want more information about how you can contribute. To help you, we invite you to join us for informational Q&A sessions. These sessions will take place on:
Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at 6:30 PM
Wednesday, January 29, 2025, at 8:15 AM
Both sessions will be held in the conservatory, where we will share details about the impact of serving through the PTO and how you can get involved.
Research has shown that one of the most significant factors in student success is parental involvement, which transcends socioeconomic status, student background, and the type of school attended. The JA PTO is your pathway to engaging with our school community and supporting your child's educational journey.
We look forward to seeing you there and hope you will consider this valuable opportunity to contribute to our school!
Sincerely,
Mr. Feddema
PTO Upcoming Events
Friday, February 21 - Family Movie Night & WatchJAGS Second Semester Kick-Off Pizza Party - More details for this combined event coming soon!
Thurs & Fri, March 6 & 7 - Scholastic Book Fair
Friday, March 28 - Family Movie Night
Friday, April 11 - Timehop - Spring All-School Social Event - Mark your Calendar and Save the Date for a fun night with your JA Friends!