December 6 Yearbook Photo Day December 7-8 Fall Drama—7:00 PM in the Auditorium December 13 ROCKS Movie—Leave JRG at 3:15, Return to JRG at 5:45 PM December 17 Mini-Course Overnight Trip Application Opens—8th Grade Only December 18 Band Concert—7:00 in the Large Gym December 19 Student Council—7:00 AM in the Small Gym December 21 Health Fair

Early Release—11:20 December 24-Jan. 1 No School January 2 Wrestling and Girls Basketball begin January 16 Student Council—7:00 AM in the Small Gym January 18 End of Quarter 2

Early Release—11:20 January 30 Student Council—7:00 AM in the Small Gym

Dec. 5

2018

Learning, Leadership and Laughter…The JRG Journey

Gator News

J.R. Gerritts Middle School • 545 S. John St. • Kimberly, WI • 920-788-7905

a Glance Upcoming

Performances

ACP and LMC

Mini Course

Information

Attendance Messages Your child’s safety is our top priority. For this reason, we send a message home via phone, email and text if a student has been marked absent for 2 or more periods. This is not intended to be a negative message, but rather a verification that your student is safe. At times, our voicemail system has been known to drop, or not save messages properly which may be why we try to contact you even though you have called in prior to the start of the school day. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at 788-7905.

Fall Drama Performance—December 7-8 Come and support your friends and classmates in the JRG fall drama. Two shows for the price of one! Boxes and Kokonut Island. Performances will be December 7 and 8 at 7:00 PM in the Auditorium. General seating tickets can be purchased at the door for $6:00. Tickets will also be available at Showtix4u.com

Happy And Busy Holidays To All From JRG The weeks between mid-November and late December are always a busy time, both at school and at home. Parent teacher conferences, our band and choir concerts, our fall play, as well as many sports, club and ROCKS activities are taking place. Our Student Council is also planning a spirit week, a candy cane sale to benefit victims of the California wildfires, and an opportunity for students to watch some classic holiday TV specials in our auditorium during their lunch periods (for more details on all of that, see this issue and future issues of the newsletter). All of that activity, when added to other stressors of family life, can sometimes add up to a lot of stress for students and families. In addition to increasing our students’ learning and problem solving, our district goals also emphasize making sure that our students are socially and emotionally healthy, and connecting those who are not to the resources they need to help them improve. At JRG, we’ve been looking at two questions related to this goal: How do we know who is struggling?, and What do we do when we know? Without going into too much detail, the answers to those questions lie both in the intentional relationships we develop with students, and in having systems in place to identify and support students. In a large school like JRG, it’s very important that students feel like they have at least one adult (and hopefully many more) at school that they trust and can talk to. Every year, we complete a survey with students and staff, and last year’s results showed that over 95% of our students had a strong connection to at least two staff members at JRG. We try to build those relationships through our TLCs, and in many other ways such as how we support students in the classroom, and giving students opportunities to connect to school beyond the school day. To learn more, we survey students multiple times per year on topics related to their social and emotional health, and use that information to identify students who need help, and to develop new approaches to help them. Our teachers, counselors and administrators also spend time on a weekly basis identifying students who have needs and making plans to support them. We also work with student leaders to teach them simple ways to support their fellow students through several programs, including Sources of Strength (a new approach we are trying this year). We also have mental health counseling available at JRG during the school day through the PATH program (see page 14). With all of the things we have in place, we always have room to get better. We also know that you as parents may see things in your child that we don’t. Based on a recent student survey, we know that 96% of our students say they have an adult at home that they can talk to. If you recognize a concern regarding your child’s social and emotional health that we might be able to help with, please reach out to your child’s counselor, a teacher or an administrator. Improving our student’s social and emotional health will help them achieve their potential in their Kimberly school career and in their life to come. We wish all of our families a safe, healthy, peaceful and joyous holiday season! Eric Brinkmann Principal

Emergency Medications Please be aware that emergency medications that are provided for use during the school day will not be accessible after school hours. Parents and students plan ahead to have emergency medication available during after school activities such as clubs and sports. If an emergency arises and a student does not have their emergency medication available, 911 will be called.

Mr. Hoerth’s Ex. Tech Photo of the Week Winner

Theme: Edited Photography

Congratulations to this week’s winner:

Mason Fortune

Band Holiday Concert - Tuesday, December 18 Please join us on Tuesday, December 18 for our holiday band concert in the large gym. Both the 7th grade and 8th grade band performances will begin at 7:00 PM. Parking and building access will be available from both the North (Teacher) and South (Football) parking lots. There will be an additional performance for the school on Wednesday morning at 7:45. Families unable to attend Tuesday evening are also welcome to attend the performance on Wednesday morning. This is a shorter version of the full concert.

Wrestling and Girls Basketball Begin January 2 Wrestling begins January 2. Practices will run daily from 3:10-5:00 PM in the wrestling room. Girls Basketball tryouts will be held January 2-4. Girls must be present all three days. 8th grade tryouts will be from 3:10-4:30; 7th grade tryouts will be from 4:30-6:00. Please see the letter on page 4 from Athletic Director Mary Hammen for detailed information concerning the tryout process. All athletes must have a current athletic form on file prior to their first meet/game. The form can be found on our website under the Athletics tab in Student Activities or by clicking here.

Overnight Mini Courses—8th Grade On Thursday, Dec. 13, our 8th graders will be made aware of the process for Overnight Mini Course sign ups. All 8th graders are eligible to apply for an Overnight Mini Course beginning Monday, Dec. 17, at noon. Each 8th grader will receive an email at the same time on Monday that will allow them to apply for one of the limited spots on one of the 3 Overnight Mini Courses. They must also submit an essay with their application. This essay must explain the following items: 1) Why they would like to be part of an overnight mini course 2) What qualities they have exhibited to qualify as "exemplary behavior" 3) How this experience will benefit them in the future as they think about possible careers The deadline for application is Thursday, Dec. 20 at 3:00 pm or once all the spots are filled. Lists of students who will be attending the overnight trips will be posted after break. Detailed general information concerning Mini Courses can be found of page 4 of this newsletter. Contact Student Services with any questions.

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Student Council Candy Cane Sale Student Council members will be selling candy canes December 13-20. All proceeds will be going to support GlobalGiving’s California Wildfire Relief Fund ( https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/california-wildfire-relief-fund/ ). Candy canes will be sold for 50 cents in the commons during both 7th and 8th grade lunches.

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Congratulations to JRG’s Choir Students On Their Performance JRG’s choir students performed at Kimberly High School December 3 for their 2018 Holiday Concert. Thank you for all of your hard work and outstanding performances!

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Message About Athletic Tryouts From Our Athletic Director Dear Parents and Athletes: Tryouts for the girls basketball program will be held soon, and we would like to share more information about the process. This is an exciting time, but can also be a time of high emotions and tensions for parents, players, and coaches. JRG offers two teams at each grade level, but because the numbers of girls interested are usually high, we must use a tryout system for this sport. We hope to answer some of the questions you may have about this process. The tryout period will last 2 to 4 days and will be held in the large gym at JRG. The 8th graders will practice 3:10-4:30 and 7th graders 4:30-6:00. Players must attend all tryout dates. Tryout dates: Wednesday, Jan. 2nd 1st day of try-outs Thursday, Jan. 3rd 2nd day of try-outs (some cuts will be made this day) Friday, Jan. 4th 3rd day of try-outs (final cuts could be made, or if needed we will have a 4th day of try-outs). Each practice session will last about 1 ½ hours. We will keep a total of 30 players. Once the teams have been decided the coaches will divide the players into 2 equal teams. Many factors will go into the decision on whether or not a player makes the teams. Our coaches do the best they can to fairly evaluate all the players. Coaches use the same rating system for all students, and we often bring in additional coaches from middle and high school to help us evaluate players. Some of the factors considered are: 1. The player’s fundamental basketball skills including shooting, dribbling, passing, defense and court awareness. 2. How the player functions as a teammate and leader. 3. The player’s attitude and effort. Students who do not make the team are encouraged to continue working on their skills and to tryout again next year.. Almost every year, we have students who make the team in grade 8 who did not make the team in grade 7 because they continued to play and work on their skills. There are many ways to improve, such as playing in other organized leagues or by attending one of the many camps that are offered in our area. Feedback Available To Players Who Do Not Make The Team: If a player wants to know what they could work on to better their chances next year we encourage them to ask the coaches. They can either approach the coach after practice or set up a time to meet with them the next day at school. We encourage you to allow the athlete to have this discussion, as it is a great life skill. If you have questions about this process, please feel free to contact me. Respectfully, Mary Hammen Athletic Director/Physical Education Teacher (920) 423-4106

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JRG Mini Courses 2019:

Everything You Need to Know!

_______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

Mini Courses are a two-day opportunity for your child to be exposed to and explore new and exciting experiences. Our staff will provide a variety of engaging courses revolving around various interests, hobbies and life skills for your child to choose from. Courses vary in length and location, allowing students to take up to three courses based on their choices! Mini Courses are both engaging and align with our ACP work around career, college and life exploration. Through this experience, students will be exposed to at least one career field or industry in a fun, exciting way.

Important Dates:

12/17/18: Overnight Mini Course applications being accepted- 8th grade ONLY

1/3/19: A Mini Course registration form and a booklet describing all course options will be sent home. A Parent Signature is REQUIRED on the registration form for your student to sign-up for mini courses. ***Please note the amount of money each course costs is listed. Your signature gives your child permission to spend that amount of money.

1/10/19: 8th Grade Mini Course Sign-Up

1/11/19: 7th Grade Mini Course Sign-Up

1/21/19: Permission slips will be passed out

2/1/19: ALL Money (cash or check) & permission slips are due.

Money and permission slips must be turned in TOGETHER.

2/8/2019: Mini Course Run-through day

2/13 - 2/14/19: Mini Courses 2018!

Mini Courses are a privilege

While we want every child to experience Mini Courses in its entirety, Mini Courses are a privilege. Students who disrupt the learning environment will be removed from the mini course. If students on overnight courses do not follow our community values, the leader of that course will be contacting the child’s parent/guardian to pick up the student from that course.

*Contact Student Services at 423-4105 if you have any questions!

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The Kimberly Area School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, (including limited English proficiency), ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, homelessness status, sex, including transgender status, change of sex or gender identity, disability,

age (except as authorized by law), military status or physical, mental, emotional, or learning disability in any of its student programs or activities.

J.R. Gerritts Middle School * 545 S. John Street * Kimberly, WI 54136 (P) 920-788-7905 (F) 920-788-7914 (E) JRG@kimberly.k12.wi.us

JRG Club Information Student Must Be a ROCKS Member to participate

Dates are also listed on the JRG Events Calendar

Art Club - 3:00-4:00 Contact: Ms. Dagesse, Room 436 (rdagesse@kimberly.k12.wi.us) **Sign up outside the Art Room by the Friday before if you plan to attend if possible for supply planning** December: 17

Coding Club—3:00-4:00 (click here for an informational Scratch commercial)

Contact: Ms. Froze, Room 111 (afroze@kimberly.k12.wi.us)

December: 6, 10, 13, 17, 20

January: 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21, 24, 28, 31

February: 4, 7, 11, 18, 21, 25, 28

March: 4, 7, 11, 18, 21, 25, 28

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Weather Cancellations and Delays Winter is right around the corner. If weather conditions dictate that there will be no school or a delayed start, a decision to keep the schools closed is usually made by 6:00 a.m. Parents with students in school receive a direct call, text and/or email from our auto-call system through Infinite Campus since that is the fastest way to communicate with thousands of parents at one time. As a reminder: If you have a new phone number or email address, please update your information in the Infinite Campus parent portal or contact your school’s secretary to update the portal. Announcements are also sent to local T.V. and radio stations, please tune to local stations such as these rather than call the school directly: WAPL-105.7FM, WIXX-101.1FM, WHBY-1150AM, WKFX-104.9FM, WEMI-91.9 FM, WTAQ-97.5FM/1360AM, WWWX-96.9FM and WGEE-93.5FM; and WBAY-TV2, WFRV-TV5, WGBA-TV26, and WLUK-FOX11. If other school events, such as concerts or sporting events are also cancelled because of weather, they are typically communicated through these stations as well. The District’s website and Facebook page are not our primary way to communicate school closures, so we ask parents to listen to the auto-call messages or tune in to the radio and T.V. stations listed for the timeliest updates.

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Project Starfish Intended to Help Families in Financial Need Limited Financial Assistance is available for activities, events and programs at JRG Middle School through Project Starfish. In partnership with U. S. Ventures, Inc., JRG is proud to Continue its participation with Project Starfish. Project Starfish provides an opportunity for students to develop a plan to volunteer within the school community and "pay it forward" in an effort to make a difference to others. This could be anything from helping clean up school property; helping in the office, weeding, or an approved project the student may self select. Participants in Project Starfish remain confidential, must demonstrate financial hardship and must complete their volunteer work prior to the activity. Forms to participate in Project Starfish can be picked up in the Student Services office. Submission of a request does not guarantee assistance.

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Follow JRG on Instagram, ‘Like’ Us on Facebook

JRG can be found on Facebook at Facebook.com/JRGerritts. In addition, JRG is now on Instagram at JRGMSOfficial. These resources are used to provide occasional school-wide updates and for reminders about various upcoming events. Families also find it's fun to check out the hundreds of pictures of students participating in events, activities and other learning experiences at JRG.

Additional Opportunities Available on the KASD Community Events Page While many community opportunities are included in our weekly newsletters, additional events and opportunities are also posted on the District webpage under Community Events, or by clicking here. Links to items such as Park and Rec opportunities, community dances, educational opportunities, speakers, and local festivals can be found there. Appleton Boy Choir Auditions - December 17 Kimberly 2018 Winter Baseball Camp - December 26 and 27 Kimberly 2018 Winter Softball Camp - December 28 Kimberly Cardinal Fastpitch Registration Flyer

Family Move - Outside of the Kimberly Area School District

When a family moves outside of the Kimberly Area School District, students may continue to attend the school where they are currently enrolled if they qualify for a Tuition Waiver (obtained from the district office). Students who qualify for a Tuition Waiver are entitled to continue their enrollment through the waiver period. However, they are required to apply for Open Enrollment during the next Open Enrollment application period if they want to remain in the Kimberly Area School District after the Tuition Waiver has expired. For additional information, please contact Jen Bixler at (920)423-4166 or email her at jbixler@kimberly.k12.wi.us

Family Move - Within the Kimberly Area School District

When a family move occurs within the Kimberly Area School District, students may continue to attend the school where they are currently enrolled even though their residence has changed to another Kimberly Area School District attendance area. Parents who wish to have their student(s) remain in the same school after a move within the school district must complete the School Request Form located on the district website under Student & Parents>Enrollment>Attendance and return it to the district office Attn: Sara Vogel. For additional information regarding school request contact Sara Vogel at (920)423-4122.

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Rob DeLain KASD Homeless Liaison

920.788.7905

Kristine Nadolski 608.267.7338