Newsletter - March 14, 2025

Jefferson
Elementary School

Patriot Press

March 14, 2025; Issue 14

Dear Jefferson Families,

Last week, our third through fifth grade students were fortunate to hear a presentation from David Gonzalez, who is a storyteller that presents to schools on the power of kindness. David engaged students in participating alongside his active storytelling and reminded us that we all have the power to use our words for good!

Each quarter, our school celebrates that positive efforts made school-wide to show kind, helpful, and safe behavior at school. We currently have 88% of our students that have 0 or 1 office referrals. Way to go, Jefferson students! We will celebrate with a presentation by singer/songwriter Tom Pease next Friday, March 21!

When we return from spring break, our third through fifth grade students will be preparing for and taking the Wisconsin Forward Exam. Testing dates and times are listed below. It is important that your child is at school and on time so they can have a healthy snack and be ready for testing with their class. If you have any questions about the Forward Exam, please reach out to your child's teacher.

	Wisconsin Forward Exam Test Window March 17 - April 25 (OASD Spring Break March 24-28)
Grade Level	Building Test Window	ELA Session 1 -Reading 45 min	ELA Session 2 - Language/Writing 35 min	ELA Session 3 - Language/Writing 35 min	Math Session 1 45 min	Math Session 2 45 min	Science Session 1 35 min	Science Session 2 35 min	Science Session 3 35 min	Social Stud Session 1 35 min	Social Stud Session 2 35 min
Grade 3	4/14-4/22	4/14- 8:15 am	4/15- 8:15 am	4/16- 8:15 am	4/17- 8:15 am	4/21- 8:15 am
Grade 4	4/9-4/22	4/9- 8:15 am	4/10- 8:15 am	4/14- 8:15 am	4/15- 8:15 am	4/16- 8:15 am	4/17- 8:15 am	4/17- 9:00 am	4/21- 8:15 am	4/21- 9:00 am	4/22- 8:15 am
Grade 5	4/3-4/10	4/3- 8:15 am	4/4- 8:15 am	4/7- 8:15 am	4/8- 8:15 am	4/9- 9:00 am

Have a wonderful weekend ahead,

~Mrs. Ashton, Principal

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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.

Time Machine:

At our spring family night, families had the opportunity to practice using the time machine with scenarios. Conflict is an opportunity to teach missing executive or social-emotional skills. The first step is always to help both parties regain calm. The brain cannot learn while in a state of upset. Once both parties are calm, but while the event is still fresh, coach children in using the Time Machine as follows:

Step 1: Roll back time. Have the participants roll their hands backwards signifying going back in time.

Step 2: Are you willing? Ask for willingness by saying, “Are you willing to have a do-over and solve the problem?” If willing, the victim stands on the “I don’t like it” side of the mat and the aggressor on the other side.

Step 3: Breathing star. Be a S.T.A.R. Everyone Smiles, Takes a deep breath And Relaxes.

Step 4: Tree of hearts. Wish each other well. Everyone places their hands on their hearts and offers well-wishes to each other.

Step 5: 1-2-3. Focus on the goal. The adult chants, “1-2-3,” and the participants respond, “Let’s do it,” to build unity.

Step 6: Sentence starters. Coach the children to use helpful words. Have the victim speak first using the sentence starter printed on the Time Machine. “I don’t like it when you ____. Next time, please______.” Help children reframe their thoughts to show how they want to be treated. Instead of, “Stop it,” teach phrases like, “Next time say, ‘Move please,’ instead of pushing me.”

Step 7: Hearts and globe. Connect to repair the bond and show there are no hard feelings. Participants connect with a handshake, a hug, a high-five, or another symbolic gesture.

Feel free to try this process at home with problems that arise between siblings! 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

Specialist Updates

Health Office Update

A Letter from the Health Office

Susan Martin LPN/Health Assistant and Liz Lynch, BSN, RN, NCSN

March

Nutrition Awareness Month

(Winnebago County Health Department)

Happy National Nutrition Month! This year's theme is Fuel for the Future! During March, discover the importance of fueling bodies at every age, plus eating with sustainability in mind at eatright.org.

Fit Families, a program provided by the Winnebago County Health Department, offers guidance, support and tools to help families make healthy changes. Fit Families works with families of 2-4 year old children enrolled in WIC, but their core messages are applicable to everyone in the community:

Move More... Watch Less

Help kids to engage in active play or physical activity for at least 60 minutes every day and reduce screen time to less than 2 hours per day. Make Every Bite Count... More Fruits and Vegetables. Ensure kids eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables each day. Make Every Sip Count by making more healthy beverages. Reduce or eliminate the use of sugared beverages. Eat Healthy, Be Active as your kids are watching. Parents can set an extra goal for themselves to be good role models for their children.

WIC and Fit Families please visit: winnebagopublichealth.org or call 920-232-3000

Find additional resources here:

MyPlate.gov: Learn how much of each food group you need.
Eat Right When Money's Tight: Learn how to eat healthy, while stretching your dollar.
Seasonal Produce Guide: Find which fruits and veggies are in season.
Gardening Basics: How to start gardening.

Preventing Food Poisoning: Keep food safe and avoid illness.

March Family Bucket List

If your student will need to take medication during the school day, please have your child’s provider fill out and sign the appropriate form below. These can then be returned to the office or faxed by the provider to: 920-424-7583.

Over the Counter Medication Form *parent signature only required*
Prescribed Medication Form
Inhaler/Asthma Action Plan
Epipen/Allergy & Anaphylaxis Form

REMINDERS:

Directions on the medication bottle/box must match the written order on the medication request form.

Stock Epi-pens do NOT go on field trips.
Please fill out an Emergency Epi-Pen/Anaphylaxis Plan even if you don’t have a personal Epi at school.
PRN medications (Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Tums etc.) must come in a new and unopened bottle.
Is your child up to date with their immunizations? Please contact the doctor for physicals and immunizations! All students at Jefferson are required to have their Tdap, Polio, MMR, Varicella and Hep B! Please check with your doctor to see what wellness requirements are needed for your child.

Phy-Ed Update

Phy-Ed Update from Mr. Schneider

Dear Parents/Guardians,

I am excited to share that we will be starting our skating unit in physical education for grades 1st through 5th next week! This unit will provide students with a fun and engaging way to develop balance, coordination, and confidence on skates. Below are some important details regarding the unit:

Equipment and Safety Guidelines:

Helmets:
- Students are encouraged to bring their own personal helmets from home (bike, hockey, or multi-sport helmets are acceptable).
- Helmets may not be stored in the gym or storage closet. If permitted by their classroom teacher, students may store helmets in their cubbies during the unit.
- If a student does not bring a helmet, one will be provided, along with a disposable hair net for hygiene purposes.
Skates:
- Students are not allowed to bring personal skates from home. All skates will be provided by the school to ensure consistency and safety.
Protective Gear:
- In addition to helmets, students will receive proper protective gear and instruction on how to fall safely/maintain control while skating.

What to Wear:

Students should wear comfortable clothing that allows for movement.
Long socks are highly recommended to ensure comfort while wearing skates.

Additional Information:

This unit will run for the next three weeks leading up to Spring Break

Thank you for your support! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Music Update

Music Update from Mr. Flaugher

March has been an exciting month in our elementary music classes!

Kindergarten has been exploring high and low sounds, using their voices and instruments to understand pitch.
1st Grade is diving into Carnival of the Animals, discovering musical opposites like fast/slow, loud/soft, and high/low.
2nd Grade enjoyed learning about Peter and the Wolf, experiencing how music tells a story through the different characters.
3rd Grade has been getting to know the orchestra, and so far, they've had the chance to play trumpet, trombone, and viola!
4th Grade is beginning their recorder journey, mastering the basics of this classic instrument.
5th Grade started with some fun Boomwhacker activities and is now beginning to play ukulele!

For our March Composer of the Month, we've been learning about Hildegard von Bingen, the first-ever female composer in history. K-2nd grade explored the instruments popular in her time, around the year 1100, while 3-5th grade students went on a virtual field trip using Google Earth to explore the places where Hildegard lived and created music.

Stay tuned for more music adventures in April!

Art Update

Art Update from Ms. Keefe
In art we are learning about many different mediums! Kindergarten are exploring how oil pastel and watercolor work together, our next project will be exploring mixed media creating lady bugs to welcome spring. 1st grade are working with tempera paint, creating gardens for spring time. 2nd grade are working on learning about horizon line, foreground and background, creating garden landscapes, learning about growth during spring. 3rd grade are learning about tissue paper and mixed media, creating spring time collages. 4th and 5th grade are learning about metal embossing, creating shapes and patterns in metal plating to create a personalized design!

Technology and Media Update

Media and Technology Update from Ms. Kese

April Reading Challenge for Elementary Students

5 Fun Reading Activities

1. Book Bingo: Create a bingo card with different reading tasks (e.g., "Read outside", "Read a funny book", "Read to a pet").

2. Story Chain: Start a story with one sentence and have family members add a sentence each day.

3. Character Costume Day: Dress up as your favorite book character for a day.

4. Reading Fort: Build a cozy fort and read inside it for 30 minutes.

5. Book Cover Redesign: Choose a favorite book and create a new cover for it.

Tips for Parents on the Importance of Reading at Home

Why Reading at Home Matters

1. Builds vocabulary: Regular reading exposes children to new words in context.

2. Improves comprehension: Discussing books helps kids understand what they read.

3. Boosts academic performance: Reading skills transfer to all subjects.

4. Strengthens family bonds: Reading together creates shared experiences.

How to Encourage Reading at Home

1. Set a good example: Let your kids see you reading for pleasure.

2. Create a reading routine: Designate daily family reading time.

3. Make it fun: Use silly voices, act out scenes, or play reading games.

4. Provide variety: Offer different types of reading materials (books, magazines, comics).

5. Celebrate progress: Reward reading milestones with small treats or special activities.

Remember, just 20 minutes of reading a day can significantly impact your child's academic success and foster a lifelong love of learning!

School Counselor Update

School Counselor Update from Mrs. Brown

Jefferson Elementary is in partnership with you regarding your student's personal safety. Reach Counseling works in conjunction with the Oshkosh Area School District to provide classroom lessons on protective behaviors. In March, a protective behaviors classroom lesson will be presented in your child's classroom that includes information about protective behaviors. It is a part of the district's school counseling class curriculum. REACH will be presenting in classrooms the weeks of March 10 in grade 3rd-5th, and March 10 in grades KG-2nd. Here is the link to the parent/guardian letter with more information that was sent on 3/3.25.

In addition to the protective behaviors lesson, during Great People Skills Lessons (GPS) we have been learning about positive thinking and self-talk. We learned that the way that we think, impacts the way that we feel and the way that we feel impacts the way that we act. When something happens we have immediate thoughts and sometimes those thoughts may be unhelpful, then we may say negative things to ourselves. When that happens it is important to pause, take a deep breath and notice our thoughts. If we notice they are unhelpful we need to make a choice to turn them into something helpful/positive. Example: “I can’t do it” instead you could say: “I can’t do it yet” or “I will give it my best effort”. “This is hard!” instead you could say: “This may be hard and I can do hard things”, “is okay to ask for help”, “mistakes help me learn”. This practice doesn’t happen automatically, it takes practice, practice, practice. It is important to choose to be kind to ourselves.

Lastly, I wanted to share with you that thanks to a grant through Celebrate Education I was able to put together a small social emotional lending library on the topics of grief, divorce/separation, children experiencing challenging behaviors for families to check out as needed. Attached is a parent/guardian letter with a little more information about it: Caring Connections Lending Library.

Wishing you well! Mrs. Brown

Math Update

Math Update from Mrs. Bauer

Many classrooms have already or will start their geometry unit. With that, comes a lot of specialized math vocabulary that you can practice using at home as well. Look for things around your home that involve some of the geometrical shapes and vocabulary below. How do you know it’s a particular shape? What kind of attributes does the shape have? Compare and contrast one shape (or angles) from another. How can this be a sphere, but not a cube? How can a square be a special kind of rectangle? Ask your children questions and practice using the language of geometry.

Common two-dimensional shapes your child will see at school:

Your younger children will also learn three-dimensional shapes (cube, cone, cylinder, sphere) or your older children may classify angles (right, acute, obtuse, straight) and triangles (isosceles, equilateral, right, scalene). Ask your child what kind of geometry they have recently been studying.

Possible K-2 Vocabulary:

curved
face
edge
side
vertex or vertices
rotational symmetry
Possible 3-5 Vocabulary:
polygon
parallel
intersecting lines
perpendicular lines
congruent
line symmetry
line segment
ray

Use this free Math Learning Center app to define the word! Open web app or IOS app

Reading and Literacy Update

Literacy Update from Mrs. Boettcher and Mrs. Vollbrecht

We often think to read aloud to our younger children, but did you know it is also important to read aloud to older children? Below is an article from Brightly which talks more about the importance of this activity.

The Importance of Reading Aloud to Big Kids

by Melissa taylor

Only 17% of parents of kids ages 9–11 read aloud to their children. Yet 83% of kids ages 6–17 say being read to is something they either loved or liked a lot (Scholastic’s “Kids & Family Reading Report”). Reading aloud to kids helps expand their literacy skills, love of reading, worldview, and more. Here are some key reasons it’s important to read aloud to your older kids:

Lets Them Experience the Joy of Story

The goal is to love the story. That’s the point of reading, [as well as] reading for meaning. I let [my eldest daughter] listen to hours of audiobooks and read aloud to her multiple times a day. I wanted her to get hooked on the stories in the chapter books. Like her, all readers — and especially struggling readers — learn to love stories by hearing stories.

Models Fluent Reading

When you read to kids, you’re modeling how to read language. You pause at commas and periods. Your voice inflection changes when you read questions or exclamations. And you can show what you, a fluent reader, do when you come to a word you don’t know. (Even if you’re pretending that you don’t know it.)

Helps Expand Their Vocabulary

Kids’ auditory comprehension is higher than their reading comprehension. When you pick a challenging book that your kids can’t read on their own, you are exposing them to a wealth of new vocabulary words. This stretches a child’s language development, particularly if you stop to talk about the meaning of these harder words.

Exposes Kids to New Authors, Texts, and Genres

Reading aloud can get kids hooked on a new author or series of books. Once a child falls in love with the story or author, it’s hard to hold them back from reading it on their own. Plus, reading aloud gives kids a chance to explore genres and texts they wouldn’t normally select. “I often read the first chapter or two of a new book to my daughter to pull her into a book that she might not have chosen otherwise,” says Natalie Figge. There are so many amazing books that kids don’t pick to read on their own. These books make great read alouds — in what I call the “just give this book a chance” category.

Builds Awareness and Empathy

Literature is one of the best ways to help kids understand something without experiencing it for themselves. And books do this with all sorts of subjects and concepts, building our children’s understanding of humanity and the world around them.

Improves Kids’ Long-Term Reading Success

Finally, decades of research shows that reading aloud to a child daily is one of the most important activities for reading success. That goes for older kids, too. Kids who are read to have good vocabularies, write well, and do well overall in school (Hiebert, Scott, & Wilkinson, 1985 U. S. Department of Education meta-study of 10,000 studies). They’re also more likely to keep reading on their own.

Awesome Read-Alouds for Big Kids

Looking for some great books to read aloud to your big kid tonight? Click this link.

Last Call - Yearbooks!

Pre-order yours today for just $15! All orders must be placed by March 16th—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.

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!

UWO Free Classes

Jefferson PTO Movie Night - April 4th

Join us for family movie night on April 4th featuring Moana 2!

Doors open at 5:30 pm and the movie starts at 6:00. This flyer was sent home with students this week. If you wish to pre-order food please return the RSVP.

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.

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 April 7th 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 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
3/24-3/28 - No School | Spring Break

April

4/4 - PTO Family Movie Night
4/7 - PTO Meeting 5:30 pm in the Media Center
4/23 - Recess with Relatives!

May

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

June

6/4 - 5th Grade Promotion

Volunteer Reminders What Volunteer Opportunities are Available? - Ask a Librarian Delaware

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

District

Log In

Quicklinks

Jefferson Elementary School