Join JHS students and community members TONIGHT from 6-9 p.m. for the next STEAMTalks! In-person in the JHS cafeteria or on Zoom. Details and schedule below!
We want to give a huge shoutout to our substitute teachers and service personnel on Substitute Educators Day! These members of our JCS community play a crucial role in the continuity of daily education by stepping in at a moment's notice to provide school or district-wide coverage wherever it's most needed. They are talented and adaptable individuals who are relied upon by administrators, teachers, and students. We're so grateful to all our subs for their important contributions to our educational community. Thank you! Interested in subbing for JCS? Visit www.jcswv.org/careers to learn more and begin your application!
Congratulations to Ava Loring on being named a finalist in the United States Senate Youth Program! Join us in wishing Ava the best of luck today as she interviews for one of two West Virginia Delegate positions within the program.
Congratulations to ten Washington High School choir students advancing to the annual West Virginia American Choral Directors All-State Honors Choir! The students competed in a rigorous audition process against 125 other students statewide to join this prestigious choral group. Additionally, five freshmen will join the Junior High/Middle School All-State Honors Choir. Visit http://rb.gy/pk5ewy for a complete list of attendees!
The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree passed through our area during its journey through West Virginia, and two JCS choral groups were there to mark the occasion! On Wednesday, the Driswood Elementary School Chorus and Washington High School Chamber Choir performed at the Harpers Ferry Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, which hosted a special appearance of the tree that included holiday festivities like hot cocoa, ornament decorating, and more. Students later took turns posing in front of the 63-foot tall Norway Spruce harvested from the Monongahela National Forest, and signed their names to the truck carrying it. The event marked the final stop for the tree before it travels on to light up the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol for the holiday season. 🎄
As American Education Week continues, we're proud to acknowledge the vital role families and the greater community play in the lives of our students. To that end, South Jefferson Elementary School celebrated #AEW23 with Career Day. Members of the SJE community talked to students about their jobs, including Bud Herndon, a fire investigator and K9 handler, who brought along a furry friend! 🦮🐾 Other professions represented included law enforcement, farming, commercial photography, engineering, HVAC repair, data analytics, financial services, massage therapy, the sciences, and different branches of the U.S. military. Thank you to everyone who participated for taking this time to support our students and their education!
Congratulations to the winners of our Attendance Awareness Poster Contest! The six winning entries included Hector Martinez (5th Grade, North Jefferson Elementary) and Gabriel Espinoza Bolanos (5th Grade, JVA) at the elementary level; Gabrielle Orr (6th Grade, Shepherdstown Middle School) and Melody White (6th Grade, JVA) at the middle school level; and Kaylee Laird-Neal (11th Grade, Washington High School) and Xavier Gonzalez (11th Grade, JVA) at the high school level. The winners were recognized at the November 13 Jefferson County Board of Education meeting, with 23rd Judicial Circuit Judge David Hammer in attendance to offer his congratulations. Each winner received a $100 gift card courtesy of Skinner Accident & Injury Lawyers in Charles Town. Thank you to these community partners for supporting JCS in this district-wide attendance awareness campaign!
Read more here 👉 http://rb.gy/aayc2w
American Education Week continues with a shoutout to our amazing team of service personnel! These folks hold a special place in our JCS community as they work to keep our students safe, healthy, and focused. We're grateful for the many different ways they support our students.
As we kick off American Education Week, we're excited to highlight and celebrate the incredible people in our JCS community who contribute to public education! Our staff, students, and families are the heart of our community, and we're grateful to each of you for your role in creating and maintaining a safe, enriching, and fun learning environment. Keep an eye out this week for #AEW2023 celebrations throughout our JCS community!
Today we take time to recognize Veterans Day with respect, honor, and gratitude to all who serve or have served in our nation's armed forces. Thank you!
Join us in cheering on JHS Resource Officer Lt. Ben Williams this month as he embraces the scruff for "No Shave for the Brave!" Jefferson County law enforcement officers participate in the annual fundraiser each November in support of Victoria's House CAC, a West Virginia-based program offering services to juveniles who have suffered abuse. To learn more, visit http://rb.gy/oyzd9s.
A reminder that all Jefferson County schools and offices will be closed on Friday, November 10, in observance of Veterans Day.
Shoutout to Mrs. Coon's fifth graders at C.W. Shipley for sharing fresh vegetables from their greenhouse with their classmates! CWS students enjoyed the veggies in their school lunches with the help of CWS cook Mrs. Woods, who helped prepare them for sampling. Thanks to all students and staff involved in making this delicious (and nutritious!) experience possible!
Congratulations to the Jefferson High School Cougars football team on their 48-0 win over Washington High in the first-ever Burger Bowl! And a big thank you to Glory Days in Ranson for feeding both teams and presenting the Burger Bowl trophy!
The Cougars finished the season 8-2 and will host a playoff game on Nov. 10. You can purchase tickets here https://gofan.co/event/1217676
Three Driswood Elementary students have received recognition for their outstanding knowledge of fire safety! Kindergartener Aubrey Brumback, first grader Alora Cooper, and fifth grader Sophia Mriscin are among the dozen winners of West Virginia's annual fire safety poster contest held each October during Fire Prevention Month. State Fire Marshal Kenneth Tyree visited DES this week to present Aubrey, Alora, and Sophia with framed copies of their original artwork, which will also be featured in a 2024 wall calendar. Congratulations to these talented young artists!
Six students from Jefferson and Washington High Schools had the opportunity to observe JCS teachers in action as part of the second district cohort of the statewide Grow Your Own Program! Created by the West Virginia Department of Education for high school students interested in becoming K-12 educators, the program enables JCS juniors and seniors to fast-track their careers through dual enrollment courses at Shepherd University. Grow Your Own Shadow Day was a rewarding experience for our JCS students as they observed current teachers in preparation for their future careers! Read more here 👉 http://rb.gy/brn2q
JCS Superintendent Dr. Chuck Bishop took one for the team today at Jefferson High School's "Cougars Against Cancer" pep rally! Dr. Bishop, Principal Group, and other JHS staff members each took a pie to the face during one of several games at the school-wide event to support cancer awareness. With cancer affecting the lives of so many, students were encouraged to "pink out" in attire and complete a pink sign with the name of someone they support in the fight against cancer. Following the fun and games, the student body stood and raised their signs to show that Cougars stand together against cancer.
#TGIF! JCS students across the district celebrated Red Ribbon Week with fun themes and activities related to this year's theme, "Be Kind to Your Mind." From "decade day" to "super training" their brains with crazy hairstyles to simply wearing as much red as possible, students had a great time showing their school spirit during this annual celebration of health and wellness!
Thanks to everyone who came out to scare up some fun at our second annual Sensory Trunk-or-Treat! Our neurodiverse students and their families had a 👻spooktacular👻 time in this safe and inclusive trick-or-treating environment hosted by our Parent and Educator Resource Center (PERC). Special thanks to our student greeters and peer hosts, staff and community volunteers, and community partner agencies who helped facilitate the event. Read more here 👉 http://rb.gy/gpw57
Many thanks to our parents and staff and Driswood Elementary who helped facilitate the school's “Spooktacular Reading” event! With approximately 150 families in attendance, the event offered creative ideas to reinforce reading strategies at home. Students were invited to come in costume for a fun evening of stories, games, and crafts, and special guest Chrissy Overton of Bolivar-Harpers Ferry Public Library was on hand with the library's pet bearded dragon, Gourd. A photo booth provided lasting memories, and everyone in attendance received a free book!
