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  Hello LJMS Families,
With the threat that was posted online toward Luther Jackson Middle School last week, I want to take a moment to share a few important thoughts:
- This threat has been fully investigated and there is no concern for the safety toward staff or students at LJMS.
- I am always here to keep the school safe. This includes physical safety as well as cyber safety. If there is ever anything that makes your student feel unsafe at school, I encourage you to report it to an administrator and to the police.
- Talk to your child about reporting concerning posts that are found online. Threats like the one we had last week should NEVER be reshared (by students or parents). Do not repost it! Instead, REPORT IT as soon as possible.
- If you have any questions or would like to talk about anything with me further, you can send me an email or stop by the school and ask to see me. I am here during normal school hours.
Your SRO,
Officer Green (342395)
egreen@fcps.edu
March 5th - Student Holiday- School Planning Day
When students need to miss school, it is important for parents/guardians to communicate those absences with the school. This can be done by calling the attendance phone line at 703-204-8282 or by using the online reporting form which can be accessed by CLICKING HERE or on our Luther Jackson Middle School website. Please DO NOT report absences through the Talking Points app.
Do you have a student between grades 8 through 11 who wants to go to college? If so, they should consider applying to the College Partnership Program (CPP), which offers support as students explore the idea of going to college! The deadline to apply is March 15, 2024.
CPP offers programming to help prepare students and families from 9th grade all the way through applying to and enrolling in college, including:
- Academic counseling;
- College visits;
- Help with completing college and scholarship applications;
- Monthly meetings;
- Parent education sessions;
- SAT preparation classes;
- A summer overnight experience on a college campus; and
- News and information related to colleges and careers via Schoology.
All students are eligible and encouraged to apply to this program, and are expected to meet the following requirements:
- Maintain a GPA of 2.5 or higher in core classes
- Attend CPP activities
- Are willing to pursue advanced coursework
- Demonstrate leadership in school or community activities
The goal of the program is to systematically mitigate the impact of barriers to access and opportunity, and support students who are from populations that are historically underrepresented on college campuses. This includes students who are the first in their family to attend college in the U.S., English language learners, students who are economically disadvantaged, and students with disabilities.
Click HERE to apply.
All applications will be submitted ONLINE ONLY.
Counselors are assigned by alphabet and your first point of contact for any question or concerns you might have.
The experience of traumatic events shapes us, no matter if they happened during childhood or as an adult. Trauma is an event or series of circumstances that have lasting effects on mental, emotional, physical, social and spiritual well-being. Stress occurs from our minds and bodies identifying an event as physically or emotionally life-threatening. The situation triggers our survival instincts and our natural fight-flight-freeze response. But our minds and bodies cannot sustain being in survival mode for extended periods of time. Sometimes, those who experience high amounts of stress and traumatic situations are unable to process or move past what has happened, and are stuck in a loop.
Childhood trauma manifests in many ways and when carried into adulthood, it can create a cycle of adverse experiences that affect future generations. The effects of traumatic events place a heavy burden on the individual, connected families, and communities. Responses to stress and traumatic experiences are personal. There is an intersection between trauma, coping, and substance misuse. Studies show that about 61% of adults have had at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE) according to the CDC. Trauma prevention and intervention strategies are important. Creating a strategy of helpful coping skills to pull from prepares us to face difficult moments and our levels of resilience and feelings of wellbeing increases also. Here are a few tips to add to your coping strategies:
- Seek mental health and/or substance use treatment
- Identify one or more people you feel safe with who can help to hold you accountable
- Develop, repair, or maintain healthy relationships for internal and external support
- Learn and practice self-regulation skills
- Encourage yourself and others
- Find ways to increase your self-esteem
- Focus on your strengths
- Model healthy behavior when dealing with difficult situations
- Identify your triggers and practice ways to work through them
Resources:
Why Historical Trauma is Critical to Understanding Black Mental Health
Addressing Childhood Trauma Starts with Family Support
Violence Prevention
ACEs and Minorities
For general questions about the FCPS Substance Abuse Prevention Program, please contact the Office of Student Safety & Wellness at: 571.423.4270.
PTA Board for the next school year: Would you be interested in joining the PTA board for the 2024-25 school year? It is a rewarding experience, and the existing board members will help you get started. There are multiple roles available. Please email president@jacksonmspta.org
Food Pantry: The Luther Jackson Middle School Food Pantry needs your help! We need parent volunteers to assist with food pick-up, bag packing, and food distribution. Interested in helping, but your schedule doesn't allow you to volunteer? Please consider donating food, personal hygiene items, household cleaning products, or reusable grocery bags to help our families utilize the food pantry. Follow the Sign-Up Genius link below if you are interested in volunteering:
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/904084DA8AC2EAA8-ljms2
Spirit Wear Sale/ Donations: Please check out the PTA website, where you can find the links to buy Spirit Wear, join the PTA, or donate: https://jacksonmspta.org/
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