Panther Prints
Weekly updates from West Jackson Elementary School
Week of December 15th
Panther Prints
Weekly updates from West Jackson Elementary School
Week of December 15th
Reminder: The Jackson County School System will be closed for Winter Break beginning Thursday, Dec. 18 through Thursday, Jan. 1. A staff work day will be held on Friday, Jan. 2, and students will return on Monday, Jan. 5. Â
Monday, December 15th
Cowboy or Flannel Flare Dress up
4th Grade Holiday Party (9:45)
3rd Grade Holiday Party (11:30)
Tuesday, December 16th
Reindeer vs Elves Dress up
1st Grade Holiday Party (10:30)
5th Grade Holiday Party (1:00)
Wednesday, December 17th
Holiday PJs
2nd Grade Holiday Party (9:00)
Kinder Holiday Party (11:00)
Thursday, December 18th
NO School Winter Holidays
Friday, December 19th
  NO School Winter Holidays
adaptED SportsÂ
I serve as the Clarke County School District Area Coordinator for AdaptED Athletics. Iâm reaching out to share information about our free AdaptED Athletics Program at CCSD, which is open to all Northeast Georgia RESA schools.
Our team, the Classic City Dawgs, is a GHSA-sanctioned program offering wheelchair handball, basketball, and football at no cost to students in grades 1â12 across Northeast Georgia (including Barrow, Clarke, Commerce City, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jefferson City, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Social Circle City, and Walton counties).
Would you be willing to share the information below in your next family newsletter or social media update?
AdaptED Wheelchair Basketball â Now Enrolling!
The Classic City Dawgs are beginning their Wheelchair Basketball season this month!
Practices: Once per week at the Clarke Central Gym
Cost: Free
Equipment: Sport chairs provided
Eligibility: Open to all 1â12 students in Northeast Georgia with a qualifying disability
Note: Daily wheelchair use is not required. All athletes use sport chairs during play.
For more information or to join, please contact:
Chris Aiken, Area Coordinator
aikenc@clarke.k12.ga.usÂ
Coming Eventsđď¸
Read 1,000 minutes by December 17th and you will earn a FREE Rock Lobster ticket!! Turn your reading log into Mrs. West in the Media Center.
Registration for the 2026-27 Pre-Kindergarten Lottery is now OPEN! Families can visit www.jacksonschoolsga.org/prek to learn more about eligibility requirements. Pre-K programs are available at all seven JCSS elementary schools. The lottery drawing will take place in March, and families will be notified of their enrollment status.Â
Having lunch with your child? Please bring exact amount cash or a check. $5 for adult lunch. We are unable to process credit cards or give change. THANKS!Â
We are thrilled to announce all JCSS schools are adopting the Raptor Safe mobile application as part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing school safety, while streamlining visitor management check-in at our schools. The Raptor Safe app builds upon existing visitor procedures, offering a more convenient and secure check-in process for visitors.Â
What is the Raptor Safe App?
The Raptor Safe app offers a convenient and secure way for visitors to manage and verify their identity before arriving at a school. With the Raptor Passport feature, visitors can pre-verify their identity, allowing for a seamless sign-in process when they arrive on campus.
How Does It Work?
When visiting a school, visitors can use their secure QR code generated by the app to expedite the check-in process. QR codes automatically regenerate every 5 minutes to ensure security and prevent misuse.Â
Getting Started
Mark your calendars! The Athens Rock Lobsters are hosting 4 JCSS Foundation nights! A portion of every ticket sold will be donated back to the Foundation to support staff grants and student scholarships! Tickets are on sale now! Visit www.jcssfoundation.org/upcomingevents.
âStudent Success SpotlightđĄÂ
5 Ways to Boost Reading at Home
We know life is busy, but supporting your reader at home doesn't have to be a chore. Here are five easy ways to weave reading into your daily routine:
Read Aloud (Even to Big Kids): Reading to your child builds their vocabulary and listening skills, even if they are already independent readers. Plus, itâs great bonding time!
Create a "Cozy Corner": You don't need a library. A pillow fortress or a special spot on the couch can make reading feel like a treat rather than homework.
Everything Counts: Graphic novels, comic books, magazines, and audiobooks are all valid forms of reading. If they are engaged with a story, they are learning.
Model the Habit: Let your child see you reading, whether it's a novel, the newspaper, or a recipe. Children imitate what they see.
Talk About It: Reading isn't just about sounding out words; it's about understanding. Ask questions like, "What do you think will happen next?" or "Which character is your favorite and why?
PTO NEWSđ°
Infinite Campus and Parent Square
It is VERY IMPORTANT for all families to set up an Infinite Campus Parent Portal Account. Click HERE to set up your child's account. This account allows you to receive important school messages through the Parent Square app, see student grades and attendance. If you have trouble with this process, email Mrs. West (rebecca.west@jcss.us). After a parent portal account has been activated, please allow 24 hours for the information to sync with the Parent Square app to be able to message teachers. If you are unable to use Parent Square at any time, please send your child's teacher an email.
7 Mindsets Nominees
PBIS
 Parents, as a PBIS school, we strive to create a positive learning environment for all our students and staff. We utilize a schoolwide approach to teach, model, and reinforce positive behaviors, actions, and words. Here at WJES, we use the PAWS framework: Pride, Attitude, Work, and Safety. Through classroom lessons, videos, and activities, we explain what Pride, Attitude, Work, and Safety should look and sound like throughout our school building. Our PAWS matrix is displayed around the school and in classrooms. Why PBIS? Why PAWS? They help provide clear expectations for our students, establish a common language for everyone, and foster a positive school culture.
Every day, our students are recognized for demonstrating PAWS in the hallways, classrooms, lunchroom, playground, and even on the bus! Student recognition can be verbal, visual, or tangible. Students may be recognized through verbal praise, a high five, DOJO/PBIS points or tickets, student of the month awards, Mindset student of the month awards, or even with a gold coin for the book vending machine.Â
Always Learning and Growing!
Support our JCHS Panthers this Fall
#GROWINGATWJES