Dear Parents/Caregivers/Family Members,

I hope this letter finds you enjoying numerous summer activities! I am thankful for the time to rest and rejuvenate, but at the same time, I cannot wait to start this next school year. My summer was filled with family gatherings. My wife and I enjoyed time in Wyoming with her parents, and our daughter and her husband came back to Denver where we played golf, pickleball, went paddleboarding, and hiking. Our administrative team is now back at work planning and preparing for the up-and-coming year and we are very excited to begin.

This summer, we have completed some hiring as some of our staff have either retired or have made a move elsewhere based on their family needs. With that said, we wanted to update you on our new hires as well as some shifts in staffing. Please welcome our new staff with lots of love and help! We are so thankful to have them join our school. Additionally, we have some staff that have changed positions.

Kindergarten

Teacher - Stacey Luther (moved from intervention)

Teacher - Katy Kruger (moved from 6th EA)

First Grade

Teacher- Kerri Porreco

Third Grade

Teacher - Madison Alley

Fourth Grade

Teacher - Samantha Jewell (Move from 3rd)

Sixth Grade

Teacher- Jennifer Cianfrance (Math)

Teacher - Angela Buffo (Science)

Specials

Primary PE- Travis Larkin

Teacher -Band Director - Grant Hollis

Primary CKC - Katie Seidel (Moved from Kindergarten)

Teacher - Intermediate SEL - RJ Everett (moved from 6th grade)

Literacy

Teacher - Lynnsey Kitchens (from 1st)

Teacher - Jamie Miller (from Kindergarten)

Pre-K

Teacher - Emily Johnson

Teacher Assistant - Tari Yochim (from 1st EA)

The following individuals have joined JA or moved as Educational Assistants:

Kindergarten

Crystal Baptist

Jenna Foster

First Grade

Elsa Elder

Third Grade

Leona Burttram (p/t)

Fourth Grade

Kristen Holt (move from 3rd)

Sixth Grade

Donna Randall

Specials

Yulia Thoutt (Art/Lib/Tech)

Also, congratulations to the following staff who recently got married and changed their names:

Brianna Kerr - from Alley (will marry in September but will start going by her married name when we return)

Caylyn Firth - from Harden

One of the most important decisions a school will ever make is hiring the right people. I am very confident that we have hired the best people to join an already talented group of teachers/staff. Please welcome them as a part of our JA family.

General Reminders:

Office- The office will open Monday, July 29.
School Calendar- This is accessible on the main page of the website
Online Annual Update- Annual update for the 2024-2025 school year is August 1 - August 9 ( link) beginning at 8:00 a.m. This update must be completed for every student. Step 1, These agreements require parent initials/signature. Complete this step for each student. These agreements must be completed before your student will be assigned a Chromebook. Step 2, you will need to update your information in Infinite Campus Parent Portal, sign the Jeffco Schools’ agreements and pay fees. Step 3, Health Care forms. (These may not apply to your student.) You will complete the online annual update for each of your students. The link for registration will be available beginning August 1 at 8:00 a.m. For those that need assistance with Online Annual Update, please come by the office on August 9 from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. or call (303-438-1011).
- Health Aide, Danielle Harding will also be available to discuss student health needs during this time or other times can be arranged.

School Supply Kits - For families that pre-ordered their student’s school supply kit last spring, the kits will be delivered to your student’s classroom prior to the Meet-n-Greet. The school supply lists may be found on our website - jajags.com - Family Resources, Documents, School Supplies. Families should bring school supplies to the meet-n-greet.
School Fees - These may be paid online in Infinite Campus Parent Portal beginning August 1. These fees are for consumable materials, technology and field trips. Also the fee for Outdoor Lab (6th grade).
Band- 4th-6th grade students. Mr. Hollis, band teacher, will provide an instrument fitting time on Monday, August 12 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. New families will receive an additional email from Mr. Hollis. Students that have not previously indicated an interest in band should email Mr. Hollis. Students’ schedule for band will be updated in Campus after the start of school. Please email Mr. Hollis with questions/concerns at mhollis@jajags.com.

Late Start - The first Wednesday of each month will be a late start for all students. School will begin at 10:00 a.m. with drop off beginning at 9:45 a.m. (No breakfast is provided on these days) This time will be utilized by staff to engage in professional learning to improve/increase teaching practices on a more consistent basis. This time will also be a time to work with the secondary (they have the late start as well) to improve curricular alignment K-12. Due to the late starts, we have reduced the number of professional development days.

First Days of School
Monday, August 12 - Meet-n-Greet: Meet-n-Greet is a time for you and your student(s) to bring school supplies and meet your student’s teacher. We encourage these times to be brief so that all families have this individual time. We also want to encourage you to take the time to meet your Specials teachers (music, art, band, PE, core knowledge connections, technology, character education and special education/gifted & talented).
For Kindergarten Meet and Greet, families will sign up for a 15 minute time slot so that teachers have individual time with each family. Please watch for a Sign-Up Genius to be sent on August 1st with your child’s teacher assignment.
- Times:
  - 12:00-2:00 pm or 4:00-7:00 pm. Families may choose the time frame that works best.
  - PTO will be hosting their 3rd Annual Party on the Playground during the Meet-n-Greet to answer your questions and introduce you to the many volunteer opportunities. We will also have a lot of fun too!
  - Please NOTE that this day is counted as a student contact day and attendance is taken.
- Paperwork Links- All required classroom forms will be available online beginning August 12 as well as grade level/teacher specific curriculum presentations.
Tuesday, August 13 is a non-contact day for students. Students do not attend school. Staff will be in professional development on this day.
Wednesday, August 14 is our first FULL DAY with students. School hours are 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Classroom instruction begins at 8:00 a.m. Students not in their classroom at 8:00 a.m. will be marked tardy.
- Drop Off
  - Drop off will begin at 7:45 am. Exterior doors are locked until 7:45 a.m.
  - First grade through third grade will enter the building on the primary side (east side of campus). Students in second and third grade may enter their classroom through exterior doors.
  - 4th grade through sixth grade enter the building on the intermediate side (west side).
  - Important: You also may drop off students based on where your youngest student enters the building.
  - Kindergarten
    - Students in Mrs. Hauther’s class and Mrs. Kruger’s class will enter the building on the primary side (east side).
    - Students in Mrs. Mendenhall’s, Ms. Bartlett’s and Mrs. Luther’s class will enter on the intermediate side (west side).
- Pick up: We will continue with Drive Line as our method of pick up. If you were here last year, your Drive Line number will remain the same. New families will be issued a number prior to the start of school. More information to come. Students not picked up by 3:20 p.m. will be taken to the office and parents/guardians will be contacted. Please make every effort to pick your students on time. Staff have after school responsibilities.
- Traffic
  - Traffic can be tricky if you are not prepared to sit and wait. We push 750 kids in and out in about 20 minutes. We are a non-bus school which contributes to traffic hassles. Please be mindful of others, move quickly to drop off and pick up students and please drive slowly. Parents wishing to park at the church and walk their students to the school in the mornings are welcome to do so. Pre-K students must be walked signed in and out of class with an approved guardian.
Kindergarten Only- We will conduct a staggered start for our kindergarten students for the first 2 days of school. Please note the following:
- Students with the last names A-L : Attend Wednesday, August 14
- Students with the last names M-Z: Attend Thursday, August 15
- All Kindergarten students attend Friday, August 16
- If you are enrolled in JagCare, they will not be open for full-day care, only before and after school.
Pre Kindergarten - We look forward to starting Pre-K this year. The first day for Pre-K will be Wednesday August 14. We look forward to seeing everyone at JAE at Meet ‘n Greet on the 12th. Contact Director Kevin Mesch for assistance at kmesch@jajags.com.
Jag Care (before/after school care)- Those families that have been offered positions from our spring lottery have been emailed with instructions to complete online enrollment via ProCare. This must be completed by Monday, August 5. Contact Director Kevin Mesch for assistance at kmesch@jajags.com.
Free Breakfast - Breakfasts will be free starting the 2024-2025 school year for all Jeffco public schools. Breakfast will be provided in the small cafeteria from 7:40-7:55am. Students who want breakfast will be able to eat in the cafeteria and then make their way to class. No breakfast on late starts or snow days.
Free Lunch - Lunches are free to all students. Students wishing to have a second round of food will need to pay an a la carte fee. It is important that families apply for Free/Reduced (soon to be called Student Benefits Application) lunches if they think they qualify. Those that qualify will be exempt from paying school fees. For more information or to apply, use this link. Jeffco Food Service. As for A-la-cart, families will need to update their preferences for their child annually on SchoolCafe.
Class placement- Students will be assigned to a teacher and families may find out beginning August 1 at 8:00 a.m. who their student’s teacher will be by logging on to Infinite Campus Parent Portal. All class assignments are final.
Assessment Days - Students are assessed at the beginning of the year in order for us to attain a benchmark of data. The assessment days are Thursday August 22 and Friday, August 23. The assessment session will be for a ½ day for each student. Teachers will provide a sign up to you by the first day of school. The assessment session time frames are Thursday 8-11:00 a.m., Thursday 12-3:00 p.m., and Friday 8-11:00 a.m. Your student will only attend one of these sessions.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer. Please don’t hesitate to contact the office or myself if you have any questions. Our office will open on Monday, July 29. See you soon!

Mr. Brendon Feddema

Principal, JA Elementary

bfeddema@jajags.com

Jefferson Academy Elementary

Family Welcome Letter 2024-2025