Our Student Council led the way, and our Jefferson community collected **734 food items**! All donations went to **Information Referral Services** to help support families in our community.
🏆 1st: 3rd Grade — 232 items
🥈 2nd: 1st Grade — 157 items
🥉 3rd: PK/TK/Kindergarten — 127 items
⭐ 4th: 2nd Grade — 89 items
⭐ 5th: 4th Grade — 77 items
⭐ 6th: 5th Grade — 52 items
Thank you to our students, caregivers, and staff for every donation, and to our Student Council for turning an idea into action! We’re proud to see our students RISE UP and help others beyond our school walls.
**Together, we can do hard things—and make a difference!**
Parent-Teacher Conferences are a chance to celebrate growth, discuss next steps, ask questions, and work together to help your child succeed. We want every Jefferson student to have a caregiver connected with their teacher!
📅 November 23: 1–7 p.m.
📅 November 24: 1–6 p.m.
✅ Reserve your conference time by scanning the QR code or signing up here:
[Conference Sign-Up](https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/Jefferson_Elementary_School_7)
📚 Our Book Fair is coming November 23 and 24, too! Be on the lookout for more information, including book suggestions and book preview dates. Visit the link below for details and instructions on setting up an eWallet so your student can choose a book of their own!
[Book Fair Details & eWallet Setup](https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/jeffersonelementaryschool5)
Need help scheduling your conference? Contact your child’s teacher or call our office at (563) 243-0479.
We can’t wait to connect with you. Together, we can do hard things!
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10 — KINGS DAY! 💙
Happy Tuesday, Jefferson!
Today’s quote comes from Althea Gibson: “No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you.” Think about something you have accomplished and the people who cooperated with you to help make it happen!
🇺🇸 TODAY AND TOMORROW — PATRIOTIC DAY!
Students may participate in our Yearbook Dress-Up Day for $1, with proceeds going toward student yearbooks.
🇺🇸 Veterans Day Assembly
🎻 4th Grade Orchestra
📸 Tomorrow: Picture Retake Day, 🇺🇸 Veterans Day Assembly
🎂 Birthday Spotlight:
No birthdays at Jefferson today!
☀️ Weather: Sunny with a high around 62°F and a chilly morning near the low 40s. Please have students wear pants and bring a coat to school every day.
⏰ FRIDAY: 2-hour early out at 12:45 PM and NO PRESCHOOL.
Book Fair is coming up during Conferences! Please take a look at a new way you can add money to an ewallet for your student!: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/jeffersonelementaryschool5
RESPECT • INTEGRITY • SAFETY • EXCELLENCE
Each week, our Attendance Champs are randomly selected from students and staff who were here **100% of the previous week.** Congratulations to this week’s winners!
• TK/Kindergarten — Kenji Parsons
• 1st grade — Chance Sherman
• 2nd grade — Greyson Smice
• 3rd grade — Kinnlei Sibley
• 4th grade — Dakota Babers
• 5th grade — Carson DeMarr
• Staff — Mrs. Keefer
No Attendance Belt this week because we did not have a grade level over 95%! Here is to a better week!
Thank you to our families for helping students show up ready to learn, connect, and grow. Let’s keep working toward our **95% attendance goal!**
Our Excellence Award celebrates staff members who model Excellence through their dedication to students and support for one another. Nominated by their colleagues, each recipient holds the Excellence sign alongside students holding R, I, S, E, Respect, Integrity, Safety signs and helps lead our RISE UP chant in front of the entire school during our Monday Morning Meeting!
Since stepping into a new role, Mrs. Taylor has embraced the opportunity to learn and grow. She continues to build her expertise, ask questions, and find ways to better support our students. Her willingness to take on new challenges shows that “We Can Do Hard Things” applies to adults, too!
Mrs. Taylor’s patience and calm presence make a difference when students need extra support. She stays steady through challenging moments, responds with compassion, and gives students the time and encouragement they need to work through big emotions. Her colleagues recognize the care and persistence that she brings to this work, and we’re proud to celebrate her!
Thank you, Mrs. Taylor, for continuing to grow, supporting your teammates, and helping our students through hard things.
Hold that Excellence sign proudly, Mrs. Taylor—you’ve earned it! Let’s go!
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9 — PRIDE DAY! 💚
Good morning, Jefferson families!
We’re continuing our November focus on COOPERATION! Today we’re talking about ways to cooperate in class: understand your role, take turns, break big projects into smaller jobs, help one another, and share the work!
🏆 We’ll also celebrate our 100% Attendance Champs!
🎶 Today: Choir Practice — 7:15 AM
📸🇺🇸 Wednesday: Picture Retake Day, Veterans Day Assembly + Patriotic Yearbook Dress-Up Day!
🎂 Happy Birthday!
Miley Evans — Kindergarten — 6!
☀️ Weather: Sunny with a high around 63°F. It will be chilly in the morning, so please send students to school in pants and with a coat every day this week!
⏰ FRIDAY REMINDER: 2-hour early out at 12:45 PM and NO PRESCHOOL.
Book Fair is coming up during Conferences! Please take a look at a new way you can add money to an ewallet for your student!: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/jeffersonelementaryschool5
WE CAN DO HARD THINGS! YES, WE CAN!
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6 — BLACK DAY! 🖤
Happy Friday, Jefferson!
Today we’re celebrating a student or staff member who showed COOPERATION this week! Think about someone who helped a group, listened to others, shared responsibility, or worked together to get something accomplished.
⏰ 2-HOUR EARLY OUT AT 12:45 PM
🚫 NO PRESCHOOL
🎺 Band / 5th Grade Orchestra
🎂 Birthday Spotlight:
Happy Birthday, Ms. Karen Grimm!
🌤️ Weather: Partly sunny and cool with a high around 62°F.
📅 Coming Next Week:
🇺🇸 Tuesday — Patriotic Yearbook Dress-Up Day! $1 to participate; proceeds support student yearbooks
📸 Wednesday — Picture Retake Day
🇺🇸 Wednesday — Veterans Day Assembly at 9:00 AM
⏰ Friday — 2-hour early out at 12:45 PM
🚫 Friday — NO PRESCHOOL
RESPECT • INTEGRITY • SAFETY • EXCELLENCE
WE CAN DO HARD THINGS! YES, WE CAN!
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5 — QUEENS DAY! 💗
Happy Thursday!
Our cooperation challenge today is to choose one way to help a group reach its goal. Take turns, do your share, listen to others, and put cooperation into action!
🎶 Choir Practice — 7:15 AM
🎻 4th Grade Orchestra
🤝 PTA Meeting — 2:45 PM in the LRC
LAST DAY TO ORDER WREATHS!
🎂 BIG Birthday Day at Jefferson!
🎉 Ms. Cassidy Balk
🎉 Ms. Kristi Kilburg
🎉 Issac Ballard — Kindergarten — 6!
🎉 Kayleonna Frazier — 4th Grade — 10!
🎉 Lylliannah Rose — Kindergarten — 6!
🎉 Nia Simpson — Kindergarten — 6!
🎉 Owen Determan — 4th Grade — 10!
☀️ Weather: Mostly sunny and cooler with a high around 64°F.
🚨 TOMORROW:
⏰ 2-hour early out at 12:45 PM
🚫 NO PRESCHOOL
🇺🇸 Next Tuesday: Yearbook Dress-Up Day — Patriotic Day! $1 to participate, with proceeds going toward student yearbooks.
WE CAN DO HARD THINGS! YES, WE CAN!
Each week, we randomly draw our Attendance Champs from students and staff who had 100% attendance the previous week. Congratulations to our champs for October 26–30!
• Kindergarten — Jaxon Paulsen
• 1st grade — Rylen Johns
• 2nd grade — Javontez Washington
• 3rd grade — Cristofer Rocha Reyes
• 4th grade — Kayleonna Frazier
• 5th grade — Karly Brandenburg
• Staff — Mrs. Brown
Way to go, 5th grade! You earned the attendance belt with 95.6% attendance, the highest in the school last week!
And a big cheer for our First Quarter Attendance Champs, 3rd grade! Our third graders topped 95% attendance every single week of the first quarter. That streak earned them a pizza party! 🍕
Thank you to our Jefferson families for helping our students show up ready to learn. Rise Up, Jefferson!
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4 — OSKEEWAWA DAY! 🧡
Happy Wednesday, Jefferson!
Cooperation also means learning how to work through disagreements. If a conflict happens, pause, listen to each other, use calm words, and work together toward a fair solution.
🎺 Today: Band / 5th Grade Orchestra
🤝 Student Council Meeting — 2:45 PM in Mrs. Bormann’s Room
🎂 Birthday Spotlight:
No birthdays at Jefferson today!
🌦️ Weather: A chance of showers in the morning, then becoming partly sunny. High around 64°F.
📅 Tomorrow: PTA Meeting at 2:45 PM in the LRC
⏰ FRIDAY REMINDER: 2-hour early out at 12:45 PM and NO PRESCHOOL.
We’re hiring one-on-one and intervention paraprofessionals who want to make a difference for students every day. If you enjoy working with kids, building relationships, and being part of a team, we’d love to hear from you!
- $16.26 per hour
- School-day hours
- Summers and holidays off
Apply online and schedule an interview with our Jefferson team:
Apply for a paraeducator position: https://www.applitrack.com/clintonia/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Paraeducators
Schedule a 30 minute interview: https://app.usemotion.com/meet/jr-kuch/meeting
Please share this post with someone who would be a great addition to our Jefferson family!
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3 — RED DAY! ❤️
Happy Tuesday, Jefferson!
Helen Keller reminds us, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Today, think about the strengths you bring to a group and how your talents can help others when you work together.
🎻 Today: 4th Grade Orchestra
🎂 Happy Birthday!
Kurtis Turner — 3rd Grade — 9!
🌧️ Weather: A rainy day is expected, with showers likely throughout the day. High around 71°F.
📅 Coming Up:
Tomorrow — Student Council Meeting at 2:45 PM in Mrs. Bormann’s Room
Thursday — PTA Meeting at 2:45 PM in the LRC
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2 — KINGS DAY! 💙
Good morning, Jefferson families!
November is all about COOPERATION! Cooperation means working together to reach shared goals. Whether we are solving a problem in class, playing together at recess, or helping at home, there are lots of ways to practice cooperation!
🏆 Today we’ll also celebrate our 100% Attendance Champs and Grade Level Attendance Champ!
🎶 Today: Choir Practice — 7:15 AM
🎂 Happy Birthday!
Nicole Bell — 4th Grade — 10!
🌧️ Weather: Cloudy with showers becoming likely, especially later in the day. High around 69°F.
📅 Coming Up:
Wednesday — Student Council Meeting at 2:45 PM
Thursday — PTA Meeting at 2:45 PM in the LRC
⏰ FRIDAY REMINDER: 2-hour early out at 12:45 PM and NO PRESCHOOL.
WE CAN DO HARD THINGS! YES, WE CAN!
Congratulations to Kaden Sandoval Miller, Kazen Jacobs, Izayah Meese, Tavian Threatt, Quinn Drevyanko, Lyle Draheim, Paul Fernandes, and Blaine Petersen!
From helping classmates and keeping our school clean to working hard and doing the right thing, these Jefferson students show what it means to RISE UP every day! ❤️🖤
⭐ RESPECT • INTEGRITY • SAFETY • EXCELLENCE ⭐
We’re proud of each of you! Join us in celebrating our October champs! 👏
💚 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30 — PRIDE DAY!
📣🎉 IT’S RISE UP! RALLY DAY, JEFFERSON! 🎉📣
Today we celebrate US—our students, our staff, and the everyday choices that make Jefferson a great place to learn!
❤️ SHOW RESPECT!
⭐ SHOW INTEGRITY!
🙌 BE SAFE!
🏆 PURSUE EXCELLENCE!
Bring your pride, encourage one another, and get ready to celebrate together! Give a shout-out to someone who showed empathy this week. Let’s hear that Jefferson spirit!
⏰ TODAY: Dismissal at 12:45 p.m.
🏫 No preschool today.
🎵 Band and fifth-grade orchestra today.
🌡️ Clinton forecast: High 58°F / Low 43°F. It’s a cooler finish to the week—bring a jacket!
🎂 Happy birthday to Mrs. Sara Feldpausch and Bryleigh Kramer in second grade, who turns 8! Happy Saturday birthday to Avimere Pendleton in third grade, who turns 9!
📅 Looking ahead: PTA meets Thursday, November 5, at 2:45 p.m. in the LRC. Friday, November 6, brings another 12:45 p.m. dismissal with no preschool.
#WeCanDoHardThings #YesWeCan
🖤 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29 — BLACK DAY!
Good morning, Jefferson! Let’s notice empathy in action today. Thank someone who made room for another person’s ideas or feelings!
🎶 Choir practice: 7:15 a.m.
🎻 Fourth-grade orchestra today.
📣🎉 TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY—OUR RISE UP! RALLY! Bring your Jefferson pride and your celebration energy! We’re ready to recognize our school community and celebrate respect, integrity, safety, and excellence. Let’s finish the week strong, Jefferson!
⏰ Tomorrow: 12:45 p.m. dismissal and no preschool.
🍬 Thank you for keeping parade candy at home!
🌡️ Clinton forecast: High 64°F / Low 40°F. Bundle up for the chilly morning!
😄 What do ghosts like for dessert? I-scream!
#WeCanDoHardThings #YesWeCan
💗 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28 — QUEENS DAY!
Good morning, Jefferson! Who has shown empathy this week? Celebrate a student or staff member who listened, included someone, or helped a friend. A little recognition can make someone’s whole day!
🎵 Band and fifth-grade orchestra today.
📣 TWO DAYS UNTIL OUR RISE UP! RALLY! Jefferson, get ready to celebrate the people and choices that make our school special! Keep showing respect, integrity, safety, and excellence—we have so much to celebrate together!
⏰ Friday: 12:45 p.m. dismissal and no preschool.
🍬 Please continue to keep parade candy at home.
🌡️ Clinton forecast: High 63°F / Low 48°F. Send a jacket or sweatshirt for outdoor time.
🎂 Happy 11th birthday to Adelynn Brown in fifth grade!
😄 Why did the scarecrow earn an award? It was outstanding in its field!
#WeCanDoHardThings #YesWeCan
We’re adding something special to our Monday Morning Meeting! During our RISE UP chant, students hold up the letters representing Respect, Integrity, and Safety. Now, a staff member recognized for Excellence will hold up the Excellence sign and help our students lead the chant in front of the entire school!
Mrs. Feldpausch is a great person to kick off this tradition. Mrs. Feldpausch consistently shows up, fully engaged and ready to contribute. She brings thoughtful questions and ideas to conversations about special education best practices, always thinking about how we can better support our students.
She jumps in to help wherever she is needed. Long after the school day ends, you can find her collaborating with colleagues, thinking through challenges, and finding ways to help kids succeed.
Through it all, Sara brings a can-do attitude that makes a difference for our students and the adults working alongside her. She shows what Excellence looks like through her everyday actions, and we’re excited for our students to celebrate that with her!
Each week, staff members will nominate a colleague and share why that person deserves to hold our Excellence sign and help lead the next Monday’s chant.
Mrs. Feldpausch, hold that Excellence sign proudly—you’ve earned it!
#WeCanDoHardThings #YesWeCan
🧡 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27 — OSKEEWA WA DAY!
Good morning, Jefferson! Today’s empathy challenge starts with a conversation: tell your family what empathy means to you, then listen to their ideas. Choose one way to practice together!
🧡🖤 Today is Orange & Black Yearbook Dress-Up Day! Participation is $1, with proceeds supporting student yearbooks.
🎻 Fourth-grade orchestra today.
🍬 After yesterday’s Mardi Gras parade, remember: parade candy stays at home! Please leave it out of backpacks and lunchboxes.
📣 FRIDAY IS RISE UP! RALLY DAY! Let’s build the excitement by showing our RISE UP expectations all week: show respect, act with integrity, be safe, and pursue excellence!
⏰ Friday: 12:45 p.m. dismissal; no preschool.
🌡️ Clinton forecast: High 65°F / Low 48°F. Layers are a great choice!
😄 What is a witch’s favorite school subject? Spelling!
#WeCanDoHardThings #YesWeCan