Dear JRMS Families,

Apparently, no one told JRMS that this was a short week! Somehow, we managed to fit what felt like five days of activity into four - Meet the Principal, Open House, Picture Day, a bus evacuation drill, PLC meetings, and plenty of learning and action in between.

It was a busy week, but a great one. Our routines are becoming more established, students are settling in, and I continue to appreciate the opportunities each day brings to connect with our students, staff, and families.

Meet the Principal

Thank you to everyone who joined us Tuesday evening for the PTA's Meet the Principal event. I enjoyed the informal nature of the evening and the opportunity to mingle, answer questions, and simply get to know more of our families.

Thank you to our PTA for organizing the event and creating another opportunity for us to connect.

Communication and Collaboration

Our staff continued meeting in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) this week, with communication again serving as an important focus. Teachers discussed communication within teams as well as with students and families while also collaborating on plans for Open House.

Clear and consistent communication is one of our priorities this year, and these conversations provide important time for our staff to work together toward that goal.

Grades 5 & 6 Open House

It was wonderful to welcome so many of our fifth- and sixth-grade families to JRMS for Open House! The turnout, enthusiasm, and positive feedback were greatly appreciated.

One of my favorite parts of the evening was talking with so many families - and realizing once again what a small world we live in. Several people had heard of me through others, had family members or friends who had worked with me, or knew families whose children attended my previous school. It was fun making those connections and discovering just how interconnected our communities are.

A special thank you to our student ambassadors, who did an outstanding job welcoming families, providing directions, and helping throughout the evening. Their leadership was impressive, but I also enjoyed seeing their personalities come through as they interacted with our families.

Thank you as well to our staff members who supported the event and especially our teachers for preparing engaging and informative presentations.

And, yes, I learned something new too - I now know I need to prevent our screens from going into sleep mode! Thank you for your patience and good humor during the technical difficulties. I also joked that my newsletters will get shorter, I will continue to work on that!

We look forward to welcoming our Grades 7 & 8 families next Thursday, September 17.

Getting to Know Our Students

One of the great joys of my position is getting to know and interact with our students. I strive to be visible and this week I started intentionally “blocking” time on my calendar to move throughout the building. Meetings, emails, and paperwork will always be there, but I want to make sure they don't get in the way of spending time with students and being available to them.

This week, some of my favorite moments came during our lunch waves and while joining one of our Project Adventure classes. These opportunities allow me to talk with students, see their personalities and interests, share some laughs, and get to know them beyond the classroom.

Those interactions are an important reminder of why we do what we do and will remain the best parts of my day.

A Week of Reflection, Smiles, and Safety

On September 11, we took time as a school to remember and reflect. As I shared in the morning message sent to families, I encouraged our students to honor the day by appreciating what we have, helping others, and working on how we respond to things that may be out of our control.

We also held Picture Day and completed our bus evacuation drill this week. Thank you to our students and staff for their cooperation with both. Practicing safety procedures helps ensure that students know what to do and what is expected should an emergency occur.

Continuing to Build Together

When I think about this week, I am reminded that building a strong school community happens in many different ways—families spending time in our school, staff collaborating, students demonstrating leadership, practicing safety procedures, and simply making time to get to know one another.

Some moments are big and some are small, but each action matters and can make a positive difference in the lives of others and in our school community.

Thank you for your continued support, participation, and partnership.

~Chris