april 2021 greetings from pta president a message from the
TRANSCRIPT
A Message from the Principal, Dr. Pierre-Jerome
Greetings Jaguar Family! It is hard to believe that it has been a year since we last had all of our students back on campus in the “traditional” sense. We have definitely come a long way over the course of the year. Exactly one year ago, we were all learning about virtual learning, Google classrooms, and we were participating in our first virtual meetings! Fast forward to 2021, and we have all increased our technological skills! Thank you to our students, our parents/guardians, and our faculty/staff for all of your hard work. Together we have navigated uncharted waters, and we have experienced success. April is a busy month for our students. Our students are now in the last trimester of the school year. Students will continue to work on the required standards. Teachers will continue to measure our students’ mastery of standards in a variety of ways. During April, our third, fourth, and fifth graders will begin State testing on the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) or the Florida Standards Alternate Assessment (FSAA). These assessments will provide our students with the opportunity to show all that they learned this past school year. We are confident that our students will perform well. Parents/Guardians, please continue to work with your students. Please be sure to maintain a structured schedule for your child and incorporate time away from technology. Please also remember to provide your child time to go outside and play. Lastly, remember to allow your students time to sit down with a good book for at least twenty minutes a day. Thank you again for all of your support and, as always, please feel free to reach out to the school if you need any assistance.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER April 2 – NO SCHOOL-Good Friday April 4 – EASTER April 6-15 – FSA testing April 7 – SAC Mtg 6PM April 7 – PTA Mtg 6:45 PM April 16 – NO SCHOOL – Teacher Work Day April 22 – Student of the Month
Greetings from PTA President, Kareema George
Hello JC Mitchell Family! I hope that everyone had a restful spring break. We are looking forward to a strong finish to this school year. We are excited to be hosting an Usborne virtual book fair in April. Please stay tuned for additional information. It is not too late to join our PTA. WE NEED YOU! Please join today! Ask your family and friends to join as well! Here are some of the ways we can all contribute to our PTA and our school community:
1. Join PTA today and get a lovely JCM gift! Membership can be purchased from our Memberhub website. http://jcmitchell.new.memberhub.store/store
2. Purchase JC Mitchell uniforms and spirit gear from our Memberhub store. We now offer red Be Kind shirts and awesome facemasks! http://jcmitchell.new.memberhub.store/store
3. Follow us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=jc%20 mitchell%20elementary%20school%20pta and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jcmpta/ for a chance to win some fun JCM spirit gear.
4. Shop with Amazon Smile and choose JC Mitchell Elementary School as your charity. https://smile.amazon.com/ch/65-0629366
5. Download the Box Tops app, choose JC Mitchell Elementary School, and scan all your receipts.
6. Email your PTA suggestions and concerns to [email protected].
Kareema George, PTA President
https://jcme.palmbeachschools.org/
PTA = Parent Teacher Association MEETINGS: Wed. April 7, 2021-SAC-6PM/PTA-6:45 PM Wed. May 5, 2021-SAC-6PM PTA BOARD – 2020-2021 PRESIDENT – KAREEMA GEORGE 1st VP - Leadership Development – JAMES GODWIN 2nd VP - Family Engagement – FABIOLA PADERNACHT 3rd VP - Community Engagement – APRIL BORAY Treasurer – KARLENE WOLCOTT Recording Secretary – ERIKA VILLALOBOS Corresponding Secretary – JUDY KACZMAREK Immediate Past President – RACHELLE SAINT LOUIS EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.jcmpta.org
Counselor’s Corner April’s Character Trait of the Month is Random Acts
of Kindness: Someone who is a bucket filler, does kind things without being asked, helps people in need, and does thoughtful things without being asked. Congratulations to the students who earned honor roll and/or citizenship for the 2nd trimester last month! Way to go! With testing season approaching, please remind your children NOT to stress about the test and to simply try their BEST! If you worry, so do they, and being stressed will not help them on the test. Thank you! Positive Parenting Tips:
1. Always show respect for your child, their thoughts and feelings.
2. Spend at least 30 minutes with your child every day talking and playing to build a strong bond and to promote positive behavior at home.
3. Children need to feel in control to feel safe. Let them choose simple things daily, like what to wear, what book to read, etc.
4. Children thrive in structured predictable environments and consistent schedules. Make a schedule at home of morning and evening routines and stick to it to avoid unnecessary arguments.
5. If you want to see more of desirable behavior in your child, reward the positive behavior immediately after the child displays it.
6. If you want to discourage negative behavior in your child, provide negative consequences immediately after the behavior occurs.
If you would like to consult about your child and how to help them behave and feel better, feel free to reach out to us.
Jenna Benjamin-561-750-4910
Genia Bonchuk, LMHC, Co-located Mental Health Counselor (English, Russian): 561-750-4926 [email protected]
National Take Our Daughters and Sons to work Day is scheduled
for Thursday, April 22nd. Due to the current pandemic, the School District will not be participating in the event this year. In accordance with Policy 2.065 visitation Protocols on district Property Due to COVID-19, the presence of outside visitors on school campuses and District property is being strictly monitored and limited to ensure the health and safety of students and staff. The District will, however, grant an excused absence on Thursday, April 22nd, to any student whose parents would like their child to accompany them to a work location that is outside of the School District. Parents are asked to notify their child’s teacher in advance about their intent to take their child out of school for the day.
Thursday, April 22, 2021
ESOL News – ACCESS testing is complete for MOST of our brick and mortar students. Now the ESOL TEAM will be calling and making appointments for parents of virtual students to bring their children in to be tested. FSA tests are coming up and it is so important that the students get enough rest before test day. Parents, please make sure your students get at least 9 hours of sleep the night before a test. It is so important that they can stay focused during the test and do their best. THANK YOU, The ESOL TEAM Padres, por favor asegúrese de que sus estudiantes duerman por lo menos 9 horas la noche anterior al examen. Es muy importante que puedan mantenerse concentrados durante la prueba y hacer lo mejor que puedan. GRACIAS - El equipo de ESOL Paran, tanpri asire elèv ou yo jwenn omwen 9 èdtan dòmi lannwit anvan yon tès. Li tèlman enpòtan ke yo ka rete konsantre pandan tès la pou yo ka fè byen. MÈSI - Ekip ESOL la Pais, por favor, assegurem-se de que seus alunos durmam pelo menos 9 horas na noite anterior ao exame. É muito importante que eles possam se manter focados durante o exame e dar o seu melhor. OBRIGADO - Equipe ESO
Mrs. Lopez (Spanish) 561-750-4917, Mrs. Francois (Haitian Creole) 561-750-4923,
Mrs. Thomas (Portuguese) 561-750-4945
2021 Spread The Word Texting is Now Illegal Poster PSA Contest
Up to $500 is up for grabs in this poster contest for students in middle and elementary school. Students are asked to create a persuasive message informing Florida drivers that texting is now illegal while driving in school zones.
CLICK THIS LINK TO ENTER! https://dorisaveslives.org/contest/2021-spread-the-word-
Kindergarten News – It is hard to believe that we are starting the last trimester of the school year! We hope you all enjoyed some down time over Spring Break and are ready to finish this year off strong. Over the next few weeks, we are continuing to tell, draw, and write a whole story while focusing on making it easy to read. In math, we will be counting to 100 and then start learning about 2D and 3D shapes. The Kindergarteners are learning how to recognize common types of texts in reading and are learning new ways to ask and answer questions about unknown words. In our current unit, we will also be comparing and contrasting adventures and experiences of the characters in familiar stories. In science, we are learning about day and night, and then we will start exploring living and nonliving things. The KidSafe program has concluded, and the students really enjoyed learning many useful life skills regarding safety. This month, they will start a 6 lesson series from the "Living Skills in the Schools" program that focuses on important decision making skills with the use of puppets! We are excited, as this has been a big hit in past years!
1st Grade News – Hello First Grade Parents and Guardians! Happy Spring! We hope you all had a safe and relaxing Spring Break. We can't believe it is almost April! In Fundations, we are moving through unit 11: segmenting and blending words with up to 5 sounds, long vowel words that follow the consonant-e pattern, reviewing our "r" controlled vowels, and our vowel teams. In Math, we have just started unit 11: Using models to understand how to subtract tens frames and focusing on using the hundreds chart to subtract ten. In Science, we are working on understanding the various differences between living and nonliving things in our environment. In Social Studies, we are working on identifying and describing important symbols of the United States. In reading we are comparing and contrasting two characters in a story and identifying problems in a story as well. We are all very proud of the students for they have been working diligently in each unit and, as always, we thank YOU, parents and guardians, for your continued support and encouragement of your children. We are "SPRINGING" forward with each new day :)
2nd Grade News –We hope everyone enjoyed their spring break! April is upon us which means it is time for our 3rd – 5th graders to take the FSA. Even though our second graders do not take the FSA, our schedule does change slightly. Please allow your child extra time outside to play in the afternoon. In our classrooms, we have been exploring fairytales, folktales, and fables. Next time you visit the library, you may want to check out your child’s favorite fable or fairytale to enjoy at home. During our math lessons we will be measuring the length of various objects in standard and metric units. Parents can facilitate learning at home by allowing children to measure various objects in their homes using a ruler, yard stick, meter stick, or tape measure. They can then subtract the lengths to determine how much bigger one object is than another. Toward the end of the month we will be learning about shapes and their attributes. As always, continue to read daily and practice your math facts at home with your child. Every minute counts! In science, we are learning about weather and the sun. We will compare and describe changing patterns in nature that repeat themselves, such as weather conditions including temperature and precipitation day-to-day and season-to-season. In writing, students are still learning about writing opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book by stating the opinion, supplying reasons to support their opinion, and using linking words to connect the opinion and reason. 3rd Grade News – We hope that everyone had a safe and wonderful spring break. Now that we are back, it will be full steam ahead preparing for the FSA. Virtual students will be coming in on April 6th and 7th for the (ELA) FSA, and the brick & mortar students will take it in class on April 13th and 14th. Please encourage your children to get a good night’s rest, eat a healthy breakfast, arrive at school on time, and try their best using all the strategies they have learned this year. THEY'VE GOT THIS! 4th Grade News – Welcome back from Spring Break, Jaguars! We hope everyone is feeling refreshed from the week off. This month we are gearing up for the upcoming FSA tests. We will begin with writing. To help your children grow as authors, encourage them to write, text, and talk in complete sentences. After the writing FSA test will be reading. Please make sure your student is reading a minimum of twenty minutes each night. We urge students to read aloud to someone special and discuss their reading nightly. The math FSA will come mid-May. In class, fourth grade is finishing Unit 13, generating patterns, and we are heading into angles and angle measurements. Fourth grade has also already been reviewing for the FSA daily. Remember there is homework that needs to be completed each night and returned the next school day. Thank you for your continued support this year.
5th Grade News – We want to wish all of our students good luck as they take the Writing FSA (April 9th for Virtual students or April 15th for Brick and Mortar students), Reading FSA (May 4th & 5th for Virtual students or May 6th & May 7th for Brick and Mortar students), Math FSA (May 11th & 12th for Virtual students or May 13th & 14h ), and Science FCAT (May 18th & 19th for Virtual students or May 20th & 21st for Brick and Mortar kids). We have been diligently working to develop the critical thinking skills that they need, not only to succeed on their FSAs but beyond their school years as well. We are proud of all the hard work they have done so far. We know they are ready and we are confident that they will do well. Parents, you can assist your child(ren) during this testing period by making sure he/she/they get(s) plenty of sleep, eat(s) a healthy breakfast, and is on time each day. To avoid "morning hassles," consider preparing lunches, packing backpacks, and laying out the following day’s clothing in the evening. Most important, remember to encourage your child to do well and tell him/her/them that you are proud of all their hard work. Please continue to stay healthy and safe.
ESE News -In April, K-5 students will be learning about positive and negative changes people make to the environment. This will tie in to Earth Day on April 22. In PreK the students will be learning about Spring and Space, the final frontier! We want to thank parents for putting safety first and for wearing your masks in the car line. It is very much appreciated!
ADVERTISE IN OUR NEWSLETTER! If you have a business and you would like to advertise in our newsletter, the cost is $20.00 per month or $150.00 for the entire year. Your support helps PTA with production and printing costs and other expenses. Call Laura in the
office at 561-750-4900 if you are interested.
Trimester 2 Elementary Report Cards to Be Available to Parents Electronically
As the second trimester for elementary school students ends on March 12, the School District is offering two ways for parents and guardians to access their child’s report card. Report cards will be available on March 26. Parents can follow these steps to access their child’s report card:
1. Via the District Student Portal: Students will log in to their student portal as they do each school day to access Google Classroom and other educational software. They will then click on the “Report Card” tile to view and/or print their report card.
2. Via an email sent to the parent: If a parent has provided one or more email addresses to their child’s school, the parent should receive this email message. When the link in the email is clicked, the report card will be visible and can be printed.
In order to confirm that your child’s school has your most up-to-date contact information, click here for instructions on how to log in to SIS and confirm your records. Changes can be made to your account by contacting your child's school directly. Questions related to the elementary report card should be directed to your child’s teacher or school principal. Sample elementary report cards are also available in Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese here.
https://www.palmbeachschools.org/ careers/substitute_jobs
Interested in working in the food service industry, but
want to have your nights, weekends, and holidays off? If so, the School District of Palm Beach County School Food Service Department may be right for you. The department is hiring part- time food service assistants at schools across the county. Most positions include a set schedule of 20-25 hours per week with a five-hour workday that is finished by 2 p.m. This gives employees the flexibility to attend college, take a second job, or spend time with family. The District is closed for two weeks at Christmas, as well as one week for spring break and a week for Thanksgiving. Starting pay is $12 an hour. Positions offer an opportunity for advancement by training and promoting from within. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, pass a drug screen and a level-two background test ($99 fee) in addition to passing a physical demand test to lift 35 pounds. Cashier and/or food service experience is a plus. To apply, go to palmbeachschools.org/jobs or call 561-383-2057 for more information.
School District Food Service Department Hiring
Part-time Assistants
AFTER-SCHOOL News – Hello, Families. As with anyone, Afterschool has had many challenges this year, but we have managed to keep students engaged in activities that enhances our students’ skills while keeping an excellent safety rating. Rest assured, we have safety plans in place, implemented sanitation procedures in our program and all staff are equipped with PPE. Bottom line, it is safe to register with us! JCM Afterschool will begin accepting registration for the upcoming school year 2021-2022 starting April 5th through June 4th. All families, new and returning, must register students for the upcoming school year. Registration is $25.00 per student. All balances must be paid in full before you can register.
Raise FUNDS for J.C. Mitchell Elementary
When you shop at OFFICE DEPOT for your supplies, give them our school code: 70020709. They give 5% back to our school on all purchases. Empties-4-Cash - Bring us all your empty and used ink cartridges. We send them to Empties-4-Cash and they send us a check! No laser jet or large toner cartridges please.
SHOP and choose J.C. Mitchell PTA as your beneficiary!
Character Traits
November 2020 – TRUSTWORTHINESS
KINDNESS May 2021 – CITIZENSHIP
FOOD SERVICE INFORMATION
The School Food Service grab-and-go food distribution has changed. Rather than a twice-a-
week pick-up, distributions will now be held weekly on Thursdays at 89 school locations across the District. Parents/guardians will receive a box of pantry-style foods including a supply of breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and suppers intended to last for seven days. Pick-up times vary by location. For a full list of locations and pick-up times, click here. All children 18 years of age and younger (22 and younger for ESE) are eligible for the free meals, regardless of financial need. Children do not have to be registered in a School District of Palm Beach County-operated school to receive food. Parents do not need to visit their child’s school for food distribution, they can visit any location of their choice. Distribution times and locations are subject to change. A child does not have to be present to pick up meals. However, one of the following forms of identification is required to receive meals at the food distribution sites: Student ID Badge, Student Barcode Letter (that can be found in your child’s student portal), Passport, Birth Certificate, or Library Card. The adult picking up the meals can also bring a picture that has themselves and the children for whom they are picking up food, in the photo. Meals may contain allergens. Adults picking up the food are asked to be vigilant and ensure they do not take food if allergies may be a concern. Food should be refrigerated or discarded if not consumed upon receipt. For everyone's health and safety, a facial covering or mask is required when picking up meals at any school food distribution site.
Click here to visit SCHOOL CASH ONLINE and use your
credit or debit card!
Pay for your Aftercare fees ONLINE!
Purchase your Safety Patrol T-shirt ONLINE!
Participate in our school fundraiser –Pay ONLINE to have your child’s name on our marquee on their birthday.
Click the link below to take the school district’s
SURVEY! https://sites.google.com/palmbeachschools.org/fy2 1worldclasseducation/english
Don’t forget to grab a mask before you leave the house in the morning!
Extraordinary Educator Nomination
Students & parents, the district is seeking nominations for Palm Beach County educators who have gone above and beyond during the Pandemic to make sure their students have the resources and personal attention they need to learn and succeed. We want to hear from you! ALL NOMINATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 4/25/2021. Please submit your nomination today by sharing why you believe your educator is extra amazing. 25 educators will receive $500. This contest is open to ALL school-based employees. Please click the link to nominate an educator.
Greetings Jaguar Family! It is hard to believe that it has been a year since we last had all of our students back on campus in the “traditional” sense. We have definitely come a long way over the course of the year. Exactly one year ago, we were all learning about virtual learning, Google classrooms, and we were participating in our first virtual meetings! Fast forward to 2021, and we have all increased our technological skills! Thank you to our students, our parents/guardians, and our faculty/staff for all of your hard work. Together we have navigated uncharted waters, and we have experienced success. April is a busy month for our students. Our students are now in the last trimester of the school year. Students will continue to work on the required standards. Teachers will continue to measure our students’ mastery of standards in a variety of ways. During April, our third, fourth, and fifth graders will begin State testing on the Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) or the Florida Standards Alternate Assessment (FSAA). These assessments will provide our students with the opportunity to show all that they learned this past school year. We are confident that our students will perform well. Parents/Guardians, please continue to work with your students. Please be sure to maintain a structured schedule for your child and incorporate time away from technology. Please also remember to provide your child time to go outside and play. Lastly, remember to allow your students time to sit down with a good book for at least twenty minutes a day. Thank you again for all of your support and, as always, please feel free to reach out to the school if you need any assistance.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER April 2 – NO SCHOOL-Good Friday April 4 – EASTER April 6-15 – FSA testing April 7 – SAC Mtg 6PM April 7 – PTA Mtg 6:45 PM April 16 – NO SCHOOL – Teacher Work Day April 22 – Student of the Month
Greetings from PTA President, Kareema George
Hello JC Mitchell Family! I hope that everyone had a restful spring break. We are looking forward to a strong finish to this school year. We are excited to be hosting an Usborne virtual book fair in April. Please stay tuned for additional information. It is not too late to join our PTA. WE NEED YOU! Please join today! Ask your family and friends to join as well! Here are some of the ways we can all contribute to our PTA and our school community:
1. Join PTA today and get a lovely JCM gift! Membership can be purchased from our Memberhub website. http://jcmitchell.new.memberhub.store/store
2. Purchase JC Mitchell uniforms and spirit gear from our Memberhub store. We now offer red Be Kind shirts and awesome facemasks! http://jcmitchell.new.memberhub.store/store
3. Follow us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=jc%20 mitchell%20elementary%20school%20pta and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jcmpta/ for a chance to win some fun JCM spirit gear.
4. Shop with Amazon Smile and choose JC Mitchell Elementary School as your charity. https://smile.amazon.com/ch/65-0629366
5. Download the Box Tops app, choose JC Mitchell Elementary School, and scan all your receipts.
6. Email your PTA suggestions and concerns to [email protected].
Kareema George, PTA President
https://jcme.palmbeachschools.org/
PTA = Parent Teacher Association MEETINGS: Wed. April 7, 2021-SAC-6PM/PTA-6:45 PM Wed. May 5, 2021-SAC-6PM PTA BOARD – 2020-2021 PRESIDENT – KAREEMA GEORGE 1st VP - Leadership Development – JAMES GODWIN 2nd VP - Family Engagement – FABIOLA PADERNACHT 3rd VP - Community Engagement – APRIL BORAY Treasurer – KARLENE WOLCOTT Recording Secretary – ERIKA VILLALOBOS Corresponding Secretary – JUDY KACZMAREK Immediate Past President – RACHELLE SAINT LOUIS EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.jcmpta.org
Counselor’s Corner April’s Character Trait of the Month is Random Acts
of Kindness: Someone who is a bucket filler, does kind things without being asked, helps people in need, and does thoughtful things without being asked. Congratulations to the students who earned honor roll and/or citizenship for the 2nd trimester last month! Way to go! With testing season approaching, please remind your children NOT to stress about the test and to simply try their BEST! If you worry, so do they, and being stressed will not help them on the test. Thank you! Positive Parenting Tips:
1. Always show respect for your child, their thoughts and feelings.
2. Spend at least 30 minutes with your child every day talking and playing to build a strong bond and to promote positive behavior at home.
3. Children need to feel in control to feel safe. Let them choose simple things daily, like what to wear, what book to read, etc.
4. Children thrive in structured predictable environments and consistent schedules. Make a schedule at home of morning and evening routines and stick to it to avoid unnecessary arguments.
5. If you want to see more of desirable behavior in your child, reward the positive behavior immediately after the child displays it.
6. If you want to discourage negative behavior in your child, provide negative consequences immediately after the behavior occurs.
If you would like to consult about your child and how to help them behave and feel better, feel free to reach out to us.
Jenna Benjamin-561-750-4910
Genia Bonchuk, LMHC, Co-located Mental Health Counselor (English, Russian): 561-750-4926 [email protected]
National Take Our Daughters and Sons to work Day is scheduled
for Thursday, April 22nd. Due to the current pandemic, the School District will not be participating in the event this year. In accordance with Policy 2.065 visitation Protocols on district Property Due to COVID-19, the presence of outside visitors on school campuses and District property is being strictly monitored and limited to ensure the health and safety of students and staff. The District will, however, grant an excused absence on Thursday, April 22nd, to any student whose parents would like their child to accompany them to a work location that is outside of the School District. Parents are asked to notify their child’s teacher in advance about their intent to take their child out of school for the day.
Thursday, April 22, 2021
ESOL News – ACCESS testing is complete for MOST of our brick and mortar students. Now the ESOL TEAM will be calling and making appointments for parents of virtual students to bring their children in to be tested. FSA tests are coming up and it is so important that the students get enough rest before test day. Parents, please make sure your students get at least 9 hours of sleep the night before a test. It is so important that they can stay focused during the test and do their best. THANK YOU, The ESOL TEAM Padres, por favor asegúrese de que sus estudiantes duerman por lo menos 9 horas la noche anterior al examen. Es muy importante que puedan mantenerse concentrados durante la prueba y hacer lo mejor que puedan. GRACIAS - El equipo de ESOL Paran, tanpri asire elèv ou yo jwenn omwen 9 èdtan dòmi lannwit anvan yon tès. Li tèlman enpòtan ke yo ka rete konsantre pandan tès la pou yo ka fè byen. MÈSI - Ekip ESOL la Pais, por favor, assegurem-se de que seus alunos durmam pelo menos 9 horas na noite anterior ao exame. É muito importante que eles possam se manter focados durante o exame e dar o seu melhor. OBRIGADO - Equipe ESO
Mrs. Lopez (Spanish) 561-750-4917, Mrs. Francois (Haitian Creole) 561-750-4923,
Mrs. Thomas (Portuguese) 561-750-4945
2021 Spread The Word Texting is Now Illegal Poster PSA Contest
Up to $500 is up for grabs in this poster contest for students in middle and elementary school. Students are asked to create a persuasive message informing Florida drivers that texting is now illegal while driving in school zones.
CLICK THIS LINK TO ENTER! https://dorisaveslives.org/contest/2021-spread-the-word-
Kindergarten News – It is hard to believe that we are starting the last trimester of the school year! We hope you all enjoyed some down time over Spring Break and are ready to finish this year off strong. Over the next few weeks, we are continuing to tell, draw, and write a whole story while focusing on making it easy to read. In math, we will be counting to 100 and then start learning about 2D and 3D shapes. The Kindergarteners are learning how to recognize common types of texts in reading and are learning new ways to ask and answer questions about unknown words. In our current unit, we will also be comparing and contrasting adventures and experiences of the characters in familiar stories. In science, we are learning about day and night, and then we will start exploring living and nonliving things. The KidSafe program has concluded, and the students really enjoyed learning many useful life skills regarding safety. This month, they will start a 6 lesson series from the "Living Skills in the Schools" program that focuses on important decision making skills with the use of puppets! We are excited, as this has been a big hit in past years!
1st Grade News – Hello First Grade Parents and Guardians! Happy Spring! We hope you all had a safe and relaxing Spring Break. We can't believe it is almost April! In Fundations, we are moving through unit 11: segmenting and blending words with up to 5 sounds, long vowel words that follow the consonant-e pattern, reviewing our "r" controlled vowels, and our vowel teams. In Math, we have just started unit 11: Using models to understand how to subtract tens frames and focusing on using the hundreds chart to subtract ten. In Science, we are working on understanding the various differences between living and nonliving things in our environment. In Social Studies, we are working on identifying and describing important symbols of the United States. In reading we are comparing and contrasting two characters in a story and identifying problems in a story as well. We are all very proud of the students for they have been working diligently in each unit and, as always, we thank YOU, parents and guardians, for your continued support and encouragement of your children. We are "SPRINGING" forward with each new day :)
2nd Grade News –We hope everyone enjoyed their spring break! April is upon us which means it is time for our 3rd – 5th graders to take the FSA. Even though our second graders do not take the FSA, our schedule does change slightly. Please allow your child extra time outside to play in the afternoon. In our classrooms, we have been exploring fairytales, folktales, and fables. Next time you visit the library, you may want to check out your child’s favorite fable or fairytale to enjoy at home. During our math lessons we will be measuring the length of various objects in standard and metric units. Parents can facilitate learning at home by allowing children to measure various objects in their homes using a ruler, yard stick, meter stick, or tape measure. They can then subtract the lengths to determine how much bigger one object is than another. Toward the end of the month we will be learning about shapes and their attributes. As always, continue to read daily and practice your math facts at home with your child. Every minute counts! In science, we are learning about weather and the sun. We will compare and describe changing patterns in nature that repeat themselves, such as weather conditions including temperature and precipitation day-to-day and season-to-season. In writing, students are still learning about writing opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book by stating the opinion, supplying reasons to support their opinion, and using linking words to connect the opinion and reason. 3rd Grade News – We hope that everyone had a safe and wonderful spring break. Now that we are back, it will be full steam ahead preparing for the FSA. Virtual students will be coming in on April 6th and 7th for the (ELA) FSA, and the brick & mortar students will take it in class on April 13th and 14th. Please encourage your children to get a good night’s rest, eat a healthy breakfast, arrive at school on time, and try their best using all the strategies they have learned this year. THEY'VE GOT THIS! 4th Grade News – Welcome back from Spring Break, Jaguars! We hope everyone is feeling refreshed from the week off. This month we are gearing up for the upcoming FSA tests. We will begin with writing. To help your children grow as authors, encourage them to write, text, and talk in complete sentences. After the writing FSA test will be reading. Please make sure your student is reading a minimum of twenty minutes each night. We urge students to read aloud to someone special and discuss their reading nightly. The math FSA will come mid-May. In class, fourth grade is finishing Unit 13, generating patterns, and we are heading into angles and angle measurements. Fourth grade has also already been reviewing for the FSA daily. Remember there is homework that needs to be completed each night and returned the next school day. Thank you for your continued support this year.
5th Grade News – We want to wish all of our students good luck as they take the Writing FSA (April 9th for Virtual students or April 15th for Brick and Mortar students), Reading FSA (May 4th & 5th for Virtual students or May 6th & May 7th for Brick and Mortar students), Math FSA (May 11th & 12th for Virtual students or May 13th & 14h ), and Science FCAT (May 18th & 19th for Virtual students or May 20th & 21st for Brick and Mortar kids). We have been diligently working to develop the critical thinking skills that they need, not only to succeed on their FSAs but beyond their school years as well. We are proud of all the hard work they have done so far. We know they are ready and we are confident that they will do well. Parents, you can assist your child(ren) during this testing period by making sure he/she/they get(s) plenty of sleep, eat(s) a healthy breakfast, and is on time each day. To avoid "morning hassles," consider preparing lunches, packing backpacks, and laying out the following day’s clothing in the evening. Most important, remember to encourage your child to do well and tell him/her/them that you are proud of all their hard work. Please continue to stay healthy and safe.
ESE News -In April, K-5 students will be learning about positive and negative changes people make to the environment. This will tie in to Earth Day on April 22. In PreK the students will be learning about Spring and Space, the final frontier! We want to thank parents for putting safety first and for wearing your masks in the car line. It is very much appreciated!
ADVERTISE IN OUR NEWSLETTER! If you have a business and you would like to advertise in our newsletter, the cost is $20.00 per month or $150.00 for the entire year. Your support helps PTA with production and printing costs and other expenses. Call Laura in the
office at 561-750-4900 if you are interested.
Trimester 2 Elementary Report Cards to Be Available to Parents Electronically
As the second trimester for elementary school students ends on March 12, the School District is offering two ways for parents and guardians to access their child’s report card. Report cards will be available on March 26. Parents can follow these steps to access their child’s report card:
1. Via the District Student Portal: Students will log in to their student portal as they do each school day to access Google Classroom and other educational software. They will then click on the “Report Card” tile to view and/or print their report card.
2. Via an email sent to the parent: If a parent has provided one or more email addresses to their child’s school, the parent should receive this email message. When the link in the email is clicked, the report card will be visible and can be printed.
In order to confirm that your child’s school has your most up-to-date contact information, click here for instructions on how to log in to SIS and confirm your records. Changes can be made to your account by contacting your child's school directly. Questions related to the elementary report card should be directed to your child’s teacher or school principal. Sample elementary report cards are also available in Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese here.
https://www.palmbeachschools.org/ careers/substitute_jobs
Interested in working in the food service industry, but
want to have your nights, weekends, and holidays off? If so, the School District of Palm Beach County School Food Service Department may be right for you. The department is hiring part- time food service assistants at schools across the county. Most positions include a set schedule of 20-25 hours per week with a five-hour workday that is finished by 2 p.m. This gives employees the flexibility to attend college, take a second job, or spend time with family. The District is closed for two weeks at Christmas, as well as one week for spring break and a week for Thanksgiving. Starting pay is $12 an hour. Positions offer an opportunity for advancement by training and promoting from within. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older, pass a drug screen and a level-two background test ($99 fee) in addition to passing a physical demand test to lift 35 pounds. Cashier and/or food service experience is a plus. To apply, go to palmbeachschools.org/jobs or call 561-383-2057 for more information.
School District Food Service Department Hiring
Part-time Assistants
AFTER-SCHOOL News – Hello, Families. As with anyone, Afterschool has had many challenges this year, but we have managed to keep students engaged in activities that enhances our students’ skills while keeping an excellent safety rating. Rest assured, we have safety plans in place, implemented sanitation procedures in our program and all staff are equipped with PPE. Bottom line, it is safe to register with us! JCM Afterschool will begin accepting registration for the upcoming school year 2021-2022 starting April 5th through June 4th. All families, new and returning, must register students for the upcoming school year. Registration is $25.00 per student. All balances must be paid in full before you can register.
Raise FUNDS for J.C. Mitchell Elementary
When you shop at OFFICE DEPOT for your supplies, give them our school code: 70020709. They give 5% back to our school on all purchases. Empties-4-Cash - Bring us all your empty and used ink cartridges. We send them to Empties-4-Cash and they send us a check! No laser jet or large toner cartridges please.
SHOP and choose J.C. Mitchell PTA as your beneficiary!
Character Traits
November 2020 – TRUSTWORTHINESS
KINDNESS May 2021 – CITIZENSHIP
FOOD SERVICE INFORMATION
The School Food Service grab-and-go food distribution has changed. Rather than a twice-a-
week pick-up, distributions will now be held weekly on Thursdays at 89 school locations across the District. Parents/guardians will receive a box of pantry-style foods including a supply of breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and suppers intended to last for seven days. Pick-up times vary by location. For a full list of locations and pick-up times, click here. All children 18 years of age and younger (22 and younger for ESE) are eligible for the free meals, regardless of financial need. Children do not have to be registered in a School District of Palm Beach County-operated school to receive food. Parents do not need to visit their child’s school for food distribution, they can visit any location of their choice. Distribution times and locations are subject to change. A child does not have to be present to pick up meals. However, one of the following forms of identification is required to receive meals at the food distribution sites: Student ID Badge, Student Barcode Letter (that can be found in your child’s student portal), Passport, Birth Certificate, or Library Card. The adult picking up the meals can also bring a picture that has themselves and the children for whom they are picking up food, in the photo. Meals may contain allergens. Adults picking up the food are asked to be vigilant and ensure they do not take food if allergies may be a concern. Food should be refrigerated or discarded if not consumed upon receipt. For everyone's health and safety, a facial covering or mask is required when picking up meals at any school food distribution site.
Click here to visit SCHOOL CASH ONLINE and use your
credit or debit card!
Pay for your Aftercare fees ONLINE!
Purchase your Safety Patrol T-shirt ONLINE!
Participate in our school fundraiser –Pay ONLINE to have your child’s name on our marquee on their birthday.
Click the link below to take the school district’s
SURVEY! https://sites.google.com/palmbeachschools.org/fy2 1worldclasseducation/english
Don’t forget to grab a mask before you leave the house in the morning!
Extraordinary Educator Nomination
Students & parents, the district is seeking nominations for Palm Beach County educators who have gone above and beyond during the Pandemic to make sure their students have the resources and personal attention they need to learn and succeed. We want to hear from you! ALL NOMINATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 4/25/2021. Please submit your nomination today by sharing why you believe your educator is extra amazing. 25 educators will receive $500. This contest is open to ALL school-based employees. Please click the link to nominate an educator.