Principal's Newsletter - Late Start Monday, Expectation Talks, Progress Reports, Seeking Volunteers, and more!

Hello JLS Families,

I hope this message finds you well.  Thank you in advance for taking a few moments to review the information below. (A lot of this information was covered in yesterday’s Community Zoom - here’s our recording.) 

This message includes a few quick announcements and a couple of important reminders: 

• Late Start Monday, September 18
• Expectation Talks with All Students
• Mid-Quarter 1 Progress Reports viewable on Friday, September 22
• Seeking Parent Partners: Site Council, Noon Angels, and Primary Language Tutors
• Library Announcement - Last Thursday’s Author Visit
• (Attached) PAUSD Student Nutrition September Update

Thank you very much for your engaged support of our school community.  For questions, visit the JLS website or contact us at (650) 856-5188.

Warm Regards,

Chris Grierson, JLS Principal, cgrierson@pausd.org

Late Start Monday - Classes begin at 10 AM on Monday, September 18: 

• Students who arrive at JLS before 9:45 AM will be directed to JLS Library, sign in, and engage in quiet study supervised by JLS staff until 9:45 AM.  
• School busses arrive at JLS by 9:45 AM
• Grab 'n Go Brunch Service available to students at 9:45 AM in Cafetorium
• Warning Bell rings at 9:55 AM 
• 1st period class starts at 10:00 AM
• 7th period still ends at 2:30 PM
• Office Hours are still from 2:30 PM - 2:40 PM.
• School Bus departs JLS at 2:50 PM.

Rationale for Late Start Mondays: The purpose of incorporating these modified schedules is to allocate valuable time for staff development, training, planning, and collaboration. By doing so, we aim to enhance the overall learning experience for our students and ensure that they receive the best education possible.

Thank you for your understanding and support in recognizing the value of Late Start Mondays. We believe that these modifications will greatly contribute to the success and growth of our students, and we are grateful to have you as partners in their education.

Expectation Talks with All Students: 

Building on information covered in our Acknowledgement Form, our Admin and Counseling partners have been meeting with every class in each grade level to review school expectations with students.  These meetings provide clarity around our community's expectations for behavior, reminders about how to ask for help, and lead to discussions with students about any questions or concerns they have.  If you are interested in learning more about these presentations, here are our slide decks for 6th Grade, 7th Grade, and 8th Grade.

Mid-Quarter 1 Progress Reports - Available Friday, September 22, 2023: 

Friday, September 15, is the middle of our first Quarter.  Teachers use this period to give progress updates for students.  Students who are currently earning grades of C- and lower will receive comments in their grade reports.  These reports will be available to parents to review on Infinite Campus on Friday, September 22 at 5 PM. 

Recruiting Parent Partners: 

• Seeking 1 parent for Site Council! We are starting our School Site Council Meetings on Monday, September 18, and we are looking for one more parent to join our team.  Meetings take place monthly at JLS on Monday afternoons.  Check out the JLS Website for more information.  If you have any interest, or have any questions, please contact Judy Lukensmeyer. 

• Please consider becoming a JLS Noon Angel. Our school is currently seeking parent volunteers to help with some light supervision during Lunch times, Mondays-Fridays, 11:40 AM-12:15 PM.  This stems from our current shortage of campus supervision staff, and our top priority of keeping all students and staff members safe.  If you’re interested in joining our team, please fill out this Google Form!  

• Searching for Primary Language Tutors: We are extremely proud of our school’s diversity and we are fortunate to have a large population of students who speak languages other than English.  We are currently looking for parents/community members who speak Mandarin, Spanish, and Portuguese to support students in Math and Science classes.  If you are interested, please contact Mikaela Bettncourt, EL Coordinator.  

Library Announcement:

Reminder: Homework Habitat Open Mondays thru Thursdays:

This resource is free to all JLS students and takes place in the JLS Library. Hours are Mondays/Wednesdays 2:35-4:30 PM, and Tuesdays/Thursdays afternoons 3:20-4:55 PM.  

If your child would like a safe, quiet place to work on homework after school, you should consider JLS Homework Habitat. Students may attend any day and depart anytime, though they must arrive at the beginning of the session to be admitted.