|
Espanol
March 22nd- End of Third Quarter
Mach 25-29th- Holiday (Spring Break) Office hours: 8:00-1:30
April 1st & 2nd- Student Holiday: Office hours: 8:00-12:00
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.
Greetings LJMS students and families!
Our final testing season will be upon us shortly. If you have not completed the SOL Retake Permission form, please click on this link and submit the form. We want to give every student the opportunity to retake if they are eligible.
In order to help our students succeed, please encourage them to be well rested and attentive in these upcoming weeks and on our test days. Please try to avoid scheduling any vacations, appointments, etc during testing days.
All students have reasonable accommodation and access to meditation and silent reflection space at Jackson. This supervised space is designated for individuals to engage in prayer, meditation, or silent reflection, inclusive of their religious or non-religious beliefs. Parents/caregivers must provide written permission for students requesting to miss instructional time on a regular basis. Students should see their school counselor if they have any questions or need assistance.
PTA Meeting – Thursday, April 4th, 7 p.m. You are invited to the next PTA meeting, which will be held online. Link to join:
http://tiny.cc/LJMSPTA
Nomination Committee—Would you like to help find and nominate PTA officers for the next school year? The nomination committee will be approved at the April PTA meeting. If you are interested in joining the committee, please email president@jacksonmspta.org.
Restaurant fundraiser – April 8th and 9th Shake Shack, Mosaic - Let’s raise some money for our PTA by dining at Shake Shack, Mosaic district, all day on April 8th and 9th (Monday and Tuesday)! PTA gets 25% of the proceeds! Mention LJMS PTA before ordering, dining in, or taking out.
Teacher Appreciation Week Committee: We have started planning for ‘Teacher Appreciation Week’ (May 6th to 10th) to honor the amazing LJMS educators and tell them how much we appreciate their commitment to our children. If you would like to lead or be part of the organizing committee for Teacher Appreciation Week, please send a note to president@jacksonmspta.org.
PTA officers 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; 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
PTA website: Please check out the PTA website, where you can find the links to buy Spirit Wear, join the PTA, or donate: https://jacksonmspta.org/
Madison Debate Camp will take place on Monday, July 29th through Friday, August 2nd @JMHS from 12PM to 4PM on each of those days. The price of the camp is $50 and includes lunch every day, instruction from national level debaters (who will also just be back from Nationals), and a tournament (with awards). The rest of the proceeds go to the JMHS debate team to cover team costs during the season.
Every day will have new, fun lessons that will teach you the skills of a high school debater, giving you a foundational understanding of the basics of argumentation, public speaking, and debate as a whole. At the end of the camp, participants will also have an opportunity to participate in a high-school style tournament on the week’s chosen debate topic!
Sign-Up Link: https://forms.gle/qv7Kim31PtRu5SMk6
Counselors are assigned by alphabet and your first point of contact for any question or concerns you might have.
Hello,
My name is Aqa Gul Aiyubi, and I am the Family Liaison here at Luther Jackson Middle School. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to work closely with you and your family. As a Family Liaison, my role is to support and connect with families, ensuring that you have the resources and information you need for a positive experience.
I'm here to be a helpful point of contact for any questions, concerns, or information you may require. Whether it's navigating educational resources, understanding school policies, or addressing any challenges your family may face, I'm here to assist and advocate for you.
Feel free to reach out to me at any time at aaiyubi@fcps.edu or aaiyubi@fcpsschools.net or (703) 204-8137. I’m dedicated to fostering open communication and building a strong partnership between the school and our wonderful families.
If there's anything specific, you'd like to discuss or if you have questions about how I can support your family, please don't hesitate to let me know. I'm looking forward to getting to know you better and working together for the success and well-being of your family.
 
Ramadan
Ramadan begins at sunset on Sunday, March 10th and continues until sunset on April 9.
Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. It is marked by personal and community prayer as well as fasting from dawn to sunset. It’s important to recognize that students may be getting up and beginning their day as early as 3 a.m. for morning prayer as well as fasting throughout the day. During the last 10 days of Ramadan, which are very important, students and families may attend prayer services at the mosque nightly. These observances can have a huge impact on a student’s school day.
Wednesday, April 10th, is a holiday for students and staff in FCPS in honor of Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic celebration for the breaking of the fast at the end of Ramadan.
 Participate today!
Make Your Voice Heard!
Share your thoughts around important topics impacting your student’s success. By participating in the Family Engagement Survey, parents/caregivers are making their voices heard. Survey topics include:
- Welcoming environment
- Communication
- Student success
- Advocacy
- Family and school partnerships
- Collaboration with the community to see if FCPS is meeting its goals at the school, region, and division levels
Help us better recognize, understand, respect, and address family strengths and needs in our schools.
TAKE THE SURVEY!
Visit the Family Engagement Survey website for more information
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.
|
