Embedded Files
January 27-31
January 27-31
Last week was the start to our new semester. New beginnings bring new opportunities. We had a number of new students join us last week. Some students were returning to JMS after leaving during semester 1 and some were brand new. Please make sure these students are welcomed and have a smooth transition to Jenifer.
During walkthroughs last week, I observed some teachers review and update their respect agreements that were developed at the start of the year. This is a great idea to review expectations and support PBIS.
Staff Meeting on Monday, January 27 at 3:00 in the library with Karen Forsman for VIVI training in room 104, Mr. Hoyt's Classroom.
Staff Meeting on Monday, January 27 at 3:00 in the library with Karen Forsman for VIVI training in room 104, Mr. Hoyt's Classroom.
This staff meeting is for staff members who have VIVI installed in their classrooms. If you share a room with a VIVI installed, it would be worth stopping by to see the opportunities that VIVI offers.
Staff Meeting - Monday, February 3rd - Morning Meeting
Staff Meeting - Wednesday, February 5th - Afternoon Meeting for SARP Process in the library
School Improvement on January 29th 1:15-3:30
School Improvement on January 29th 1:15-3:30
This week will will have school improvement focused on Behavior. The objective for this PD is to review tier 1 strategies for PBIS including refreshers for whole school acknowledgment system and teaching and reteaching behavior expectations. We will also get updates for our PBIS handbook that the PBIS committee has developed.
Secure Drill - January 31 at 11:00 - Grade 6 Lunch
Secure Drill - January 31 at 11:00 - Grade 6 Lunch
This week we will run a Secure Drill on Friday, January 31 at 11:00 during grade 6 lunch. The objective is to ensure that students know what to do during drills that interrupt lunch or transition.
Secure Drills have all students return to the inside the building and conduct business as usual with external doors to buildings locked. Review Standard Response Protocols.
Good Luck to our Cheer Team at Lakeland this Weekend
Good Luck to our Cheer Team at Lakeland this Weekend
Our Cheer Team took home the grand prize at the competition at Orofino this weekend. Please make sure you congratulate our Cheer Team members and their coaches! Great Job Team! Also, encourage them for their competition this weekend as they travel to Lakeland for another round of cheer competition.
Committee Updates
Committee Updates
Team Leads - Goal Setting - Quarter 3 goals connected to workplace readiness skills
PBIS - Burro Bucks + Grade 7 winners
Department Heads - Scheduled Dept Meetings
Additional Committee Updates
Additional Committee Updates
Secondary ELA Pilot Meeting - February 5th
Aaron away for Idaho Principal Mentoring Project - February 5th - 7th in Boise
IMLA Conference - February 7th (Aaron, Katy, Kinsey, Jessi, Will, Desirae, and Mary) Lone Star Middle School
February 10th - Progress Report Parent Communication - Office sending message to families to check PowerSchool
Congratulations to our JMS Cheer Team
Congratulations to our JMS Cheer Team
📣 1st in Pom
📣 1st in Show
📣 1st in Sideline
🌟 MIDDLE SCHOOL GRAND CHAMPS!
Staffing
Staffing
We have hired a replacement for Mrs. Boardman's resignation. Congratulations to Mrs. Isabelle Mullikin on securing the grade 6 math position for the remainder of the 24-25 school year.
Additionally, we are finishing references for our Math IA.
Thank you to the screening and interviewing committees for these positions.
School Improvement on janaury 29
School Improvement on janaury 29
At our next PD, which is next week on Wednesday, January 29th, we will will have an update to our work on PBIS. Planning for this PD includes:
Review behavior data/SWIS update
Reteaching expectations with “Be Good People”
PBIS Handbook Update
Clarification on process
For counselors, instructional assistants, and interventionists, you will attend a virtual workshop at the DeAtley Center focused on escalation strategies.
Middle School Opportunities Group
Middle School Opportunities Group
Our Middle School Opportunities Group met on January 21 from 3:30-5:00 at the district office board room. Student and parent representatives for the group included the following:
Grade 6 - Student Rep: Lena Stedman + Parent Rep: Vanessa Stedman
Grade 7 - Student Rep: Ian Heath + Parent Rep: Cassandra Heath
Grade 8 - Student Rep: Cash Heath + Parent Rep: Cassandra Heath
Our next meeting for this group is scheduled for Monday, February 3rd and Tuesday, February 18th. We will start working on reviewing schedules, course offerings, and facilities.
New Teacher & Year 2 Teacher
New Teacher & Year 2 Teacher
Check-in
Check-in
For our new teacher monthly meeting, please schedule a time to meet with Aaron for 20-30 minutes. Please schedule these meetings through Brandee.
On the agenda, we will discuss process for observations in semester 2 as well as continuing our evaluations. Also, we will discuss progress on your IPLPS. Lastly, we will discuss what has been working well for you and what additional supports you need for the remainder of the year.
I look forward to discussing and celebrating your progress!
Additionally, I have started to meet with Year 2 Teachers. For this meeting, we will take a similar apporach as the Year 1 Teachers.
Teacher of the Year & ESP of the YEar
Teacher of the Year & ESP of the YEar
We will start sharing information about teacher of the year and ESP of the year. You should see us circulating the forms on our communication channels as well as messages to parents. We are including all the forms in an email out to parents today.
Martha S. Baskin Outstanding Elementary Education Teacher Award
Martha S. Baskin Outstanding Elementary Education Teacher Award
Please see the message from Carla Gomez about the Baskin nomination form. It is attached here for your reference: https://forms.gle/rQPrxPwCX7oXrbau8 (Feb 1st is the deadline).
Tchr of Year-Cover-25-26.docxInformation & Timeline
Information & Timeline
Tchr of Year-Nom 2025-2026.docxNomination Form
Nomination Form
2024-2025 ESPoftheYearNominationForm.docx2024-2025-ESPoftheYearTimeline
2024-2025-ESPoftheYearTimeline
2024-2025-ESPoftheYearTimeline-1.docx2024-2025 ESP of the Year Nomination Form
2024-2025 ESP of the Year Nomination Form
Principal Mid-Year Feedback from Staff
Principal Mid-Year Feedback from Staff
Attached are the results from my mid-year feedback from staff.
I have included scoring summary to each question as well as commentary from teachers. I appreciate the feedback and encouragement that you have provided.
When feedback is provided, it is important that there is some reflection and then action to the feedback. I will continue to work on being more visible throughout the school and spending more time in classrooms providing feedback to teachers. Feedback will connect to Danielson framework. Additionally, I will continue to work on communication with a focus on active listening.
Lastly, thank you for the positive commentary and encouragement. Your support is invaluable!
Assistant Principal Mid-Year Feedback from Staff Reflection
Assistant Principal Mid-Year Feedback from Staff Reflection
Thank you for providing me with feedback to help me grow as an administrator in our school. I have gone through the feedback, and I feel it is important to be transparent with all of you about my feedback, especially the areas I will improve in, and the things I will do to try to help support you to make things better at JMS.
My scores were around the 3 out of 4 mark, but as a person who has continually been around the 3.5 mark in my 15 years at JMS, there are plenty of areas I need to improve in. As a perfectionist, this is not acceptable to me. i want to do better for all. Moving forward, I will do everything I can to improve as a leader in our building.
Areas of Strength - I'll keep this one short😊.
Positive relationships with staff and students, approachable, transparent, listens to others, supportive, open to new ideas, respects staff and students, positive role model, works hard with difficult students.
Areas of Improvement - What I am going to do to help improve our school, and myself in these areas:
Communication: Communication was both a strength and weakness on my feedback.
Communicating on things like Student Council, PBIS Meetings, Events, and when, and for how long a student has been suspended were a strengths.
Communicating with teachers about what I did with a student for consequences was a weakness. I admit, I don't send communication about exactly what consequence a student was given over email. Administrator's have been asked not to do that. If you have any questions you are always welcome to have a representative from your team drop by and talk to me. Some days I have multiple discipline issues, so it is difficult to stop by and let everyone know what happened with each student when there are so many to deal with.
Moving Forward - Stopping by every time I deal with a discipline issue with a student is not feasible, but I will do a better job of meeting with teams on a regular basis each week to see if you have questions, or if you need to bring my attention to a student who is having classroom issues. I am more then willing to share with you the consequence for students if someone wants to pop in and talk to me, or when I come to your meetings. I will continue to let you know when a student has been suspended and for how long.
Discipline Consistency: In the past, this has always been an ultra strength for me on my staff feedback. The last couple of years, I have been in new territory (Ha Ha).
I know starting a new program like PBIS has it's difficulties. We have been warned about this at our PBIS workshops. They say it takes about 5 years to fully implement this program to make it work efficiently, and effectively. Like you, I am a learning how to negotiate the best ways to make the PBIS practices work. A lot of it has been trial and error, but always trying to improve on our practices.
I have focused on looking for ways to keep students in school as much as possible. I would like to say our suspension rate is way down, but we currently have 64 Out Of School Suspensions this year. Trust me, I have been reminded of how many OSS's we currently have. There are some students we could suspend almost everyday, so I have tried to minimize this as much as possible. I know this causes some frustration, and I'm sorry.
On a Positive Note: We have more students on Behavior plans and CICO's then we ever have. Most of these have been effective in changing, or at least effective at reducing behaviors with students who have difficulties in school.
Moving Forward:
Once a student has been sent out, I do not like to have them go back to the class they were just sent from. If they come back, they either went to the wrong place, or there was some miscommunication with the student. The student may be sent to their next class, if I feel they are ready to go. This is a judgement call, and sometimes they return because they were not ready to be back in class😏.
My hard lines for sending a student home are: criminal activity, cussing at a teacher, extreme disrespect/insubordination, fighting, drugs of any kind (drugs, alcohol, tobacco), weapons. There may be more, but these come to mind.
Red Cards and 3 Minors - I will call home and assign detentions. Minors are done by the teacher. I will inform you when they will serve their detention for red cards and 3 minors. Students will serve detention with the teacher who gave the Red Card, or me after school. In rare occasions they might serve a lunch detention. I know there was confusion during the first quarter, but I think we have this figured worked out.
Continue to grow, develop, adjust, improve our PBIS program.
Engages the faculty in continuous Improvement - Is knowledgeable about curriculum and teaching - Promote continuous staff development:
These are the 3 that I had the lowest scores in. To me, they all are related and go hand in hand. I am a little confused on this one?
The Way Our System Works: (Thought You Should Know)
Justin and Aaron focus primarily on Achievement and Engagement, and I focus on Behavior/PBIS. I promote continuous staff improvement and development through the stuff we are doing in PBIS to address the Behavior Element of our Triangle. I have led numerous PD and PBIS meetings for faculty improvement, staff development, and improvement in our building.
My Primary Responsibilities within the Triangle are: Leading PD Sessions on Behavior, Leading PBIS meetings, Communication to staff about PBIS, and researching ways to improve behavior through our PBIS Practices.
Moving Forward:
Curriculum and Teaching: Justin and Aaron have been the primary resource with curriculum and teaching practices. I do want you to know, If you have any questions about teaching and curriculum, I am more than happy to talk to you about these areas. I have no problem engaging in these areas. Usually, when staff talk to me, or I talk to them, it's something about Behavior. 😊
Once again, Thank You for all of your feedback. It gives me direction on where I need to go to help all of us. I want you all to know, you can come to me anytime, and I will listen, and do my best to address anything you need. I appreciate all of you, and the work you do. It is not always easy, but if we work together it is manageable.
We Are All In This Together!!!
Internet Safety with
Internet Safety with
Officer Kent
Officer Kent
Officer Kent will visit advisory classes in the coming weeks to develop our students understanding of internet safety. Officer Kent would like to schedule three advisory visits per week. However, if grade levels would like to combine two classes per visit that is also a possibility.
Also, have a look at this cool interactive game from Google to develop internet safety: https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/en_us/interland/
Family Communication for January
Family Communication for January
Please see the attached letter that will be shared with JMS families this afternoon. The letter has information on:
Report Cards and PowerSchool Access
Athletics Update
Opportunities to Recognize Jenifer Staff through Teacher and ESP of the Year
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
Internet Safety with Officer Kent & Resources from The Anxious Generation
Let me know if you have questions about this update.
Dates for Your Diary 2025!
Dates for Your Diary 2025!
January Week 4 - Jan 27-31
Monday, January 27 - No Staff Meeting - VIVI Training at 3:00 in Room 104 - VIVI Users Only
Wednesday, January 29 - Guiding Coalition
Early Release for School Improvement
Thursday, Admin Council - 6:30 - Aaron + Quinn
Virtual AMLE Workshop for Middle School Schedules
Friday, Secure Drill - Grade 6 Lunch at 11:00.
February Week 1 - Feb 3-7
Monday, February 3rd - Staff Meeting
Thursday, February 6th - ELA Pilot Meeting 3:30-5:00
Thursday, February 6th - Idaho Principals Mentorship Project - Aaron away
Friday, February 7th - Full School Extended Advisory
Idaho Middle Level Association Conference
Idaho Principals Mentorship Project - Aaron away
February Week 2 - Feb 10-14
Monday, February 10 - Message to Parents to Check Grades
Tuesday, February 11 - PBIS Meeting - Tier 2 at 7:15
Justin and Aaron at District Office for Lead Meeting and Coaching with Mike Hagadone
Wednesday, February 12 - Guiding Coalition at 7:15
Thursday, February 13 - Team Leads 3:00-3:30
Friday, February 14 - Nez Perce Youth Advisory Board Meeting at 8:20-9:00 in the Library
Happy Valentines Day :)
🌟🌟🌟UNDERCOVER SPIRIT WEEK🌟🌟🌟
🌟🌟🌟UNDERCOVER SPIRIT WEEK🌟🌟🌟
This is for STAFF ONLY!!! It is all over social media, plus this will be the 3rd year we have done this, so I'm sure the students will pick up on it-HOWEVER-they should not know the themed days ahead of time so PLEASE keep this off your screen and away from student eyes👀!!!
Week of February 10-14
Monday: Monochromatic Monday-wear all of ONE color! Do this on your own, with a partner, as a team-your choice. Just make sure your entire outfit is one color!
Tuesday: College shirt. Represent your favorite college!
Wednesday: Favorite Holiday. That's right, pick your favorite holiday and dress to impress representing/celebrating that holiday!!
Thursday: Anything but a cup! Find ANYTHING other than a cup to use for the day-for your water, coffee, soda. Get creative!
Friday: Back by popular demand, and appropriate for Valentine's Day, Formal Friday! ❤
January 21-24
January 21-24
Congratulations to our Cheer Team who did amazing at the cheer competition on Saturday. It seems like the swept all the categories and took 1st place in almost everything! Very well done and great job Brooke!
Please make sure you complete the PD Feedback: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdwq8VjESf5mkoAS18CRi8uwzSJEnaUffa0wBt5FEF_L_YWvA/viewform
Do you feel lucky???
Need 3 representatives for Scratch for Schools - Monday, March 10th - LCSC Auxiliary Gym 16:00-18:00
We have a busy week this week with committee meetings and district meetings
Tuesday - PBIS Tier 1 & 2 - 7:15
Middle School Opportunities Group 3:30-5:00 - District Office Board Room
Wednesday - Dept Heads at 7:15 - Mrs. Hudson's room (Rm 108)
Danielson Training in the CRC 3:30-5:00
Thursday, - Team Leads at 3:05-3:35 - Mrs. McFarland's room (Rm215)
Scrible Training in the CRC 4:00-5:30
Teacher of the Year
Teacher of the Year
We will start sharing information about teacher of the year. You should see us circulating the forms on our communication channels as well as messages to parents.
Martha S. Baskin Outstanding Elementary Education Teacher Award
Martha S. Baskin Outstanding Elementary Education Teacher Award
Please see the message from Carla Gomez about the Baskin nomination form. It is attached here for your reference: https://forms.gle/rQPrxPwCX7oXrbau8 (Feb 1st is the deadline).
Tchr of Year-Cover-25-26.docxInformation & Timeline
Information & Timeline
Tchr of Year-Nom 2025-2026.docxNomination Form
Nomination Form
New Teacher Check-in
New Teacher Check-in
For our new teacher monthly meeting, please schedule a time to meet with Aaron for 20-30 minutes. Please schedule these meetings through Brandee.
On the agenda, we will discuss process for observations in semester 2 as well as continuing our evaluations. Also, we will discuss progress on your IPLPS. Lastly, we will discuss what has been working well for you and what additional supports you need for the remainder of the year.
I look forward to discussing and celebrating your progress!
Middle School Opportunities Group
Middle School Opportunities Group
Our Middle School Opportunities Group will meet on January 21 from 3:30-5:00 at the district office board room. We have added student and parent representatives for the group.
Grade 6 - Student Rep: Lena Stedman + Parent Rep: Vanessa Stedman
Grade 7 - Student Rep: Ian Heath + Parent Rep: Cassandra Heath
Grade 8 - Student Rep: Cash Heath + Parent Rep: Cassandra Heath
On the agenda for this meeting is an evaluation of the 18 Characteristics of a Middle School to develop our belief statements, Mission, and Vision. We will also review the work from the last meeting which focused on reviewing the high school student survey summary and discussing what is working well and needs improvement for our schedule, facilities, and course offerings.
Communications
Communications
One agenda item that was discussed at my 2nd quarter superintendent visit was how we communicate at JMS.
We will do staff meetings every two weeks on the first day of the week. This may be a Monday, or like this week, a Tuesday. Additionally, we will reserve longer staff meetings for after school on Wednesday. Again, like this week, we will have a staff meeting on Wednesday, January 22nd focused on an update from United Way.
Other channels of communication include our team meetings, parent newsletters, and social media. We can always improve on how we communicate and I am open to suggestions for any improvements needed.
Boredom-buster Engagement Strategies to Spark Student Interest
Boredom-buster Engagement Strategies to Spark Student Interest
Boredom is a natural feeling, but it doesn’t have to disrupt your classroom. Check out these ideas to increase student engagement now!
Boredom is a natural feeling, but it doesn’t have to disrupt your classroom. Check out these ideas to increase student engagement now!
https://www.pbisapps.org/articles/boredom-buster-engagement-strategies-to-spark-student-interest
Thank you Katy for sharing the article on raising engagement. Attached here is an excerpt from the article. I have never heard of the term - "warm demander".
"Recently I learned a new term for a specific teaching style: warm demander. A warm demander is someone who “expects a great deal of their students, convinces them of their own brilliance, and helps them to reach their potential in a disciplined and structured environment.”4 Their classrooms hold students to high standards because they believe in their students’ ability to succeed. Warm demanders achieve this by: 5"
PBIS Update for Next Week's PD
PBIS Update for Next Week's PD
At our next PD, which is next week on Wednesday, January 29th, we will will have an update to our work on PBIS. Planning for this PD includes:
Review behavior data/SWIS update
Reteaching expectations with “Be Good People”
PBIS Handbook Update
Clarification on process
Clearly, this is a behavior focus PD. I look forward to continue to refine our behavior practices.
Staffing
Staffing
We have interviewed for Mrs. Boardman's replacement as well as for Math Instructional Assistant position to fill the position that Maria Lacey left vacant at the start of the year. I look forward to updating staff with the successful hiring for both these positions.
Thank you to the screening and interviewing committees for these positions.
Idaho Middle Level Association Conference Update
Idaho Middle Level Association Conference Update
In 3 weeks we will send representatives to the Idaho Middle Level Association Conference in Boise on February 7th and 8th. Thank you Brandee for organizing all the details for the conference.
JMS - IMLA Conference 2025 Fact Sheet.pdfStaff Meetings This Week
Staff Meetings This Week
We have a United Way Presentation for Wednesday, January 22nd staff meeting in the library this week.
This is not a mandatory meeting for staff. However, if you are interested in the work United Way is doing in our community, please attend this meeting.
https://tcuw.org/ - Janis Forsman
Cell Phones Update
Cell Phones Update
New policy going to Board - January 13, 2025
5020 5.B.2k. PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICES
To ensure an optimal learning environment with minimal disruptions, personal electronic devices are not allowed during instructional time. If brought to school, they must be turned off, stored securely, and remain out of sight during instructional time. This policy applies to all areas, including but not limited to classrooms, restrooms, hallways, and outdoor spaces.
The need will be teachers following through with this.
Internet Safety with
Internet Safety with
Officer Kent
Officer Kent
Officer Kent will visit advisory classes in the coming weeks to develop our students understanding of internet safety. Officer Kent would like to schedule three advisory visits per week. However, if grade levels would like to combine two classes per visit that is also a possibility.
Dates for Your Diary 2025!
Dates for Your Diary 2025!
January Week 3 - Jan 21-24
Monday, January 20 - No School
Tuesday, January 21 - Staff Meeting
PBIS Meeting Tier 1 & 2
New Teacher Meeting - Discussion on 2nd Semester Observations
Wednesday, January 22 - Dept Heads
Danielson Training
Staff Meeting at 3:00 in Library for United Way Presentation - NOT MANDATORY
Thursday, January 23 - Admin Council - 6:30 - Aaron + Quinn
Team Leads
Scribble Training - Grade 7 Science + Social Studies Teams
Friday, January 24 - Book Club - (See Kinsey's email from 1-3-25)
January Week 4 - Jan 27-31
Monday, January 27 - No Staff Meeting - VIVI Training at 3:00 in Room 104 - VIVI Users Only
Wednesday, January 29 - Guiding Coalition
Early Release for School Improvement
Thursday, Admin Council - 6:30 - Aaron + Quinn
Friday, Secure Drill - Grade 6 Lunch at 11:00.
February Week 1 - Feb 3-7
Monday, February 3rd - Staff Meeting
Wednesday, February 5th - Staff Meeting SARP Process
ELA Pilot Meeting
Thursday, February 6th - Idaho Principals Mentorship Project - Aaron away
Friday, February 7th - Full School Extended Advisory
Idaho Middle Level Association Conference
Idaho Principals Mentorship Project - Aaron away
January 13-17
January 13-17
Thank you for a sweet start to the new year! It's hard to make the adjustment from vacation mode to school, but we've had a great week back.
Next week is a no meet week and we will NOT have a staff meeting. Please see the message from Mr. Feucht about reporting and grades that are attached in this update.
We will have PD next Friday. The outline for the PD is attached below and we will start this session at 12:30.
Year 2 Teacher Check-ins
Year 2 Teacher Check-ins
I would like to schedule individual meetings with our Year 2 teachers to seek to understand areas of support needed as we hit the midway point of our year. The objective is to identify how we can better support our new teachers and ensure to retain our teams.
If you are in your 2nd year teaching, please schedule a 30min time with Aaron through Brandee for this meeting.
Athletics Update
Athletics Update
Its great to see our wrestling team getting started this past week. There is so much enthusiasm from our students for wresting. Thank you Justin for recruiting our new coaches for wrestling and girls basketball! They are great mentors of our student athletes.
Middle School Opportunities
Middle School Opportunities
On Wednesday, January 8th we held our 1st cross-campus Middle School Opportunities group session. At this meeting we reviewed a summary of a survey that was submitted by current high school students about their experiences in Middle School. Additional we discussed course offerings, facilities, and schedule.
At our next meeting we will develop our belief statements about Middle School to create a mission + vision for the group. Additionally, we will grow our group to include parents and students from each school to involve more stakeholders in the process.
Thank you to the team members who are on the group and I look forward to continuing the journey to reflect on the opportunities for our Middle School.
PBIS CICO Update
PBIS CICO Update
Attached are the student plans for CICO. This document has been updated by our teams to better communicate the support plans for our Tier 2 students. This will be especially useful to our exploratory/elective teams as we hit the next semester and students transition to their new classes. Thank you to our PBIS team for centralizing this information.
School Improvement on Friday, January 17
School Improvement on Friday, January 17
In the next 6 weeks we will have 3 PD opportunities. Attached below is the outline for PD for next Friday. We will have time to do a deep dive into our Cognia data that we have collected from our internal survey results and create updated action plans to address team concerns. We will also have time to do some unit planning and participate in break out sessions focused on AI as a PLC partner and goal setting.
No Meeting Week + Grades
No Meeting Week + Grades
Next week is a no meet week. Next Friday morning will be dedicated to finalizing your grades. Please see the information from Jeremy in regards to grades:
Please see the information below as we approach the end of Semester 1 and finalize our gradebook. Attached you will find three files:
· Final Grade Setup.pdf
· Dropped Students.pdf
· Work Habit Grades and Comments.pdf
Important Dates
· Grades can be entered in Q2 with dates ranging from 10/28/24 – 1/15/25.
· Grades can be entered in E1 with dates ranging from 1/16/25 – 1/17/25.
· The date range for S1 is 8/21/24 – 1/17/25.
· Grades will get stored on Saturday, January 18. Teachers must contact their school’s Registrar/secretary or administrator (Amanda or Aaron) to make any changes to any grade in Q2, E1, or S1 after January 18. The stored grade can only be changed by the Registrar/secretary or by an administrator. Teachers must stay out of PowerSchool after grades have been verified on Friday, January 17 and until the end of day on Saturday, January 18. This allows the backup process to complete successfully.
· Grades need to be verified with Amanda (in the office) by 12:00 PM on Friday, January 17.
Semester Calculations
Teachers need to choose one of the following calculations for Semester 1:
· Total Points (this is the default setting in PowerSchool)
· S1 = (50%)Q1+ (50%)Q2
· S1 = (40%)Q1+ (40%)Q2 + (20%)E1
Attached are reminder directions on how to set up semester calculations. This should have been done prior to the start of Quarter 2! If teachers are just now setting up semester calculations, they need to verify that PowerSchool is making the calculations correctly.
Dropped Students
A “W” must be placed in Q2, E1, and S1 for all students who withdrew from class. Attached are reminder directions for how to do this.
Students Using Alternate Curriculum
Students using alternative curriculum (typically students with special needs) should receive the comment “Making expected progress.” Do NOT override their grade with an asterisk grade.
Work Habit Grades and Comments (Middle Schools)
· Work Habit grades (1, 2, 3) will get entered into S1. (see attachment for directions)
· If a student received a Work Habit grade of a 1 or 2, then one or more comments need to be entered.
· Do not type the code for the comment. Be sure to click the + button so that the full comment gets added (please see directions in the attachment).
· “Positive” comments can be added for any student, but you can only choose from the ones listed in the attached directions.
· Due to space constraints on the report that gets generated, we can only use up to 3 comments per student.
· Advisory grades for Q2 and S1 will still be P/F. Work Habit grades/comments will not get entered for Advisory classes.
Internet Safety with
Internet Safety with
Officer Kent
Officer Kent
Officer Kent will visit advisory classes in the coming weeks to develop our students understanding of internet safety. Officer Kent would like to schedule three advisory visits per week. However, if grade levels would like to combine two classes per visit that is also a possibility.
Feedback for Leadership
Feedback for Leadership
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback to your leadership team. We appreciate the opportunity to reflect and make improvements to better lead our school.
Feedback for Mr. DeLane - Please complete by Jan 10
Feedback for Mr. Aldous - Please complete by Jan 17
Feedback for Mr. Miller - Please complete by Jan 23
Dates for Your Diary 2025!
Dates for Your Diary 2025!
January Week 2 - No Committee Meetings (Message from Superintendent 9-12-24)
Monday, January 13th - Q2 Superintendent Visit - Aaron + Lance
NO STAFF MEETING
Thursday, January 16th - Admin Council - 6:30 - Aaron + Quinn
Friday, January 17th - Grades Due at 12:00 + School Improvement 12:30-3:30
January Week 3
Monday, January 20 - No School
Tuesday, January 21 - Staff Meeting
PBIS Meeting Tier 1 & 2
New Teacher Meeting - Discussion on 2nd Semester Observations
Wednesday, January 22 - Dept Heads
Danielson Training
Staff Meeting at 3:00 in Library for United Way Presentation - NOT MANDATORY
Thursday, January 23 - Admin Council - 6:30 - Aaron + Quinn
Team Leads
Scribble Training - Grade 7 Science + Social Studies Teams
Friday, January 24 - Book Club - (See Kinsey's email from 1-3-25)
January Week 4
Monday, January 27 - No Staff Meeting - VIVI Training at 3:00 in Room 104 - VIVI Users Only
Wednesday, January 29 - Guiding Coalition
Early Release for School Improvement
Thursday, Admin Council - 6:30 - Aaron + Quinn
January 6-10
January 6-10
Welcome Back! What a great two week break to spend with family and friends celebrating the holidays. I hope your break was relaxing and you are recharged for the next push.
January will be busy for us. I have attached what I know so far for committee meetings and other meetings that selected staff members might be involved with in the "Dates for your Diary" section.
In the next 6 weeks we have 3 school improvement days. Within that same timeframe we will also need to complete our SICA testing (Feb 7) and complete report cards in the next 2 weeks.
Feedback for your leadership team & Teaching preferences for 2025-26
Feedback for your leadership team & Teaching preferences for 2025-26
Attached in this update you will find some information about other events happening in January as well as some tasks that will need completing like providing feedback to your leadership team and sharing your teaching preferences for 2025-2026.
Feedback for Mr. DeLane - Please complete by Jan 10
Feedback for Mr. Aldous - Please complete by Jan 17
Feedback for Mr. Miller - Please complete by Jan 23
Share your teaching preferences by January 31
Staffing Updates
Staffing Updates
Also in this update you will find information about staffing changes happening in January. Some of you may know that Mrs. Boardman has resigned and we are currently in the process of screening candidates to find a suitable replacement. Thankfully, Isabelle Mullikin will continue as the long-term substitute. I am grateful to Mrs. Boardman and her contributions to JMS.
Communication Changes
Communication Changes
Some staff have commented about the change in staff meetings. The objective is to limit staff meetings, if possible especially if communication can be disseminated through other channels like this update or email.
Staff meetings will happen every two weeks. Brandee will update this in our school calendar.
Updates for the Week will be shared on Friday instead of Monday. This will give readers more time to process information before the coming week.
We will have a staff meeting on Monday at 7:50 to go over some points from this update and welcome folks back from the break:) Have great rest of your break and weekend. See you Monday
Amy McLean Alliance Title and Escrow Teacher of the Month
Amy McLean Alliance Title and Escrow Teacher of the Month
Congratulations again to Amy! The article about her selection for teacher of the month is attached below from DailyFly as well as the link. Thanks for all you do for JMS Amy!
Lewiston, ID – Alliance Title and Escrow and DailyFly.com had the opportunity to present Mrs. Amy McLean at Jenifer Middle School with the December Alliance Title and Escrow Teacher of the Month.
Mrs. McLean was awarded a certificate of achievement from Alliance Title and Escrow, Self Care products from Vig’s Health Food Store, $50 gas card to Nez Perce Express, A Crayola Box from Staples, and a free medium 2- topping pizza from Dominos.
When asked why Mrs. McLean should be The Alliance Title Teacher of the Month the response came from several letters from students and teachers, all touching on her dedication to her students, her hard work, and how she strives to make her students feel accepted and valued.
Lewiston, Lapwai, Asotin, and Clarkston School Districts are the schools participating in the Teacher of the Month program. If you would like to nominate a teacher from one of these school districts, a nomination form can be filled out on DailyFly.com. One teacher will be chosen each month based on nomination letters received through Dailyfly.com
Congratulations to Mrs. McLean. Nominate YOUR Alliance Title Teacher of the Month today at https://dailyfly.com/teacher-of-the-month/
https://fb.watch/wU4RditPUE/ - Link to article on Facebook
Staffing Update & Teaching Preferences
Staffing Update & Teaching Preferences
We have some staffing changes moving into the 2nd semester.
Jordyn Boardman - Has submitted her resignation. The resignation has been shared with HR and will go before the board on January 13th. Isabelle Mullikin will continue as the long-term substitute with an end date TBD.
Bethany Henry - Has submitted a .2 resignation of her contract. We will have a long-term substitute assigned shortly. Bethany will now work Monday - Thursday and the long-term substitute will cover Friday classes. Our long term sub will be Janine Wilson.
Angela Stegner - Has been reallocated to work between McSorley and Webster. Jenifer will now have John Ayres full-time.
Teaching Preferences for 2025-2026
Teaching Preferences for 2025-2026
Please complete the attached form for your teaching preferences for next year. There is always the possibility for internal movement next year. Regardless If you are interested in a change or if you want continuity, please complete the attached form to share your teaching preferences for next year. Please complete by the end of January - Friday, January 31st. Thank you!
Mid-Year Feedback for Leadership
Mid-Year Feedback for Leadership
Attached are the mid-year feedback forms for our Leadership team. Mr. DeLane, Mr. Aldous, and Mr. Miller all have forms attached to collect feedback from our staff. Your feedback is needed to help us grow and develop in our roles. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback!
JMS Reset Group (Biggest Loser)
JMS Reset Group (Biggest Loser)
For those staff members interested in getting 2025 off to a positive and healthy start in a collaborative and competitive activity, the JMS Reset might be for you!
We will hold a competition to see who can lose the most weight (by percentage) in the next 5 weeks. Using percentages instead of total weight keeps things equal between genders and between those who might be able to lose lots quickly because they have lots to lose!
At the end of each week, we will do a gender specific weigh-ins to see who our biggest loser is for the week.
Kinsey will organize this for females and Aaron will organize this for the males.
If you are interested, we were thinking of making it a pay to play experience. You will need to give 10$ to either Kinsey or Aaron and at the end of the competition, the winner will take 50% of the winnings and give the other 50% to the charity of their choice.
To get in on the action, please add your information below by Thursday, January 9th.
Happy 2025!
Winter SICA Testing
Winter SICA Testing
Board Reporting on February 21st
All Lewiston School District Testing Completed by February 7th
When we return from break we will need to update our Winter SICA testing schedule and begin SICA testing. We have 5-6 week window to get these completed. Thank you for your support in ensuring these are done successfully.
Impact Grants
Impact Grants
Below is a message about Impact Grants, from the L.I.F.E. Board:
Hello All!
It is that time of year when Impact Grant applications open! This year we are offering awards of up to $1,500 to any employed member of the Lewiston School District staff to fund those innovative projects that benefit the students and staff within our amazing district! The deadline to turn in applications is Friday, February 28th, 2025.
Something new this year is that the application is ONLINE! To access the form, all you have to do is click the link below and follow the prompts. The questions are similar to that of the paper copy that you may have seen before, so if you have already filled out the paper copy you can easily transfer the answers to the online format. As this is our transition year to an online format, this year we will still accept the paper copies if you desire.
https://forms.gle/AH6j6jJXGy6K1R2N6
Please see some of the potential questions and answers below that may answer some of the questions you may be having:
● Is there a photo requirement?
○ Just as with the paper application, there is an upload component to upload photos of the project or idea to make your proposal come to life!
● Is there still an Administrator/Principal sign-off?
○ At the bottom of the form, you will put in your administrator's email, which will then send them your completed application. From there, they will review your proposal to make sure it meets the requirements and eligibility and accept or deny your application.
● Will I get a copy of my completed application?
○ Yes! When you submit your application for approval, you will receive an email with your completed application. You will also get an email when your administrator has approved or denied your proposal.
● What if I have to leave the online application and come back at a different time, will it save?
○ While it has been tested out by members of the board and there is an autosave feature, there is no guarantee your answers will be saved if you have to leave before you submit. However, when trialed by the members of the board it did save when exited and returned to the link.
If you have additional questions or find the link or application not accessible or working properly please reach out to one of the following individuals:
Kim Brown @ Kimbrown6462@gmail.com - LIFE Programs and Disbursements Chair
Katie Johnson @ knjohnson9009@gmail.com - LIFE Vice President
Carla Gomez @ CGomez@lewistonschools.net - LIFE secretary
We look forward to seeing those applications full of innovative ideas!
The Lewiston Independent Foundation for Education Board
United Way Presentation
United Way Presentation
On Wednesday, January 22nd at 3:00 we will have Janis Forsman visit us at an after school staff meeting to share a presentation from United Way. The purpose of the meeting is for United Way share with us all the work they are currently doing in our community. There are a number of organizations and programs supported by United Way like Family Promise, Boys and Girls Club, and Kindergarten Boot Camp to name a few. Have a look at their website before the presentation to get a better idea of all the work they do in our community: https://tcuw.org/
This staff meeting will be in the library
VIVI Training with Karen Forsman
VIVI Training with Karen Forsman
On Monday, January 27th, we are scheduled for VIVI training with Karen Forsman. This training is only for teachers who have VIVI installed in their classrooms or for teachers who use rooms that have access to VIVI (SPED + HEALTH Teachers).
Middle School Opportunities group
Middle School Opportunities group
This week the Middle School Opportunities group will have their first meeting at the district office. The purpose of this group is to reflect on the successes of the Middle School work done over the past 4 years and look for opportunities for possible improvements in our facilities, course offerings, and schedule.
So far there has been some student surveys to the high school to collect student feedback on their experience in the middle school as well as conversations with exploratory elective teachers on their perspective on alignment of course offerings to the high school. Core teachers have shared how they manage daily interventions and extensions. Lastly, both JMS and SMS had initial meetings where both principals attended.
On the group is Heidi, Ryan, Brandon, Jeremy, Amy, and Justin. We will share updates of our work as appropriate.
Students of the Month for December
Students of the Month for December
Thank you for sharing your students of the month for the month of December before we went on break. We will share these on Monday, January 6th during advsiory.
JMS Student of the Month December 24.pdfStudent of the Month Poster
Student of the Month Poster
These are the posters you can hang in grade level hallways
Winter Break Cleaning
Winter Break Cleaning
Thanks to Mike, Tyler, and Jack for doing lots of Winter Break cleaning.
The lost items from the gym have been brought over and added to our collection which will be donated soon if not recovered by their long lost owners.
Dates for Your Diary 2025!
Dates for Your Diary 2025!
January Week 1
Monday, January 6th - Morning Staff Meeting
Fire Drill 2:30
Tuesday, January 7th - PBIS Meeting Tier 2 ONLY
Wednesdays, January 8th - Guiding Coalition - Library 7:15
Middle School Opportunities Meeting JMS + SMS
Thursday, January 9th - Admin Council - 6:30 - Aaron + Quinn
Superintendent's Council - 4:00-5:30 CRC - Reading of Powerful Guiding Coalitions Chp 1-3
Friday, January 10th - Extended Advisory
January Week 2 - No Committee Meetings (Message from Superintendent 9-12-24)
Monday, January 13th - Q2 Superintendent Visit - Aaron + Lance
NO STAFF MEETING
Thursday, January 16th - Admin Council - 6:30 - Aaron + Quinn
Friday, January 17th - Grades Due at 12:00 + School Improvement 12:30-3:30
January Week 3
Monday, January 20 - No School
Tuesday, January 21 - Staff Meeting
PBIS Meeting Tier 1 & 2
New Teacher Meeting - Discussion on 2nd Semester Observations
Wednesday, January 22 - Dept Heads
Danielson Training
Staff Meeting at 3:00 in Library for United Way Presentation - NOT MANDATORY
Thursday, January 23 - Admin Council - 6:30 - Aaron + Quinn
Team Leads
Scribble Training - Grade 7 Science + Social Studies Teams
Friday, January 24 - Book Club - (See Kinsey's email from 1-3-25)
January Week 4
Monday, January 27 - No Staff Meeting - VIVI Training at 3:00 in Room 104 - VIVI Users Only
Wednesday, January 29 - Guiding Coalition
Early Release for School Improvement
Thursday, Admin Council - 6:30 - Aaron + Quinn
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