Jackson School Community News
June 17, 2021
June 17 - Last Day of School for grades k-5. Early Release at NOON!
Grade 6 Awards
Our Sixth Graders have been promoted to Grade 7! Thank you to all the kids and families for a great last year at JGS! A correction on this year's awards: the faculty voted for 2 Hope Birkbeck Award winners: Connor Hill and Hunter Roberts. The staff chose one Daughters of the American Revolution Citizenship Award winner, Macie Marcotte.
More about the Hope Birkbeck Award:
The Hope Birkbeck Award is given to a student who has exemplified the qualities that Mrs. Birkbeck instilled in her 36 years of teaching at Jackson Grammar School. The recipient demonstrates strong academic performance through his/her consistent motivation to learn and intrinsic drive to constantly improve. The recipient is also recognized for his/her citizenship as a JGS student throughout the past years.
Criteria for the DAR Award:
The DAR Award is given in recognition for displaying the qualities of Good Citizenship including: Honor, Service, Courage, Leadership, and Patriotism.
So long and best wishes to Mrs. Kennedy! Thank you for being our K-1 teacher this semester! Thank you for a stupendous Kindergarten graduation!
Field Day 2021! Thank you, Mrs. Porter!
Summer at the Jackson Public Library
Tails and Tales 2021 Summer Reading Program at the Jackson Library
Hey families, are you interested in participating in any or all of the exciting in-person events especially for kids happening at the Jackson Library this summer? Sign up here and get ready for a summer of reading and fun. We’ll email you more program information and reminders, trivia questions, and at-home activities to enjoy.
Here’s a brief overview of our summer of fun activities to be held at the library! Please note that the times and days vary between weeks.
Tuesday, July 6th from 3-4pm. Kick Off the Jackson Library’s Tails and Tales Summer Reading Program with Meredith for stories and a safari adventure. What animals are hiding outside the library and can you find and identify them all?
Tuesday, July 13th from 3-4pm. New Hampshire Wildlife with Tin Mountain Conservation Center. Learn about the area’s wildlife and the adaptations they’ve evolved to thrive in the north country. How can you tell what an animal eats from or how well it hears from looking at its skull? Join Tin Mountain in exploring mounts, skulls, and furs of some of these animals for a greater appreciation of what it takes to survive in the various habitats of the Mount Washington Valley.
Tuesday, July 20th from 3:30-5:00pm. Tails and Tales Art with Carol Hanson.
Children will be shown various types of animals, through stories and images. They will then focus on the shape and design of the tails of certain animals. They will first paint an animal then paint a tail on a separate page. These will be cut out and dropped in a box. Children will randomly choose a tail, affix it to their animal, then write a story about how that animal got that tail!
Friday, July 30th from 5-6pm. No Two Tails Alike with Squam Lake Natural Science Center. An animal’s tail can serve as a rudder when swimming, help with agility during flight, or can even function like an extra hand. Meet live native wildlife ambassadors as a naturalist from Squam Lakes Natural Science Center tells tales of the tails of some of New Hampshire’s native wildlife.
Wednesday, August 4th from 3-4pm. Frog Discovery Time with Green Mountain Conservation Group. In following the summer reading theme “Tails and Tales'' we will be reading “Growing Frogs” by Vivian French and illustrated by Alison Bartlett. We will also learn about what it means to be an amphibian, what is metamorphosis, and what frogs we can find in our backyards! We will play a game, create a frog puppet craft, and interact with live frogs from the GMCG vernal pool.
Feel free to contact Meredith with any questions at 383-9731 or meredith@jacksonlibrary.org
June 4, 2021
Congratulations!
Maeve won the Daughters of the American Revolution Essay Contest for the State of New Hampshire for Grade 5!
Tin Miners
Ms. Kennedy and the K1 visited Tin Mountain Conservations's Field Station in Jackson this week. Ask a k-1er about the frog pond and the tin mine (pictured, above.)
SAU 9 Career Day @ JGS - Thank you to all our visiting and online presenters!
The students would like to extend their thanks to the fantastic presenters who shared a bit about themselves and their jobs during Career Day on Friday, June 4th. Their willingness to share their time with us made the day a huge success. We had so much fun! (Pictured: Ms Scribner and Jacob creating a bouquet while learning about floral design. For more from Career Day, scroll down!)
Mike McFarland - Drive Brand Studio
Colby Locke - KHS athletic trainer
Jeff Locke - former MLB pitcher
Carrie Scribner - Floral designer
Jeff Fournier - The Thompson House
Kate Battenfelder - True North Vet
Chief Perley - Jackson PD
Joel Fisher-Katz - The Old Village Bakery
Chris Meier - Cooper Cargill Chant
Dr Martin - Emporia State University
Recital recording links, below.
https://www.facebook.com/jacksongrammarschool/videos/307275130933106
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogZC32A5Gic
Thank you, Mrs. Weeder! Thank you to Mr. and Mrs. Groves!
Embedded, to the right.
Dates to Remember!
Brought to you by Mrs. Scribner's Grade 2 and their Henri Rousseau-inspired jungle theme artwork with our mascot, the Jaguar.
June 7 - Deadline to order JGS yearbook - details, next 2 jaguars!
Each class is featured on a year book page! Almost every event is in there! What a crazy year - captured for posterity in color!
June 7, 9, 11 - Grade 6 Saco Watershed Class Trips
Grade 6 families: see emails from Mr. Marshall for details.
June 8 - Field Day! Upper House in morning and Lower House in the afternoon. Send your athlete with sneakers on Monday (PE day) and Tuesday!
June 16 - Promotion for Grade 6 (and their families.) 5 PM, under the tent. Last day for Grade 6!
Grade 6 families: Watch for emails from Mr. Marshall for details.
Parade details - Coming Soon!
June 17 - Last Day of School for grades k-5. Early Release after lunch!
Mrs. Heysler's 3-4 class played the settlement game with tin mountain educator dexter harding. Click the arrow to learn more from their reflections on playing the game!
Settlement Game Intro
by Addie
Wednesday June 2 we had a class with Mr. Harding. We played a game called the settlement game about the history of Jackson. The settlement game was invented by Mrs. Carol Foord who worked for Tin Mountain for many years and has a room full of games she invented. Mr. Harding and Mrs. Heysler played the settlement game with her many times.
How to play the settlement game:
First: You roll a die if you get a 1 you can get a stone wall, a couple sheep, 1 acre of crops, or 1 acre of wheat in your farm land, but in 5 rolls you have to have at least 5 acres of crops and wheat. If you don't you get your land taken away from you.
Second: If you roll a 2 or 3 you can get a house for a 3 or a barn or shed for a 2, but if you get a house or a shed on your first few rolls you have to hurry to get your crops planted in the rolls that you have left because if you don't the land will be taken from you and you will have to start a new farm.
The most strict rule is that everyone rolls the dice at the same time and if you roll it off the table, you don't get to add anything that round.
That is how you play the settlement game. :)
I learned that in the 1700s...
...they had to walk because they didn't have roads. They had ox that would carry a wheelbarrow. The people would carry a sack.
I learned that the father, big sisters, and big brothers would travel before the mother did because the mother might have a baby with her while the others are working to make a land for themselves.
I liked that during the town hall meetings it kinda felt like a real town hall meeting...
...just mostly filled by kids. I also liked all the interesting requirements in the game. For example you had to have two rock walls to have a sheep, or if we wanted to build a training field if you gave two dots to the community.
What did you learn about Jackson history?
I learned that before it was called Jackson it was New Madbury because the people were from Madbury. It was then called Adams for president Adams then finally it was called Jackson after Andrew Jackson.
I learned there were five families in 1800 and there was an old church before the one now.
Jackson was once called Adams. Also it was really hard to live in Jackson before youtube fortnite and electricity.
I learned that people didn’t have a well ...
...unless people built it with you.
The hard thing was all of us...
...trying to think of what to build in the town hall meetings because we all kinda wanted to build something different from the others.
I learned that teamwork works best when you play a game.
JGS Staff Thanks our PTO!
A big shout out to our PTO for the lovely lunch buffet they put on for us in honor of Teacher Appreciation Day!
Delicious sandwiches, decadent goodies, beautiful flowers, and an ice cream gift card to boot!
We appreciate your time, energy, and kindness so-o-o much! Kudos to the J-Town Deli and to Trails End Ice Cream, as well! ~ Miss Melis
Thank you, Jackson School Community, for your generosity this year. From paper products to masks, ski gear and wool socks, no one has gone without this school year. As we wrap up 2020-2021, please hold on to your donations or pass them on to another organization. We're in the midst of packing up, and won't be able to find homes for any more donations at this time.
More from Career Day:
pitcher:
Connor and Jeff Locke played catch during Career Day.
Baker:
Joel Fisher-Katz-Keohane brought some goodies and dough to roll for K-1.
Veternarian:
Rent held Dr. Battenfelder’s chihuahua while learning about veterinary medicine.
May 27, 2021
Dates to remember
May 28 - Early Release Day - Dismissal at noon. Teacher Luncheon (Thank you, PTO!) starts at 12:15.
May 31 - Memorial Day, no school
June 1 - JGS Living Room Recital
June 4 - SAU 9 Career Day
June 7 - Deadline to order JGS yearbook - details, below!
June 7, 9, 11 - Grade 6 Saco Watershed Class Trips
June 8 - Field Day! Upper House in morning and Lower House in the afternoon. Details coming soon!
June 17 - Last Day of School - Early Release after lunch! Grade 6 Promotion to follow!
Daily - Dancing at recess
Grade 2 at recess: on the playscape, Miss Melis and Miss Kathy on the buddy bench, in the woods.
Rooted out: JGS Upper House puts Science to Work for the Community
As part of their science studies with Tin Mountain Educator Lori Kinsey, JGS Sixth Graders learned about invasive plant species in NH and found many here at JGS. They applied their work in the classroom to work in the community by creating an eradication and replacement plan. They presented the plan to the Jackson School Board and recieved permission to remove plants. Their presentation slide show is linked, below, if you cannot see it on the page.
Fifth and sixth graders are creating the 20-21 jgs yearbook
The JGS yearbook is a school tradition, integrating art class and media skills.
Lots of racquet in Physical Education Class
Pickleball Rules! 5/6 ended their racquet/paddle unit with rotations through tennis, badminton and pickleball. Pickleball was favored by the majority and several students requested to play more at recess. Grade 3/4 were introduced to pickleball and Grade 2 progressed from a side feed to across the net feed, successfully tracking and hitting the ball fairly consistently. K/1 ran away from mosquitoes and other buzzing insects (pool noodles and balls) during freeze tag.
May 21, 2021
Dates to remember
May 28 - Early Release Day - Dismissal at noon. Teacher Luncheon (Thank you, PTO!) starts at 12:15.
May 31 - Memorial Day, no school
June 1 - JGS Living Room Recital
June 4 - SAU 9 Career Day
June 7, 9, 11 - Grade 6 Saco Watershed Class Trips
June 17 - Last Day of School - Early Release after lunch!
Tick Free NH - tick spoons came home today! Tick removed within 10 minutes of handing out the tool in K1! Good work!
DAR Essay Contest Winner
Congratulations to Macie - this year's Daughters of the American Revolution Essay Contest winner for Grade 6 in the state of NH!
Celebrations in Grade 2!
Mrs Robert has been named the 2021 Tin Mountain Conservation Center's Outstanding Environmental Educator!
May 7, 2021
Dear Parent/Guardian,
To meet federal and state accountability requirements, all NH students are asked to participate in the NH Statewide Assessment System (NH SAS). The NH SAS is a series of online assessments in literacy and mathematics in grades 3 through 8, and also includes science for students in grades 5, 8 and 11.
JGS 3rd, 4th, 5th, & 6th Graders will test according to the following schedule:
May 11: 5-6 ELA 10:00-11:45 (No read aloud)
May 12: 5-6 ELA 10:00-11:45 (No read aloud)
May 13: 5-6 Math 10:00-11:45 (No read aloud)
May 14: Make-up - TBD as needed
May 18: 10-12:30 5th Science
May 20: 5th science -TBD as needed
May 17: 3-4 ELA 10-12:30
May 18: 3-4 ELA 10-12:30
May 19: 3-4 Math 10-12:30
Parents and Guardians, please send your student to testing days rested and fed.
Thank you for the signs!
Dates to remember
May 14 - All School Remote Day
May 17 - School Board Meeting, 6-7 PM
May 28 - Early Release Day
May 31 - Memorial Day, no school
June 1 - JGS Living Room Recital - details, below!
Thank you, Mrs. Heysler and Grade 3 & 4, for the photos of you learning fractions!
Watch for Assurance Letter from SAU 9
JGS Volunteers! Watch your PO Box for your Assurance Letter from SAU 9. If Please sign and return the letter to SAU 9 or to the JGS office. By signing and returning, you will ensure that you are on the volunteer list for next school year. This will allow you to volunteer for school activities without going through the background check and fingerprinting process AGAIN! If you do not sign and return the letter you will not be able to volunteer for coaching, skiing, class trips, etc., until you go through the fingerprinting and background check process. The current turn-around time for background checks is one month.
Tick Free NH - don't let a little tick become a big problem!
WHAT: The JGS Living Room Recital- 2021
This is an event where individual students perform a song of their choosing.
Students may sing or play an instrument.
WHO:
Students in grades 3-6
Students in grades K-2 who take private instrument or voice lessons
WHERE:
Online! (JGS Facebook page & YouTube)
WHEN:
Sign Up Deadline: May 18
Video Submission Deadline: May 25
Virtual Recital: June 1, 5:30 pm
HOW:
Students need to sign up by completing these TWO forms:
Living Room Recital Sign Up & Virtual Recital Consent and Release Form
Students who fail to meet the sign up deadline will not be able to perform in the recital.
Mrs. Weeder will then contact the involved students to work on their songs.
Students will then submit a video of their performance to Mrs. Weeder.
Mr. & Mrs. Groves will then compile the videos into a full concert!
The Virtual Recital will take place on June 1 at 5:30 pm. It will be live-streamed on the JGS Facebook page and on YouTube.
We will have a Watch Party at that time, but the recital will also be recorded so you can watch at a later date.
Questions? Email Mrs. Weeder: l_weeder@sau9.org
april 23, 2021
Dates to remember
April 26-30 - April Vacation
Letter from Superintendent Kevin Richard, April 22, 2021
May 3 - BACK TO SCHOOL!
May 14 - All School Remote Day
May 28 - Early Release Day
May 31 - Memorial Day, no school
JGS students will participate in state-wide assessments in May. Details and schedule, below.
Wow! We can still eat outside! What's lunch outside at 50 F and drizzle after a January of 30F and snow? The pavilion is still an option and now our tent is up - please have your students dress in layers and ready to continue our run of outside lunch and learning!
Thank you, jackson school community, for your generosity
Thank you to the Jackson Community for generously participating in our End 68 Hours of Hunger food drive. All of the schools in MWV participated and we collected a tremendous amount of food.
We did quite a bit of math with the donations.
Here are some statistics about the food we collected here at JGS, tallied by our 5th grade math students:
- We collected a total of 427 items. Of that total, 15% was tuna, 22% was ramen and 53% was macaroni and cheese.
- We have a total of 230 boxes of macaroni and 50 students in our school. That is a ratio of 4.6 boxes of mac for every student. Yum!
- If we stacked it all up it would now be a tower 1,610 inches tall. Our tallest student, Liz, is 63 inches tall and our most petite student, Hazel, is 42 inches. It would take 25 Liz's stacked up to equal a tower as high as the macaroni. It would take 38 Hazels to equal that height.
There may have been some "playing" with our food...
Cooperation, problem solving, math skills, patience... https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RBJx3Yvimtw7gzp_P0CDWlYs2XuXRZaH/view?usp=sharing
Dear Parent/Guardian,
To meet federal and state accountability requirements, all NH students are asked to participate in the NH Statewide Assessment System (NH SAS). The NH SAS is a series of online assessments in literacy and mathematics in grades 3 through 8, and also includes science for students in grades 5, 8 and 11.
JGS 3rd, 4th, 5th, & 6th Graders will test according to the following schedule:
May 11: 5-6 ELA 10:00-11:45 (No read aloud)
May 12: 5-6 ELA 10:00-11:45 (No read aloud)
May 13: 5-6 Math 10:00-11:45 (No read aloud)
May 14: Make-up - TBD as needed
May 18: 10-12:30 5th Science
May 20: 5th science -TBD as needed
May 17: 3-4 ELA 10-12:30
May 18: 3-4 ELA 10-12:30
May 19: 3-4 Math 10-12:30
Parents and Guardians, please send your student to testing days rested and fed.
Thank you, Miss Amanda, for helping me do math. You are a nice teacher. You are very smart. Good luck in your new job! ~Jacob
Hello JGS - Thank you so much for all the good wishes and lovely cards you brought me for Adminstrative Professionals Day! I had a great day! ~Miss Susan
Plein Air Painting Week
A week of windy weather made for some interesting moments during our sensational Artist in Residency with Melanie Levitt! Thank you, JGS PTO, for funding this experience! We will display our paintings after April vacation week.
The week started with painters and artists on the blacktop in the sunshine. With wind gusts increasing in severity the program was moved under the pavilion with ever-handy river rocks holding down the paper and palettes.
Nick and Aubree report: During our first session of Plein Air Painting we stained the canvas dark and light orange, looked at a picture of the school (our group started in the pavilion) and we sketched out a picture of the school. After that, we painted a picture on the canvas but we didn't color it in. We used skinny paint brushes, acrylic paints, and painted flat due to the black top being too windy (the easels were blowing over). Aubree notes that she would do it again and that she liked painting buildings.
The many uses of tennis racquets in PE class:
Partner Beanbag Flip and Catch Traverse, Tennis Baseball, Tennis 500, Badminton serving skills using Jumbo birdies. K/1 students stepped into the batter's box for some hitting and fielding practice.
Students continue to impress me with their partner work as they progressed through the beanbag challenges.
Communication skills practiced in 500 will be used in doubles tennis.
Grade 2 students demonstrated laser focus tracking the birdie and being in ready position.
Third and Fourth Graders learn Orienteering with Tin Mountain during Science.
The fun continued into Physical Education Class!
Tin Mountain Conservation Educator Matt Maloney explains the rules of the compass game to third and fourth graders. Alda reports that the game was hard but fun.
Baylee is putting down a flag with fake snake around it. We were doing a compass game: Miss Amanda was my partner.
Noah uses his compass to find the next stop...from just past his maple sugaring tree to near the fence.
Addy is placing a stake with orange tape on it in the ground to mark where a plastic animal is hidden. The other kids had to find it with their compasses.
Mrs. Heysler's Third and Fourth Graders Present their Learning: Earth Day PSAs
april 15, 2021
Hey Moms and Dads and Grands!
SAU nurses and administrators request that you pursue PCR testing when you are testing for covid-19 for any reason. The PCR test is available at:
Saco River Medical, 447-3500
The PCR test differs from the Rapid Antigen test. SAU Nurses and Administrators request that families get a PCR test instead of the Rapid Antigen test for all COVID-19 related testing.
Sign up for 1 to 5 weeks from July 12-August 13
Camp will run 8:30-1:00 PM
Please note: due to the ongoing pandemic, this year's Summer Program will only accept students currently enrolled in Jackson Grammar School for the 2020-2021 school year, grades k-6.
A different Theme Each Week!
Field trips to local hiking trails!
More information and registration HERE!
Dates to remember
Friday, April 16 - All School Remote Day
April 19 - School Board Meeting
April 19-22 - JGS Artist in Residence Program with Melanie Barash Levitt: Plein Air Painting - see details, HERE! Remote students - details for you HERE. Thank you, JGS PTO, for sponsoring this event!
April 26-30 - April Vacation
JGS students will participate in state-wide assessments in May. Details and schedule coming soon.
Still Going ...and what a response from our school and village community! Thank you!
Food Drive for End 68 Hours of Hunger: Our local chapter of End 68 Hours has been struggling to find the following items, which they give to local families each week to ensure that children have enough food to eat over the weekend.
canned tuna/chicken
ramen noodles
mac n cheese
soups/raviolis
If you would like to donate any of these items, there will be a collection box at the school. You may send in items with your child or leave them on the blue table outside of the main door. Our 5th graders will be in charge of organizing this food drive and reporting back to the community about how much we collect. For more information, please email v_hill@sau9.org
~Victoria Hill, JGS Guidance Counselor
Noah in 3rd grade is hoping we can collect 365 total boxes of mac n' cheese so that we would have one for each day. Next Friday, April 23rd, is the last day to bring in donations.
So far we have collected 145 boxes of macaroni and cheese.
If we stacked all of the boxes up we would have a tower 1015 inches tall.
It would take 24 Hazels stacked up to make a tower as tall as the macaroni!
Book Drive for Believe in Books - WE ARE STILL COLLECTING BOOKS!
Hello Friends,
Are you getting ready for some spring cleaning? Do you have some gently used children's books that your child has outgrown? Are you looking to clear up some shelf space for new amazing books? If you are like me, it might be all of the above! Don't worry-- KKIDS is here to help!
JGS's after school program, KKIDS, is organizing a book drive to collect gently used children's books for The Believe In Books Foundation. Please donate your books at the Jackson Grammar School and KKIDS will help get them a new home! For more information please email me at c_gilmore@sau9.org!
~Cassie Gilmore, JGS After School Program Coordinator
april 8, 2021
Governor Sununu's Executive Order 89 - Please Click HERE to read a letter from Superintendent Kevin Richard
regarding your student's access to education.
Integrated curriculum work during sugaring season is displayed on the school porch! Stop by to see what Grades 3-4-5-6 have been learning!
Food Drive for End 68 Hours of Hunger: Our local chapter of End 68 Hours has been struggling to find the following items, which they give to local families each week to ensure that children have enough food to eat over the weekend.
canned tuna/chicken
ramen noodles
mac n cheese
soups/raviolis
If you would like to donate any of these items, there will be a collection box at the school. You may send in items with your child or leave them on the blue table outside of the main door. Our 5th graders will be in charge of organizing this food drive and reporting back to the community about how much we collect. For more information, please email v_hill@sau9.org
~Victoria Hill, JGS Guidance Counselor
Book Drive for Believe in Books:
Hello Friends,
Are you getting ready for some spring cleaning? Do you have some gently used children's books that your child has outgrown? Are you looking to clear up some shelf space for new amazing books? If you are like me, it might be all of the above! Don't worry-- KKIDS is here to help!
JGS's after school program, KKIDS, is organizing a book drive to collect gently used children's books for The Believe In Books Foundation. Please donate your books at the Jackson Grammar School and KKIDS will help get them a new home! For more information please email me at c_gilmore@sau9.org!
~Cassie Gilmore, JGS After School Program Coordinator
Dates to remember
Friday, April 16 - All School Remote Day
April 19 - School Board Meeting
April 19-22 - JGS Artist in Residence Program with Melanie Barash Levitt: Plein Air Painting - see details, below!
April 26-30 - April Vacation
JGS students will participate in state-wide assessments in May. Details and schedule coming soon.
Lunches will be available for families during April Vacation. Watch for an email form from SAU 9 to register delivery of a packet of 5 meals delivered to a school bus stop near you on Monday, April 26. Pick up at JGS will also be available. Lunches are available free of charge for Jackson children.
PLEIN AIR ART EVENT
JGS Artist in Residency, April 19-22
Professional painter and instructor, Melanie Barash Levitt, along with an artist assistant will lead JGS students to each create their own acrylic painting on canvas board. Students will be working outside, en plein air, each at their own easel spaced at least 6’ apart. The instruction will include sketching, staining, composition, color mixing, and brushwork. Students will also watch a painting demonstration. This will take place over a four day period, April 19-22.
A couple very important items to note! PLEASE READ CAREFULLY!
Students will be painting with acrylic paints. THESE DO NOT WASH OFF FROM CLOTHES. Students need to wear items that are not special-- just in case. We do have smocks/aprons, but if it is a cool day jackets or layers will need to be worn. If you have an old oversized adult button-down shirt they could wear over a jacket that would be best. If this is something you need assistance with, please email Carrie Scribner, our art teacher, c_scribner@sau9.org as she is collecting some hand-me-downs.
DAYS STUDENTS WILL BE PAINTING:
• Grades K/1 and Grade 2 will be painting on Monday, April 19 and Wednesday, April 21
• Grades 3/4 and Grades 5/6 will be painting on Tuesday, April 20 and Thursday, April 22
Please note that Friday, April 23 is a rain date if it is inclement on a day.
Thank you, JGS PTO, for sponsoring this event!
april 2, 2021
Notes From the Principal
April 1, 2021
Dear Families,
Many thanks go out to everyone who helped make our annual PTO Ski a Thon fundraiser such a success! Even though it was different from those in the past, we were successful in raising $4,480.00, which is right up there with our most successful fundraising efforts ever! The weather and the snow cover cooperated and participation was high! Kudos to the students who skied so many laps and the staff who helped with setting up the course and assisted with attendance and collection of funds, and skiing with their children. Thank you to the parents who made signs to inspire the students and JSTF personnel who assisted Mrs. Porter with organizing a socially-distanced ski program and modified Ski-a-Thon. All around it was a special event, celebrated today with cupcakes, photos and recognition of students. Way to go Jackson School Community!
Mrs. D
Dates to remember
Friday, April 16 - All School Remote Day
April 19 - School Board Meeting
April 19-23 - JGS Artist in Residence Program with Melanie Barash Levitt: Plein Air Painting
April 26-30 - April Vacation
Views at JGS:
The snow is going fast - opening up the blacktop to study and grit and ice-free games!
Warm days and cold nights kept the JGS sugaring operation busy.
Watch the JGS porch for updates and a display of student work based on the collection of maple sap.
Mrs. Heysler's 3-4 Class Invents...and tells Miss Susan all about it:
March 25, 2021
Dates to remember
Friday, March 26 - Early Release @ 12 noon! AFTER AN EARLY LUNCH - HAMBURGERS ARE ON THE MENU! See Details, below!
April Vacation: Ap. 26-30
Hey Moms and Dads and Grands! The JGS fax number is 603-383-0827. Your doctor's office may need to know!
Register for Kindergarten! Cook up some learning!
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
PTO #WeSki Sweatshirt Sale
Friday, Tomorrow! Is the Deadline!
Back by popular demand the PTO is selling the #WeSki Sweatshirts again! The deadline to order is March 26th. Email Katie Reardon kereardon@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to pay via venmo. Otherwise fill out the form with a check made out to JGS PTO and send it back to school. Thank you for your support! ORDER FORM HERE
Ask an Upper House student about these photos of their maple sugaring tasks!
Friday, March 26, Early Release Day Details
JGS will be dismissing after an early lunch (hamburgers) at 11:55 to start pickups. Please pull up to leave room for other cars. Please do not head off the bus.
The bus will arrive at 12 noon and leave shortly after.
Dismissal to parents will continue, wrapping up by 12:15.
JGS staff will be in meetings for the afternoon. Campus will be closed.
Bus stop arrivals:
Tin Mine Rd: 12:05
Black Mtn. Ski Area: 12:10-12:15
Carter Notch/Partridge Ln: 12:20
Mirror Lake: 12:30
Wildcat Townhouses: 12:40
Dana Place: 12:42
Town Hall Rd: 1:05-1:10
March 19, 2021
ESSC Downhill ski rentals - due back to JGS next week! Neil will take the gear back to the ESSC rental locker at Cranmore. Please drop off boots, skis, and poles at the office window on the school's front porch. Be sure the gear is labeled with your skier's name so that we know who's brought back their gear!
Ski A Thon pledges are due back to school ASAP! ----->
All Nordic rental skis, poles, and boots should be returned to JSTF by March 23rd. (There are a few pairs at JGS - please collect them and return to Ski Touring!) We are fortunate to have this Nordic center and their awesome staff in our backyard!
TURN IN your Skiathlon PLEDGE SHEETS to JGS no later than Tuesday, March 23rd. The PTO is grateful for your support of this fundraiser and celebration of the JGS Nordic program.
Hey Moms, Dads, and Grands! Please keep in mind that over the last months we've shortened the drop off window to between 8:15 and 8:30. Please do not drop off your students before 8:15-- supervision is limited. Students arriving after 8:30 are considered tardy. ~ Miss Susan
PTO #WeSki Sweatshirt Sale
Back by popular demand the PTO is selling the #WeSki Sweatshirts again! The deadline to order is March 26th. Email Katie Reardon kereardon@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to pay via venmo. Otherwise fill out the form with a check made out to JGS PTO and send it back to school. Thank you for your support! Click HERE for the order form!
Sledding in PE!
Future you Day!
JGS sees ski patrol, chefs, vets, soccer pros, anime artists and canine rescuers in our future! Next Thursday - Animal/pet day!
Report Cards are coming home today!
Face-to-Face families - check the backpack! Remote families - check at the office window!
March 12, 2021
Dates to remember
Monday, March 15 - we're still on for XC in PE - please send cross-country gear!
Thursday, March 18 - Future You Day!
Friday, March 19 - Possibly Downhill Skiing - stay tuned for updates!
Friday, March 26 - Early Release
Thursday, April 1st - PJ Day!
April Vacation: Ap. 26-30
Ski a Thon: Face to Face and Remote Students took the Challenge!
Our 2021 JGS Ski-a-thon was a success thanks to all the volunteers, JSTF, PTO, and JGS staff who planned, set up, made signs, groomed the trails, tallied laps, and provided snacks. With beautiful blue skies and well groomed trails, students enjoyed skiing knowing each lap (about 1k) would earn money for this annual PTO-sponsored fundraiser. Students challenged and supported each other, hoping to meet or even surpass their goals. Students in grades K-6 skied 391 laps with staff skiing 17 which totals 408 kilometers skied during the ski-a-thon.
All pledge forms and pledge money are due by March 23rd but you are encouraged to get them in sooner.
More photos and stats coming soon!
Welcome to NH's Fifth Season - Maple Sugaring Season!
The Upper House, grades 3-6, started the maple sugaring process last week. The experience is interdisciplinary and exposes students to a variety of math, science, social studies and language art competencies -not to mention the stuff tastes great! Each student tapped a sugar or red maple on school grounds. Students identified the maples, constructed a visual of maple tree physiology called "the inside story," measured the tree's circumference and diameter, tested the sugar content of the sap and collected our first run of sap. Students also started a high/low temperature graph to analyze the weather conditions suitable for a sap run. Next week, we will demonstrate the evaporation process and work on reading trade books connected to maple sugaring. Students also created a maple sugaring journal to reflect on their learning and the various activities.
The sap is being donated to the Bartlett Recreation Department, who took over the sugaring program at JBES. We have plans to visit the sugar house at the Theater in the Woods to observe a working sugar house in operation. Please ask an Upper House student what they have learned about maple sugaring - it is such a sweet opportunity for hands-on, place-based learning.
Mrs. Heysler and Mr. Marshall
Tapping a Maple Tree - Student Brainstorm
Identify a maple tree - sugar and red maples are prefered - and determine that it is healthy
Make sure the diameter at breast height (DBH) is at least 10”
Tools for tapping:
Spile
Hook
Drill hand-brace/power drill
Bucket
Lid
Auger bit - 7/16” diameter
hammer
Look for old tap holes - make a diamond surrounding the nearest tap hole and go diagonally up or down to place the new taphole - approximately a foot away from old tap holes.
Drill into the tree approximately 1 ½-2” deep at a 15 degree off level pitch into the sapwood - keep the drill in forward and pull out at the same time to remove the shavings
Clear the tap hole of shavings with a small stick - take care not to break the twig off in the hole.
Attach a hook to the tree side of the spile - make sure the open side is facing away from the tree and the hook is facing away from the tree.
Hammer the spile into the tree - not too far as to split the outer bark.
Hang the bucket on the hook
Attach the lid to the top of the galvanized/stainless steel bucket - to keep precipitation and debris out
Wait for cold nights and warm days for a sap run
Be patient!
March 5, 2021
Ask a JGS Student about...
Snowshoeing in PE class
Celebrating 100 days of school in K-1
tree anatomy and how to make maple syrup in 3rd-6th
chinese new year in second grade
Ski A Thon is Monday!
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered!
Skiers! Turn in your pledges (the money) to your teacher!
PLease send nordic gear with your skier - just like the last few mondays!
Upper House - Be sure to let Susan know your skier's dismissal plans!
Views around JGS
February 26, 2021
Ski-a-Thon! Volunteers needed!
Check your email for a link to the sign-up sheet! Tasks include: making signs, set-up, clean-up, providing snacks!
March 8th is the day and even though it will be different than last year, we're looking forward to a great time of Nordic skiing and raising money for two great groups who do so much for JGS: our PTO and Jackson Ski Touring Foundation. An introduction letter, dismissal form, and pledge forms went home with students this week. Please check backpacks and folders for this information and contact Susan, Mrs. Porter, or your child's teacher if you have questions.
Ski-a-thon 2017
Ski-a-thon 2018
Ski-a-thon 2019
Ready for 2021?
Dear JGS Families,
If you have a school Chromebook at home or during remote days, please remember to power it down at night instead of sleep. Powering a Chromebook down is important because it has to be started up the next time it's used (of course) and powering up a Chromebook is an essential element in its security system and battery life. If you have any questions, please direct them to Alison Verran the JGS Technology Coordinator a_verran@sau9.org.
Note from Miss Susan: Powering down= turn it off, shut it down.
Copies of the Jackson School District Annual Report are available at the school. Come by the office window over the blue table on the front porch to request your copy. The Jackson School Board meets, 5:30- 6PM on March 4 at the Whitney Center. The School District Annual meeting and budget vote follow right after at 6 PM.
Mrs. Scribner Needs Your Help!
For the month of March, please collect and send to school:
Plastic covers (milk, juice, beverage bottles - all sizes)
Metal Lids (Spaghetti jars, any food jar - all sizes)
Paper Towel Rolls
Bottle Caps
Buttons
Anything else interesting along these lines that’s about to go into trash will become a treasure during art class! There will be a collection box in the hallway for students to drop them into.
Planning on summer camp this year? Bushee Thorn applications are now available through Mrs Hill in guidance. These camperships are available to any child from the MWV community and they offer up to $200 per student. Please let us know if you'd like an application. v_hill@sau9.org or 383-6861
JGS plans to downhill ski on March 5th! Watch for more details!
March Madness at JGS!
It is time for a bit of March Madness here at JGS! Each Thursday we will have a new theme. Participation is optional, but it will be fun if lots of people get on board, so mark your calendars!
March 4-Book Character Day
Think about all the amazing books you have read and listened to and choose a character that you love. Dress up or represent your character in some way...I wonder if we can guess who you are?
March 11-Music Day
March is Music in our Schools Month and to celebrate, dress up as or represent your favorite musician, song, or instrument.
March 18-Future You Day
There are so many amazing adventures and paths you can take when you grow up. Show us what you will be when you are a grown-up!
March 25-Animal/Pet Day
What is your favorite animal? Bring a photo of a pet, or a favorite stuffed animal to show your class.
April 1-Pajama Day!
We know that it is now April, but what would March Madness be without Pajama Day??? Wear your coziest jammies to school!
February 11, 2021
Notes from the Principal
Dear Jackson Families,
Thank you all for supporting your children through this remote week! We have missed their voices and faces in the hallways and classrooms. We love the colored snowball heart that appeared outside our door, so to whoever thought to do that, it made us smile! We are all looking forward to our vacations and then return to face to face learning! We look forward to one more ESSC day and the ski a thon! Stay tuned for more info!
We ask that you review the return to school guidelines related to travel and quarantine just to be sure you are aware of these requirements.
Have a healthy and restful vacation!
Gayle
Dates to remember:
Monday, Feb. 15-19 - February Vacation - please review Return to School guidelines for families traveling outside of New England.
Monday, Feb. 22 - Come back! Remote students - log on! Students attending at JGS - get back here! Bring back all your borrowed tech devices!
Friday, Feb. 26 - ESSC Downhill Skiing
Friday, March 26 - Early Release. Dismissal time TBD.
JGS was on full remote this week!
Second Graders
show their work!
New Sprouts
await K - 1's return!
brothers
display efforts in art class!
After School Enrichment Program Session 4.pdfRegistration is open for K Kids and Afterschool Snack-making Workshop! Complete the after school program form for Session 4, attached.
The deadline to sign up your child is this Friday, Feb. 12.
To enroll your child you may fill out the form and scan it back to Miss Susan or email Susan with the names of students who want to participate.
Payment and a signed copy of the registration form will be due upon your child's return to school on the 22nd.
February 4, 2021
Dates to remember:
Thursday, Feb. 11 - FULL DAY REMOTE LEARNING FOR ALL STUDENTS (Watch for lunch sign-up letter from the SAU)
Friday, Feb. 12 - MORNING REMOTE LEARNING FOR ALL STUDENTS. No afternoon ESSC skiing.
Monday, Feb. 15-19 - February Vacation (Watch for lunch sign up letter from the SAU)
Monday, Feb. 22 - Come back! Remote students - log on! Students attending at JGS - get back here! Bring back all your borrowed tech devices!
Friday, Feb. 26 - ESSC Downhill Skiing
Friday, March 26 - Early Release. Dismissal time TBD.
Special PTO Meeting
Ski-a-Thon Planning
February, 10th at 6:00PM
Zoom Meeting Link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88560026448
examples, above!
- You may pay with a check made out to JGS or with cash.
- Please send in labeled payment with your student or drop it by my office window - just above the blue table on the JGS front porch.
- Orders and payment are due by Friday, February 12th with cards available for pick up during the last week of February.
All proceeds support the JGS art program! Thank you for your support!
Jan. 28th
ESSC SKIING FOR TOMORROW, FRIDAY, JANUARY 29TH, IS CANCELED DUE TO FORECASTED WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES. School, however, will go on - all day, with dismissal at 2 PM for students attending at JGS!
SKM_558e21012810361.pdfFood Bank .jpg.pdfDates to Remember:
Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021 - Jackson School Board meeting: 5:30 PM Jackson School District Budget Hearing: 6:00 PM (Register to vote ASAP so that you can vote on the proposed budget!)
Friday, Feb. 12, 2021 - All School Remote Day. No ESSC skiing.
Feb. 15-19, 2021 - February Break
Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 - BACK TO SCHOOL!