www.jcpsky.netEqual Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Offering Equal Educational Opportunities

May 2012

2013-14 Back-to-School

Issue

Jefferson County

PublicSchools

You can pay for your child’s school meals online (page 2)

Have you signed up for the Parent Portal? (page 3)

Bus information (page 6)

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You can pay for your child’s school meals online

You don’t have to send your child to school with cash or a check to pay for meals. All Jefferson County Public School (JCPS) District cafe-terias let you use a debit or credit card to create an ac-count for your child through a secure online system. During the last school year, the system was called EZ-Pay, but JCPS is now using School Payment Solutions (www.schoolpaymentso-lutions.com). Once you sign up, you can deposit funds into your child’s account and replen-ish them anytime. You’ll re-ceive payment verifications through e-mail, and you even can choose to receive low-balance reminders.

There are no charges for registering with the system, checking your balance, or receiving e-mails. There is a $2.50 fee each time you make a deposit, but you can deposit money into multiple student ac-counts at once and pay only one $2.50 transaction fee. Please note that deposits are typically posted to your child’s account within 24 hours.To create an ac-count, you’ll be asked for your child’s district ID number, birth date, home ad-dress, and school name. You’ll also

need an e-mail address, and you’ll receive an e-mail to confirm the account be-fore you can log in and be-gin making deposits. For more information, con-tact the cafeteria manager at your child’s school. See the article on the next page if you need to set up a Parent Portal account.

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The Parent Portal is located at www.jcpsky.net/Parent/ParentPortal/index.html. When you have a Parent Portal account, your child’s information will be available when you click See my student’s profile (Infinite Campus).

The JCPS District’s partners at Louisville Central Com-munity Centers (LCCC) have been offering students an additional incentive to use the Study Island and SuccessMaker educational software programs this summer. After students hone their academic skills with the programs, they can partici-pate in the LCCC’s eLearn Olympics, an Internet-based competition.

Community centers sponsor eLearn OlympicsStudents can win gold, sil-ver, and bronze medals as well as such prizes as iPads and notebooks.

For more information, visit www.elearnolympics.com.

You can use the Parent Por-tal—a secure online system available through the JCPS Web site—to check on your child’s school schedule, test scores, report cards, atten-dance, bus information, and immunization records. You also can receive school notices, send e-mail to teachers, pay for school meals, and check on your child’s daily assignments and grades.To sign up for a Parent Por-tal account, send an e-mail message to campus.por-tal@jefferson.kyschools.us. Include your name, your child’s name, the school, and your phone number. Af-ter your information is veri-fied, you’ll receive an e-mail message with Parent Portal log-in instructions.

Have you signed up for the Parent Portal?

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The JCPS District’s tobacco-free policy went into effect on July 1. The new policy applies to everyone—employees, stu-dents, parents, and visitors. No one may use any type of tobacco product anywhere on JCPS property.Here are some more things you need to know about the new policy:• JCPS schools and office

buildings do not have smoking areas. Smoking is completely prohibited on all district grounds as well as inside JCPS facili-ties and district vehicles.

• Tobacco use is prohibited even after school hours. In fact, it’s prohibited 24/7.

• Because of the 24/7 policy, smoking is pro-hibited even at such out-door events as football games—even in the park-ing lot.

• The new policy also ap-plies to community groups that use JCPS facilities. Members of community groups are not allowed to use tobacco products any-where on JCPS property.

• Adults are not allowed to use tobacco products when students are pres-ent even if they are away from school property on field trips.

The Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) created

the policy to ensure that students are never exposed to secondhand smoke on district grounds. The new policy also will ensure that adults model a tobacco-free lifestyle, which is especially important considering these statistics:• The average age when

someone first tries tobac-co is 13. About 3,000 chil-dren in the United States start smoking every day.

• About half of all teens who experiment with to-bacco become addicted to nicotine.

• Tobacco use is the num-ber one preventable cause of death in Kentucky and across the nation.

• Research shows that schools with a tobacco-free policy have 40 per-cent fewer youth smokers than those that don’t, so the new policy may help reduce the number of teens who smoke outside of school.

• The new JCPS policy may even reduce the number of Louisvillians who smoke in the future. Ninety per-cent of people who stay away from cigarettes be-fore they turn 18 will not start smoking later in life.

Free stop-smoking classesThe Louisville Metro Depart-ment of Public Health and Wellness and the Kentucky Cancer Program offer free stop-smoking classes. They include 12 one-hour, weekly sessions and relapse pre-vention.At most classes, materi-als and nicotine replace-ment products, as well as the classes themselves, are free, but registration is required. Call 574-STOP (7867) or send an e-mail to stopsmoking@louis-villeky.gov. More informa-tion is available at www.louisvilleky.gov/Health/.

JCPS is now completely tobacco-free

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JCPS has created a Web page that offers all the back-to-school information you need in one place—in-cluding a link to the Bus Finder, an interactive tool that instantly displays pick-up times at the bus stops closest to your home. Available through a link on the homepage of the district’s Web site (www.jcpsky.net), the Back-to-School page also offers links to schools’ Web sites as well as breakfast and lunch menus, a school calendar, and health information.There’s even a video that shows what it’s like for a

JCPS launches Back-to-School page

District information—however you want itWeb site (www.jcpsky.net)—The JCPS site offers general information on the district, links to individual school sites, maps, forms, lunch menus, and much more. There’s a page just for parents and another just for students, which provides online homework help. District news is posted on the homepage.Facebook (www.facebook.com/JCPSKY)—The Facebook page offers district news and alerts. During inclement whether, the page provides school closing information. YouTube (www.youtube.com/user/jcpsweb)—The JCPS YouTube Channel offers news videos, feature stories, and the Our Kids television program.JCPS on Twitter (https://twitter.com/JCPSKY)—The district’s Twitter feed provides school and district news, including school closing information. To follow JCPS tweets on your mobile phone or wireless device, send a text that says follow JCPSKY to 40404. Superintendent on Twitter (https://twitter.com/JCPSSuper)—Tweets from JCPS Superintendent Donna Hargens include information on events and student success as well as brief district news. On your mobile phone or wireless device, send a text that says follow JCPSSuper to 40404.

kindergarten student to ride the bus on the first day of school, and there are many

other tools that will help you get off to a great start in the new school year.

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Bus informationBeginning Fri., Aug. 2, JCPS bus information will be available through the Bus Finder feature on the dis-trict’s Back-to-School Web page (www.jcpsky.net). When you enter your address in the Bus Finder, you’ll see the closest stops. Please check the Bus Finder a few days before school starts to confirm your stop. Your child’s bus number or the bus arrival time may have changed since last year. Parents should anticipate that buses will run late during the first few days of the new school year.Some parents like to take their child to school on the first day, but if your child is going to be a bus rider most of the time, it’s a good idea for him or her to ride it on the first day to help the driver establish a routine. If you’re the parent of a young child and you want to be part of his or her first school day, you may want to follow the bus and meet your child at the school.

Elementary parents: Have you confirmed your child’s transportation arrangements?Earlier this year, parents of incoming first- through fifth-grade students were asked to fill out information cards about their child’s transportation arrange-ments. If you received and returned this card last spring, a confirmation let-ter will be mailed to you in early August. You should contact your child’s school if you’ve moved since you returned the card.Parents of incoming kin-dergarteners were asked to provide their child’s after-noon drop-off address when they completed the JCPS enrollment form. If you provided this information, a confirmation letter will be

mailed. If you didn’t pro-vide this information, please contact the office staff at your child’s school to let them know where your child should be dropped off in the afternoon. The staff will help you find your bus stop.Kindergarteners and new English as a Second Lan-guage (ESL) students will receive a sticker with the name of the child’s school on it. Please remember to put this sticker on your child’s clothing on the first day of school. Luggage tags will be placed on each elementary stu-dent’s backpack on the first day. The student’s name,

bus number(s), school, and afternoon bus stop will be printed on the tag. For security reasons, student phone numbers will not be included. Students who do not have a backpack on the first day of school will receive lanyards for temporary use.

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Riding the bus on the first day of school—the videoWhat’s it like for a young student to ride a JCPS school bus on the first day? A video that simulates the experi-ence is posted in the Bus Information section on the Back-to-School Web page.

• Make sure your child gets to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.

• If you live on the oppo-site side of the road from a bus stop, tell your child to wait on your side of the road until the bus arrives and the driver gives the signal to cross.

• Students are allowed to get off the bus only at a regular, designated stop. Temporary changes—for instance, if your child wants to get off at a friend’s house instead of the regular stop—must be requested by parents and approved by the school principal.

• Tell your child to walk sev-eral giant steps away from the bus after he or she has been dropped off, but remind your child to wait for a signal from the driver if he or she has to cross a road to get back to your house. Teach your child to never cross the road be-hind a bus.

Bus safety tips

Transportation Hotline 485-RIDE (485-7433)JCPS staff members will be available at the following times to tell you your child’s bus number and find the stops clos-est to your house.• Sun., Aug. 18—5 to 7 p.m. • Mon., Aug. 19—6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. • Tues., Aug. 20—5 a.m. to 7 p.m. • Wed., Aug. 21—6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Requesting teacher qualificationsParents of a student at-tending a Title I school may request information about the professional qualifications of the stu-dent’s classroom teachers. Contact your child’s school for more information.

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Getting Ready forFor parents of preschoolers: Eight ways to help your child learn

There are many simple things you can do to help your child get ready to learn and have fun in preschool: • Draw and color togeth-

er. This not only gives you a chance to teach colors and shapes but also helps your child develop the small muscles that he or she needs to hold a pencil.

• Help your child learn as he or she plays. For ex-ample, you and your child could build something with blocks. This helps your child begin to understand how to plan and carry out a project.

• Fire your child’s imagi-nation by encouraging

him or her to make up a story and act it out with dolls, stuffed animals, or toy cars and trucks.

• Read together as often as possible. Make sure your child has at least a small collection of simple picture books.

• Point out letters and sounds when you read. For instance, you could say, “That’s a mouse. It starts with m. It sounds like mmm.”

• Trace letters on your child’s back with your finger. Ask your child to guess which letters you wrote.

• Choose a word for the day (a simple word, such as go or stop), and ask your child to see how many times he or she spots it on signs, in books, on television, or anywhere else.

• Help your preschooler start learning to take on responsibilities. For example, you could ask your child to set the table, sort clothes, and clean up after bath time. Preschoolers who help at home gain independence and self-confidence, which will help them succeed in school.

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the First Day

For parents of kindergarten students:

Five ways to build your child’s confidence

One of the best ways to help your child get ready for kindergarten is also one of the easiest: Just talk about what to expect on the first day of school and on an average day. Talk about the things your child might do and how the school schedule works. Also, talk about the oppor-tunities your child will have to work and play with other students. Here are some more tips: • Tell your child that it’s

okay to be nervous. Point out that everyone—even the teacher—will be a little nervous but that learning and doing other

fun stuff will soon help ev-eryone get over the first-day jitters.

• Eliminate as much stress as possible from the getting-ready-for-school ritual. For ex-ample, you can lay out clothes and get supplies ready the night before so the morning routine will be less hectic.

• Talk to your child about the importance of shar-ing, getting along, paying attention, and waiting in line patient-ly.

• Make sure your child knows how to:

— Say and write his or her

first and last name. — Say his or her telephone

number and address. — Recognize basic colors:

red, blue, yellow, green, orange, black, brown, and purple.

— Recognize numbers from 1 to 10, count from 1 to 20, and recognize all the uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

— Hold pencils, crayons, markers, and scissors correctly.

— Use the bathroom on his or her own.

— Zip, snap, tie, button, and fasten Velcro.

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JCPS schools were included on 2013 lists of the best U.S. high schools in not just one but three national pub-lications: Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report, and The Washington Post. The Newsweek list of the best 2,000 public high schools includes five JCPS schools:• Manual (ranked no. 50

nationally)• Brown (426)• Ballard (651)• Male (919)• Eastern (1,778)

This summer, principals at the five schools received congratulations from Ken-tucky Board of Education Chair David Karem and Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) Commis-sioner Terry Holliday. In a joint letter, Karem and Hol-liday said, “We commend you and the teachers at your school for their focus on college and career readi-ness.”Newsweek’s list is based on six components: graduation rate (25 percent); college acceptance rate (25 per-cent); Advanced Placement (AP), International Bacca-laureate (IB), and Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) tests

taken per student (25 per-cent); average SAT/ACT scores (10 percent); aver-age AP, IB, and AICE scores (10 percent); and percent-age of students enrolled in at least one AP, IB, or AICE course (5 percent).

On the U.S. News & World Report list of best schools, more than half of JCPS high schools received recognition for their efforts to provide equitable and rigorous edu-cation for all students.Three of the schools rec-ognized are designated as Priority Schools. Statewide,

JCPS had four of the top five schools and six of the top ten.U.S. News & World Report awarded schools medals based on state reading and math results, the perfor-mance of at-risk students, and college readiness. JCPS high schools earned the fol-lowing awards:• Gold Medal: DuPont Manu-

al, Ballard, and Brown• Silver Medal: Eastern,

Louisville Male, and Ather-ton

• Bronze Medal: Butler Tra-ditional, Central, Fairdale, Fern Creek Traditional, and Western

The Washington Post’s list of America’s Most Challeng-ing High Schools includes four JCPS schools:• Manual (ranked no. 176

nationally)• Eastern (445)• Ballard (458)• Brown (995)The list ranks schools through an index formula that’s a simple ratio: the number of AP, IB, and AICE tests given at a school each year, divided by the number of seniors who graduated that year.

Three publications rank JCPS schools among nation’s bestState officials commend JCPS principals and teachers

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Have you registered your child or verified his or her school assignment? To find out which school your child will attend, visit the JCPS Web site (www.jcpsky .net) or call Demographics (485-3050) or Student As-signment (485-6250).Have you confirmed your child’s transportation ar-rangements? See page 6 for bus information. Do you know how much school meals cost? The price hasn’t changed from last year. Lunch is $2.40 for elementary students and $2.50 for middle and high school students. It’s $4.25 for adults. Breakfast (avail-able at most schools) costs $1.75 for elementary stu-dents and $1.85 for middle and high school students.

If your child qualifies for free or reduced-price meals under USDA guidelines, have you filled out an ap-plication? A new one is required each year. Call 485-3186 for more infor-mation.Have you checked with your child’s school about the supplies he or she will need?Does your child have a backpack? Call your child’s school if you need help pur-chasing one. Do you know if your child’s school has a dress code? Will your child need differ-ent clothes for physical edu-cation (PE) or art classes? Have you filled out emer-gency contact informa-tion and other forms for

your child’s school? Have you contacted your child’s pediatrician to acquire a complete immunization and shot history? See page 13 for information on health requirements. If your child needs to take medication during school hours, have you made ar-rangements? Do you know what time school starts for your child? At most JCPS elementary schools, the hours are 9:05 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. At most middle and high schools, the hours are 7:40 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. Have you established an earlier bedtime to help your child get back on a school schedule?

School starts Tues., Aug. 20— Are you ready?

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ECE services meet special needsExceptional Child Education (ECE) services are available to JCPS students with disabilities. The students receive specially designed instruction to meet their individual needs as described on each student’s Individual Education Program (IEP). IEP development and placement are determined by the student’s Admissions and Release Committee (ARC), which includes parents. To the maximum extent possible, students with disabilities are educated with non-disabled peers.JCPS offers a placement continuum that includes regular classes with co-teaching, resource rooms, special classes, special schools, home instruction, and instruction in hospitals. Most JCPS schools serve students with disabilities. JCPS also offers specialty groupings of students with similar needs at specific schools. Specialty groupings include Visually Impaired (VI), Hearing Impaired (HI), Functional Mental Disability (FMD), Autism (AU), and Multiple Disabilities (MD). The ECE Parent Resource Center (485-3215) offers information on special education services. Parent liaisons help parents

work in partnership with their child’s school. Other contact numbers include ECE Programs (485-6270) and ECE Assessment (485-6052). If your child is new to JCPS and already has an

ECE tipsTips for parents from the ECE Department:• Start back-to-school rou-

tines at least a week in advance.

• Encourage your child to ask questions about the school schedule.

• Participate in orientation and other back-to-school events at your child’s school.

IEP from a previous school, contact ECE Placement (485-3215). The ECE Web site is located at www.jcpsky.net/Programs/ECE/index.html.

• Share information with your child’s teacher (e.g., health issues, likes, and reinforcers).

• Encourage your child to read often, regardless of his or her reading level.

• Encourage and foster in-dependence.

• Request an IEP meeting early in the school year if concerns arise.

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Health informationHow do you know if your child is too sick to go to school? According to gener-al JCPS guidelines, students should stay home when they have any of the follow-ing symptoms: fever, vom-iting, diarrhea, undiagnosed rash, or a fever of 100.5 or greater. Of course, students also should stay home if they have been diagnosed with a contagious disease.Students at all Kentucky schools must follow state health regulations. Con-tact JCPS Health Services at 485-3387 if you have questions about the fol-lowing requirements. You also can get more informa-tion and download forms at www.jcpsky.net/Schools/Health_Descriptions.html.Dental Examinations—5- and 6-year-old students entering kindergarten or first grade for the first time need to have a Kentucky Dental Form on file at the school they’re attending no later than Jan. 1, 2014. A dentist, dental hygienist, physician, nurse practitio-ner, registered nurse, or physician assistant must complete the dental screen-ing or examination. Immunizations—Every student needs to have a current, valid immunization certificate on file at his or her school within two weeks of entering it.

Medical examinations—Students entering a Ken-tucky school for the first time and all students enter-ing the sixth grade need to have a Kentucky Preventa-tive Health Care Examina-tion Form on file within 60 days of entering it. Vision examinations—3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-year-old stu-dents entering school for the first time need to have a Kentucky Vision Examina-tion Form on file no later than Jan. 1, 2014. An op-tometrist or ophthalmologist must complete the exami-nation.Health/Medication con-cerns—Parents of a child who has health problems or requires health services while in school should no-tify JCPS Health Services as well as the child’s school. Students who need pre-scription medication and/or over-the-counter medi-cation during school hours must have a Medication Au-thorization Form on file with the required signatures.

For asthma/allergies, dia-betes, seizures, respiratory disorders, G-tube/swallow-ing/feeding disorders, or any other health condition, parents need to submit the appropriate Primary Care Provider (PCP) Authoriza-tion Form to the school or directly to JCPS Health Ser-vices. PCP and Medication Authorization Forms are available through the Web page mentioned above, or you can access the forms directly at www.jcpsky.net/Departments/HealthSer-vicesPromotions/Health-ServMedAdmin.html.Vision/Hearing screen-ings—Elementary school students participate in vi-sion and hearing screening programs. Parents receive a nonconsent form to return to the school if they do not want their child to partici-pate. Scoliosis screenings—Middle school students participate in scoliosis screening programs. Paren-tal consent is required.

First and Last Days for Students 8/20, 6/4*

*6/4 will be the last day of school unless there are days to be made up. Inclement weather may alter the school calendar, grading periods, and report card distribution dates.

First and Last Days for Teachers(No School for Students) ................................8/16, 6/5

No School for StudentsLabor Day ................................................................9/2

Thanksgiving Break ...................................11/27–11/29

Winter Break .................................................12/23–1/3

Martin Luther King Jr. Day .....................................1/20

Spring Break ...................................................3/31–4/4

Primary Election Day ..............................................5/20

Memorial Day .........................................................5/26

Professional-Development Days .........10/4, 10/7, 10/8, 11/11, 2/24, 2/25, 5/2

Make-Up Days for StudentsMissed school days will be made up in the following order: 2/26, 2/27, 2/28, 6/5, 6/6, 6/9, 6/10, 6/11, 6/12, 6/13.

If 2/26, 2/27, and 2/28 are not used as make-up days, individual schools will decide whether to use those days to host enrichment activities for some students or to have a no-school day for all students.

Parent-Teacher ConferencesConferences will be scheduled on the following dates: 10/8, 2/24.

APRIL MON TUE WED THU FRI 1 2 3 4 7 8 9 10 11 14 15 16 17 18 21 22 23 24 25 28 29 30

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Offering Equal Educational Opportunities www.jcpsky.net

NOVEMBER MON TUE WED THU FRI 1 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 13 14 15 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 27 28 29 DECEMBER MON TUE WED THU FRI

2 3 4 5 6 9 10 11 12 13 16 17 18 19 20 23 24 25 26 27 30 31

AUGUST MON TUE WED THU FRI 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 12 13 14 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 26 27 28 29 30

JANUARY MON TUE WED THU FRI 1 2 3 6 7 8 9 10 13 14 15 16 17 20 21 22 23 24 27 28 29 30 31

SEPTEMBER MON TUE WED THU FRI

2 3 4 5 6 9 10 11 12 13 16 17 18 19 20 23 24 25 26 27 30 OCTOBER MON TUE WED THU FRI

1 2 3 4 7 8 9 10 11 14 15 16 17 18 21 22 23 24 25 28 29 30 31

FEBRUARY MON TUE WED THU FRI

3 4 5 6 7 10 11 12 13 14 17 18 19 20 21 24 25 26 27 28

J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y P U B L I C S C H O O L S

School Calendar 2013-14

MARCH MON TUE WED THU FRI

3 4 5 6 7 10 11 12 13 14 17 18 19 20 21 24 25 26 27 28 31

JUNE MON TUE WED THU FRI

2 3 4 5 6 9 10 11 12 13 16 17 18 19 20 23 24 25 26 27 30

MAY MON TUE WED THU FRI

1 2 5 6 7 8 9 12 13 14 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 26 27 28 29 30