|
espanol
April 21st- Holiday (Religious and Cultural Observation)
 THE DESCENDANTS MAY 4TH 7:00 PM, 5TH 7:00 PM , & 6TH 1:30 & 7:00 PM
Tickets for our spring musical, Disney’s Descendants, go on sale starting April 1st. Go to our LJMS Website or click on this link to purchase:
Descendants Tickets
Tickets are only $6 pre-sale & $7 at the door. Tickets will also be available at the door while they last. Lunch ticket sales start at the end of April.
Come out and see Mal and the other Evils struggle between their parent’s wicked ways and a chance to be good in Auradon! Will Good be the New Bad?
  The Jackson Tigers roared today to win first place in the snack category at the Real Food for Kids culinary competition! This year’s theme was, ‘a fresh take on tradition’. The team of four seventh graders, Abigail, Karya, Yasmine, and Madeleine under the guidance of their Family and Consumer Sciences teacher, focused on each member’s cultural heritage (Spanish, Turkish, Moroccan, and Italian) and came up with the snack, Tiger Tostadas. The ingredients used in this recipe highlighted each team member’s cultural heritage. The students had a lot of fun preparing for the competition by testing, tweaking, and perfecting the recipe as well as working on their t-shirt design, slogan, and display to make the most impact! Go Tigers!
   This Tuesday, Luther Jackson hosted the annual Global Classroom Project Showcase for all of FCPS! Notable attendees included Dr. Michelle Reid, FCPS Superintendent among others. Our advanced theatre arts students, pictured in blue, served as volunteers to help run the event and their own Global Classroom Project experience . Students also presented a slideshow onstage all about our international partnership with Ghana along with performing some of the monologues from our project. These students did a remarkable job representing our school for this well-attended event. Congratulations to our theatre arts department for all their hard work!
LJMS Theatre Arts/Media Communications
 Seeking new players & peer buddies for TOPSoccer!
WHAT: A youth soccer program serving members of our community with disabilities and access needs. TOPSoccer emphasizes skill development and meaningful participation in a non-competitive environment. Players are paired with trained peer buddies and guided, at their own pace, through fun activities in a safe, inclusive atmosphere. All ages and ability levels are welcome!
WHO: Players & peer buddies (buddies aged 12-18)
WHERE: Grist Mill Park in Alexandria (4710 Mt. Vernon Memorial Highway)
WHEN: April-June, Sundays 5:00-6:15pm
HOW to register: https://forms.gle/AZhadnwCvUNScEdV6
FREE to all players!
 download form
Procedure for purchasing new student laptop chargers
Replacement laptop chargers can be purchased for $23 and there are two options to purchase them. First, have your child either bring in a check for $23 made out to Luther Jackson Middle School or bring exactly $23 in cash. If they bring in cash, we cannot make change so please have them bring in the exact amount. Then they can request an e-hallpass from any class at the beginning of the period and to go to Mr. Waldren's office, room 502 to pick up the charger.
Your second option is to purchase a charger from MySchoolBucks for $23, the link is also at the top of the FCPS and LJMS website. If you do not have an account you can create one. Please purchase the charger under your child's name and Mr. Waldren, Technology Specialist, will be notified of the purchase. After you login to their account, click on School Store at the top, under categories choose [GROUP] Lost or Damaged Technology, click on FCPSON Laptop Replacement Power Cord, and add it to the basket for purchase. If you are in need of a more detailed guide, please use the following, How to Pay for Tech in MySchoolBucks. Then request the tech pass from any class at the beginning of the period and to go to Mr. Waldren's office, room 502 to pick up the charger.
 We are always working to keep your student’s safe while at school, and this often starts for your child knowing how to be safe with their phones.
When it comes to phone safety, it is wise to consider a layer of parental oversight. This may involve being aware of your child’s passcode for their phone, occasionally checking their phone, being aware of their social media applications and the usernames they use on each application and having honest conversations about wise use of the applications and some of the risks involved when they are not used in a safe way. You will decide what is right for your family.
Today, I want to highlight one simple conversation you could have with your child about Apple Airdrop. Apple Airdrop is an iPhone feature that allows files to be sent and received between phones that are close together (like in a cafeteria or a classroom). There are many good reasons why students may share a file (like a photo or a video), but there are also bad reasons. Setting Apple Airdrop to receive files from anyone can create unwanted risks. For example, if your child’s iPhone has Apple Airdrop set to receive a file from anyone, and another students sends an inappropriate or illegal picture to their phone, now your child’s phone may be part of a school or even a police investigation and may need to be seized as evidence. Whether or not your student intended to download the specific file shared, accepting an Apple Airdrop file can create unwanted problems.
Having a conversation about how and when to safely use Apple Airdrop may help prevent a future problem from even happening and will help ensure that your child is more safe and secure while at Luther Jackson Middle School.
As always, if you have any questions or another topic you would like me to discuss, please let me know. I’m here to be your School Resource Officer.
Officer Green (342395) egreen@fcps.edu
Drug Additives to Be Aware of: Xylazine“Tranq”
In our continuing efforts to educate the community, we have been tracking a new trend in the region known as Xylazine or Tranq. Tranq, a non-opioid tranquilizer, is often mixed with other drugs giving the user a fentanyl-like high for an extended period of time. Considering the rise in opioid-related overdoses, it is important to know about various additives such as fentanyl and tranq that can be mixed in, unbeknownst to the user. Xylazine is an animal tranquilizer which is not approved by the FDA for human consumption; it affects the central nervous system by suppressing breathing and slowing down vital functions in the body. Tranq has recently been detected in several fatal overdoses related to cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl in unsuspecting users. Narcan/Naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medication, will not reverse the overdose in a person who has taken Tranq thus resulting in potential death. Continued use has resulted in lesions, ulcers, and other health related issues resulting in loss of limbs from untreated abscesses.
While alarming, education is key to keep our communities safe. Here is some recent data showing the trend in our region. Xylazine was present in 19% of drug overdoses in Maryland in 2020 alone; with trends increasing in Pennsylvania by 26% and in Connecticut by 10%. In areas of higher populations Xylazine has been present in 1 of every 5 deaths that have been reported. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Xylazine was present in 64.3 % of deaths when it was detected. 38 states including the District of Columbia have seen a rise in “Tranq” in and around their communities.
For more information please, contact myself or the Student Safety & Wellness Office at (571) 423-4270. Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @FCPSSAPS.
Sources & Resources:
NIH: Xylazine
DEA: Xylazine
DEA: Fentanyl Mixed with Xylazine
CDC: Xylazine
Overdoses in Philadelphia
FCPS Webinar: Everything You Need To Know About Opioids
Inspirigil is a nonprofit educational group run by students at Thomas Jefferson High School (TJHSST) that provides free computer science classes, workshops, and events for students with a focus on encouraging girls to participate in computer science. Inspirigirl will be holding free Spring 2023 virtual computer science classes this year between April and May. Learn more here.
Exciting news! SoCo Summer Strings (formally Stallion Summer Strings) is returning this summer! The camp will be hosted at South County Middle School from July 10th-21st from 8:30am-12:30pm, weekdays only.
Camp is open to all rising 5th-9th grade students with at least one year of experience on the violin, viola, cello, or bass. Students will participate in two large ensemble rehearsals, an instrument-specific technique class, and a sectional each day.
You can find more information and registration for camp at www.schsorchestra.org/soco-summer-strings. Early registration is from March 1st-June 9th so sign up soon!
1. April PTA Meeting: We are thrilled to invite you to our next PTA General Meeting on Tuesday, April 25th at 7 PM. Our meeting will feature informative presentations from two exceptional educators at LJMS. Ms. Lazo will provide an overview of the AVID program, an innovative initiative that helps prepare our students for college and beyond. Meanwhile, Ms. Jones will give us an update on the Global Classroom project, an exciting program that exposes our students to diverse cultures and perspectives from around the world. See Zoom link below. We look forward to seeing you there!
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83434837203
Meeting ID: 834 3483 7203
Passcode: 469157
2. April Restaurant Night: Bring your family and friends to enjoy a delicious meal while supporting our school. Nando's PERI-PERI at Mosaic District (2987 District Avenue) will generously donate 40% of every flame-grilled chicken ordered on Monday, April 24th from 11am-8pm!
3. Teachers and Staff Appreciation Week: Join us in celebrating the amazing teachers and staff at LJMS, who make our school a fantastic place to learn and grow! We've planned a fun-filled week -- May 1 thru May 5 --and we'd love for you to be a part of it. Check out our SignUp Genius link to discover how you can contribute to this exciting celebration. Let's come together and show our heartfelt appreciation to the extraordinary LJMS team!
4. Volunteers Needed: We need your help to keep our PTA thriving and successful. Join our team of dedicated volunteers and make a real impact in our school community. We are currently seeking volunteers for the following positions:
-
Nominating Committee: Three volunteers to nominate candidates for next year’s PTA board vacancies.
-
2023-2024 Board Vacancies: Vice-President, Hospitality Chair, Membership Chair, Spiritwear Chair, and Food Pantry Chair.
By volunteering, you'll have the opportunity to use your skills and expertise to contribute to our school community. You'll also gain valuable experience and meet other like-minded individuals who are passionate about education and community building. For more information or to volunteer, please email us at president@jacksonmspta.org .
5. Spirit Wear: We have sweatshirts ($35) and magnets ($5) for all current LJMS students, incoming LJMS students, LJMS-loving family members, LJMS-supporting neighbors, and more. To purchase online with a credit card, go to https://ljmspta.memberhub.com/store. If you’d rather pay by cash/check or have any questions, email Lynn Collins at spiritwear@jacksonmspta.org. Go Tigers!
In appreciation,
LJMS PTA
Counselors are assigned by teams and are your first point of contact for any question or concerns you might have.
|
