Upcoming School Wide HERO Incentives

Our primary objective is to acknowledge students for their exemplary behavior, and we are very  proud of their progress. To achieve this, we use HERO to record positive behavior and students receive points for exemplifying the GREAT pillars. Here are some exciting incentives we have in store to celebrate our students for the rest of the year. All incentives and dates are subject to change.

• May 8th - Louisville BATS Game - 225 TOTAL points by May 2nd

Bullying Prevention Parent Night!

Thank you to the families who joined us for an awesome parent! Click the link below to view the information that was presented.

Bullying Prevention Presentation

We need your help! Cellphones and Peer Conflict 

We are seeing an uptick in peer conflict that is stemming from social media and group chats (text messages) communication. We are working to educate our students at school on how to resolve conflict and how to form healthy peer relationships. This work cannot be done alone and we are asking parents and guardians to partner with us in order to navigate healthy friendships while living in a tech world. Remind your child to always “Treat yourself and others with kindness” no matter if they are speaking face to face or online. Below are a few suggestions on how you can speak to your child about their social media use:

• Help them set boundaries and limits on tech. Make sure using social media doesn't get in the way of adequate sleep. 

• Have regular conversations with your child about their mental health and well-being. Talk about the platforms they're on, app features, and how they make your child feel. 

• Make sure they know to go to a trusted adult if they feel uncomfortable about something online.

Counseling Request Form

If your student has an academic question or social-emotional need, you can reach our counselors (Mr. Rul-lan and/or Ms. Thomas) or our Mental Health Practioner (MHP) Mrs. Sanders by filling out the Counselor Google Form.

2024 KSA Testing Schedule

Our Kentucky Summative Assessments are right around the corner. Below you'll see our schedule for end-of-year testing:

• Tuesday, May 7 - Quality of School Climate and Safety Survey

• Thursday, May 9 - Reading

• Friday, May 10 - Math

We will begin testing each morning at 8:00 AM.  6th graders only complete the Survey, Reading, and Math.  If a student misses a section of the state test, they will complete during a makeup session.  Students must have all sections complete to participate in end of the year activities. 

Uniform Donations

Has your child outgrown his/her uniform? Please consider donating gently used uniforms and Echo Trail gear to our Youth Service Center. Thank you so much for your kind generosity!

Library Updates

We have a lot of important information about our library and media services. Please read carefully below and contact our Library and Media Specialist, Ms. Ward, kari.ward@jefferson.kyschools.us, for any questions.

Last Check Out Date

Our last day to check out library books for the school year will be Thursday, May 2nd. ALL library books will need to be returned by May 10th for students to be eligible for Field Day. If a book has been lost, invoices with the replacement cost will go out starting next week and will need to be paid by the 14th of May for Field Day participation. If you have any questions please reach out!

Vote for Ammerman!

We want to share with you that the rest of the world is figuring out what we already know - that our Boss Lady and fierce and fabulous leader is TODAY’S WOMAN OF THE YEAR!  

Dr. Ammerman was nominated for this honor and now it’s up to us, her Wolfpack, to bring this honor home! 

The ballot is on page 8 of the April Derby issue of Today’s Woman magazine, but online voting is going on now through April 30 at www.todayswomannow.com.

Voting is available to anyone with an email address, but only one vote per email address per hour.  Winners will be honored at an event June 11 and featured in their July issue of Today’s Woman Magazine.

Arts Spring Fest! May 16th, 6-8 PM

Mark your calendars for our end-of-year bash -- all are welcome to attend our Spring Arts Fest featuring our Echo Trail Fine Arts Department!

• Food Trucks

• Art Walk

• Drama Production

• Band, Choir, Echo Effect, and Jazz Band 

Save the date!

Donuts for FCA

Our Echo Trail FCA is back for all students and meets every Wednesday from 7:00-7:30AM in the Band Room (132).  As we anticipate large groups again, we are in need of families to help by signing up to bring in donuts.

Please click here to see our sign up genius which has all the information needed.

Thanks in advance for your generosity!

Requesting Nominations for SBDM Parent Representative  Election

Echo Trail Parents:

Our school has a SBDM (School-Based Decision Making) council that is made up of our principal, Dr. Ammerman and a variety of elected teachers and parents. This council is in charge of making important decisions about how the school operates and supports student achievement.

The council is a wonderful chance to learn about our school, work closely with teachers, and help make our school even more successful than it is now.

One of the duties of the PTSA each year is run SBDM elections for the two parent representatives for next school year.

The two parent members of the council who will receive training and serve from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.

Parents can, but are not required to, serve two consecutive, one-year terms but do have to be re-elected each school year.

You are allowed to self-nominate.

Also, if you know someone who would be a good candidate, please encourage that person to run and nominate them.

Elected parents should be available to attend a monthly meeting. These meetings are held the third Wednesday of each month at 3:00pm at school (no meeting in December or June).

Nominations will be open until Monday, May 13 at 2:20pm EST. Nominations can be sent in email format to echotrailptsa@gmail.com. 

The election will be held on Wednesday, May 15.

If you will have a student at Echo Trail next year, you are eligible to be nominated and to vote in this election. This includes parents, stepparents, and foster parents. Legal guardians are also eligible to vote if the child lives in their home. I urge every parent to participate in this important decision about the future of our children’s school.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email echotrailptsa@gmail.com. 

Thank you,
Joe Hulsey – PTA President

This letter can be viewed as a Word Doc here. Feel free to share with other interested parents.

Link your Kroger Card to Help Echo Trail

Whenever you shop at Kroger and use your Kroger Card, you use can help Echo Trail!

Kroger Community Rewards

• Link Echo Trail Middle School PTSA to your Kroger Card and every time you scan your card, Kroger will give back 1% of all your purchases ETMS!

• Click here to get started and search for “Echo Trail” in the organization search!

Science Olympiad

Science Club: Please check Google Classroom with an updated schedule for the remainder of the year. 

Fellowship of Christian Athletes

We will continue to meet every Wednesday in the Band Room (132) from 7:00-7:30am.  All students are welcome to attend!

If you have any questions, please email sponsors joseph.stivers@jefferson.kyschools.us or jordan.stout@jefferson.kyschools.us.

Echo Trail Spring Sports

Practice Days

Reminder that all athletes must have an updated Sports Physical and Echo Trail athletics packet turned in and on file to participate in an Echo Trail athletics program. This includes getting your packet notarized, which can be done in our front office.

Baseball:

Head Coach -  Austin Dukes

Practices: *Times and Locations Vary

F - @ Eastwood Cutoff Field 5:00 - 7:00 PM

Sa - @ Eastern HS Indoor 3:00 - 5:00 PM

Softball:

Head Coach - Elizabeth Conard

Practices: 2:45 - 5:00 PM

M W - @ Eastwood Cutoff Rd Field

Th -  @ Echo Trail

**Transportation bus provided to practice from school.

Boys Soccer:

Head Coach - Cary Hearn

Email: clhbanker@bellsouth.net

Practices: *2:45 - 4:30 PM 

T Th - @ The Parklands Egg Lawn

**Transportation bus provided to practice from school.

Boys Lacrosse:

Coach - Phil Brock (Head Coach Eastern HS Lax)

Email: philbrock15@gmail.com

Practices: Contact Coach Brock as schedule and locations may vary

Flag Football:

Coach - Dexter Bowden

Practices: *3:00 - 5:00 PM 

M W -  @ Echo Trail

Volleyball (6th grade Spring League):

Coach - Rachael Johnston 

Email: Linked to name (email last name is "Johnson")

Practices: *2:30 - 4:00 PM 

M Th - @ Echo Trail

Track and Field:

Coach -  William Jacoby

UPDATE: ET Track Team practices are held at 5:30pm on Wednesdays and Fridays at Eastern High School, weather permitting. If your child is interested in joining the team, please make sure they have a completed physical and Echo Trail athletics packet. You can contact Coach Jacoby.

Go be grEaT this spring!

Mr. Carden

Echo Trail Athletic Director

Games & Competitions

Monday 4/29

6:45p Soc vs. Thomas Jefferson MS    @ Thomas Jefferson MS 

7:00p BSB vs. KCD     @ Crosby Park

Tuesday 4/30

5:00p VB vs. Crosby         @ Carrithers

6:10p FFG vs. Meyzeek    @ Westport

7:00p FFB vs. JCTMS       @ Westport

6:00p SB vs. PCS     @ J-Town HS   

Wednesday 5/1

6:00p VB vs. Highland     @ Highland

5:00p T&F Mini Meet @ Eastern HS

Parent and Community Volunteers

We love our parents and community members who volunteer for school functions and field trips. We couldn't do what we do without you!

All volunteers must have a background check cleared (once every 5 years) before they may volunteer or chaperone their event. If you are planning on volunteering for any upcoming field trips, please see the important info about the renewel process below:

All JCPS parent and community members whose School Volunteer Records Check were cleared prior to July 1, 2020, are required to submit a new background check.

Volunteers who submitted a School Volunteer Records Check after July 1, 2020, and were cleared will not need to resubmit a records check until July 1, 2025. 

If you need to have a new background check, fill out the form here:
https://www.jefferson.kyschools.us/about/support/volunteer

Taking care of it now will ensure that you are cleared the entire time your student is in middle school!

Quick Reference & Reminders

• NTI Communication - Families

• Technology Plan - NTI

• Bus App Directions

• Please reference this map for AM arrival and PM dismissal 

• Echo Trail MS School Number 502-485-8398

• Expectations Slide Deck 

• Technology Slide Deck 

• Gum/Candy/Food - we ask that students do not chew gum (it finds its way to new furniture or the floor, etc.) and that any candy/food remains put away unless in the cafeteria.  

• Please review the uniform guidance and slide deck linked below:

Uniform Written Guidance

Uniform Slide Deck (visuals)

Spirit Store Items and Uniform Approved Items

Common Items we are correcting:

• Full zip jackets will need to be removed (once we have assigned lockers students will store them there)

• Hoodies that are non-Echo Trail (Echo Trail hoodies with hoods down can be worn on Fridays) Nike women’s dry tempo short, AC women’s tempo luxe 5 in short, and general athletic shorts are not approved school items to be worn. 

• The only athletic shorts approved on Friday’s are BSN Sports Agility 2 pocket Short and Nike Flex Woven Short.

School Contacts

If you need to reach out to any of our administrators, front office staff, core content teachers or other staff, you can find their names, roles and emails on our school website: bit.ly/echotrailmiddle

Homework Reminder

As your child continues to settle into middle school, we wanted to take a moment to send out a reminder about the importance of completing homework assignments. 

Homework is used to reinforce the skills and concepts that your child is learning at home. It is important that you are checking in DAILY with your child about the homework that he/she may have to complete. 

We ask that you also check Infinite Campus regularly to stay up-to-date on your child’s progress and any missing assignments that he/she may have. Completing assignments in a timely manner and practicing outside of school will help your child be successful throughout the school year. 

As always, if you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher directly. We appreciate your continued support!

Agenda Use

Starting this week, we will be helping students consistently use their agendas in each class. All teachers will have their students write down the learning target and any homework they might have.

We want to assist our students with organization skills and also completing homework when assigned. We also want to increase communication with you as you support your student.

Wolfpack Weekly in Junk Mail

Teachers and parents both found the Weekly Newsletter in the Junk folder of their email recently.

If you missed a newsletter, you can always find previous weeks listed in the navigation window.

Here are things you can do to make sure you don't miss out next time:

• Periodically look in your Junk Folder to make sure you're not missing email from JCPS Teachers

• Whitelist our email addresses

  • For the Weekly, michael.etter@jefferson.kyschools.us and echotrailmiddle_reginfo@jefferson.kyschools.us

• Bookmark bit.ly/WolfPackWeekly and use the navigation bar for the latest week's newsletter

• Update Infinite Campus Parent Portal to include your phone number to receive SMS Notifications from us

We hope this helps. We never want you to miss out on important information. Please reach out to the school with any questions or assistance!

Weekly Newsletter

Errors? Omissions? If something is missing or needs to be corrected, please email Michael Etter, michael.etter@jefferson.kyschools.us.