Jefferson Elementary School

Parents/Guardians, A friendly reminder our schools will have early dismissal tomorrow, Thursday, April 17th. The elementary schools and middle school will dismiss at 1:50 p.m. Johnston City High School will dismiss at 2 p.m. There is no school Friday, April 18th, and there is no school Monday, April 21st. Enjoy your break and we will see back in the classroom Tuesday, April 22nd!

❤️ The Kids Heart Challenge is wrapping up here soon! 🖤 We are having a blast getting healthier and helping kids with special hearts! You can still make your final online donations through Friday, April 18th. We are so proud of all of our students and the work they put into this fundraiser! A big thank you to everyone who donated and supported this cause! http://www2.heart.org/site/TR?fr_id=11261&pg=company&company_id=482957

❤️ It's Day two for Jefferson Elementary's Heart week! 🖤 Students are continuing to dress up to spread more awareness about the American Heart Association's Kids Heart Challenge. Recently, our students learned Hands-Only CPR and the warning signs of a stroke. Today students celebrated their new skills by wearing their favorite superhero gear, including 1st graders in Ms. Smith's class and Kindergartners in Mrs. Cheers' class who are showing off their SUPER-sized muscles! 💪

At Jefferson Elementary, Mrs. Cheers uses several classroom management strategies to ensure students are ready for learning. Every day, her class starts with meditation by doing some vagus nerve stimulation, which is known to reduce stress and improve mood. Then, it's circle time with a Native American talking stick where students take turns sharing and responding to a question of the day! Mrs. Cheers also uses natural lighting, alternative seating, and sign language and allows students to wear slippers for comfort!

IMPORTANT UPDATE: The Lions Club Vision and Hearing Screening scheduled for this Saturday, April 19th, at the Johnston City Ballfields is now postponed due to mechanical issues with the mobile unit. Once a new date is set, we'll make a new announcement regarding the time and location.

Jefferson Heart Week kicked off today ❤️🖤 Our students have been raising money for the American Heart Association while learning what it takes to have a healthy heart! To celebrate and promote more awareness, the school is holding themed-days this week. Today, some of our students wore their favorite hat to school.

We're kicking off Jefferson Heart Week to celebrate our fundraising efforts for the American Heart Association's KIDS HEART CHALLENGE! Today students are wearing their favorite hat to school, but there are more themed-days ahead! We have a week of fun ahead and hope all students participate: ❤️ Tuesday: Wear Your Superhero Gear 🖤 Wednesday: Wear Your Favorite Pajamas to School ❤️ Thursday: Wear Your Favorite Sports Apparel

Jefferson Elementary School Families, The Kids Heart Challenge is underway, and our school is excited about feeling good while doing good! There’s still time to join our team and make a difference. ❤️🖤 Visit our school page below or download the AHA Schools app today! http://www2.heart.org/site/TR?fr_id=11261&pg=company&company_id=482957

Parents/guardians, Here are some important days to keep in mind as the school year comes to a wrap, and many of you make plans for summer vacation! Tuesday, May 27th will be an early dismissal day with Jefferson Elementary, Lincoln Elementary and Washington Middle School dismissing at 1:50 p.m. Johnston City High School will dismiss at 2:00 p.m. ▪️ Wednesday, May 7th: Seniors last day of classes ▪️ Thursday, May 8th: Senior Exams ▪️ Friday, May 9th Senior Exams ▪️ Tuesday, May 27th: Last day of classes for students ▪️ Monday, June 2nd: First day of summer school ▪️ Friday, June 27th: Last day of summer school ▪️Tuesday, August 12th: First day of classes 2025-2026 school year

Have you met Heart Hero Finn? ❤️🖤 He’s sharing Finn’s Mission so we can all help kids with special hearts - kids like him! He’s also set a goal to get as many families as possible to learn about heart health and the lifesaving skill of Hands-Only CPR. Complete Finn’s Mission to earn your very own Lifesavers Cape and Students that complete Finn’s Mission will earn an entry for two tickets to Super Bowl LX in 2026 🏈 and your school will be entered to receive a $10,000 fitness equipment makeover for every 18 students who complete Finn’s Mission. http://www2.heart.org/site/TR?fr_id=11261&pg=company&company_id=482957

A friendly reminder if your child needs an eye screening! The Johnston City Lions Club is sponsoring a Fish Fry where proceeds will go toward scholarships for our JCHS students! There will also be free eye exams for children ages 6 months to 6 years old (no purchase necessary). This event is this Saturday, April 5th, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (or until they run out) at the Masonic Lodge, 501 Washington, Johnston City. The meal is $12.00 per plate, dine-in or carry-out. Tickets are available from Lions Club members, Johnston City High School Office, and the Johnston City District Office.

Parents and Guardians, The Lions of Illinois Foundation and the Johnston City Lions Club are hosting a FREE vision and hearing screening. Remember, all students going into Kindergarten need an eye exam. Where: Johnston City Ball Field When: April 19th from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information contact Robert Miller at (618) 663-8368

All students participating in a WMS or JCHS sport for the 2025-26 school year MUST have a yearly sports physical. This is a great opportunity to cross that off your back-to-school checklist, and help support several of our school groups. Here's a link to the IHSA Physical form: https://bit.ly/3XIrjTd You can find print copies in the office at Lincoln Elementary, Washington Middle School, and Johnston City High School.

Due to the possibility of severe weather and for the safety of our students and staff, all schools will have early dismissal today, April 2nd. Jefferson Elementary, Lincoln Elementary and Washington Middle School will dismiss at 1:50 p.m. Johnston City High School will dismiss at 2:00 p.m. All after-school programs, activities, extracurriculars and Latchkey are canceled.

It's April Fools, so Mrs. Monchino at Jefferson Elementary had to get in on the action! She played a small prank on her 1st grade class, convincing students that marshmallows grow on bushes. Her kiddos watched a video discussing the marshmallow life cycle and a news report of a local farm’s harvest this season. Then, they tried some marshmallows from Mrs. Monchino's "marshmallow" bush at home. She told them April Fools as they took a bite of the sweat treat!

🏀 March Madness might be associated with basketball, but at Jefferson Elementary it's all about READING! 📚 Mrs. Fietsam's 1st grade class had a March Madness Book Battle, adding a little extra excitement to learning. The championship books from the bracket were donated, so each student took home a winning book! As you can see, students were all smiles with their educational prizes!

Johnston City CUSD #1 is conducting Kindergarten Pre-Registration for the 2025-2026 school year. Please click on the link below to register eligible children. You will need to complete a separate form for each child you are registering. Students must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2025, to be eligible for Kindergarten in the 2025-2026 school year. If you have any questions, call Jefferson School at 618-983-7561. https://bit.ly/4jcWNZY

Mrs. Cheers is sharing some photos of her Kindergarten class at Jefferson Elementary school. These students have been busy learning their number bonds and are all smiles showing off their progress. Number bonds demonstrate how numbers can be broken down into smaller parts that combine to form a whole. Understanding this concept helps with quick and accurate mental calculations.

❤️ We had so much fun kicking off this year’s Kids Heart Challenge! ❤️ Alongside this year’s heart heroes, we’re learning about healthy hearts and life lessons like staying active, asking for help, resting well, and being kind. Bonus: your student will get a free wristband for signing up using the AHA Schools app or using the link below: http://www2.heart.org/site/TR?fr_id=11261&pg=company&company_id=482957

Parents and Guardians, The deadline for the 5Essentials Survey is today, March 28th. This only takes a few minutes and is the last chance to share your thoughts with us. The survey offers valuable feedback on topics like: ▪ Parent Connectedness ▪ Parent Overall ▪ Parent-teacher interaction ▪ Parent Assessment of Teacher Trust ▪ Parent Assessment of School Safety https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/?target_name=parent&p=1 For those who have taken the survey, thank you!