O
n behalf of all of us at Jefferson Elementary School, we would
first like to welcome our incoming Kindergarten students and
their families. The over 100 students that will grace our Kindergarten
classrooms this school year will represent a portion of the WJHSD
class of 2029! We are extremely confident that you will find our school
warm, welcoming, and committed to meeting each and every one
of your child’s needs. We are looking forward to developing and
maintaining a collaborative partnership over the next several years in
order to truly maximize your son/daughter’s growth, development,
and achievement.
As we enthusiastically ushered in the start of the 2016-2017
school year, our students, staff, and faculty were welcomed to new,
innovative resources that have expanded our school’s library to
include an outdoor learning environment (Reading Rocks)
and multimedia lounge (Google Chrome Lounge.) Both areas
will provide us the opportunity to extend the “traditional”
physical barriers of our school library and redefine this
resource while continuing to promote and foster a passion
for literacy, innovation, and student engagement.
In regards to the outdoor learning environment, we were
fortunate to make a connection to our district’s current
high school project (located across the street from Jefferson
Elementary School) by utilizing the large stones that have
been excavated from the building site for student seating
and non-traditional learning stations which surround a
grant-funded circular patio. Additionally, the entire area,
which takes the shape of a jaguar paw, is enclosed with
beautiful trees and contains an abundance of outdoor
educational materials and resources. This environment will
also be utilized by educators throughout the building to
engage our students in meaningful, and aligned, educational
activities that support and enrich our curricula. Finally, various
“green initiatives”, such as the installation of solar panels to create
alternatives to running electricity and the planting/maintenance of
several gardens will be explored to assist in developing a culture of
environmental responsibility within our school
and community.
Inside the building, the existing adjoining
computer lab area, currently separated
by a moveable partition, has been
completely redefined and transformed into
a technologically-rich multimedia Google
Chrome “Lounge”, equipped with numerous
Google Chrome Books, non-traditional seating
units, collaborative work stations/areas, and
interactive-media-presentation equipment.
We welcome you to our new “library” at
Jefferson Elementary School; a fully immersive
learning environment where Science,
Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and
Math (STREAM) come together to increase student achievement
while providing our students the resources that they deserve.
West Jefferson Hills | Fall 2016 | icmags.com 49
W E ST J E FFE RSON HI L L S SC HOOL DI ST RIC T NE WS – J E FFE RS O N E LE M E N TA RY S CH O OL
Collaboratively Written By:
Christopher M. Very, Proud Principal of JES, and
Jessica Short, 3rd Grade Teacher/Principal Intern
West Jefferson Hills
JES Evolves With Our Students