Programs

For those new to Running Club, students in kindergarten through 5th grade run during their lunch recess for a 30 minute period. They have the opportunity to run around either the grass perimeter of the school grounds/Van Voorst Park or around the Fern Cul-de-sac (depending on field conditions). Three times around the fields is about 1 mile. Kids will receive a chain when they sign up, followed by the chance to earn a colorful plastic foot charm for each mile they run during the JRC season. Kids LOVE these feet!

Fall Running Club Starts September 12th, 2022!  Running club is able to operate safely and efficiently due to our wonderful parent volunteers!   Please see dates and times available to volunteer here.

We do want to remind kids participating in running club to wear their necklaces on Mondays and Wednesdays so they can immediately attach their hard-earned charms.

See the attached waiver for the Fall Running Club!

If you have any questions regarding Running Club please contact: Sarah Roberts or Maggie Schweitzer.

Safety Patrol is open for 5th grade students to ensure our community is safe during school drop off and pick up. Every year, the PTA sponsors a thank you lunch for all our student and staff volunteers. 

Junior Great Books is a short story discussion group that offers a fun way for our students to read and discuss age-appropriate literature through the Shared Inquiry method. This program strengthens retention, comprehension, and critical thinking skills, as well as, is a strong compliment to the Reading Street program taught in the classroom. For more information on Jr. Great Books and the Shared Inquiry method, please visit www.greatbooks.org.

If your child would like to participate in Jr. Great Books, please find the activity of Junior Great Books for your child's grade level on this page and fill out the registration form.

3rd grade JGB

Jr. Great Books is sponsored by the Jefferson PTA and the REACH PTA. Please feel free to contact Lesley Samuel with any questions or if financial assistance is needed.

Congratulations to our Jefferson students who participated in this year's Reflections Art Program!

Click for more information and FAQ.

Interested in becoming a Room Parent? Please contact Sara Roberts at sara.lyng@gmail.com. 

Please contact Jen Zacharias at jenzach14@gmail.com if your child would like to join Chess Club.

What is a 5^thGrade Memory Book?

When your child is in 5^thgrade, a memory book team, made up of parents, will compile a memory book of your child and their classmates from Kindergarten thru 5^thgrade.  In addition to the memory book, ALL parents/students get two free uniquely printed pages that are only printed in your child’s memory book, so you can fill your child’s yearbook with photos and memories that might not otherwise make the cut.

Types of Photos we’re looking for:

• Group Pictures (3+ students)
• Hi-Resolution pictures
• School events
• Photos showing action or emotion that tell a story

 

Types of photos we’re NOT looking for:

• Blurry pictures
• Individual pictures (there are a few exceptions… example … your child in front of their State Project)
• Family Pictures
• Pictures from personal, non-school events (Birthday parties, sporting events, trick or treating, etc…)

 

Examples of potential topics covered:
1st day of school, Incoming Kindergarten students with yard signs, Science Olympiad, Halloween Parade, Thanksgiving Feast/Pilgrims, Giving Tree, Carnival, Field Trips, State Reports, Plant Projects, Girl/Boy Scouts, Band/Orchestra, Safety Patrol, Spelling Bee, Student Council, School dances, 5th grade buddies, Relatives day, Field Day, Running Club, Junior Great Books, Ice & Roller Skating Parties, students with teachers, End of year picnic, Last day of school, etc...

What if my child is on the NO PHOTO list?
Your child may still be in the yearbook. Parents are allowed to take photos for yearbook purposes.  Please Note: Parents are NOT ALLOWED to post pictures of other children on social media... regardless of if they are on the No Photo list. 

How you can help:
1) TAKE PHOTOS!! When you’re on a field trip or at a school event... take group shots. We love both action shots and candid shots. 
2) DOWNLOAD YOUR PHOTOS TO THE SHARE SITE!! 95% of the photos that go in the memory book are YOUR photos. Take the time each month, quarter or year to download your photos.  See instructions here on how to add photos to the share site.

For more information, please contact Stephanie Drolett, Shannon Jackson or Melissa Shah.

We love our prairie/perennial garden on the west side of our school! It is a treasure trove of seeds and bugs and non-stop nature in action. Volunteers are needed year round to weed, seed and maintain the garden. For more information, please contact Lara Bogenrief.

The Jefferson Library volunteers are a group of parents who help out in the library by shelving returned books.  Volunteers usually go in on a monthly basis.  This is a great opportunity to volunteer during your child’s specific library time or another time convenient for you. 

For more information, please contact Jill Burns.

Playground Safety
Presented by Scott Dohnal and Angela Ferrentino

Any recreational activity can result in personal injuries, and playgrounds are no different.  However, the frequency and severity can be reduced through maintenance and supervision of playgrounds.

Playground Injury overview:

61 million US children through the age of 14

There are over 220,000 estimated playground equipment related injuries annually

76% on public playgrounds

24% on Residential playgrounds

Playground injury overview

79% are caused by FALLS

• 68% FALLS TO SURFACE
• 10% FALLS TO OTHER PARTS OF EQUIPTMENT
• 1% FALLS UNKNOWN

Falls are the most common cause of injury on public playgrounds.

11% are caused by impact

• 8% impact with stationary equipment
• 3% impact with moving equipment
• 10% are miscellaneous causes.

Major causes of death and seriously debilitating Injury

• #1 cause is entanglement…of clothing, strings or ropes
• #2 cause is falls… onto hard underlying surfaces
• #3 Head and neck entrapments…in equipment openings
• #4 Impact…by tipping or loose equipment, or moving swings

Factors that contribute to Public Playground injuries

• Improper use/poor supervision
• Poor Maintenance
• Inappropriate design
• Installation Errors
• Site Planning issues

Teaching Kids about Playground Safety

Safe playground equipment and adult supervision are extremely important, but it's only half of the equation: Kids must know how to be safe and act responsibly at the playground.

Teach your kids to:

• Never push or roughhouse while on jungle gyms, slides, seesaws, swings, and other equipment.
• Use equipment properly — slide feet first, don't climb outside guardrails, no standing on swings, etc.
• Always check to make sure no other kids are in the way if they're going to jump off equipment or slide, and land on both feet with their knees slightly bent.
• Leave bikes, backpacks, and bags away from the equipment and the play area so that no one trips over them.
• Always wear a helmet while bike riding, but take it off while on playground equipment.
• Never use playground equipment that's wet because moisture makes the surfaces slippery.
• Check playground equipment in the summertime. It can become uncomfortably or even dangerously hot, especially metal slides, handrails, and steps. So use good judgment — if the equipment feels hot to the touch, it's probably not safe or fun to play on. Contact burns can occur within seconds.
• Wear clothes that do not have drawstrings or cords. Drawstrings, purses, and necklaces could get caught on equipment and accidentally strangle a child.
• Wear sunscreen when playing outside even on cloudy days to protect against sunburn.

Slide Safety

Slides are safe if kids are careful when using them. Guidelines to keep in mind:

• Children should take one step at a time and hold onto the handrail when climbing the ladder to the top of the slide. They should not climb up the slide itself to get to the top.
• Kids should always slide down feet first and sitting up, never head first on their back or stomach.
• Only one child should be on the slide platform at a time, and kids shouldn't slide down in groups.
• Kids should always check that the bottom of the slide is clear before sliding down. When they reach the bottom, they should get off and move away from the end of the slide so it's clear for other kids to slide down.

Climbing Equipment Safety

Climbing equipment comes in many shapes and sizes — including rock climbing walls, arches, and vertical and horizontal ladders. It's generally more challenging for kids than other kinds of playground equipment.

• Be sure your kids are aware of a safe way down in case they can't complete the climb. The highest rates of injuries on public playgrounds are associated with climbing equipment, which is dangerous if not designed or used properly. Adult supervision is especially important for younger kids.
• Climbing equipment can be used safely if kids are taught to use both hands and to stay well behind the person in front of them and beware of swinging feet. When they drop from the bars, kids should be able to jump down without hitting the equipment on the way down. Remind kids to have their knees bent and land on both feet.
• Too many kids on the equipment at one time can be dangerous. Everyone should start on the same side of the equipment and move across it in the same direction.
• When climbing down, kids should watch for those climbing up; they should never race across or try to reach for bars that are too far ahead.
• Children younger than age 5 may not have the upper-body strength necessary for climbing and should only be allowed to climb on age-appropriate equipment. Preschoolers should only climb 5 feet high and school-age kids should only climb 7 feet high.

Suggestions:

Add a unit in PE class about playground safety and rules, let the students identify the rules, create buy in and self-policing.

Playground patrol to assist the adult supervision on the playground.

Read along each day with your school, watch videos, do fun at-home activities and more!  This year's book selection is Lemonade War!

Jefferson Mathletes will provide an enrichment opportunity to 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students that have a passion for problem solving and excel at math. Team Leaders (parent volunteers) will be present to help facilitate discussion and introduce games. Team Leaders will not be providing tutoring or instruction on the math curriculum. During scheduled meetings, students will work on practice problems and play math games.

2nd Grade Meeting Dates (Makerspace): 2/10, 2/24, 3/2, 3/9, 3/16, 3/30, 4/6 during the recess portion of lunch hour (11:25-11:55)

3rd Grade Meeting Dates (Makerspace): 2/13, 2/20, 2/27, 3/5, 3/12, 3/19, 4/2 during the recess portion of lunch hour (10:55-11:25)

4th Grade Meeting Dates (Makerspace): 2/12, 2/19, 2/26, 3/4, 3/11, 3/18, 4/1 during the recess portion of lunch hour (10:55-11:25)

Contest: Noetic Learning Math Contest (for more information about the contest click here)

Contest Date: Thursday April 9, 2019 (answer 20 questions in 45 minutes) during lunch recess (in Makerspace).

Scoring: Jefferson Mathletes will submit the top 6 scores per team to compete nationally. 

Fee: None to participate                                                                                       

 **($12 for a Mathlete shirt; to be ordered at a later date, but not mandatory)***

Volunteers: If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Gina Padgett and indicate dates you are available to volunteer and the grade level of your student. 

***For Jefferson Mathletes to participate in April 9 contest students have to attend the meeting dates set (not including excused absences). ****