School Transitions

Letter to Incoming 6th-grade families

January 10, 2023 Welcome to Middle School! In just a few short months, your student will enter the wonderful world of middle school. We are excited to meet our new 6th grade class, and eagerly look forward to welcoming them to middle school in the fall. The purpose of this letter is to give you an overview of the activities, which will take place in the next few months as your child begins their transition to middle school. Read more.

Important dates for incoming 6th-graders

• January 18: Incoming 6^th Grade Information night [slide deck]
• Dates for the Connections choice program
• March 6-9: Incoming Elementary visits, in person
• March 18: PTA-sponsored Incoming 6^th Grade family gathering
• March 24: Parent/Student Input forms due
• April 14: Music Registration forms due
• May 8: Incoming 6^th Grade Student Visit at JLS

Hello 6th and 7th Grade Families,

The process for JLS students to request their elective courses for next year will start soon!

This is an exciting time that many students and families often look forward to, but we also know that it can be a little stressful.  In order to best support our students through this process, we want you to have the information of what to expect and when.  

By the last week of February, students will submit their requests for elective courses using PAUSD’s Infinite Campus (IC) data system, with their parent’s acknowledgement. 

To ensure students and families have the information needed to request their elective courses, everyone will have access to the following resources. These are also available to every student on Schoology, under the Materials section:

• A “How To” Video describing how to request courses
• Written Instructions on how to request courses
• JLS Electives website (descriptions and pictures of elective courses)
• JLS 2023-24 Course Catalog (descriptions of all courses)

Here is our Timeline: 

• During PRIME Classes on Wednesday, February 15: Course Request Materials will be broadly distributed. The JLS Electives Website, JLS Course Catalog, and Video Instructions on “How To” submit course requests will be shared with all students and posted on Schoology.  This information will also be made available for all JLS parents through ParentSquare.          

• Between February 16 and February 23: School counselors, along with our guidance secretary, will be available to answer questions.  

• During PRIME Classes on Wednesday, February 22: Teachers will check in with students to remind them about the course request process and answer questions. 

• 7:00-8:00 PM, Wednesday, February 22: Join us for a Family Q&A ZOOM about requesting elective courses. JLS counselors, administrators and representatives from JLS electives classes will be available to answer questions. Here’s the link: https://pausd.zoom.us/j/93344647374

• Friday, February 24: Deadline for submitting a paper copy of the JLS Course Request Form with parent signature.  

We look forward to helping our students make this exciting transition to their next grade level as smooth as possible!  If you have any questions regarding this process, please reach out to your child’s counselor: 

• Adriana Flores Ragade, 6th Grade Counselor (afloresragade@pausd.org)

• Carolyn Chang, 7th Grade Counselor (cachang@pausd.org)

During our next JLS Community Zoom on Friday, February 10, 2023 at 8:45-9:30 AM we will present this information again, as well as answer any questions. 

You can expect more information about this process to come to your ParentSquare account on Wednesday, February 15, 2023.

Thank you, 

Chris Grierson, JLS Principal (cgrierson@pausd.org)

Please see Important dates for 8th-grade students and families in 2023.

Students will be enrolled at their neighborhood high school for 9th Grade.  To check your student's neighborhood school, visit PAUSD's school finder website. If, for some reason, you believe your student should attend a different school, please visit the Placement and Transfers Information website (see Transfers Within PAUSD). 

JLS is an exciting and dynamic school community that believes every student possesses a range of talents and interests. Our goal is to cultivate these talents by providing an environment where students feel connected, valued and inspired. Our staff is dedicated to making sure all of our students achieve their fullest potential.  

Please see the PAUSD website for information about enrolling in our schools.

Our school website (you are here) contains a lot of information about our community. Please take some time to explore. If you have questions, please email Joan Scherer, JLS Registrar (jscherer@pausd.org) in the JLS Guidance Office. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Warm Regards,

Chris Grierson, JLS Principal

• JLS Electives overview
• JLS Course Catalog

 

To request student records, or to withdraw from JLS, please contact Joan Scherer at jscherer@pausd.org or (650) 856-5182.