The first weeks of school have been full of enthusiasm, energy and a strong sense of community by both students and their families alike. The excitement at student events and clubs already this year has been a sight to behold and families who have joined us for community events has strengthened the already strong home/school connection.

I would also like to thank our JA Board of Directors for their work at the August meeting to ensure we all are a part of a first class school and our School Accountability Committee(SAC) which will meet for the first time at 5:30 p.m. this Wednesday, September 4th on the Elementary campus or virtually. Both do amazing work for our school community and I hope you will take time to attend meetings learning about next steps at JA.

As I enter my second year as principal, I am proud to share that Jefferson Academy continues to be recognized as one of the best schools in Jeffco. I look forward to continuing our tradition of excellence this year as we look to more frequently connect with our community, academically challenge our successful students and grow talented staff members that work with your children each day. 

Athletic Fees:

Families as you know our athletic fees are now set up. However we are having issues with the system and families are having issues on paying. Because of this, we are going to extend the deadline to pay fees to Friday September 6th. You can go into Infinite Campus to pay for your child's athletic fee. If you need a payment plan please contact Mr. Quaratino 303.465.7616.

A reminder if we do not receive payment on September 6th by the end of the school day then your child will not be able to play in the next contest until it has been paid.

Athletic Fees for the 2024-2025 school year 

High School- $230

Boys Golf- $350

Junior High -$130

Boosters

The first Boosters Meeting of the school year will be on Monday, September 9th at 6:00pm via Zoom-link. Boosters does so much for our students throughout the year. A great way to support our community is to join Boosters Membership Registration & Dues parent support is vital to our school success!!

JH Organizational Tips 

This past week, all JH students received planners. In 7th grade orientation classes, students were taught how to use the planner, made a homework folder, and learned new study tips and what it looks like to self-advocate. Lack of organization and not asking for help are the two main reasons why JH students struggle in school. Here are some additional tips to help your JH student practice the skill of organization with parental guidance:

• Using the Student Planner/RED folder (homework folder):

  • • Both tools are classroom materials and need to be in class every day.

    • Student should use the student planner on a daily basis to write down all assignments. If there is no homework, write N/A or no homework. Students who struggle with keeping track of assignments may need to get teacher signatures to help with accountability.

    • Before leaving campus, parent checks RED folder to be sure all assignments were turned in for the day.

    • At the end of the night, parent checks the RED folder each night for homework, matching it with the student planner to be sure everything is done.

    • Homework folders should only contain homework. Examples of what should not be in the Homework folder: notes, returned graded work, resource/reference papers.

    • Replacement planners can be purchased throughout the year for $5 with Ms. Adams.

• Other Organizational Suggestions:

  • • Create a filing system at home for all graded work. This keeps the clutter out of student binders. Every Friday, go through binders and take out any graded work. Files at home help with studying for tests/quizzes or if there is ever a grading error in Infinite Campus.

    • Check grades with your student on Canvas every Friday. Then, students and parents are aware of any current missing work and can have that completed over the weekend and ready to be turned in on Monday. 

    • Keep in mind that when homework assignments are missing, it is likely the student will also struggle on the assessments. This may be a reflection of study skills, but more likely is the lack of consistent practice.

    • Help create a good study environment at home.

Helping Your Student Build Self-Advocacy Skills

• • Encourage student to ask questions in class by raising their hand or privately speaking with the teacher.

  • Write an email together, requesting help from the teacher. After a few times writing the email together, have the student write it themselves.

  • Have student setup extra help time during teacher Office Hours.

  • Write down questions the student can ask of the teacher. Sometimes students don't ask for help because they don't know what questions to ask or forget what questions to ask. 

  • Practicing self-advocacy in other environments is important (e.g. having student order food at a restaurant or asking where the bathroom is, telling a coach about missing practice, etc.)

Suicide Awareness Month

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. As a parent or caregiver, you can approach suicide prevention with

your kids in the same way you would any other safety or health issue. This resource will share ideas on ways to support and talk to others who may be struggling. 

Transportation and Construction Girl Day will be September 26th

To find out more about this free event, go to www.ConstructionGIRL.org  Girls learn first hand about the financially sustainable and incredibly diverse careers in construction and transportation.  A few of the exhibits will include:  heavy equipment, paint simulator, excavator simulator, welding , survey equipment, drones, computer traffic program, masonry demo, VR design, soldering, electrical escape room, pipe bending and more.

Student Fees

Thank you for your patience while we worked through the issues we were having with student fees.  We are pleased to share that all fees should now be available and up-to-date with student schedules.  If you have already paid fees, thank you for being on top of it, but there were some fees that were not showing up when fees first opened at the beginning of August, so we are requesting all families log into the Parent Portal to double check your student's accounts for any changes.  JA Administration did make it a priority this year to reduce fees where possible without impacting your student's experience. The fee paying guide is HERE to assist if you are having any troubles accessing those fees.  

Parking Passes

Parking passes are now available.  Students need to fill out the Parking Form and pay the $125 fee online before they can pick up their passes at the front office.  Parking stickers need to be applied to the bottom right corner of the back window or as close to it as possible.  Students will have through next Friday, September 6th to get their parking passes.  Fines for parking in the lot without a current parking pass may be given out starting Monday, September 9th. 

Class of 2025 - Jostens Graduation Orders are due September 4th

This is a friendly reminder to place your orders for graduation by the deadline of September 4th. It is important to place your order by the deadline, to ensure that all your graduation items are ordered on time to avoid any last-minute issues, and to save you money.  Please visit the following link to place your order: JA Graduation Order

If you need assistance or additional information, please contact our local Jostens Representative, Nils Erickson, at 303-985-0095 or by email at nils.erickson.office@jostens.com. 

Picture Retake Day is Coming 

Picture retake day is scheduled for the morning of September 19th.  This is the last opportunity for students to have their school photo taken.  All students must have their photo taken (including seniors) for Infinite Campus and school IDs, families then have the option to purchase the photos online through Lifetouch (lifetouch.com).

Custom Framer Needed For Environmental Club Project!
Do you know of any local custom framers? If you do, let us know! The Environmental Club is about to announce an amazing school-wide project that will hopefully last for generations and the centerpiece of the project requires a large archival frame to protect it. If you know of a framer that might be able to help the club out, please contact Mr. Kirkley!

Family Surveys

As we move into the new academic year, we are excited to deepen our connection with you and better understand the unique strengths and needs of our families. To assist with this, we are pleased to share the 24-25 Family Volunteer, Skills, & Needs Survey with you. Your responses will help us engage with you more effectively, providing opportunities such as volunteering, committee involvement, business support, and resources during times of need. Please complete the survey by October 18th. Your feedback is crucial in helping us support and connect with you in a more meaningful way. Should you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to Tiffany Blakley directly at tblakley@jajags.com.

Curriculum Night

This past week teachers hosted Curriculum Night; a great opportunity for all stakeholders to connect with our school and gain a perspective on what a students experience looks like day in and day out at Jefferson Academy. Each department presented information on their content area and the essential skills that would be gained over a student's time at JA. If you were unable to attend, you can see the community presentation that started the evening before breaking up into individual departments. 

• Boosters

• JA Secondary Calendar

• Infinite Campus Parent Portal 

• Safe2Tell