Echo Trail Middle School Weekly Newsletter

Welcome!

September 22 , 2025

Hello Wolf Pack Families!

Looking forward to a grEaT week with our students before fall break (9/29-10/3). Parent Teacher Conferences will be held this week on Wednesday, September 24th from 8am-4pm. This is also a time we welcome our families in to help your student organize their locker and/or decorate it. We please ask no stickers when decorating lockers. All decorations should be on the inside of the locker.

Thank you to our PTSA, staff, students, and all the volunteers who made our 3rd Nature Walk a blast! It is an event our students always enjoy and we appreciate in our school community. Our PTSA Bookstore is up and running. Students may go to the bookstore when they are headed to lunch to purchase any items.

We need your help with assuring skirts are following the uniform policy. We are beginning to see an increase with skirts being pulled up too high, rolling them, and/or not being aware to adjust them as students stand or sit. This is causing an increase in skirts being revealing and not meeting the uniform policy. Please take a moment to address this with your student as we will begin to make calls home when this occurs in the future. Thank you in advance!

We had another excellent week in athletics and all of our teams are continuing to shine! Way to go Wolf Pack!!

Save the Date(s) and Other Important Information:

Echo Trail Family Calendar : This is a living document that will be updated as needed. We wanted to give you a snapshot of what to expect each month.
Uniform Written Policy and Uniform Slide Deck (visuals) :
- Please be mindful of skirt length
- Full-zip jackets are to be removed for the day
- Uniform Approved hoodies can only be worn on Friday
- Dressdown Guidelines

#ExpectgreaTness

Dr. Ammerman, Principal

Twitter: @KaraJo_Ammerman

Important Information
& Upcoming Events

EF Trip - Enroll Early and Save!

🇬🇧✈️Now is the time to take advantage of this incredible travel experience! Please email Mrs. Slugantz asap for more information and directions on how to enroll. Book by Friday, 9/26 for an early enrollment discount of $200! ✈️🇬🇧

✉️: patricia.slugantz@jefferson.kyschools.us

8th Grade Trip - Save the Date!

Our 8th Grade Trip to Cincinnati will be Thursday & Friday, April 23-24. Make sure to save the date! You won't want to miss this one.

More details to come. Stay tuned!

Locker Set-Up Day

During Family Conference Day (September 24th 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM), we are inviting families to come in and have some locker fun with your student. This is an informal event for families to help their student set up and/or decorate their lockers. Students may bring items to decorate their lockers with - example, shelf, mirror, magnets. NO Stickers are allowed!

Holiday Assistance Sponsors Needed!

If you would like to contribute to our Holiday Assistance program for Echo Trail families in need, please click HERE to complete this Google Form by Friday, October 10th! We do not currently have a Family Youth Service Coordinator and appreciate your willingness to support. Thanks in advance for your generosity and caring for our Wolf Pack!

Spirit Wear Orders

Here is another grEaT opportunity to purchase uniform approved spirit wear! Linked is our Academic Team Store where every team designed their own apparel. Also found here is the link to our Music Department Team tees and crew-neck sweatshirts.

The stores are open now until 11:59pm on Sunday, September 28 and be delivered to school 2-3 weeks following that. PLEASE confirm you are ordering the correct team as additional items WILL NOT be printed for returns or exchanges.

--> Music Team Store

--> Academic Team Store

Volunteer This School Year!

We'd love to have you participate in field trips and other volunteer opportunities!

The Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) requires volunteers to submit a background check form every five years. However, if it is brought to the attention of district officials that a volunteer has plead guilty to or is convicted of drug offenses; sexual offenses; offenses against minors; deadly weapons offenses; violent, abusive, threatening, or harassment offenses; or any felony offense, he or she will be required to submit a new criminal records check and his or her volunteer status may be terminated. In keeping with JCBE policy, the School Volunteer Records Check process is as follows:

All JCPS parent and community members whose School Volunteer Records Check was 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, unless there has been a qualifying incident similar to those listed above.

Counselor Corner

8th Grade Transition Night - Oct. 7th @ 5PM

Who: 8th grade students attending Echo Trail and Guardians/Family

What: Receive information from JCPS transition office about high school choice

When: October 7th, 2025 at 5:00

Where: Echo Trail Middle School Cafeteria

Why: To receive information to help make an informed decision for high school choice prior to Showcase of Schools

Click HERE to RSVP

HERO Student and Teacher Leaders

Check out our HERO point leaders for last week!

Character Strong Weekly Update

Character Strong is our schoolwide curriculum used for social-emotional learning. Students complete lessons during Team Time on Monday's and Friday's of each week.

Below are highlights of lessons for each grade level:

Week of September 22nd:
6th Grade, 7th Grade and 8th Grade Lesson

Lesson Title/Description :
Building Connections - This session will help students to think about their own definition of community. We will build on what they know through activities that help students make the connection between community, safety, and respect.

Standards Based Grading

All teachers at Echo Trail use Standards Based Grading. This means that grades will be communicated as a 4, 3, 2, 1, or 0 and focus on what students know and can do in relation to specific state standards. Click this link to learn more and reach out to your child's teacher or counselor if you have questions.

Counseling Request Form

If your student has an academic question or social-emotional need, you can reach our counselors or Mental Health Practitioner by filling out the Counselor Google Form.

6th Grade - Ms. Thomas
7th Grade - Mr. Rul-lan
8th Grade - Ms. Wales
Mental Health Practitioner (MHP) - Mrs. Sanders

Student Spotlight

Clubs

Missed our Club Sign Ups?

Visit our Club page here and view our slides to see which clubs sponsors you can reach out to. Some of our clubs are still adding students.

The SpongeBob Musical

We are excited to announce our Spring ETMS production - The SpongeBob Musical (youth edition)!!

Required audition workshops are Tuesday, October 7th and 9th from 2:30-3:30 (location TBD)

Auditions are Monday, October 13th, 2:30-4:00 (location TBD) and depending on interest, Wednesday, October 15th, 2:30-4:00

Echoes of the Arts

Band Newsletter

Click here to read our September Newsletter.

Vision/Mission/Motto
August Students of the Week!
Rent to Own Instrument Information
Pictures from our Eastern High School Shadow Night
9/7 8th Grade National Anthem Performance at UofL Women's Volleyball Game Info
9/14 8th Grade Gatlinburg Parent Zoom Meeting
9/25 8th Grade Sound Connection Concert
10/9 8th Grade Howlapalooza Concert
10/23 7th/8th Grade JCPS All-County Auditions
10/29 Mark's Feed Store Proceeds Day

Modern Music Newsletter

Click here to read our September Newsletter.

EXPLORE

👀 Check out what's Happening in Explore this week...

#chasEThecuriosity

Explore Ambassadors will receive an email Friday, September 19th to communicate if they have been selected as a 2025-26 Explore Ambassador or not.

Athletics

This Week in Wolfpack Athletics...

Monday 9/22

XC - JCPS Meet 6 @ Charlie Vettiner Park

5:00 JV Golf Woodhaven

5:30 JVFH vs Noe @ CAL - Playoffs

6:30 VFH vs Barret @ Ballard - Playoffs

7:30 SB vs Noe-B @ Atherton

Tuesday 9/23

5:00p Varsity Golf vs Crosby/Westport @ Long Run

5:30p ET Tennis - Ramsey vs Echo Trail @ J’Town

Wednesday 9/24

7:45 VBsb vs (JCTMS/Barret) @ Male HS - Playoffs

Thursday 9/25

5:30p ET Tennis - Noe vs Echo Trail @ Charlie Vettiner Park

6:00p JVFB vs Newburg (Away) @ Newburg

Friday 9/26

XC - JCPS Middle School Meet Championship @ Charlie Vettiner Park

Saturday 9/27

9:00 AM FB vs Crosby @ JTown

Echo Trail Athletic Department

Fall and Winter Sports Transition

Dear Echo Trail Parents and Student-Athletes,

As our fall sports season draws to a close, I want to extend my gratitude to all of our athletes, coaches, and families for their hard work and dedication. The fall season was a great success, and we're incredibly proud of what our teams accomplished.

Now, as we look ahead to the winter sports season, we want to address the upcoming transition. We recognize that there may be a brief period of overlap between the end of the fall season and the start of winter tryouts and practices.

We want to make our policy on this transition very clear. Our number one expectation is for every student-athlete to remain committed to their current fall team until the season is officially over. A fall athlete may attend winter tryouts and workouts only if there are no conflicts with their fall team's schedule, including practices and games. If there is no conflict on the afternoon/night of the tryout and/or workout, the student athlete will be permitted to participate in tryouts and workouts while still fulfilling their fall sport obligations.

To be direct, if a student-athlete shows up to a winter tryout on the same day their fall team has a scheduled practice or event, that student will be removed from the tryout process entirely and will not be allowed to try out for a winter team this season.

We believe that being a part of a team requires full commitment and respect for your teammates and coaches. This policy ensures that our athletes are fully focused on the team they are currently a part of, while also allowing for the opportunity to explore future athletic endeavors when the time is right.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we finish out the fall season and prepare for the winter.

Good luck to all of our student-athletes!

Sincerely,

Kyle Carden

Echo Trail Athletic Director

Dates and Times for the first round of the 25-26 Basketball Tryouts

Please make note of your student’s date and time.

All students wishing to tryout will be given two first round tryout days.

If your son or daughter is participating in a fall sport and a practice or game conflicts with this time they will attend one of the later tryouts scheduled on 10/20/25 and/or 10/21/25 for their two days of first round tryouts(Times to Be Announced).

If your athlete does not have a sports physical and the JCPS Athletics packet completed the day of their tryout, they will not be permitted to participate until that has been completed.

(If you skip a fall sport practice or game you will be disqualified from trying out for Basketball)!

Swim Team Evaluations

In order to participate in the 2025-26 Swim Season, your swimmer must be signed up and participate in an evaluation prior to the 9/25 deadline. If your athlete has not been evaluated by the last practice/evaluation at the end of this week (Thursday 9/25), the evaluation window will be closed and we will not be taking any additional swimmers for this season.

Winter Sports Signups

If you are interested in trying out for one of our winter sports teams, please fill out the form that is linked below. These sports will include:

Boys and Girls Basketball
Boys and Girls Swimming
Archery
Indoor Track & Field

Winter Sports Form

You may also click the link address that is provided. - https://forms.gle/3vsHqXLY8fUGhDCd8

These teams in most cases will have large volumes of student interest, resulting in these teams having to make cuts due to roster restrictions, spacial restrictions, equipment, safety, etc.

If you have a student athlete that is participating in a fall sport currently, they may not participate in any winter activities until the conclusion of their fall sports team. Coaches will send out further information as the winter participation windows begin to open.

PTSA

THANK YOU, VOLUNTEERS!

PTSA would like to thank all the volunteers who helped make Nature Walk such a success! We could not have done it without you.

Meet your PTSA Secretary, Ashley!

Ashley's daughter, Maci, is a 7th grader at ET and part of the volleyball team. When she's not schlepping her kids to all of their activities, Ashley works as a Management and Program Analyst for the Department of Treasury. She loves bluegrass music, Chris Stapleton is her favorite country artist, and she doesn't like to be barefoot. Ashley is most excited to watch her kids grow into their personalities even more this year!

Reminders

We would love for you to sign up for a PTSA Membership.

--> You can join the Echo Trail PTSA here!

Does your student have spirit wear or school uniforms that no longer fit? Or maybe apparel from a previous grade-level team that your student is no longer on? PTSA is partnering with the FRC to replenish clothing for students and families in need. You can bring donations to the front office or email PTSA to make other arrangements.

Any questions about PTSA, feel free to email echotrailptsa@gmail.com

Volunteers Needed

We will need volunteers throughout the school year. Please fill out this form so we can have you on our volunteer email list.

Bookstore needs help during lunches!
Your Echo Trail Bookstore will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays during lunches! Hours are 10am-noon.

Students may ask to stop by and purchase spirit wear items during these times. We accept card, check (made out to Echo Trail PTSA) and cash. Parents may sign in to the office for a visitors pass to shop as well during these hours.

If you'd like to volunteer during these times, the bookstore chair will walk you through how it works.

--> https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0548ADA82EA5FDC34-58162520-etms

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!

Repeat Information

Get the Latest from our ET Teachers on the JCPS App

Many of our Echo Trail teachers are using the JCPS Rooms feature in the JCPS app to keep our parents updated. We don’t want to overwhelm parents by doubling up info in multiple places. We encourage you to download the app for communication.

Whether you're on Apple or Android, the links to download the JCPS App can be found here:
https://www.jefferson.kyschools.us/o/jcps/page/mobile-application

School Fees

If you still need to pay your school fees, please do so now online at My School Bucks! Click the link below to review the School Fee Sheet. Price does include a 3.95% credit card processing fee.

25-26 School Fees

You may also send fees by cash and checks with your student.

If we can offer any assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to us 485-8398.

Weekly Newsletter

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

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