Week 8
Good Afternoon JMS families,
The school year began in an active, positive way. Thank you for sending your students to school prepared! As always, we embrace the journey of school together as a team. Together we make a positive difference for every child at JMS! Thank you for taking the time to read this week’s Wednesday Parent update!
POWERSCHOOL Update: We are still missing information from families regarding their child. Mrs. Demers has sent several emails to these families requesting that they complete the enrollment process through our POWERSCHOOL system. If you have any received an email from Mrs. Demers please complete this process by Friday, October 28th. If you need assistance or have any questions please contact the school.
Parent Conferences: The success of our students comes from the team of parent, teacher, and student working together to achieve the goals we want to reach. We will be hosting our annual parent conferences beginning Monday, November 14th through Friday, November, 18th. Your classroom teacher will communicate with you and schedule a conference date and time if they haven't already done so.
Although teachers have information they want to share with you, the best conferences are those where questions and comments come from both sides. It is appropriate to ask things like; What are my child’s academic, social, and behavioral strengths? Where do they still need to grow? Where have you seen improvement since the beginning of school? What goals should we set for the next quarter?
Please let your child’s teacher know if you have seen changes in your child’s demeanor that worry you. After the conference, it’s important to discuss with your child his or her progress. It reminds your child that school and home work together for their benefit. Praise good news and encourage change in habits if the news is not as enthusiastic. Help your child plan out a course of change if necessary. It may be time to reevaluate where or when homework is done. Bedtime and nutrition are also important areas to review.
Off-Site Evacuation: As part of our Emergency Operations Plan, students and staff at Jacques Memorial School will practice an off-site evacuation this week. For this emergency drill, students and staff will evacuate the school building and leave the school grounds to gather at a safe off-site location. We collaborate and coordinate with members of the Milford Police and Fire Departments for all of our emergency drills. If you have any questions or concerns please contact me at the school.
"Pawsitivity Pups" JMS Pet Therapy Program: We have the wonderful opportunity to have two therapy dogs visiting our school this year! Tuckerman and Finley visit JMS once a week. There are a variety of activities that a student does with a therapy team, including reading to the dog, brushing it, walking and just enjoying special one-on-one time. Research has shown that a healthy therapeutic environment is actually created in the presence of an animal. Spending time with therapy dogs reinforces learning, motivates students, enhances self esteem, provides opportunities for appropriate interactions (which follows over to interpersonal relationships), and is lots of fun! Tuckerman and Finley. are trained, evaluated and registered as certified therapy dogs.
Throughout the school year some students may be invited to the Student Services office to work with either of them. Permission slips will be sent home to parents of those students invited. Tuckerman will also make a visit to a classroom every Wednesday to visit with kids and spend time with them. Please let Sue Brown or Tracy Holland know if you have any questions or concerns regarding this program!
Halloween Celebration: Jacques Memorial School will be celebrating Halloween this Friday, October 28th. Each classroom will be hosting a class celebration, which may include games, special read-alouds, and crafts. Further information regarding the specific class festivities will be disseminated through the individual classes. Please keep in mind we will be adhering to the Wellness policy during these festivities.
Our Halloween parade is scheduled for Friday, October 28th at 1:30 PM. Students are encouraged to wear a costume during this event. Please have your child bring their costume to school bagged and labeled with their name. Please note that children are not permitted to bring sharp edged props such as sticks, swords, knives, weapons, or wear costumes that feature blood and gore, etc. Families are welcome to come to see our students and staff march in the Halloween parade down Elm St. and around Union Square.
Lost and Found: Everyone loses things now and then, especially young children. When students lose something, they can look for it in the Lost and Found. When items are found by other students or staff they are brought to Lost and Found. The Lost and Found is centrally located by the main office hallway. This time of year as temperatures can change significantly throughout the day we tend to have a very full lost and found at JMS .
This year we will provide parents an opportunity to search for lost and found items. Every other month we will video items in our lost and found. Please click to view this video. If you know an item belongs to your son or daughter please contact the school. Labeling your child’s name on jackets, sweaters, and other personal possessions will make it easy to find them and return them in case they are lost. At the end of this month all remaining items will be donated to charity.
Click the link below to view the JMS October Lost and Found Video:
https://drive.google.com/file/
Welcome!: Please join me in welcoming Mrs. Amanda Johnson to the team at Jacques. Mrs. Johnson will be serving as the long-term substitute for our art teacher, Mrs. Jones while she is out on maternity leave. Mrs. Johnson has her Bachelor's degree from the Art Institute of Charlotte in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has spent the last few weeks working as a substitute at JMS establishing relationships with students and staff.
Transportation Survey: Jacques Memorial School and Heron Pond Elementary School are exploring ways to make our daily bus transportation more efficient and effective. JMS Bus Survey
JAGUAR SHOUT-OUT! : A very special thank you to our Parent Popcorn Poppers, Amanda Berry, Amanda Koza, Valerie Conley, and Rachel Lashua! Thank you for your time and making our Friday Popcorn days special for students and staff! If you are interested in volunteering and helping out with Popcorn Fridays please contact the school office or a member of the PTO.
Please find attached to this email the November Lunch Menu from the Food service Department, and a district approved flier from our community partners at the Milford Recreation Department.
We are looking forward to a strong finish to the month of October. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help with your child’s success at Jacques Memorial School!
Tim O’Connell
Principal