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In this Issue - October 2021 |
- President's Message
- Harvest Festival on Oct 29
- Bullying Prevention Month
- Wear Orange Unity Day
- Take the Upstander Pledge
- Oct 26 PTA Meeting
- National Principals Month
- ICYMI: TJMS Announcement Roundups
- Featured Links and Resources
- PTA Member Poll
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As TJMS leadership has worked to return our kids to a more normal school routine this fall while mastering new safety protocols and COVID testing routines, the PTA’s top priority has been to focus on engagement – from keeping our parents informed and connected, to providing fun and educational opportunities for our students, to supporting our teachers.
I’m proud of what the PTA has been able to accomplish so far this year, including:
As part of another teacher outreach initiative, the 6th grade Owl teaching team would appreciate having one or two parent liaisons to provide potential support for Owl team/class events and initiatives during the school year. If you’re interested in filling this role, please email me at [email protected].
None of what we do would be possible without the support of our members and the help of dedicated volunteers. If you’re not already involved with the PTA, I hope you’ll consider:
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Joining the PTA – Show your support and help fund our budget by filling out the PTA membership form
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Donating to the PTA – 100% of your donation will help to support our TJMS community (Scroll to the “Make a Donation” section of the page)
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Volunteering with the PTA – Find something that suits your interests and schedule by filling out the Volunteer Interest Form
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Attend a PTA Meeting – Plan to attend our next meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. via Zoom, or view the full 2021-2022 meeting schedule
There are many more fun and worthwhile events on the horizon, including a Teacher/Staff Appreciation Event in November and a student-run Bingo Night social event and fundraiser in December. We hope to see you joining us and getting involved this year!
Amy Stalzer
TJMS PTA President (SY 2021-2022)
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Plan to Attend TJMS Harvest Festival on Oct 29 |
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One of TJMS’s most cherished traditions is back! The PTA invites you and your entire family to attend the Harvest Festival, one of the school’s biggest community events of the year, from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 29.
Come and listen to musical performances by the school chorus, warm yourself by the firepits, take a tour of the Jefferson Garden and watch the movie Coco on the big screen under the stars. Visit the food tents for free apple cider and seasonal treats – donated by sponsors including Costco and Trader Joe’s – or plan to buy dinner from one of the food trucks – including Rocklands and Kona Ice.
Games and activities for students will include:
- Mini-pumpkin decorating station
- Cornhole station
- GameTruck video game station!
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New this year, the GameTruck will allow groups of TJMS students to play video games together in a 20-minute session on big TV screens inside the truck (with masks required). Students wishing to play a video game session must be issued a ticket in advance by having their parents fill out the GameTruck signup and permission form.
Free bags of popcorn will be available for the movie, which will start around 7 p.m. A limited number of haybales will be provided for movie seating, or you can bring your own blanket or low folding chairs.
Call for Volunteers – The PTA still needs some help from parent volunteers in staffing different areas of the Harvest Festival, including the firepit area, game stations, food tents and movie area. Please consider signing up for a one-hour volunteer shift, which will allow you to enjoy the rest of the time at the event with your family.
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Bullying Prevention Month:
Ways Your Student Can Be An Ally
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October is bullying prevention month. Throughout the month, TJMS counselors are engaging with students to reinforce the three Rs of bullying prevention: Recognize, Report, and Refuse.
This year, TJMS counselors are focused on preventing bullying by encouraging students to be an ally.
You can help at home by instilling these five easy ways for your students to be an ally:
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Support targets of bullying. Show compassion and encouragement to targets of bullying behavior by asking if they’re okay, going with them to get help, and letting them know that they are not alone.
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Don’t participate. Refuse to join in name-calling because it isn’t funny, and it’s not okay to treat people that way.
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Tell aggressors to stop. If it feels safe, speak up. Tell the aggressor to cut it out on the spot or later during a private moment. Letting aggressors know how hurtful it is to be bullied may cause them to think twice before picking on someone again.
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Inform a trusted adult. Telling an adult when they see someone engaged in bullying is never “tattling” or “snitching.”
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Be an ally online. Avoid looking at mean web pages and forwarding hurtful messages. Let them know that it is just like laughing at someone or spreading rumors in person. It is just as cruel, even if you can’t see the other person’s face.
Bullied students or those who have witnessed another student being bullied are encouraged to reach out to a TJMS counselor or trusted adult. TJMS also offers a
Bully Box, available via the student version of Canvas, for students to report bullying incidents anonymously.
For more resources on bullying prevention, check out:
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Participate in Wear Orange Unity Day on Oct 20 to show unity for kindness, support, and inclusion. The color orange represents Unity Day because it is a vibrant, warm, and inviting color and is commonly associated with safety and visibility. Wearing orange is a way to make a statement that bullying is unacceptable. All students deserve to be safe in school, online, and in the community.
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Take the Upstander Pledge |
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Putting an end to bullying is everyone’s responsibility. The Upstander Pledge is a commitment to stand up against bullying and treat others with respect and kindness. Encourage your student to take the pledge today!
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October 26 PTA Meeting: Safe Schools & Drug Use Prevention |
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The next TJMS PTA Meeting will be held on Tuesday, Oct 26, at 7 pm. In observance of National Safe Schools Week (Oct 17-23) and National Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Day (Oct 20), the TJMS PTA October meeting will feature presentations on school safety, school drills, and related safety precautions for students. Participants will also learn about Red Ribbon Week (Oct. 23-31)—the nation’s largest and longest-running drug-use prevention campaign.
A Town Hall Q&A segment with Principal Boggan will follow the TJMS PTA meeting. Zoom call-in details and a more detailed agenda will be emailed out a few days before the meeting.
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National Principals Month |
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National Principals Month is celebrated each October to recognize principals’ critical role in school and student success. Please help us show appreciation to our TJMS principals by sending them an e-card, giving them a shoutout on social media, or writing a note or email to simply tell them you appreciate them!
Thank you, TJMS Principals, for your leadership, hard work, and commitment to our students and their families, especially during these challenging times!
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ICYMI: TJMS Announcement Roundup |
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Back to School Basics:
Learn How to Navigate TJMS!
TJMS is hosting another Back to School Basics virtual workshop on Tuesday, Oct 19, at 6 p.m. Learn what to do when your student is absent, how to find out what afterschool activities or clubs are available, and what to expect with the IB Middle Years Programme standards-based grading. Interpretation is available in ASL, Amharic, Arabic, Mongolian and Spanish.
Did you miss a previous workshop? Click on the links below to watch the recording:
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Join the Jefferson Bike Train!
BikeArlington is putting together bike trains for Arlington Schools. Students participating in a bike train ride together on the same route to school and are accompanied by adults. Bike trains are safe and fun way for students to start their day.
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RSVP Now for Lost Dog
Restaurant Night on Oct 27
THANK YOU for making September’s Restaurant Night fundraiser a great success – we raised $234 from Pupatella!
We invite families to participate again in this month’s Restaurant Night on Wednesday, Oct 27, with the Lost Dog Café on Columbia Pike. We still need six more families to express their interest in participating so we can confirm the event.
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Help Raise Funds for TJMS PTA by Eating at Los Chamacos
TJMS PTA is pleased to partner with Los Chamacos, a new Mexican restaurant at 922 South Walter Reed Dr., for the entire school year!
Through June 16, 2022, anytime you dine out at the restaurant or order takeout, they will donate 10% of sales back to the TJMS PTA – as long as you mention “Thomas Jefferson Middle School PTA” when ordering. (Note: This offer does not apply to delivery orders placed via delivery apps like DoorDash.) We hope you’ll take advantage of this easy way to support the TJMS PTA by eating at Los Chamacos during this school year!
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Notable dates in
October and November
Mon, Oct18 -
- Boys Basketball Tryouts, 8th grade
Tue, Oct19 -
- Boys Basketball Tryouts, 7th grade
- Boundary Process Virtual Community Meeting #2
- School Board Work Session on Homework and Communication of Student Progress
- Boundary Process Virtual Community Meeting #3 (Spanish only)
Wed, Oct 20 -
- Boys Basketball Tryouts, 6th grade
Fri, Oct 22 -
- No School (Parent Teacher Conferences)
Mon, Oct 25 -
- Girls Soccer Tryouts
- Middle School Information Night (Virtual)
Wed, Oct 27 -
Mon, Nov 1 -
Tue, Nov 2 -
- No School for APS Students (Grade Preparation Day)
Wed, Nov 3 -
Mon, Nov 4 -
Thu, Nov 11 -
Mon, Nov 15 -
- PTA Restaurant Night - Pupatella Pizzeria on Walter Reed Dr.
Fri-Sat, Nov 19-20 -
Wed-Fri, Nov 24-26 -
Tue, Nov 30 -
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Draft School Year 2022-23 Calendar Now Available
Now through Friday, Oct 29, APS is seeking community input for its Draft 2022-23 School Year Calendar. The School Board will approve the calendar during its December 16 meeting. Take the survey and view details online.
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Share Your Questions About
APS Initiatives With the PTA
The TJMS PTA has been invited to participate with other area PTA leaders on Oct 27 with Arlington School Board Liaison, Barbara Kanninen. If parents have questions about APS initiatives, updates, or concerns that the PTA should be aware of before this event, please email [email protected].
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Accommodations for Parents/Guardians
to Assist in Student’s Education
Need accommodations to support your student’s education? Accommodations may include, but are not limited to:
- Access to an American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter or translator;
- Meeting in a location close to the front of the building;
- Access to closed captioning;
- Access to enlarged fonts for school forms or when documents are not electronic;
- Online platforms and/or documents, accessible by screen reader technology.
Please reach out to your student’s teacher, Principal, Assistant Principal, or counselor via email, phone, or in-person to request accommodation. APS staff will collect and review the request and arrange for accommodation.
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Featured Links and Resources |
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What topic would you like to see covered in the next PTA meeting? (Please choose one)
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Community Service & Giving Back
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Prioritizing Mental Health
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In Their Own Words (e.g., teachers, students, guest speaker)
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Sign Up for Shopping Programs to Earn Money for the PTA
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Inscríbase en programas de compras para ganar dinero para la PTA
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