Jefferson County Schools -

JCS Families: All students who ride the bus have been dropped off at home. We appreciate your patience and have a wonderful weekend.

JCS Families: Law enforcement has reopened the 2 southbound lanes and one northbound lane of 340. Expect delays due to traffic and the late release of buses. We appreciate your continued patience as we work to get your students home.

JCS Families: We anticipate transportation delays across the county due to law enforcement shutting down a portion of 340 due to a hazardous materials spill. WHS, HFMS, CWS, and BRC will be most impacted.

🍎 We're celebrating National School Lunch Week with heartfelt thanks to our incredible cafeteria staff! During the first full month of the school year, JCS proudly served 7,654 meals per day, thanks to our team of 68 dedicated cooks. Every day, our cafeteria staff goes above and beyond to nourish our students, ensuring they have the energy to learn and grow. Plus, all JCS students can enjoy free breakfast and lunch every day! A wonderful example of this commitment can be seen at Blue Ridge Primary School, where the cooks created a colorful bulletin board showcasing daily meals with photos for our younger students. Thank you to all our school lunch (and breakfast!) heroes for your hard work and heart! ❤️

🎃 Join us for our 3rd Annual Sensory-Friendly Trunk-or-Treat! 🎃 With spooky season upon us, families with autism and sensory processing needs are invited to this fun, inclusive Trunk-or-Treat event on October 30, from 5-7 PM at Charles Town Middle School. Want to help make the evening extra special? Drop off peanut-free candy or wishlist items at the PERC office through October 30. Find the Amazon wishlist here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/DPSZGC6YGBMN?ref_=wl_share Your support is truly appreciated!

📱 Worried about your child’s screen time? Let’s talk solutions! Join us on Wednesday, October 30, from 5:30-7:30 pm at Driswood Elementary School to learn practical tips for managing screen time for your elementary-aged students. We’ll cover healthy screen habits, setting boundaries, and fun alternatives to help balance tech time! Presented in partnership with Access 304, this adults-only event will offer plenty of helpful tips for families. For more info, visit www.jcswv.org/screentime.

🏆🎶 The JHS Marching Band takes first place in the Tournament of Bands! Congratulations to the Cougars for their first-place win in Class 4A at the Musselman High School Tournament of Bands Show this weekend with a score of 90.21! The band also won Best Percussion, Best Music, Best Visual, and the “People’s Choice” award. They are now ranked first nationally in the Tournament of Bands circuit. Go Cougars!

🚒🔥 JCS students learned about fire safety during Fire Prevention Week! Last week, students at Blue Ridge Campus, T.A. Lowery Elementary, and C.W. Shipley Elementary learned fire safety basics with help from our incredible community EMS partners! Students explored fire trucks, checked out the gear, and learned important fire safety tips. Thank you to our local heroes for partnering with us for Fire Prevention Week to make these important safety lessons fun and informative! 👨‍🚒

📢 Join the Hispanic/Latino Association of JCS this Friday, October 18, for an informative presentation! Families are invited to learn about Canvas, Rooms, attendance policies, and the JVA Program, plus information about HLA! Enjoy music, games, and refreshments. Food will also be available for a small donation. All ages are welcome!

🚀 Ranson Elementary’s STEAM teacher, Beth Lee, was recently featured by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research! In her interview, Beth shares what inspired her path to STEAM, her favorite classroom projects, and why she loves what she does. We're proud to congratulate her on this incredible accomplishment! Read the full interview here 👉 https://www.afosrstem.org/teacher-feature-interview-beth-lee

🥇🎶 Congratulations to the Jefferson High School Marching Band on another 1st place win in Group 4A at the annual Tournament of Bands event! The Cougars are currently ranked #1 in the circuit, competing against bands from eight states across the Mid-Atlantic region. This is the second year in a row they’ve taken top honors after returning to the competition last year following a 10-year hiatus. Way to go, Cougars!

🎓🏆 Congratulations to JHS seniors Ella McCabe and Louisa Pate for being named semifinalists in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program! These remarkable students are set to showcase their academic talents at the Finalist level, competing for one of 6,870 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million next spring. We’re cheering them on as they continue this incredible journey! 💪📚

Jefferson High School recently showcased an Appalachian Heritage display, featuring artifacts representing Indigenous, English, African, German, Irish, and French cultures. Since returning to school, students across the district have been studying Appalachian history and West Virginia culture. Appalachia spans 13 states, including all of West Virginia, and is known for its strong values of family, freedom, and self-reliance. At JCS, we're proud to celebrate the rich history and heritage of our region! 💙💛

We’ve reached the halfway mark of the first nine weeks! Please check your student’s grades on Canvas, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact their teacher. Let’s work together to finish out this term strong!

🐾💡 It's vet science in action at WHS! Students in Mrs. Grantham’s Companion Animal Care class recently explored the essentials of biosecurity! From testing their handwashing skills with Glo Germ and blacklights to mastering glove techniques and surgical gowning, they learned the essentials of veterinary medicine. Hands-on experience for future animal care pros!

🍎🌟 JCS offers teachers professional learning for classroom excellence! We're excited to share the success of our third annual Classroom Management Workshop! Our amazing educators engaged in interactive sessions over three days to boost their teaching strategies. This focus on continuous improvement gave them new tools and techniques to create even better and more supportive classrooms. The enthusiastic participation and positive feedback demonstrate just how impactful this workshop was in fostering educational excellence!

JCS IMPORTANT REMINDER: Rising 7th & 12th Graders must show proof of immunization of TDaP and MCV4 (Meningitis) vaccine. You can find more information and upload proof of immunization at jcswv.org/vaccine

JCS wants your feedback! We continually seek to improve how we communicate with our families and community. Please take a moment to complete our JCS Communications Survey: https://forms.office.com/r/P1SwEePqvK

JCS End of Year Newsletter! What you need to know between now and August: https://secure.smore.com/n/smw8t

JCS Reminder: All Jefferson County schools will be dismissed two hours early on Friday, May 24, for faculty senate meetings. This is also the last day of the 2023-24 school year. Have a Great Summer!