Dear Jefferson Families, 

This week, we had a "Hot Chocolate Party" for all classrooms as a celebration for participating in World Read Aloud Day activities in early February. Look for pictures on Facebook soon! Thank you to the many adults that joined our Recess with Relatives event this past week; we love seeing all the smiles this event brings!

On Thursday, March 6, we will be hosting Family Engagement Night from 5:00-7:00 pm. All students' artwork will be featured in a black light gallery! There will be free food, gift baskets to win, and so many great learning opportunities, including literacy, math, social/emotional learning, and STEM stations! We can't wait to see you there!

Wishing you well,

~Mrs. Ashton, Principal

conScious discipline

Jefferson staff are committed to supporting students socially and emotionally. Staff have spent the last 3 years learning about Conscious Discipline, an adult first model to best support students. Each month we are going to be sharing some tips that staff have been learning and can also be used to support students at home.

Visual Routines:

Over the last couple of months staff have been adding visual routines into classrooms. These visual routines create a sense of predictability and safety for students. This allows for students to know what to expect with step by step directions with pictures of the routine. We have been following the acronym MAP to create these visual routines.

M: Model expectations (show students what the routine should look like)

A: Add visuals (take pictures of students_

P: Practice, practice, practice (students will need to practice this routine again and again)

Here is an example of what it could look like.

Feel free to try this process at home! Think of a chaotic moment at home;  morning routine, bedtime, etc. Thanks for committing to support your child socially and emotionally. If you have further questions, feel free to reach out to our school behavior interventionist, Ms. Tigert, rachel.tigert@oshkosh.k12.wi.us.

Please see this flyer we sent home earlier this month.

Last Call - Yearbooks!

Pre-order yours today for just $15! All orders must be placed by March 7th—after the deadline, no additional yearbooks will be available for purchase.

When ordering, please ensure you're selecting Jefferson Elementary and that each student has a separate order if you have multiple children. All ordering and payment is handled through Network Photography.

Get started now by clicking this link: Order Yearbook.

Order today—before it's too late!

Exciting Opportunity for Students in Grades 3-5: After-School Club for Aspiring Aviators!

We’re excited to share a new after-school opportunity for students in Grades 3-5, hosted at the EAA Aviation Museum starting March 31st! Please see this link for more information about the program: EAA Aviation Museum After-School Club Details.

After School Dismissal and Parking:This is a friendly reminder to please follow the 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. Minnesota Street is not designated for parking and leaving your vehicle. This is a loading zone only.

Thank you for your attention to this matter!

Referendum Information - April 1st

Making an Informed Decision: April 1 School Referendum Approaches

We’re just weeks away from a significant moment for our schools—the upcoming vote on the Oshkosh Area School District’s (OASD) $197.8 million facilities referendum. This plan is about more than just buildings—it’s about creating better learning environments and opportunities for our students, improving safety and Americans with Disabilities (ADA) access limitations, and saving money through operational efficiencies, all while maintaining a $0 tax increase to the debt levy. This referendum represents the next step in our community-developed facilities consolidation plan, which began in 2017 and has already delivered significant improvements through Phase 1. 

As members of our school community, we know you may have questions or hear questions from others about what this means for our schools. We want to ensure you have the facts and an understanding of the plan before you cast your vote on April 1! 

What Will Your Vote Decide?

If the Referendum is Approved:

• A new consolidated middle school will be built at the Shapiro site (close South Park and Perry Tipler, reducing from three to two westside middle schools)
• Carl Traeger, Franklin, and Oakwood Elementary schools will be expanded and renovated (close Roosevelt and Shapiro, reducing from seven to five westside elementary schools)
• Perry Tipler Middle School will be converted into a pre-kindergarten center and recreation department
• A new auditorium will be added to Oshkosh North High School
• Air conditioning will be installed at Emmeline Cook, Lakeside, and Read Elementary schools
• The district will close and seek to sell South Park Middle School, Roosevelt Elementary School, and the downtown recreation center
• Non-district pre-kindergarten leases will be eliminated (approximately $550,000 annual savings)

WATCH! Here is a 3-minute video explaining the scope of our April 1 Facilities Referendum.

If the Referendum is Not Approved:

First and foremost, the OASD will seek community feedback to understand why it did not pass. After review, a process will be developed to adjust accordingly - with the next opportunity to go to referendum being April 2026. Additionally:

• South Park students will remain in a 120-year-old building located within a restricted flight zone
• Virtual learning would be required during emergency repairs at South Park due to insufficient space at other schools
• Shapiro STEM Academy will still close after the 2025-2026 school year due to low enrollment (Note: Shapiro will close regardless of the referendum outcome)
• Planned facilities improvements will not be made
• Annual operational savings from consolidation will not be realized
• Construction costs are projected to increase by 5% annually, potentially raising the project cost from $198M now to $242M by 2029

Upcoming Information Sessions

There are still several opportunities to learn more and ask questions before the vote. Visit oshkosh.k12.wi.us/referendum-2025/information-sessions for a list of upcoming dates - including information sessions and informal Q&A drop-in sessions.

WATCH! This 30-minute presentation is available for anyone who is not able to attend an information session. 

Voting Information

• Election Day: Monday, April 1, 2025
• Voter Registration: Visit Myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Voter-Registration 
• Early Voting Options:
  • Absentee ballots can be requested through Friday, March 28 by 5:00 PM
  • Municipalities will begin mailing absentee ballots no later than March 11
  • In-person early voting begins March 18 at your local municipal clerk's office (check directly for office hours)

Learn More

For more detailed information about the referendum, including FAQs, videos, floor plans and project details, visit the district's dedicated webpage: oshkosh.k12.wi.us/referendum-2025. You can also contact the district directly with questions at 920.424.0395 or referendum@oshkosh.k12.wi.us.

ALPS (Advanced Learning Program) Application

Hello Jefferson parents!

The application for ALPs (Advanced Learning Program) is open! ALPs is a unique program designed to serve self-motivated learners in Grades 4-8 located within Perry Tipler Middle School. The application is open through March 1st. Please submit if you are interested!

https://perry-tipler-middle.oshkosh.k12.wi.us/alps/alps-enrollment 

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

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 March 1st at 5:30 PM in the media center. Please see this link for the agenda. 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 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 Events

March

• Women's History Month 3/1-31
• Ramadan 2/28-3/29
• 3/1 - PTO Meeting 5:30 in Media Center
• 3/6 - Family Engagement Night
• 3/7 - No School | Professional Development Day
• 3/14 - Popcorn Friday
• 3/24-3/28 - No School | Spring Break

April

• 4/4 - PTO Family Movie Night

May

• 5/7 - Bike to School Day
• 5/5-5/8 - Teacher Appreciation Week

June 

• 6/4 - 5th Grade Promotion

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