Jones Academy- where we #shinebright with #jonespride y somos #sololomejor. Please scroll to read this newsletter as it shares important information. ONE TEAM. ONE GOAL.
Principally Speaking
As many of our families observe the sacred seasons of Ramadan and Lent, we extend our warmest wishes for peace, reflection, and renewal. May this meaningful time bring strength, gratitude, and moments of connection with loved ones. We are grateful for the rich traditions and diversity that make our school community so special. 🌙✝️ Mientras muchas de nuestras familias celebran las temporadas sagradas de Ramadán y Cuaresma, les enviamos nuestros mejores deseos de paz, reflexión y renovación. Que este tiempo significativo les brinde fortaleza, gratitud y momentos especiales en familia. Agradecemos la riqueza de tradiciones y la diversidad que hacen de nuestra comunidad escolar un lugar tan especial. 🌙✝️
4th 6 Weeks Attendance
Our attendance for this six weeks came in just shy of our 96% goal at 95.3% so close! 🎉 This little dip is very normal for this time of year with seasonal illnesses making their rounds. Let’s keep the momentum going by encouraging healthy habits: frequent handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, staying hydrated, getting good sleep, and coming to school ready to learn whenever possible. Healthy students = happy classrooms! 💙 A big congratulations to our classroom winners listed below with the highest attendance rates for the 4th six weeks! 🏆 Their snack prizes were delivered this morning. For individual incentives, students who earn 93% attendance or higher (no more than two absences) each six weeks receive a special Attendance Brag Tag for their backpacks. Attendance resets every six weeks, which means a fresh start and new opportunities to shine! ✨ We can’t wait to celebrate even more students during the 5th six weeks. Nuestra asistencia este periodo fue 95.3%, ¡muy cerquita de nuestra meta del 96%! 🎉 Esta es normal en esta temporada por las enfermedades. Sigamos promoviendo hábitos saludables: lavarse las manos con frecuencia, cubrirse al toser, descansar bien y mantenerse hidratados. ¡Estudiantes sanos aprenden mejor! ¡Felicidades a los salones con mejor asistencia! 🏆 Los estudiantes con 93% o más recibirán su Brag Tag de asistencia. Cada periodo es un nuevo comienzo — ¡vamos por más reconocimientos este próximo ciclo! ✨
2026-2027 Calendar
The elementary and secondary student calendar for next school year, 2026-2027, has been approved and you can view it here to already plan ahead.
February 2026
Counselor Corner
Healthy Habits, Happy Hearts
Teaching personal hygiene to elementary students is a vital aspect of their overall well-being and social-emotional development. By instilling good hygiene habits at a young age, we equip children with essential life skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. The benefits of teaching personal hygiene extend beyond physical health and contribute to positive self-image, social acceptance, and overall well-being. Good health starts with proper self-hygiene. Keeping our bodies clean protects the immune system while upholding good general health by curbing the spread of germs and diseases in society. Children need to understand that not everything they come in contact with is completely safe, and they must learn how bacteria is spread so that they don’t compromise their own health or the health of others. Poor personal hygiene also has psychosocial implications leading to diminished confidence and difficulties interacting within society.
Tips For Teaching Kids About Personal Hygiene
1. Explain Good And Bad Habits Start with something they already know – good and bad. Kids know that they are supposed to do what is good and not the bad. So, list out the good and bad hygiene habits – clearly tell them what is considered good and healthy, and what is bad or unhealthy. Repeat it as many times as you can in different situations. You can reiterate these points through play – a quick quiz in the car or as they step into the bath. Most importantly, praise them when they display good hygiene. That way, they’ll remember better. 2. Start With The Basics – Hand Washing And Bathing Children shut their minds to things that they find overwhelming. Dumping too much information or instructions about personal hygiene will yield no results. Start with something simple like washing hands and bathing regularly and build other practices from there. 3. Use The Right Resources The best way to teach a kid is by demonstration. And to do that, you need to have the right resources. If you want your child to use soap to wash hands, you need to make sure there is soap in the dispenser. The chances of your kid washing hands are better when there are supplies in stock. 4. Explain Concepts Of Germs And Bacteria Introduce the concept of germs and bacteria early on. Tell how they can catch germs and what happens when they don’t wash them off. Kids tend to do something if they understand it better. Make sure you emphasize the importance of hygiene and germ prevention, but do not exaggerate so much that they develop a phobia. 5. Talk About Nice Smell And Foul Smell Our noses can recognize a wide range of smells, and our instincts tell us which smells are good and which are bad. Kids also know, instinctively, when something smells bad. But they may not be able to label it ‘bad’. You can help them learn the difference between good and bad smells and explain that they should build good hygiene habits to keep bad or “stinky” smells away. 6. Talk About Grooming Kids who are poorly dressed may be teased, or even bullied at school. To avoid that, it is imperative that your children wear clean clothes, smell fresh, and stay clean and hygienic in school as well as at home. Talk to your kids about the different grooming activities like wearing clean clothes, combing their hair, and keeping their school and lunch bag clean and hygienic. Help them learn about grooming by practice. 7. Fun With Hygiene Kids remember something better when it is fun and makes them happy. Don’t make hygiene a dreadful topic for children. Make it fun. Try to teach them about personal hygiene in different ways, such as games, fun activities, and online games. 8. Be An Example To encourage your child to follow good hygiene practices, you must start practicing them yourself. Be an example. Do little things like washing hands, cleaning the kitchen or the table, brushing teeth, etc. together.
February 24 Magic Show! 🪄🎩
Make plans to join us for a special Magic Show sponsored by PTA on Tuesday, February 24! 🎩✨ This event is free for PTA members and includes pizza and a drink. Please use this RSVP link so we can plan accordingly for food. Not a PTA member yet? No problem! For just a $10 entrance fee, you’ll receive admission to the event and become a PTA member. Join PTA here and don’t miss out on an evening of fun and magic! ✨ ¡Acompáñenos a un espectáculo de magia especial patrocinado por la PTA el martes 24 de febrero! 🎩✨ Este evento es gratuito para los miembros de la PTA e incluye pizza y una bebida. Use este enlace de confirmación para que podamos planificar la comida. ¿Aún no es miembro de la PTA? ¡No hay problema! Por solo $10 de entrada, recibirá acceso al evento y se convertirá en miembro de la PTA. ¡Únase a la PTA aquí y no se pierda una noche de diversión y magia! ✨
Aprende Peque - February 25
Hear from the co-founder and host of the popular YouTube Channel Aprende Peque. Date/Fecha: Wednesday, February 25, 2026 Doors open/Puertas Abren: 5:30 PM – Join us for a reception with appetizers and mocktails Lecture: 6:00 PM Location: Rosebud Theater | University Center | The University of Texas at Arlington Cost: Free; ticket required; please access your ticket at Eventbrite Tickets are closed once all seats are reserved or by Tuesday, Feb 24 at 1 pm. You can come to the welcoming table if you need a ticket on the day of the event depending on availability. Isa's bilingual lecture, "Creciendo, Sintiendo y Cantando en Español con Aprende Peque / Growing, Feeling, and Singing in Spanish with Aprende Peque," Isa shares the development and mission of Aprende Peque, an educational media initiative created and led by Latina women in the United States and dedicated to early childhood learning. Drawing from her professional experience as an early childhood educator and speech‑language specialist, Isa discusses the importance of strengthening Spanish language development from an early age, preserving Latin culture and traditions, and promoting meaningful, engaging, and culturally rooted learning experiences. The presentation also highlights the educational and social impact that Aprende Peque has had on thousands of families. with preschool-aged children and their families, focusing on language development and neurocognitive, social, and emotional skills during early childhood. Parking details for the public will be sent 5 days prior to the event.If you have any question or need special accommodations, please contact monica.lopez@uta.edu no later than five days before the event. We welcome UTA affiliates and the community at large to be part of this extraordinary opportunity to explore the power of early learning and its impact while connecting with fellow enthusiasts. Don't miss out on this engaging lecture and celebrate twenty years of Distinguished Lectures at CMAS at UTA. We hope to see you there!
Supporting Language Learning at Home
You don’t need to speak Spanish to support your child’s Spanish learning! Encouragement, curiosity, and practice at home make a big difference. Please review the flyer for simple ideas you can try. Also, all students also have access to Imagine Español in their ClassLink LaunchPad account. This fun program helps build Spanish foundational literacy skills and confidence. Recommended Home Use: 20 minutes, 2 times per week. See the image so you know what to look for when your child logs in. Thank you for supporting bilingual learning at home! 💙
Yearbooks for Sale!
Yearbooks are now on sale — be sure to purchase yours before prices go up or we sell out later in the spring! Families may also purchase a special shout-out for students in any grade level. In addition, special recognition ads are reserved exclusively for our graduating 5th graders to celebrate their final year of elementary school. It’s a meaningful way to include additional photos and a personal message as they prepare for their next chapter. 🎓 Order soon — we don’t want anyone to miss out! 💙 This school year is flying! 👉🏽Order here using code 26548. Don’t miss out! 📚✨ Este año escolar se está pasando volando! 👉🏽Haz tu pedido aquí con el código 26548. ¡No te lo pierdas! 📚✨
Save the Date- April 2
Volunteer Sign Up
Many hands make light work and we love our volunteers. We depend on our parents and volunteers to help make the best learning environment that we can for our kids. We encourage you to be an approved volunteer to help make a difference at school, sponsor fine arts events, chaperone field trips and work with students. All volunteers must submit an online application (every year) and upload a copy of your unexpired government-issued photo ID to the volunteer application.
Muchas manos facilitan el trabajo y amamos a nuestros voluntarios. Dependemos de nuestros padres y voluntarios para ayudar a crear el mejor ambiente de aprendizaje posible para nuestros hijos. Lo alentamos a ser un voluntario aprobado para ayudar a hacer la diferencia en la escuela, patrocinar eventos de bellas artes, ser acompañante en excursiones y trabajar con los estudiantes. Todos los voluntarios deben enviar una solicitud en línea (cada año) y cargar una copia de su identificación con fotografía vigente emitida por el gobierno en la solicitud de voluntariado.
Calling all Jones Dudes!
Looking to meet other dads, stay involved, and support your child’s school? Join the Dad’s Club—a space for connection, community, and fun with all the awesome dads and father figures in our school family! ¿Quieres conocer a otros papás, mantenerte involucrado y apoyar la escuela de tu hijo? ¡Únete al Club de Papás—un espacio para la conexión, la comunidad y la diversión entre todos los increíbles papás y figuras paternas de nuestra comunidad escolar!
Stay connected: Join our private WhatsApp group and Follow us on Facebook
Mantente conectado: Únete a nuestro grupo privado de WhatsApp y Síguenos en Facebook
Get involved, stay in the loop, and make a difference! ¡Involúcrate, mantente informado y marca la diferencia!
Credits:
Created with an image by Austin Pacheco