Congratulations to the winners of our Attendance Awareness Poster Contest! The six winning entries included Hector Martinez (5th Grade, North Jefferson Elementary) and Gabriel Espinoza Bolanos (5th Grade, JVA) at the elementary level; Gabrielle Orr (6th Grade, Shepherdstown Middle School) and Melody White (6th Grade, JVA) at the middle school level; and Kaylee Laird-Neal (11th Grade, Washington High School) and Xavier Gonzalez (11th Grade, JVA) at the high school level. The winners were recognized at the November 13 Jefferson County Board of Education meeting, with 23rd Judicial Circuit Judge David Hammer in attendance to offer his congratulations. Each winner received a $100 gift card courtesy of Skinner Accident & Injury Lawyers in Charles Town. Thank you to these community partners for supporting JCS in this district-wide attendance awareness campaign!
Read more here 👉 http://rb.gy/aayc2w
As we kick off American Education Week, we're excited to highlight and celebrate the incredible people in our JCS community who contribute to public education! Our staff, students, and families are the heart of our community, and we're grateful to each of you for your role in creating and maintaining a safe, enriching, and fun learning environment. Keep an eye out this week for #AEW2023 celebrations throughout our JCS community!
Today we take time to recognize Veterans Day with respect, honor, and gratitude to all who serve or have served in our nation's armed forces. Thank you!
A reminder that all Jefferson County schools and offices will be closed on Friday, November 10, in observance of Veterans Day.
Join us in cheering on JHS Resource Officer Lt. Ben Williams this month as he embraces the scruff for "No Shave for the Brave!" Jefferson County law enforcement officers participate in the annual fundraiser each November in support of Victoria's House CAC, a West Virginia-based program offering services to juveniles who have suffered abuse. To learn more, visit http://rb.gy/oyzd9s.
Shoutout to Mrs. Coon's fifth graders at C.W. Shipley for sharing fresh vegetables from their greenhouse with their classmates! CWS students enjoyed the veggies in their school lunches with the help of CWS cook Mrs. Woods, who helped prepare them for sampling. Thanks to all students and staff involved in making this delicious (and nutritious!) experience possible!
Congratulations to the Jefferson High School Cougars football team on their 48-0 win over Washington High in the first-ever Burger Bowl! And a big thank you to Glory Days in Ranson for feeding both teams and presenting the Burger Bowl trophy!
The Cougars finished the season 8-2 and will host a playoff game on Nov. 10. You can purchase tickets here https://gofan.co/event/1217676
Three Driswood Elementary students have received recognition for their outstanding knowledge of fire safety! Kindergartener Aubrey Brumback, first grader Alora Cooper, and fifth grader Sophia Mriscin are among the dozen winners of West Virginia's annual fire safety poster contest held each October during Fire Prevention Month. State Fire Marshal Kenneth Tyree visited DES this week to present Aubrey, Alora, and Sophia with framed copies of their original artwork, which will also be featured in a 2024 wall calendar. Congratulations to these talented young artists!
Six students from Jefferson and Washington High Schools had the opportunity to observe JCS teachers in action as part of the second district cohort of the statewide Grow Your Own Program! Created by the West Virginia Department of Education for high school students interested in becoming K-12 educators, the program enables JCS juniors and seniors to fast-track their careers through dual enrollment courses at Shepherd University. Grow Your Own Shadow Day was a rewarding experience for our JCS students as they observed current teachers in preparation for their future careers! Read more here 👉 http://rb.gy/brn2q
JCS Superintendent Dr. Chuck Bishop took one for the team today at Jefferson High School's "Cougars Against Cancer" pep rally! Dr. Bishop, Principal Group, and other JHS staff members each took a pie to the face during one of several games at the school-wide event to support cancer awareness. With cancer affecting the lives of so many, students were encouraged to "pink out" in attire and complete a pink sign with the name of someone they support in the fight against cancer. Following the fun and games, the student body stood and raised their signs to show that Cougars stand together against cancer.
#TGIF! JCS students across the district celebrated Red Ribbon Week with fun themes and activities related to this year's theme, "Be Kind to Your Mind." From "decade day" to "super training" their brains with crazy hairstyles to simply wearing as much red as possible, students had a great time showing their school spirit during this annual celebration of health and wellness!
Thanks to everyone who came out to scare up some fun at our second annual Sensory Trunk-or-Treat! Our neurodiverse students and their families had a 👻spooktacular👻 time in this safe and inclusive trick-or-treating environment hosted by our Parent and Educator Resource Center (PERC). Special thanks to our student greeters and peer hosts, staff and community volunteers, and community partner agencies who helped facilitate the event. Read more here 👉 http://rb.gy/gpw57
Many thanks to our parents and staff and Driswood Elementary who helped facilitate the school's “Spooktacular Reading” event! With approximately 150 families in attendance, the event offered creative ideas to reinforce reading strategies at home. Students were invited to come in costume for a fun evening of stories, games, and crafts, and special guest Chrissy Overton of Bolivar-Harpers Ferry Public Library was on hand with the library's pet bearded dragon, Gourd. A photo booth provided lasting memories, and everyone in attendance received a free book!
Jefferson County Schools appreciates everyone's hard work during the first nine weeks of the 23-24 school year. As we calculate final grades, we want to inform you about a change in schedule. Report cards will go home on Monday, October 30, 2023, NOT this Friday as previously planned. Grades will also be available in Canvas. We appreciate your patience while we ensure all grades have been assessed and calculated.
10/23: C.W. Shipley called an "Evacuate" this morning in response to a fire alarm. The alarm was not genuine, and there is NO DANGER to students or staff. In an abundance of caution, firefighters who responded to the alarm inspected the building and confirmed it was safe. Students reentered the building, and instruction is continuing as scheduled. Visit www.jcswv.org/safety for more information on our standard response protocols.
Jefferson County Schools invites you to an informational meeting on Oct. 23 about the Standard Response Protocol we use in our schools and ways you can support student safety at home. Lt. Ben Williams from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department will present the information and answer questions. The event takes place at 5:00 p.m. in the Washington High School auditorium. https://www.jcswv.org/events?id=23365841
WHS senior Taylor Decker is not only a busy high school student, but she also takes classes through Shepherd University and Blue Ridge CTC as part of the WVDE's Grow Your Own teacher training program. Ms. Decker will finish high school with a year's worth of college credits at no cost to apply to her post-secondary education and will enter a teaching program next school year as a sophomore! She often uses her teacher training skills to tutor classmates, who commend her for her friendliness, stamina, and math positivity. To learn more about enrollment in the Grow Your Own program, talk to your school counselor or visit https://teachwv.com/grow-your-own/.
Thanks to the JCS community for supporting our teachers and staff as they worked to learn new skills and classroom techniques on this day of staff development!
REMINDER: Tomorrow, Oct. 20, is a staff development day for Jefferson County Schools. There will be NO SCHOOL for students while our staff take advantage of training opportunities to continue supporting students. Thank you, and have a great weekend!
Due to unforeseen circumstances, our Pep Rally scheduled for today (10/19) will be postponed to next Friday, Oct. 27, 2023. We understand the disruption this sudden change causes, and we appreciate your understanding. The new date will align the Pep Rally with a football game. We will follow the same schedule.
