REMINDER: All Jefferson County Schools students will be dismissed two hours early this Thursday, December 21, 2023. Winter break begins on Friday and continues all next week. Students will return to class on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. Have a safe and restful break.
DES students had a special visitor this week! Miss West Virginia Karrington Childress stopped by to talk about the importance of reading, complete with a special read-aloud! We were so excited to welcome Miss Childress and hear about her experiences as the reigning Miss West Virginia.
Students from Driswood Student Education Association built skills in community service and leadership this week by organizing a Caring For Our Community food drive. They received many generous donations from Driswood families. Kidz Power Pacs, a 501c3 organization that serves on average of 1000 children in Jefferson and Berkeley Counties weekly, will receive the donations. To donate to Kidz Power Pacs you you can go to www.communitycombined.org .
Driswood third graders built a model of a human backbone to show what they have learned about the Skeletal, Muscular, and Nervous systems in unit 3 of CKLA. The pipe cleaner represents the spinal cord, the Fruit Loops were cartilage cushioning the pasta which was the vertebrae.
Happy Thanksgiving to our JCS community! We remain grateful for the privilege of serving your children.
First Grade Celebrated "Balloons over Broadway": The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade with a school parade! Check out the student created balloons in the images!
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!
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. 🎄
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!
A reminder that all Jefferson County schools and offices will be closed on Friday, November 10, in observance of Veterans Day.
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!
#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!
NOTICE 10/25/23: Driswood Elementary School learned of a water main break that caused a disruption to water pressure at approximately 1:00 this afternoon (10/25). American Water issued a precautionary boil water advisory due to the duration of the outage. That advisory remains in place through noon tomorrow (10/26). The outage did not impact meal service. Additional bottled water is also being delivered to the school this afternoon for use today and tomorrow.
Many thanks to our DES parents and staff who helped facilitate our “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!
Jefferson County Schools appreciates everyone's hard work during the first nine weeks of the 23-24 school year. As we calculate final grades, we want to inform you about a change in schedule. Report cards will go home on Monday, October 30, 2023, NOT this Friday as previously planned. Grades will also be available in Canvas. We appreciate your patience while we ensure all grades have been assessed and calculated.
Jefferson County Schools invites you to an informational meeting on Oct. 23 about the Standard Response Protocol we use in our schools and ways you can support student safety at home. Lt. Ben Williams from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department will present the information and answer questions. The event takes place at 5:00 p.m. in the Washington High School auditorium. https://www.jcswv.org/events?id=23365841
Thanks to the JCS community for supporting our teachers and staff as they worked to learn new skills and classroom techniques on this day of staff development!
