11/10/2024

JJES Pirate Family,

Skool Aid: Wheelchair Basketball Assembly (Makeu Up Event)- Nov. 14th

Thank you to GCEF, Duke Energy, and the Greater North Clark Foundation for sponsoring and rescheduling the Skool Aid assembly for half of our students.  This is an engaging and energy packed assembly with a message that we can do anything no matter what challenges we face as well as disability awareness and inclusion.  You can learn more about Skool-aid (Wheelchair Basketball company) here: https://skoolaid.com/

PRIDE Challenge: Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive- Nov. 11-15

We’re going to have a PRIDE challenge to help our local food bank create Thanksgiving Baskets for those in need!  We will be having a food drive that will last for one week. The food drive will be November 11th through 15th. Each PRIDE family will be collecting a different food item to help create these baskets.  The PRIDE family with the most items donated will receive a movie and popcorn party on November 25th. 

Blue Skulls:  Stuffing Mix

Swashbucklers: Instant Mashed Potatoes

Black Pearls: Canned Green Beans

Scalawags: Canned Carrots

Powder Monkeys: Canned Gravy

PTO Meeting- Tuesday, Nov. 12th at 6:00

A BIG thank you to all of our families that donated items for our Fall PTO class parties.  A VERY BIG thank you to our Room Mom/Dads that organized and ran our class parties.  Our students and staff had a blast!  

We welcome everyone to be involved in our PTO and attend meetings.  We will meet in the JJES Library.

Girls Basketball Tournament Info

First round of the tournament begins on Thursday, Nov.14th as JJ Blue plays Parkwood at 4:45 Home.  The second round of play will be on Saturday, Nov. 16th at 10:00 am at the CHS gymnasium as JJ White takes on the winner of JJ Blue and Parkwood.  The Semi-finals willbe played on Nov. 19th at JHS and the Championship game will be played on Nov. 21st at JHS.  We wish both of our Pirate teams good luck and congratulate them on terrific seasons!

Dance Tryouts- Nov. 20th, 21st, and 22nd

Do you love to perform?  Do you have rhythm and sweet dance moves??  If so, we would love to have you join the JJ Dance Team!! We will learn a fun pom routine that will be performed at the Boys HOME basketball games.  Tryouts are  open to all 3rd – 5th graders.  Tryouts are required and participants will stay after school until 5:00 pm.  The team will be posted on Nov. 26th.  Please click on the link for more information. 

IREAD Parent Information

Many of our third grade families will discuss IREAD testing at their parent teacher conference this week.  It is important that parents are aware of the updated guidance from the state in regards to students that do not pass the IREAD assessment their third grade school year.   

• If your child does not receive a passing score on the IREAD assessment, your child will be required to attend a summer session in June 2025 to retest. If your child still does not achieve a passing score after the summer retest opportunity, state law now requires students to be retained in third grade, unless they qualify for a Good Cause Exemption (GCE). 

Please refer to the Parent IREAD Letter for more specific information in regards to this assessment and updated qualifications for a Good Cause Exemption (GCE).  Spanish Parent IREAD Letter

Build a Bed 2025 Application

I am reaching out to provide information about the United Way Build a Bed program. Attached, you will find this year’s application. Please note that applications are due by December 20. The build event is scheduled for Saturday, February 8, 2025. Following the build event, we will arrange for the delivery of the beds to GCCS campuses on February 10. A representative from GCCS will be in touch with you after February 10 to coordinate a pick-up time. Families who qualify will receive a twin bed frame (which comes in four parts with hardware for assembly), a twin mattress, and bedding materials.

After School Activity Pick Up

We are so proud to offer a wide range of extracurricular activities at JJ.  With multiple activities letting out at the same time, we ask that all parents or guardians use our car rider process to pick up after these activities.  Please make sure to enter our parking lot from Halcyon Rd, wait in line to pick up your child, and exit the parking lot near the Charlestown Library.  Do not park and walk over to get your child.  This makes dismissal from these activities unsafe.

Final Forms

Any student wishing to participate in an athletic extracurricular activity, will be required to complete Final Forms and pay the $5 fee.  A physical is not needed for elementary sports.  It is often more convenient for families to go ahead and complete this at the beginning of the school year. https://greaterclark-in.finalforms.com/ 

Student Handbook Highlights

• If a student is going to be absent, please contact the office prior to 10:00 am.
• If you are going to make a change in dismissal, we ask that you call the office and do it prior to 2:00 pm.  
• The main office is not permitted to do early sign outs after 3:10 pm.
• Students must attend ½ of a day in order to participate in extracurricular activities.
• Birthday invitations are not permitted to be passed out at school.
• Due to student health needs such as diabetes and food allergies, as well as being in compliance with the GCCS Wellness Policy, cookies, cupcakes and other sweets are NOT ALLOWED to be brought in for birthday celebration purposes.
•  Due to the Greater Clark County Schools Wellness Policy, food from any restaurant (fast food or sit down) and soft drinks are prohibited in the school cafeteria.
• Students may bring their cell phones to school for emergency preparedness. Cell phones should be turned off and kept in backpacks. If a student has his/her cell phone out while in school, it will be confiscated by an adult staff member. The cell phone will not be released back to the student. A parent/guardian will be called to pick the cell phone up in the school office. 

Aimee Doherty

Principal

Jonathan Jennings Elementary

JJES 2024-2025 Student Handbook

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Upcoming Dates

November

11 JJ Blue Home vs. New Washington

12 JJ White Away vs. Wilson

14 Round 1 of Tourney

16 Round 2 of Tourney at CHS

18-2/7 ILEARN Checkpoint 2 Window Open

19 Semi-finals at JHS

20-22 Dance Team Tryouts

21 Championship game at JHS

26 JJES Family Thanksgiving Meal

27-29 Thanksgiving Break

December

4-17 Boys Basketball Intramurals

20 Q2 Ends and Grades Due by 4pm

21- 1/5 Winter Break

January

6 Q3 Begins

8-9 Boys Basketball Tryouts

16 Family Night at JJES 5:00-6:30

20 No School

27 JJ Blue Home vs. Franklin Square

28 JJ White Away vs. Riverside

30 JJ Blue Away vs. JJ White

31 JJ Beats Audition

February

3 JJ Blue Home vs. Parkwood

4 JJ White Away vs. Franklin Square

5 JJ White Home vs. New Washington

6 JJ Blue Home vs. Thomas Jefferson

10-4/11 ILEARN Checkpoint 3 Window Open

10 JJ Blue Away vs. New Washington 5:00

11 JJ White Home vs. Wilson

13 Round 1 of Tourney

15 Round 2 of Tourney at CHS

17 No School

18 Semi-finals at JHS

20 Championship at JHS

24-3/14 Wrestling Intramurals

March

3-14 IREAD Window

15 Q3 Ends and Grades due by 4pm

16-23 Spring Break

April

4 Kona Ice

14-5/9 ILEARN Window

22, 23, or 24 Regional Track Meet at CHS

28-5/18 Volleyball

29 District Track Meet at CHS

May

2 No School

6 No School

9 Kona Ice

12-6/27 Summer IREAD Window

12 and 16 Biztown Field Trip

21 Last Student Day