Dear Jefferson Families, 

It was so wonderful to see so many families at the Holiday Treasures event! Thank you to our awesome PTO leaders for planning and organizing this event and to our staff and the downtown Rotary for volunteering at the event! 

The 2023-2024 State Report Card is now available for your review. Please see this link for additional information and a link to the report card. If you have any questions, please reach out!

We are working hard to build strong relationships, set clear expectations for learning, and engage students in rigorous learning. I welcome your visit anytime and hope to see many families next Wednesday, December 11 at Recess with Relatives during K/2/4 recess from 11:40-12:00 and 1/3/5 recess from 12:05-12:25!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Ashton, Principal

amy.ashton@oshkosh.k12.wi.us

Recess with Relatives: Wednesday December 11th

Food Drive: Ends Soon!

Our food drive to support the Mid-Morning Kiwanis Food Drive ends on Tuesday, December 10th! We are aiming to collect 500 non-perishable food items to help those in need this season. Please send in your non-perishable items with your student to drop off in their designated bucket. Your generosity makes a difference! Thank you for your continued support!

Holiday Spirit Week - 12/16 through 12/20

Get ready to spread some holiday cheer during our upcoming Jefferson Spirit Week! Join us for a fun-filled week of dress-up days where everyone can show off their festive spirit!

Holiday Treasures Night - Thank you PTO!

A HUGE thank you to our amazing PTO for hosting another wonderful Holiday Treasures Family Night! Our students had such a great time shopping for their families, and the fun didn’t stop there! Together with their families, they enjoyed a night filled with crafts and quality time. It’s truly a joyous occasion when our Jefferson staff and families come together to celebrate the season.

Check out some of the wonderful moments captured from our festive Holiday Treasures Night!  

Oshkosh Schools Academy: Learn More About Your School District

Do you want to learn more about how the Oshkosh Area School District works? The Oshkosh Schools Academy is a new six-month program designed to give community members an inside look at the district’s mission, priorities, and initiatives. (See FLYER)

Program Details:

• Start Date: January 17, 2025
• Meeting Dates: One Friday a month from 7:30 - 9 a.m. (OASD Administration Office)
  • January 17, February 14, March 14, April 4, May 9, June 13
• Topics Covered:
  • District operations and governance
  • Leadership principles
  • Academic priorities (e.g., reading, student wellness)
  • Community engagement opportunities

Participants will attend monthly sessions, engage in a book study, and interact directly with district leaders and staff. This is a great way to get involved and make a positive impact on public education in Oshkosh!

How to Apply:

• Application Deadline: December 11, 2024
• Limited Spots: 20-30 participants. If more than 30 apply, selections will be made randomly.
• Those not selected will be placed on the waiting list for the 2025-2026 program.

Apply Today: Visit oshkosh.k12.wi.us/district/oshkosh-schools-academy to learn more and submit your application.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to deepen your knowledge of the Oshkosh Area School District!

Save the Date: OASD MLK Day Celebration

• Date: Monday, January 20, 2025
• Time: 8 AM
• Location: Vel Phillips Middle School - Atrium

Join us for the inaugural MLK Day Celebration hosted by the Oshkosh Area School District on January 20, 2025. (See Flyer.) This community event will include:

• Continental Breakfast
• Community connections
• Keynote speaker
• MLK essay contest winners
• And more!

RSVP Required: While the event is free, guests must RSVP in advance for planning purposes. Students and children must be accompanied by a guardian. Complete the registration form here: RSVP: OASD MLK Day Celebration 2025 For additional details, visit oshkosh.k12.wi.us/MLK-Day.

Questions? Contact Anthony Miller Jr., OASD Director of Community Engagement & Equity, at anthony.miller@oshkosh.k12.wi.us or 920.718.4309. We look forward to celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy with you!

Winter Concert

We are excited to invite you to Jefferson's Music Showcase!

When: Monday, December 16th at 6:00 PM, Students should arrive at 5:30 PM
Where: Alberta Kimball Auditorium, 375 N Eagle Street, Oshkosh, WI 54902

Students should arrive at 5:30 PM to prepare for the performance. Please note that it has been communicated to students that they are expected to stay for the entire event and be attentive in the audience with their class. Additional information regarding the concert can be found under the Music - Specialist Updates.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Flaugher at willem.flaugher@oshkosh.k12.wi.us.

We look forward to seeing you there for an evening of wonderful music! 🎵

Student Headphones

As part of the school supply list, it was requested that students bring in a pair of headphones. With upcoming assessments in January, it is crucial that every student has a pair of headphones to use during these tests.

Please take a moment to ask your students if they still have their headphones from the beginning of the year and if they do not, send in a new pair. The headphones must have a cord with a 3.5mm jack. Bluetooth headphones cannot be used. We recommend over-ear headphones rather than earbuds.

Students can reuse these headphones each year, so they are a great long-term investment! 

Here are some examples of suitable headphones:

• Nilogie A21 Wired Headphones from Amazon
• Kids Wired Headphones from Amazon
• POWMEE M1 Wired Headphones from Amazon
• Jimonyer Wired Headphones for School from Amazon.
• JBuddies Studio Wired Kids Headphones from Target
• JBuddies Pop Wired Headphones from Walmart.

Thank you for your attention to this!

Reminder: Dressing for the Weather - Outdoor Recess Requirements 🧤❄️

As the winter weather approaches, please help our students remember to come to school appropriate clothing for outdoor recess. Students go outside for two recesses during the day and one before school, unless it is raining, storming, or the temperature drops below 10 degrees.

Here are the guidelines for outdoor attire based on the temperature:

• Below 50 degrees: A coat is required.
• Between 50-60 degrees: Long sleeves are needed.
• 61 degrees and above: Students may choose what they wear (shorts are allowed).

Please ensure your child has weather-appropriate items like coats, hats, mittens, snow boots and snow pants. While we do have some extra coats and hats available to borrow, these may not always be on hand, so it's best to come prepared. 

Jefferson PTOOur next meeting is on January 6th at 5:30 PM in the media center. Stay up to date on upcoming PTO events on their Facebook page here.

The PTO plays a vital role in supporting our students through various events and activities, including field trips, Opera for the Young, and school events. We’d love to see you there and share how you can help make a difference!

Field Trips

Your student's "Walking Field Trip" form is now available to be signed in the School Store in Infinite Campus. 

The permission slip will be completed on your parent portal under school store. If you don't have access to your parent portal, please reach out to the office directly. The walking field trip form is needed so that we can complete our ALICE training to our evacuation site, 5th Grade Field Trip to South Park Middle School, all school field trip to South Park, etc. 

Please have this permission field trip signed no later than 

Instructions : Field Trip Sign-Up

A Note from the Office:

Attendance:

All reports of a student absence must go through the office. If your child(ren) are sick multiple days, please let us know each day they are absent.   All communication regarding your student's attendance (appointments, late arrival, early departure, etc.) must go to the office. You can copy in your child's teacher in the email or the office will then pass this information on to the classroom teacher.  Our school secretary's email is: katie.ascher@oshkosh.k12.wi.us and the school phone number is 920.424.0165. Thank you for your help with this important communication.

Free Meals for All Jefferson Students:

Jefferson Elementary is qualified as a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school. What does that mean? Every student at Jefferson can receive a free breakfast and a free lunch each school day, regardless of your family's free/reduced application status! 

For families who qualify, or think they may qualify, we encourage you to still complete the application! Snack milk (served in the classroom) is not part of the CEP program, so if you don't have an approved application on file, your child's snack milk will still be charged. You can apply in the Parent Portal, or contact the office for a paper copy! 

Complete the 2024-2025 Application Online!

• Log into the parent portal to complete the application.
• Instructions on how to fill out the application-English   Spanish   Hmong
• Frequently Asked Questions-English   Spanish    Hmong

Please note that milk taken with cold lunch is charged for all students, regardless of their family's free/reduced status. 

After School Dismissal and Parking:

Please avoid crowding the concrete area right next to door 1, as this can create congestion and make it difficult for all students to exit safely. To ensure a smooth and safe dismissal process for all students, we kindly ask that you wait on the blacktop area for your child after school. Teachers will confirm with your student once they see you and will dismiss them to you directly from there. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated and helps us maintain a safe environment for everyone.

This is a general reminder about our parking zones around Jefferson Elementary to ensure a safe and streamlined drop-off and pick-up process for all students. Attached is a map outlining the designated parking areas.

• Green Area: You may park in these zones and leave your vehicle to drop off or pick up your student.
• Blue Area: Please refrain from parking here. This area is reserved exclusively for bus loading.
• Yellow Area: This zone is designated for loading only. It should be used briefly for dropping off students. To keep the process efficient, please do not park and wait in this area.

For students who bike to school, a bicycle rack is available. Please make sure your child has a lock to keep their bicycle secure.

Upcoming Jefferson EventsDecember

• 12/10 - Last day for food drive items!
• 12/11 - Recess with Relatives
• 12/13 - No School | Professional Development
• 12/16 - Holiday Concert
• 12/23 - 1/1 - No School | Winter Break

January

• 1/6 - PTO Meeting
• 1/20 - No School | Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• 1/21 - No School | Professional Development Day

Volunteer Reminders

As a reminder, if you are interested in volunteering by helping in your child's classroom or chaperoning a field trip, you must have a pre-approved volunteer application on file before the volunteering event. Applications are good for 3 years, and are effective for all OASD schools. You can find the application HERE.

Important!: Once you have completed your application, let the office know so that we can request that the application be processed; this does not happen automatically, and can take up to 48 hours, so please plan accordingly! 

Important Information

2024-2025 Jefferson Family Handbook

Pre-Planned Absence Form

2024-2025 Jefferson School Supply List

2024-2025 OASD School Calendar