JCS is proud to announce the achievement and status of the Georgia School Boards Association’s (GSBA) 2022 Exemplary School Board Recognition. This is the sixth consecutive year JCS has achieved exemplary status. JCS BOE Chairman Ronnie Hopkins, along with Superintendent Dr. Donna McMullan and other board members, accepted the award at the 2022 Georgia School Boards Association conference held in Atlanta last week.

The recognition program is designed to showcase best practices in school governance and leadership. GSBA recognizes good school board governance to foster educational community cultures in order to advance student learning and achievement. The GSBA Board recognition program is a three-tiered program with “exemplary” being the highest level.

The JCS BOE also was recognized with the 2022 Leading Edge Award at the conference. This unique achievement recognizes the innovative design and implementation of projects and programs throughout JCS that are having a significant and positive impact on students. JCS BOE received the award based on the Center for Early Learning initiative.

“We are fortunate to have such a rich tradition of cooperation, service and educational distinction throughout our system,” says McMullan. “Our Board of Education is truly honored to be recognized for these awards. These achievements are made possible by their dedication, exemplary service and high standards for our students, staff and parents. We look forward to continuing the legacy of educational excellence!”

JCS previously was awarded and still holds the title of Governance Team of the Year.

JES Students Sample at Book Tasting

JES Media Specialist, Mrs. Erica Golding, creates fun activities in the JES Media Center to engage students and spark interest in reading books of all genres. 

With that in mind, the JES library hosted a Book Tasting for students!

Students had the opportunity to "taste" different genres of literature during library time. The genres highlighted were fantasy, mystery, biographies, historical fiction and science fiction.

At each table, students were asked to read a page of a book, complete a picture walk and then decide if they would be interested in reading that specific genre in the future.

"This is such a fun and engaging way to experience different genres and maybe find something new to read," says Principal Chrissy Joiner. "At JES, students are exposed to many books so that we can create a love for reading in all students!"

Counselors' Corner

Sleep for Stress Management

By Abbie Vipperman, JCS Counselor

How'd your family sleep last night? Did everyone wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day? If not, you're not alone! It's possible that making changes to your sleep routines could help your family experience better overall wellness.

Jefferson High School students recently participated in a lesson about how changing our sleep habits can help us manage stress. People who do not get enough sleep are at greater risk of feeling overwhelmed by stress, experiencing irritability and fog during the day and are also at greater risk of experiencing anxiety and depression. Sleep recommendations change with age. Children ages 6-12 should get 9-12 hours of sleep per 24-hour period, ages 13-18 need 8-10 hours per 24-hour period and adults require at least 7 hours. 

So what can be done to improve sleep in order to experience better mental health and wellness? First, rule out any health concerns by talking to your doctor. After that, it's time to look at sleep hygiene and create and support healthy sleep routines for your children. Sleep hygiene is just a term for our sleep habits. "Put away my phone earlier" was the number one response JHS students gave for a sleep-hygiene change they need to make. Wisdom from teenagers!

Other suggestions for helping everyone in the household get good sleep:

1. Add some physical activity (preferably outside) to the day, maybe a family walk.
2. Lessen the amount of light exposure you have as you get close to bedtime. Try to "hush the house" by lowering light and sound. Remove all phones and electronics from the bedroom so no one is tempted to scroll before sleep or during a night time waking and sleep isn't disrupted by notifications.
3. Go to bed and get up at the same time, even on the weekends.
4. Don't watch the clock. It should take our bodies about 20 minutes to quietly settle to sleep. If you or your children are asleep immediately when the head hits the pillow, this can be a sign of sleep deprivation. Watching the clock while tossing and turning for more than twenty minutes? That's when it's time to get up, go to another room and do a quiet screen-free activity, and then go back to bed with a reset.

For additional information on how a good night’s sleep may improve your child’s school performance, click here.

Sweet dreams!

At JCS, our school counselors provide instruction to students in three primary areas: academics, career readiness and social-emotional development. Learning occurs via classroom guidance, small group instruction and individual advisement, no matter the topic. This month's focus on sleep addresses all three primary areas.

History Is Alive at JMS!

Sixth grade students enthusiastically presented a living Wax Museum last month, allowing history to "come to life." This fun activity is always a class favorite and this year was no different. Students learned about historical figures and their contributions to society while incorporating history, reading, writing and art into one project!

Students read a biography, researched databases, wrote a research paper, crafted a speech and created a presentation -- all in preparation for the Wax Museum. On the day of the event, they put together costumes and dressed as their biographical characters and then presented their character to "museum visitors."

"Visitors" included staff, teachers, board members and fifth graders from Jefferson Academy. All were delighted by the presentations made by the historical figures as they wandered throughout the museum, learning as they toured.

Some of the people they encountered included Thomas Edison, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Johnny Appleseed, Queen Elizabeth, Abe Lincoln and George Washington.

Fall Sports Highlight

Four Region Crowns Despite Moving up to AAAAA

With the kick off of our Fall Sports program earlier this year, Jefferson High School settled into a new GHSA classification within Region 8, moving from 4A to 5A. Even with the reclassification, our Dragons exhibited excellence once again on the field, on the court, on the trail and on the mat, achieving region championship titles in four out of six areas! These fall sports teams are 2022 region champions:

• Competition Cheer (5th consecutive title)
• Football
• Girls Cross Country
• Volleyball (4th consecutive title)

These dedicated Dragons push themselves to be the best they can be day in and day out. Their perseverance, grit and determination will lead them to continued success. Congratulations on your outstanding seasons!

FFA Vet Science Team Heading to State

The senior JHS FFA Veterinary Science team placed second at the Area II competition held at the UGA Livestock Arena in Athens earlier this month and will head to state in February. The junior team (9th grade) placed third out of 28 teams.

"This is an amazing accomplishment," said Melissa Webb, FFA advisor and agriculture education teacher. "I could not be more proud of these students."

Several team members also placed in the Top 10 for their division. Emma Storey and Megan Jacobs won top 10 honors for the senior division. Mandy Reames, Karah Schaefer and Juan Porras were in the junior division top 10.

Storey, Jacobs, Katelyn Harrison and Wells Green are on the senior team and the junior team is comprised of Reames, Schaefer, Porras and Graham Schwarts.

"These students worked super hard and went above and beyond to prepare for this contest," says Wells. "I'm so excited for them!"

JROTC Wins Drill Competition

The Jefferson High School Air Force JROTC won first place in the Armed and Unarmed Divisions last month at the Southeast Regional Drill Competition at Tift County High School. Congratulations!

Looking for Winter Sports Schedules?

Support your Dragons! You can find schedules for basketball, wrestling, dance, bass fishing and swim/dive at the link below. Come out and cheer for our outstanding athletes!

Winter Sports Schedules