• May 2023

    From The Principal's Desk

    This is the home stretch of the school year! It’s hard to believe how fast the year went by. We have some fun events planned, such as field day on June 2. Please let Mr. Smoker or our office know if you can volunteer.

    Our students are enjoying the field trips, and we appreciate our Elementary Boosters for their monetary contribution to pay for transportation. It means a lot to us! Please continue to support our Boosters!

    Our staff is looking forward to seeing families at our Celebration of Learning on Thursday, May 18 from 6:30-7:30 PM. Come & check out their learning for the year!  Our book fair will be open during that time. Students will also receive their first book from Kids Read Now. We will have a booth available to sign up students for our Cardinal Summer Camp.

    We had a BLAST celebrating our teachers this past week. We rolled out the red carpet and all staff members were introduced, and it included something special a child had said about them. Our teachers and students really enjoyed this celebration. It was great to hear all the cheering and see students and staff having so much fun together.

    We wish all of our Jefferson mothers a Happy Mother’s Day. We hope you enjoy a beautiful weekend with our special blessings!

    Tobi Reardon signature

    Mission Statement

    Coldwater Community Schools provides a supportive and challenging learning environment where every student is prepared to succeed in a global community.

    Vision Statement

    Making a world of difference for our students - Every student...Every way...Every day!

    P.E. Update

    All of our classes have completed their FitnessGram fitness testing, and their results will be coming home to you soon. Weather permitting, we will be outside for the rest of the year participating in fun games that work on improving cardiovascular fitness levels.

    Girls basketball camp flyers have been sent home in Friday folders. The girls camp, directed by Coach Ken Smoker and his varsity basketball team, will be held from 9-11:30 in the morning on June 7th, 8th, & 9th. Participants will be served free breakfast and lunch and will receive a commemorative shirt while getting the opportunity to learn basic basketball fundamentals.

    News From the Art Room

    Our final Art Around the World projects are wrapping up this week. We have learned a lot about cultures around the world this year, and we can’t wait to show off the art we have created inspired by those places. Your child will be bringing all their art made this year home in their art folder very soon. I’d like to encourage you to take some time and go through these with your child and discuss the things they learned in each project.

    Also, keep an eye out at the end of this month for a virtual art show to celebrate all of our hard work. This art show will include all “Art Around the World” projects from 2nd-5th Grade, as well as some bonus art projects we’ve made throughout the year. The link will be sent out through Remind. Be sure to check out all the astounding artwork made by all of our “Most Amazing Artists!” - Mrs. Trnka

    Great Attendance: An Essential Skill

    In order to learn and grow, students need to be at school. Good attendance at school is not only critical for skill development in students, but it establishes good work habits that can be seen throughout life. Michigan State Compulsory Education laws mandate regular and consistent school attendance unless there is a significant medical reason provided to the school. If your child is ill and cannot attend school, please call the Jefferson office at 517-279-5970 by 9 AM. Children also should learn the importance of arriving at school on time. Some of the most important directions of the day occur in the first few minutes. Children who are ready, seated, and waiting for instructions are learning more day by day. Children arriving at school 30 minutes or more after the beginning of the day, 8:35 AM, will be counted as absent for the first half of the day. Likewise, students leaving 30 minutes or more before the end of the day, 3:45 PM, will be counted absent for the last half of the day.

    Financial Literacy

    Junior Achievement of Southwest Michigan and Jefferson Elementary were proud to partner in May to bring impactful financial literacy lessons to the 3rd Grade students.  Volunteers from Huntington Bank introduced the students to financial literacy and grade-level social studies learning objectives, including how people manage their money, and the importance of economic exchange within a city. Students are introduced to the importance of money to a city and its citizens, choices people have with money, and how entrepreneurial businesses meet the needs and wants of citizens.

    Social Worker's Corner

    GET OUTSIDE!!

    Recent studies have exposed the benefit - even necessity - of spending time outdoors, both for kids and adults. Studies agree that the kids who play outside are smarter, happier, more attentive, and less anxious than kids who spend more time indoors. A few reasons why nature is good for you:

    1. It builds confidence. The way that kids play in nature has a lot less structure than most types of indoor play.
    2. It promotes creativity and imagination. They can think more freely, design their own activities, and approach the world in inventive ways.
    3. It provides different stimulation. Nature may seem less stimulating than your child’s video game, but in reality, it activates more senses - you can see, hear, smell and touch outdoor environments.
    4. It gets kids moving. Not only is exercise good for kids’ bodies, but it seems to make them more focused, which is especially beneficial for kids with ADHD.
    5. It reduces stress and fatigue. According to the Attention Restoration Theory, urban environments require what’s called directed attention, which forces us to ignore distractions and exhausts our brains. In nature, we practice an effortless type of attention that creates pleasure.

    ELL News

    Just because the school year is over, it doesn’t mean the learning stops!  The more time and exposure EL learners have in a language-rich learning environment in English or their native language, the greater their language development and retention. It is important for learners to always be reading. Learners can read in their first language or in English, just keep them reading!  Create a journal. Have your learner decorate their journal and write in it during the summer. They can write anything they want - just keep them writing!

    Intervention News

    The summer vacation is nearly here. It is important for children to read over the summer though. Students tend to drop back a bit over the summer months in reading and math. If possible, have your children read a couple of times a week to keep the momentum from the school year going. Reading programs at school and from the Branch District Library can help with this. Jefferson offers the Kids Read Now program. This is a great program to take advantage of to lessen summer loss. The more you can get your child to read, the better.

    Also, practicing math can help retain math learning. Students can practice learning programs on the computer and you could ask them basic facts. Students need practice in simple adding, subtracting and multiplication facts. Every little bit helps your child improve and lessen learning loss.

    End-Of-Year Reminders

    If your child has medication here at school, please make sure you pick it up by June 9, 2023.

    Make sure to check out our Lost and Found.

    If you know that your child will not be attending Coldwater Community Schools next school year, please notify our office.

    Upcoming Cardinal Clubs

    May 8-19: Hand Bells, Kickball, and Clay Sculpture.

    Reminders

    Student Absences: Call the office at 517-279-5970 before 9 AM.

    Before School: Please remember that drop off in the morning is at 8:05 AM. We do not have staff available before 8:05 AM to supervise. Our school day starts at 8:25 AM. Any student arriving between 8:25-8:55 AM will be marked as tardy. If they arrive after 8:55 AM, it will be marked as a half-day absence. The office is a busy place in the mornings. If we don’t answer the phone, please leave a message. There may also be circumstances where we’re unable to answer the front doorbell. Please be patient as we will assist you as soon as possible. Thank you for your understanding!

    Student Dismissal: No child may change his/her usual method of transportation home from school without a written note or a phone call from a parent. Please call before 3:15 PM (or 2 PM on Early Release Wednesdays) if you are changing their usual method of transportation.

    Remind: Sign up for Jefferson's Remind: Text @ccsjeff to the number 81010.

    Calendar

    • May 12: Martinez & Redman’s Field Trip to MSU Gardens
    • May 16: Mueller & Sullivan's Field Trip to MSU Gardens
    • May 18: Celebration of Learning, 6:30-7:30 PM
    • May 19: Popcorn Friday
    • May 25: Bachler & Vitto’s Field Trip to Sauder Village
    • May 26: Fondren & Mencke’s Field Trip to Sauder Village
    • May 29: NO SCHOOL - Memorial Day
    • May 31: Anderson & Welker’s Field Trip to Sauder Village
    • June 1: Evans & Lutman’s Field Trip to Sauder Village
    • June 2: Popcorn Friday - Last One!
    • June 2: Field Day!
    • June 5: HALF DAY - Dismissal at 11:55 AM
    • June 6: HALF DAY - Dismissal at 11:55 AM - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!