Jones Middle School

April 2019

Be Responsible	Be Respectful	Be Safe

Jones Middle School 2100 Arlington Avenue Upper Arlington, OH 43221 614.487.5080

Mr. Jason Fine Principal Ext 3001
jfine@uaschools.org

Mrs. Tammy Yockey Assistant Principal Ext 3002
tyockey@uaschools.org

Dear Jones Families,

Spring is here! The weather is finally starting to feel a bit warmer, which our spring sports participants appreciate! There are many athletes participating in sports this spring, so be sure to come and watch them compete. We are proud of our Jones Bears!

April is also the month of AIR testing. We try to help kids be prepared, but to keep the testing in perspective. Our emphasis is to simply do your best! Parents, you can help by making sure your student has a good healthy breakfast, brings a book to read, and comes to school with a fully charged computer.

As always, please reach out if there is anything we can do to help.

Sincerely,

Jason Fine Jason Fine

Upper Arlington Pillars of Ethical Behavior

Fairness and Justice Respect for Self and Others Responsibility Trustworthiness
Caring and Compassion

Citizenship	1

Important Dates:

April 2 - Language Arts AIR Assessment, 6th - 8th Grades April 3 - Language Arts AIR Assessment, 6th - 8th Grades April 9 - Math AIR Assessment , 6th - 8th Grades
April 10 - Math AIR Assessment, 6th - 8th Grades April 12 - Talent Show, 7pm
April 16 - Science AIR Assessment, 8th Grade

April 17 - 8th Grade Respect Yourself Parent Preview, Hastings M.S., 8th Grade April 18 - Respect Yourself Presentation, 8th Grade Students ONLY
April 19 - No School

April 25 - 8th Grade Shadow Day

April 26 - Hoops for a Cause at UAHS at 7:30pm May 1 - 6th Grade Honors Awards, 5:30pm
May 1 - 7th Grade Honors Awards, 7:30pm

May 6 - Washington DC Student/Parent Meeting, 7pm May 7 - No School for Students, Primary Election Day May 8 - 7th & 8th Grade Spring Pops Concert, 7pm May 9 - Band Concert, 7pm (Grades 5 - 8)
May 10 - 7th & 8th Orchestra Grade Ice Cream Social, 7pm May 13 - 8th Grade Lunch on the Mallway
May 13 – Spring Sports Recognition, 6:30pm May 14 - 17, 8th Grade Washington DC Trip May 15 - 6th Grade Choir Showcase, 7pm
May 20 - 5th & 6th Grade Orchestra Concert, 7pm May 20 - 21 - 7th Grade Camp, House East
May 22 - 23 - 7th Grade Camp, House West

May 24 - 8th Grade Recognition and 8th Grade Honors Awards, 4pm May 24 - 6th Grade Pool Party – End of the day
May 24 - Last Day of School

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News from the Nurse

Jane Mead, M.Ed.,RN,LSN School nurse

jmead@uaschools.org	614-487-5091	Fax 614-487-5307

Attention all 8th grade parents of students going to DC

I will be the school nurse accompanying the 8th grade students on May 14-17th to Washington, DC. Through adequate planning and common sense our DC trips have gone exceedingly well in the past. My goal is to make this year’s DC trip even better.

Self- Administered Medication is allowed, if you feel your child can responsibly do this. -	Send only the amount needed for the three-day trip.
-	Send in the original or a pharmacy labeled container.
-	Instruct your child not to share medication with others. -	You DO NOT need a doctor’s authorization for this.

The school nurse must administer your child’s controlled prescribed medication as is commonly prescribed for ADHD, such as Adderall, Focalin, and Vyvanse. It often takes several days to a week to get the required doctor’s signature for prescription medication. Please plan ahead.

Nurse administered medication:
-	Send only the amount needed for the three-day trip. It will be confusing if you add “extra” medication.
-	Send in the original or pharmacy labeled container.
-	A physician authorization form for each medication including directions for administration is required. A prescribed medication authorization form can be downloaded from the Upper Arlington Schools website uaschools.org. Select à Student & Families àHealth Forms àPrescribed Medication Authorization.

Bring the medication into the health office no later than Wednesday May 8th- earlier is better!

Thank you for your cooperation in helping to make this a great trip! Please email jmead@uaschools.org or call me 614-487-5091 (clinic) for any health related questions you have!

Jane Mead, RN School Nurse

Bring the medication for the trip into the health office no later than Wednesday May 8th-earlier is better!

Please contact me if you have any questions about the forms or the trip. I will be in attendance for the DC Parent meeting in May to answer questions.

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Meet Our Teachers

Get to know our Jones staff. Each month we will feature one group. This month we feature Global Language, Math, and Concillium.

From left: Emily Alaudini, Cynthia Luce Miller, Julie Gomez, Martha von Hillebrandt, Patricia Gray Mendoza, Kim Johnson, Christy Charlton

Doug Darfus	Brian Shininger

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Christy Charlton teaches German in grades 6, 7, and 8. She goes to many Jones sporting events, musical performances, and she is a mentor advisor. She attended Miami University for both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Her husband Ron is an engineering and design teacher at Worthington Kilbourne High School, and her son Spencer is a sophomore at Ohio University studying journalism. Frau Charlton has a grey tabby cat named George and a mutt/mix dog with a big underbite named Chewie (Chewbacca.) Her favorite hobbies include working out, listening to podcasts, and going to alternative/indie concerts. She also enjoys reading when she has time, and doing puzzles. Her favorite part of teaching is, “I think middle school kids are the greatest and find that interacting with the students and getting to know them as learners and people is really rewarding and fun. I am passionate about the subject that I teach, and I love seeing kids learn new things and use the language.”

Doug Darfus teaches Algebra 1 and Honors Geometry. He has also taught Math 8, Intervention Math 8, and Math 7/8. This year Mr. Darfus is not participating in any extra-curricular activities, but in the past he has been the co-cordinator for the DC trip, Mathematics Department Chair, locker coordinator, and web master. Mr. Darfus attended The Ohio State University. He and his wife Becky have 3 sons, Noah 17, Elijah 15, Josiah 10. He and his family are currently working on becoming full-time missionaries to the Native American youth and families. You can read more at TheDarfusFamily.org if you are interested. His hobbies are sleeping and DIY projects. His favorite part of teaching are the students and his colleagues.

Julie Gomez teaches 6th and 7th grade Spanish and is involved in the Spanish Club and the Talent Show. She attended Marquette University. She and her husband live in Upper Arlington and have 4 children: Catalina (17), Elena (14), Javier (10), and Mateo (10). She has three dogs, and loves photography, traveling, and running. Mrs. Gomez’s favorite part of teaching is getting to know her students, sharing her excitement for the Spanish language and culture, and seeing her students develop as Spanish speakers.

Mrs. Kim Johnson teaches 6th, 7th, and 8th grade French, and is the French Club advisor. She attended Wright State University for her undergraduate degree and THE Ohio State University for her Master’s Degree, and is currently taking courses towards her TESOL endorsement at OSU. She lives in Hilliard with her husband, daughter, and son. They are a very close-knit family and like to spend time together taking walks at local parks or going to movies and restaurants. Her family has four cats and one dog, and her current motto is: “Cat hair is my glitter!” In her free time she loves to read, cook, listen to music, watch home design and cooking shows, and travel. I also love to learn new languages! Her favorite part of teaching: “Helping students grow! I really enjoy sharing my love of all things French with my students. Seeing them get excited about French is wonderful! It is so cool to see how much students progress with their language and culture skills from the start of the year to the end, and from 6th grade to 7th grade to 8th grade. Middle schoolers are the best because they aren’t afraid to be a little silly and have fun as they learn, but at the same time, they are sophisticated learners and know how to “do
school.” I care about my students and want them all to do well - in school and in life.

Cynthia Luce Miller teaches 7th and 8th grade Spanish, and helps with Fall Production, talent show, Spanish Club, and is the Bookroom Supervisor. She attended Mount Union College for her undergraduate degree and The Ohio State University for her Master’s Degree. She lives in Upper Arlington with her two daughters, Lydia and Chloe and they
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like to travel whenever possible and spend time at the beach. Mrs. Luce loves to travel, read, dance, and play cards or board games. She also likes to entertain and spend time with friends and family. Her favorite part of teaching is the students. She loves their energy and silliness, as well as the drama and shyness. She loves watching kids enter as 6th graders and leave as high schoolers. I try to show them that I care and that they are important.

Patricia Gray Mendoza teaches 6th and 8th grade Spanish and is involved with Fall Production. The received both her bachelors and masters degrees from The Ohio State University. She and her husband live in Upper Arlington and have 2 children who attend Barrington Elementary. They have an adorable 7 pound Havanese dog named Chuy. Mrs. Mendoza loves to travel, especially with her family. While vacationing, I love to find different trails to hike as well as and local restaurants and cuisines. I enjoy watching foreign films and series. I love to read when I have time. Her favorite part of teaching? “I love spending my day with middle schoolers. Their unique energy keeps us motivated and encourages us to keep things relevant and strive for excellence. Their excitement and love of learning inspires me to continue to learn new things and continue to take
risks. Helping them navigate this age is challenging and rewarding at the same time. I feel fortunate to spark their interest in the Spanish language as well as the culture of Spanish speaking countries. Watching them grow as students of the language and culture with our amazing department is very rewarding.”

Brian Shininger teaches Mathematics 7 and Mathematics 7/8. He is also the advisor for the Stock Club and also helps with 6th grade camp, 7th grade camp, and Ski Club. He attended The Ohio State University. He and his wife Sara have an 8 month old baby boy named James and a dog named Jolene. Mr. Shininger enjoys playing basketball, fishing, camping, playing the guitar, and is currently remodeling his basement. Mr. Shininger’s favorite part of teaching is when kids get excited about learning – so excited that they want to eat lunch in your room just to work on math.

Alice Speegle teaches 6th grade Concillium at Jones. She attended The Ohio State University. She has 3 kids – Grady 14, Eleanor 11, and Cyrus 9. She also has 2 stepkids aged 22 and 28, and 4 grandkids. Mrs. Speegle enjoys watching baseball (especially Grady’s team) and baking with Eleanor. Her favorite part of teaching is “when we are talking about a topic or reading a story and people start asking interesting questions and start making connections and we all get excited and then there are more questions and more...so basically my favorite part is the learning. “

Martha von Hillebrandt teaches Español 7 at Jones and Deutsch 7 at Hastings. She helps with Spanish club and volunteers with Packing For the Streets, and had a cameo in the fall musical--the Jones productions are spectacular! She attended Westminster College (PA) to study German and French, and Ohio state to study Spanish. She also has an M.Ed from Ohio State. She and her husband Rob live in Powell and have 5 grown children who live out of town. She also has an adorable grandson named Hector (20 months) who lives with his parents in Wisconsin. Mrs. Von Hillebrandt loves reading, gardening, and tandem cycling with her husband. She is also a “roadie” with his Celtic Rock Band, the McIans. Her favorite part of teaching is working one on one with students, particularly those that have a developing passion for learning global languages.
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For Your Information

The Stand Project is a community coalition committed to impacting youth substance misuse and standing by families in finding help. Learn more by
visiting TheStandProject.org. Stay informed by following The Stand Project on facebook | twitter | instagram or subscribing to our monthly newsletter.

8 Tips for a Safe Prom & Graduation | Protect a Life
It might not seem like it, but Prom and Graduation season are right around the corner. Follow along with us on social media as we reveal 8 Tips for a safe and healthy Prom and Graduation Season: facebook | twitter | instagram

Breaking Points | A Community Conversation 
Apr 11 | 10:30AM | UA Public Library | 2800 Tremont Road | Google Calendar | ICS Apr 11 | 6:30PM | Grandview High School Auditorium | 1587 West 3rd Ave | Google Calendar | ICS
HOMEWORK. COLLEGE ESSAYS. SOCIAL MEDIA. SPORTS. VOLUNTEERING. PART-TIME JOBS. FRIENDS. Teens' lives are jam-packed from the time they wake up until the time they can finally sleep and just keeping up is a daily struggle for some. BREAKING POINTS, a short documentary intended for adults that explores the stress and pressures our teens face every day, as well as the unhealthy ways that many of them cope. A discussion will follow including a Nationwide Children's specialist in adolescent medicine and addiction medicine, as well as school counselors and Syntero clinicians.

Thanks to the generous support of the Jones PTO, author Alan Gratz will be visiting
	
Jones on May 9th. Alan Gratz is the author of several books for children and young
		
adults, including New York Times bestseller Refugee.

Mr. Gratz will autograph books while he is at Jones. You may purchase a book at any
	
book retailer, including Cover to Cover, and drop it off in the Jones Learning Cente prior to May 2nd if you would like to have it signed by the author. Read more about
	r
	
Alan Gratz here.

Author Visit

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Yearbook Information

Please remember to purchase your 2018-2019 yearbook. It is easy to do and you place your order online at Jostens.com. Search Jones Middle School and select 2019 Yearbook. The cost is $45 and the book will be mailed to your home toward the end of July. If you are unsure if you have purchased one yet please contact Nicole Morgan at nmorgan@uaschools.org. If you plan to move this summer or have changed your address this school year, please send your updated mailing address to Nicole Morgan at nmorgan@uaschools.org.

Also, if you take any pictures of Spring sports, class parties, Washington DC, 7th grade camp, etc. we would love to have them. Just put them onto a flash drive and drop off in the main office or email them to nmorgan@uaschools.org.

Thank you,

Mrs. Nicole Morgan and Mrs. Janie Greiner nmorgan@uaschools.org or jgreiner@uaschools.org

HOOPS FOR A CAUSE (New name, same great event!)

Save the date! The 12th annual “Hoops for a Cause” will be held on Friday, April 26th, 2019, in the main gym of Upper Arlington High School. The staff of Jones Middle School will take on the staff of Hastings Middle School in a fun-filled basketball game to raise money for the cause of defeating cancer and other diseases that affect our community.

Tickets for the game will be sold ahead of time at Jones and Hastings for $5 a piece; the price at the door will be $8. T-shirts will also be on sale for $10 for solid colors and $15 for tie-dye shirts. Teachers will also be getting crazy for a cure beginning Wednesday, April 17th. We are encouraging students to bring in change during their lunch periods to donate directly to the teachers of their choice in order to see them get a little crazy on game day!

The staffs of Jones and Hastings are very excited about supporting these important causes and sponsoring this spirited evening of basketball and half-time entertainment. And, as we are very competitive with our cross-town rival, we want to pack the house!!! Please consider supporting us. Doors will open at 7:00 P.M. and tip-off will be at 7:30 P.M.

Since this event first started, we have raised over $90,000 for cancer research. Our goal this year is to break the $100,000 mark. Make your donation payable to Jones Middle School, and please put Hoops for a Cause in the memo!

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new sports. His Capstone project at UAHS
	revolves around early specialization in youth
	
sports and how it can have negative effects on athletes.

Attention 8th Grade boys

Former Jones student Reed Ray is sponsoring a water polo clinic to help expose students to

Questions? Please contact Reed at reedswims@gmail.com

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UA Schools Summer Academy Summer Math Camp

This is a summer course for elementary and middle school students who will use their school-issued computers and the ALEKS program to build math skills. ALEKS is a web-based learning program that assesses what a student knows and does not know for each grade level, then builds a personalized learning plan based upon what the student is most ready to
learn. This class is excellent for students who seek to strengthen and extend their previous years math knowledge. Students will work at their own pace, in class, and at home, with guidance from high school tutors and middle school math teachers. As students gain mastery of topics, they will be continually reassessed to make sure that knowledge is retained. The ALEKS program has been offered with great success to select students in the Upper Arlington Schools for over ten years as a tool for math remediation and acceleration.

Course Instructors:	Mr. Jim Fronk	Mr. Darrion House Math Teacher	Intervention Specialist
Jones Middle School	Jones Middle School jfronk@uaschools.org	dhouse@uaschools.org 614 488-1235	937 360-1958
Dates:	This course runs Monday through Thursday, starting May 29th through June 27th.

Time:

Location:

Grade Level:

Cost:

9am – 10am

Jones Middle School, Room 123

3 through 8

$225 Resident, $250 Non-Resident

Registration:	Limited to first 70 students registered. Registration deadline is May 26th. Register at parks.uaoh.net. Select course code 923003 for students entering grades 3 through 5 and course code 923011 for students entering grades 6 through 8.

Due to summer schedules and travel, it is expected that students will miss
sessions. Attendance at all sessions is not mandatory. By registering for this class, your student will keep their school-issued computer during the summer.

This is an Upper Arlington Schools sponsored course.

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