In This Issue...

Construction Update

Take a look inside the construction fence. Read more.

STEM + Art = "STEAM"

Most parents have heard about STEM by now, but what about “STEAM”? STEAM integrates art with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Read more.

"We Need a Boy"

“We need a boy. We can’t do this,” twelve-year-old Allie said last September as she stared hopelessly at the laptop computer and Mindstorm Legos spread out in front of her. Read more.

Break the Dress Code Day

The Student Council is sponsoring Break-the-Dress-Code Day on Friday, January 27. Read more.

Conferences Next Month

Read more.

JCDS Singers Perform in All-State Chorus

Congratulations to Gus B., Nick D., and Amanda F.! They performed brilliantly last Friday with 200 fourth and fifth graders chosen from across the state for the annual Florida Elementary All-State Chorus. Read more.

Engineering Fair Coming Up

Come to the Engineering Fair! Students in Kindergarten through 6th grade are practicing their engineering skills this month and will have various prototypes on exhibit in the Fine Arts Building on January 20, 2012, at the Engineering Fair. Read more.

PEP Training Tomorrow

There are numerous opportunities to volunteer either in your child's classroom or other areas of the school. Read more.

Gala Party Hosts Needed

Are you interested in donating an item for this year's Gala but are at a loss for what to do? Why not host or co-host a party?! Read more.

Second Grade Family Night

Please join us for a fun-filled Science Family Night with your second grade student on Friday, January 27 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Cool Caf. Read more.

Annual Fund

Thank you so much for supporting the 2011-2012 Annual Fund! Gifts and pledges in any amount are sincerely appreciated. Read more.

AmberJax News

The AmberJax were on fire this weekend at Cecil Field. A record number of twenty-three JCDS swimmers participated in this weekend's JaxParks Classic swim meet. Read more.

Sharks Basketball

Check out the upcoming games. Read more.

Reminders

Yearbook Needs Your Pictures
The Green Team
Gala News
Back Issues of Thursday Reminder
Parents of Recent Alumni

Specialists, Arts and Activities

Specialists' Corner
Dance Steps
Brush Strokes
Music Notes

Business and Fundraising

Corporate Fundraising

News and Features

Construction Update

Take a Look Inside the Construction Fence
We have uploaded a new video to our YouTube channel. Brian Mers from Sauer Incorporated explains how the walls are being poured on the ground and will be hoisted into place by crane.

Parents, please remember that during the construction period there is no parking by the 4th grade wing.

The Construction Committee

Click for Phase II Traffic Map.

STEM + Art = "STEAM"

Most parents have heard about STEM by now, but what about “STEAM”? STEAM integrates art with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

This year students in 5th grade studied sea turtles as part of the science curriculum. The emphasis was on the loggerhead, leatherback and the green sea turtle. Using new ScienceFusion digital textbooks, the children discovered how the turtles differed and learned about habitats and life cycles.

By integrating art into the science curriculum, students carefully sculpted the different shapes of shells, heads, and remaining body parts. The glazes replicated the different colorations of the turtles’ shells. The culminating activity was the field trip to St. Simon’s Island to the Sea Turtle Sanctuary.

The fifth graders gained a deeper understanding of sea turtles as a result of this integration of disciplines.

–Shaw Lane
Art Specialist at JCDS

"We Need a Boy"

“We need a boy. We can’t do this,” twelve-year-old Allie said last September as she stared hopelessly at the laptop computer and Mindstorm Legos spread out in front of her.

Shannon Johnson, the school’s science specialist, quipped, “What are you talking about? I am a girl and I am old! If I can do this, you can, too!” That was last fall when the 6th graders faced the challenge of robotics for the first time in the science lab.

The following January after numerous experiences with Lego robotics, the scene was entirely different. Allie, working on a different robot, did not want to go to lunch. “I have almost got it programmed. Can I just stay another ten minutes?”

Now go to a junior kindergarten classroom on the other side of campus. In the fall a four-year-old girl played in all the centers except for the building blocks.

The following January, the scene changed once again. The Twigs, brightly colored building objects, had been recently purchased for the classroom with STEM funds. The junior kindergartner (JK) built a tower four levels tall! “She has never done that before,” Jill Abel, a JK teacher noted. “She has never gone near the blocks.”

This year JCDS is transforming science instruction. By providing STEM and pre-STEM resources, JCDS encourages girls (and boys!) to imagine, plan, create, and problem solve. By purchasing equipment and professional development for STEM, JCDS gives girls the opportunity to be confident, determined engineers who will never again say, “We need a boy.”

– Ruthanne Stabler
Director of Curriculum

Break the Dress Code Day

The Student Council is sponsoring Break-the-Dress-Code Day on Friday, January 27. The theme is sports, so dress in your favorite team's jersey. The theme is encouraged, but not required. Students should wear shoes appropriate for PE.

Each student participating is asked to donate $1, which will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Conferences Next Month

Parent/Teacher conferences for preprimary are February 6 and 7.
Parent/Teacher conferences for grades 1-6 are scheduled for February 8-10.

JCDS Singers Perform in All-State Chorus

Congratulations to Gus B., Nick D., and Amanda F.! They performed brilliantly last Friday with 200 fourth and fifth graders chosen from across the state for the annual Florida Elementary All-State Chorus.

The event was held in Tampa at the Convention Center, with over 1000 in the audience. These students worked hard over the past six weeks, learning very difficult music in both English and Latin. We are so proud to have our school represented by these three outstanding singers!

Engineering Fair Coming Up

Come to the Engineering Fair! Students in Kindergarten through 6th grade are practicing their engineering skills this month and will have various prototypes on exhibit in the Fine Arts Building on January 20, 2012, at the Engineering Fair. The exhibits will be open from 8:30-2:30. Below is the schedule for when each grade level will visit the fair:

9:00-9:30 4th Grade (Aerospace Engineering)
9:30-10:00 PJK
10:00-10:30 3rd Grade (Transportation Engineering)
10:30-11:00 Kindergarten (Mechanical Engineering)
11:00-11:30 5th Grade (Electrical Engineering)
12:00-12:30 2nd Grade (Environmental Engineering)
12:30-1:00 JK
1:30-2:00 6th Grade (Ocean Engineering)
2:00-2:30 1st Grade (Chemical Engineering)

PEP Training Tomorrow

There are numerous opportunities to volunteer either in your child's classroom or other areas of the school. We will have another PEP (Parents Encouraging Pupils) training on Friday, January 20 at 8:30 a.m. in the library. Please email Kat Braswell at kbraswell@jcds.com if you plan to attend.

If you attended a previous PEP training, you do not have to attend again.

Gala Party Hosts Needed

Are you interested in donating an item for this year's Gala but are at a loss for what to do? Why not host or co-host a party?!

The Party Category of the Silent Auction has long been not only a great "fundraiser" but a great "friendraiser" as well. Here's how it works. You and some friends come up with a great idea for a party that you would like to host. You decide on the theme, date, how many attendees you would like to have, and the price you want to charge for attending the party. People sign up to attend your party the night of the auction. The price charged for attending the party goes to JCDS...and then you put on a fantastic party!

To give you some ideas on themes, some in the past have been Arabian Nights, Make-Up and Margaritas, Sleepover at the Cummer, Progressive Dinners, and Father/Daughter Dinner Dance.

If you have an idea that you would like to discuss or any questions, please call our Party Committee Heads:

Mary Beth Hedberg at 760-670-5554 or email mbhedberg@hotmail.com

Melissa Hyrne at 334-2114 or email melissahyrne@mac.com

Please download the 2012 Gala Party Donation Form.

Second Grade Family Night

Please join us for a fun-filled Science Family Night with your second grade student on Friday, January 27 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. in the Cool Caf. Enjoy dinner by Chef Bryant, meet the families of classmates and enjoy a night of fun science experiments. Siblings are welcome. Tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for children. There will be a vegetarian option.

Please RSVP online.

For more information, contact Mary Beth Hedberg at at 760-670-5554 or email mbhedberg@hotmail.com

Annual Fund

Thank you so much for supporting the 2011-2012 Annual Fund! Gifts and pledges in any amount are sincerely appreciated. This year’s projects include materials for our new STEM initiative, updated water fountains, faculty enrichment, and an electronic room divider curtain for the new gymnasium, which will provide two teaching areas. Look for more updates, a special letter, and a brochure from your Grade Level Agents.

Click to see a list of Annual Fund donors as of 1/19/12.

AmberJax News

The AmberJax were on fire this weekend at Cecil Field. A record number of twenty-three JCDS swimmers participated in this weekend's JaxParks Classic swim meet. For many it was their first official USA Swimming meet, and what a meet it turned out to be, with several coming away with top honors. It was an amazing weekend of swimming, and the hard work of daily practice showed up in a big way.

Below is a recap of the highlights, with the complete official results available at www.amberjax.org under the "hosted meets" tab. Needless to say, the coaching staff was extremely proud of the children and their performances. Notable mentions are Jonathan S., who placed first in two individual events, and Summer E., who snagged a "B" time in the 9-10 girls' 100-yd freestyle. Our team cheer is "1-2-3 Swim Fast!!!!" and this weekend that is exactly what they did. Please extend your congratulations to these swimmers, who brave difficult conditions and log many hours in the pool to do what they do. And no, it's not easy. It doesn't even look easy!

6 and Under (Girls)
Nina L. 1st: 100yd medley relay 5th: 25 FLY, 25BR, 25 BK 6th: 25 FR

Peri S. 1st: 100yd medley relay 9th: 25 BK 10th: 25 FR

Summer T. 1st: 100yd medley relay

Sophia Q. 1st: 100yd medley relay 6th: 25 FLY 7th: 25FR 8th: 25BK

Kaleigh S. 3rd: 25FLY, 25BR 4th: 25FR 7th: 25BK

6 and Under (Boys)
Jonathan S. 1st: 25BR, 25 FLY 2nd: 25 FR

Raymond W. 1st: 25FR 2nd: 25BR

AJ P. 3rd: 25BR 4th: 25 FLY 7th: 25 FR

Tate L. 4th: 25 BK 6th: 25 FR

8 and Under Boys
Jacob H. 6th: 25BR 9th: 25BK, 25 FLY 10th: 25FR

Andrew V. 9th: 50 BR

Huber M. 9th: 25 BR

Sharks Basketball

The JCDS Sharks wrapped up their 2011-2012 campaign with two hard fought victories, finishing with an impressive 11-6 record.

Last week, the Sharks scored a 43-38 victory over the Episcopal Eagles. Tuesday night, the Sharks won a physical match-up 48-22 over Harvest Christian Academy. During Tuesday's game, the crowd was treated to a halftime performance by the JCDS Dance Team.

Planning is already underway for the 2012-2013 JCDS Sharks Basketball program in the new Smith Center. Tryouts will be held in the Fall so start preparing now!

Reminders

The Yearbook Needs Your Pictures!

The yearbook committee would love to use your pictures of field trips, family nights, and class activities. We are in the Kelly Fine Arts Center conference room every Thursday where we can download your memory card very quickly. If it’s easier to burn a CD, you can drop those off anytime at the office. Also, if you have just one or two great photos to share, they can be emailed to yearbook@jcds.com.

Thank You! Questions? Call Kim Watkins (233-7791) or Mandy Gildersleeve (363-3282).

The Green Team

The Green Team is collecting empty Elmer's glue sticks and bottles for recycling. They have placed an orange collection box for each classroom. Glue sticks may be sent in from home and collected in the boxes, as well.

The Green Team will also collect juice pouches, such as CapriSun and Minute Maid. There is a box in the Cool Caf to collect these pouches. They will be sent in to Terracycle and "upcycled" into new products. Please visit www.terracycle.net to see some of these items.

Gala News

Save the date for the 2012 Gala. The Fantasy and Adventure begins at 6:30 p.m. on March 31, 2012.

Gala Committee meetings will be held onFebruary 10 and March 9.

All Gala Committee meetings begin at 8:30 a.m.

In Case You Missed It...

Did you miss anything in one of the old Thursday Reminders? Do you just want to look back at some old issues? Do you want to reminisce about last school year?

The complete set of Thursday Reminders from the 2010-2011 school year can be found on the JCDS website in the news/media section. Click here.

Parents of Recent Alumni

Please contact the Development Office about information you would like to share on the JCDS Alumni Facebook page. Where are your students going to school now? What honors have they earned? What special activities are they involved in?

Specialists, Arts and Activities

Specialists' Corner

We are working on our Engineering Units in science lab. If you are an engineer and have expertise that you would like to share with our students, please contact Mrs. Johnson by email at sjohnson@jcds.com ASAP and we will try to set up a date and time for you to visit.

Check out the science lab wikispace at:
jcdssciencelab.wikispaces.com. Parents and students may view pictures, videos and website links from Science Lab class. No username or password is required.

Please check out the official JCDS Physical Education website: www.gymeveryday.com.

The computer lab has a new web site: http://jcdscomplab.edublogs.org/.

Dance Steps

Thank you so much for supporting our programs!

Don't miss our next recital in May!

Brush Strokes

We need plastic bottles
Parents of 5th graders, please save clear, 2 liter plastic bottles for the upcoming Chihuly art projects. We need at least 2 bottles per child, so if you have more, please bring them to the art room.

Music Notes

Chorus and Band Headed to MusicUSA Festival
The JCDS Chorus and Band will be participating in the MusicUSA Festival at Universal Studios in Orlando once again this year. Please read the attachment and send in the permission slip with a check (if applicable) & Behavior Expectations agreement before the deadline of February 23rd.

Upcoming Dates
February 13 - First grade show at 8:45 a.m. in the auditorium
February 14 - First graders present their show for the Carriage Club Retirement Home at 10:00 & 10:30 a.m.
March 8 - Sixth Grade Show, "Broadway Kids" at 9:00 a.m., 10:45 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. - PLEASE NOTE THE DATE CHANGE

Guitar
There are still spaces available to study private guitar lessons! Please contact Mr. Chris Kemph or Mrs. Virginia Dickert about how to get in touch with Mrs. Sylvia Kalal for guitar lessons.

Business and Fundraising

Corporate Fundraising

Box Tops for Education
Which class will collect the most box tops? Our next collection will be January 23-27! Please bring in your Box Tops next week and turn them in to your teacher.

Click the link to access a list of participating products. Look for the "Box Tops for Education" logo on the product, cut it out and save it for our next collection!