September 2
• Grades 1-3
Presentation of Program, 6:30pm

September 6
• Labor Day
No School, Extended Care Closed

September 7
• 2nd Grade Singapore Math Parent Training, 3:15pm in the library
• Grades 4-6
Presentation of Program, 6:30pm

September 8
•Student Council Election Speeches
Suslak 9:15, Hamm 10:15,
Thompson 11:00

September 10
• PEP Traning, 8:30am
• Family Picnic, 5:00pm

September 14
• Parents' Association Meeting, 8:30am

September 15
• Student Council Meeting, 3:15pm
• Singapore Math Parents Training, 7:00pm

September 17
• PEP Training, 8:30am

Family Picnic - Don't Delay, Sign Up Today!

Come kick off JCDS's 50th Anniversary Celebration with our Annual Family Picnic. This year's picnic will take us back in time to when our school began...1960. We will celebrate with a 1960's style Beach Party right here on our campus.

So mark your calendars for Friday, September 10th from 5-8pm. This is one fun beach party you won't want to miss!

A barbecue buffet will be $10 for adults and $8 for each child. Fun activities include cakewalk, crab races, hula-hoop and limbo contests, DJ, swimming, and bounce house.

Register by September 3rd to receive 4 free activities tickets good for cakewalk, crab races, or a snow cone. To register online, click here.

Remember, tomorrow is the last day to get 4 free activity tickets by registering in advance!

Every parent MUST have a window name card to pick up a child from school.

Check out our e-store.

Swimsuit, towel, goggles, and sunscreen for PE.

Important Safety Notice

In an effort to keep students safe, JCDS will be closing the front circle to vehicles from 3:20 until 5:30 daily. All students attending After School Classes/instruction must be picked up directly from the instructor inside the Fine Arts Center. Parents/caregivers must park in the lot and walk into the FAC with the window name card in hand for staff to release students to them.

Extended Care will be following the same procedure. All parents/caregivers must bring their window name card with them when picking up their student from Extended Care. For the 5:30-6:00pm dismissal, simply display the card in the passenger side of the front windshield. The window name cards are available in the main office to parents only.

Thank you for your help in keeping our children safe.

Trait for August/September:
Self Control

"A little kingdom I possess,
where thoughts and feelings dwell;
And very hard the task I find
of governing it well."
—Louisa May Alcott

Back in the Swim

Kindergarten through 6th grades have begun their swimming units and look great thus far. The PE department's goals are to help students improve their ability to swim, and more importantly to learn and have fun!

Junior Kindergarten will begin swimming Tuesday, September 7. Don't forget to send your student with swimsuit, towel, goggles, and sunscreen.

After School Sports for grades 4-6 begin September 13. If you haven’t signed up please do so with the PE staff.

In the academic areas, students are hard at work on Singapore Math. Using model drawing to help students visualize word problems, students are progressing from the concrete, to the pictorial, to the abstract.

JCDS will host a training meeting for parents of second grade students on Tuesday, September 7, at 3:15pm.

In the meantime, the sixth graders are enjoying using their new MacBook Pros. "Awesome" is the word they most use to describe their new computers.

The 50th year at JCDS will be filled with excitement and new experiences for students, parents, and staff.

PEP Volunteers Needed for Lunch Duty

We are in need of more PEP volunteers, particularly at lunch time! The commitment is 11:30am-12:30pm. Come and see the awesome new lunch program and have lunch with your child in the Cool Caf.

If you are interested please contact Darsi Edwards (mrsdarsialisha@aol.com or 302-2218) or Charrell Thomas (cwtmd@yahoo.com or 314-5256).

Relive Our 50 Years

As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, please stop by the Fine Arts Center and look at how it all began. There are pictures of the original 1964 groundbreaking of JCDS (originally known as Southside Day School).

JCDS E-store

Have you checked out our e-store? The 50th Anniversary Committee has made it possible for your family to purchase cool merchandise to celebrate the 50th year of JCDS.

Get your credit card ready and click the button on the right.

PEP Training

PEP training is for parents—new or returning—who would like to be a part of the Parents' Association PEP program to volunteer in various areas around the school. The PEP training is mandatory but if you have gone through the training once, you don't need to do it again. Sept 10 and Sept 17 are the two dates set aside for PEP training. If you are interested in volunteering, please come to one of these sessions. Both are at 8:30 in the Fine Arts Auditorium.

Student Council Elections

Every year is an election year at JCDS. The candidates for Student Council will make their campaign speeches on Wednesday, September 8 in the Fine Arts Center auditorium.

Candidates in Ms. Suslak’s class will deliver their speeches at 9:15 a.m. Ms. Hamm’s candidates will speak at 10:15, and Ms. Thompson’s class goes at 11:00.

Parents are invited to attend.

Music Notes

It's another GREAT YEAR! The music department will be busy as ever.

JCDS CHORUS begins rehearsals on Thursday, September 9. Rehearsals last from 3:05-4:15 p.m. You may pick up your student from rehearsals at the Fourth Grade Wing. Thank you!

JAZZY J'S will begin rehearsals on Tuesday, September 7. Rehearsals last from 3:05-4:00 p.m. Members may be picked up at the Fourth Grade Wing. Thank you!

4th-6th GRADERS - MUSICAL OPPORTUNITIES!
•Any 4th-6th Graders may audition for the JCDS Chorus anytime in the month of September!
• The JCDS Band has openings! For Grades 3-6!
• The Jazzy J's has space for one more student in grades 4-6.

Please see Mrs. Dickert for more information.

Dance News

Competition dance team began rehearsals on August 27. Please make sure your dancer wears her white JCDS tank top and black capris.

All other dance classes will begin Tuesday, September 7.

Art Sharks

Would your child like to have more ART experiences this year? There is still time to sign up for Art Sharks! Class time is 3:05 - 4:15 pm. Please email Stacy Bowen (sbowen@jcds.com), or call her (418-5064) for more information.

Fall Session Start Dates:
5th & 6th grade - Friday, Sept. 3
3rd & 4th grade - Wednesday, Sept. 8
1st grade - Monday, Sept. 13
2nd grade - Tuesday, Sept. 14

Parents' Association Meeting

All parents are invited to attend our first general Parents' Association Meeting on Tuesday, September 14t in the  Fine Arts Center.  If you've never attended a Parents' Association Meeting in the past, now is the perfect time to start!   Come and hear all  about the exciting things that are happening during this 50th year at JCDS!   See you then!

Specialists' Corner

Students in Señora Leonard's "clase" wrote a short skit and created a puppet show to review Spanish greetings.

All parents of Kindergarten and First graders, please check your child's Thursday Folder for a letter about the art program.

Corporate Fundraising

Are you tired of losing your children's belongings? Start the year off by ordering personalized sticker labels from Lovable Labels. They are easy to apply to clothing, shoes, backpacks, lunch boxes, sports bottles, and more. JCDS receives 20% of the purchase price.

Yearbook Meeting

September 9th, 8:30am in the Fine Arts Center conference room

If you love to take pictures we would love to have you on our committee. The yearbook needs tons of photos so you can give a little or a lot of your time...you decide. We would greatly appreciate your help. Please come to our first yearbook meeting on Thursday, September 9 at 8:30am in the Fine Arts Center conference room, or call one of the co-chairs if you have any questions.

Kim Watkins - 233-7791
Iris Bilik - 716-5757

In the Community

JCDS supports the efforts of non-profit organizations in our community.

Save the date for ZOObilee, Saturday, September 11. ZOObilee is a casual, family, after-hours fundraising event. All proceeds will fund the care and feeding of the animals, educational programs and conservation initiatives at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.

Do you know a child who loves to sing? The Jacksonville Children's Chorus is now auditioning grades 1-12. There is no fee to audition, and need based scholarships are available. Rehearsal sites are now in Mandarin, Riverside, Downtown, Orange Park, and the Beaches. Call 353-1636 or email info@jaxchildrenschorus.com.