Jones Journal for Families August 29, 2025

Welcome to a new school year at Jones Academy where we #shinebright with #jonespride y somos #sololomejor. Please scroll to read this newsletter as it shares important information for the start of school. ONE TEAM. ONE GOAL.

Principally Speaking

Families, thank you for another amazing week! 🎉 We had a fantastic turnout at Pops in the Park on Saturday, then enjoyed an awesome orientation on Tuesday with In-N-Out—over 400 burgers served! 🍔 Wow! Your support of the Book Fair has also been incredible—more books in students’ hands and out in our community. ❤️ Familias, ¡gracias por otra semana increíble! 🎉 Tuvimos una asistencia fantástica en Pops in the Park el sábado, y luego disfrutamos de una orientación increíble el martes con In-N-Out: ¡se sirvieron más de 400 hamburguesas! 🍔 ¡Increíble! Su apoyo a la Feria del Libro también ha sido increíble: más libros en manos de los estudiantes y en nuestra comunidad. ❤️

Now, our next big event: the Apex Fundraiser kicks off next week! This is our major fundraiser of the year, and we’d love your support to raise funds for Teacher Giveback, Student/Teacher Enrichment & Recognition Programs and other school needs. Nuestro próximo gran evento, la Recaudación de Fondos Apex, comienza la próxima semana. Esta es nuestra recaudación de fondos más importante del año y nos encantaría contar con su apoyo para recaudar fondos para la Donación a Maestros, los Programas de Enriquecimiento y Reconocimiento de Estudiantes y Maestros, y otras necesidades escolares.

Apex is a two-week leadership and character-building program that ends with a fun fitness event, a Glow Run! Students will run/walk “laps” (capped at 36, with at least 26 recorded). Every student will take part in the leadership program and Glow Run, no matter financial participation. Thank you for helping us provide the best school experience possible for all of our students! Apex es un programa de dos semanas para el desarrollo del liderazgo y el carácter que culmina con un divertido evento de fitness: ¡la Glow Run! Los estudiantes correrán/caminarán vueltas (máximo 36, con un mínimo de 26 registradas). Todos los estudiantes participarán en el programa de liderazgo y la Glow Run, independientemente de su presupuesto. ¡Gracias por ayudarnos a brindar la mejor experiencia escolar posible a todos nuestros estudiantes!

Dual Language Immersion

One area of opportunity expressed in last year’s parent survey was the need for clearer information and consistency about our Dual Language program. I’d like to direct you to this parent website, which includes valuable information and resources. On the top right-hand side, you’ll find a Language Acquisition tab and a Support at Home tab—I think you’ll find both very helpful.

Our Dual Language Immersion program is comprehensive and research-based, designed to provide students with a unique educational experience. It promotes biliteracy, bilingualism, and cultural competency with the goal of helping students listen, speak, read, and write proficiently in two languages while developing an appreciation for diverse cultures. Nuestro programa de Inmersión Bilingüe es comprehensiva y diseñado para brindar a los estudiantes una experiencia educativa única. Promueve la lectoescritura bilingüe, el bilingüismo y la competencia cultural con el objetivo de ayudar a los estudiantes a escuchar, hablar, leer y escribir con fluidez en dos idiomas, a la vez que desarrollan un aprecio por las diversas culturas.

The following resources outline what each student can do within the four language domains at their current level, what is expected at the next level, and how we can assist them in leveling up. Los siguientes recursos describen lo que cada estudiante puede hacer dentro de los cuatro dominios del lenguaje en su nivel actual, lo que se espera en el próximo nivel y cómo podemos ayudarlos a subir de nivel.

As we continue on this school year, we encourage you to read through the information in this newsletter and visit the district's Family Support page. We look forward to partnering with you this school year! Mientras se continue este año escolar, lo alentamos a leer la información de este boletín y visitar la página de Apoyo Familiar del distrito. ¡Esperamos colaborar con usted este año escolar!

Featured Businesses

We are proud to showcase our local small businesses that represent and support the Jones community. Estamos orgullosos de presentar los negocios locales que representan y apoyan a la comunidad de Jones.

Save the Date! National Dance Day September 20!

Counselor Corner

Attendance Matters

September is Attendance Awareness Month. Good attendance is necessary for excellent academic performance. Texas law states that a child PreK-grade 8 must be in attendance 90% or more of the time for promotion. That means that a child can not miss 9 or more days each semester.

IF YOUR CHILD IS ABSENT, PLEASE DO ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

1) Call the school to report the reason for your child’s absence. This call should be made before 9 a.m. if possible. Someone is in the office by 7:30 a.m. to take your call. Please let us know that your child will be absent and the reason for the absence.

2) If you are unable to call, send a note explaining the reason for your child’s absence the day your child returns to school. A doctor’s note is needed after the third consecutive day of illness. A doctor’s note may also be required for excessive absences.

If your child is ill for several consecutive days, please call each day. Do not wait until the child has been ill for several days.

Please refer to the AISD Student Code of Conduct for reasons that constitute excused absences. AISD policy considers the following as some of the reasons for excused absences:

• Legitimate days of illness (excessive absences and/or more than
• 3 consecutive days of illness require a doctor’s note or office receipt
• Death in the immediate family
• Medical appointments **

**If the child attends school the same day as a doctor’s appointment with the proper documentation, he/she will be counted PRESENT for the day.

Tardy

Students in grades K-6 arriving after the 8:20 a.m. bell are considered tardy. Students who are tardy need to check in at the front desk for a tardy pass before going to their classroom, and parents will be asked to fill out a digital form explaining the reason for the tardy.

Unexcused tardies and unexcused absences can affect a student’s progress and promotion/retention as well as perfect attendance recognition. While some absences/tardies may be unavoidable, limiting your child’s absences/tardies puts them on a path to future success. If your child is missing school or late, determine the reasons for the absences. Communicate with the teacher or school to take advantage of support services. As the school counselor, I may not be able to help families through all their problems, but I can point them in the right direction for things like food, clothing, housing, transportation, and counseling etc.

The Social and Emotional Benefit of Regular Attendance Research has shown the following benefits from consistent and on-time attendance including:

• Sleeping and eating patterns are stabilized with good effects on health.
• A predictable schedule builds the child’s confidence at home and school.
• Children know what to expect in the classroom because they were there the previous day.
• Children recognize they are part of a community; their peers and teacher expect and include them and miss them when they are gone.
• Ongoing, extended conversations and learning are able to be built upon.
• Children learn to increasingly control their emotions simply by being in a consistent environment and on schedule every day.
• Teachers spend less time “catching them up” and more time building on what they learned the day before.

Kindness Crew

We are looking to create a team of students in our school with the sole-purpose of inspiring and carrying out acts of kindness throughout our entire student body. Applications are available to pick up starting today, and will be due no later than next Friday September 5, 2025. Completed applications can be turned in to the office or Ms. Robles's box.

School Visits, Breakfast and Lunch

Visitors are welcomed. All visitors must present an ID before you have access to our school. For your child’s safety, no visitors are allowed in our building without a valid ID. Only parents, guardians or others listed on the student’s registration will have access to our students. Visitors are not allowed in the classrooms during the school day, unless the classroom teacher is aware, an appointment/agreement was made to the date and time of your visit or volunteer time period. We do not want to interrupt the teaching and learning that takes place in our school. We will have volunteer opportunities and will inform you of those opportunities and future volunteer orientation. All volunteers must participate in a mandatory campus volunteer orientation. We will inform you of those dates soon. Please visit website below to apply to become a volunteer.

We would like to take the first month of school to firmly establish breakfast and lunch routines and expectations with the students free of distractions or visitors. Breakfast and Lunch visitors will be welcomed September 8.

Los visitantes son bienvenidos. Todos los visitantes deben presentar una identificación antes de tener acceso a nuestra escuela. Para la seguridad de su hijo, no se permiten visitantes en nuestro edificio sin una identificación válida. Solo los padres, tutores u otras personas que figuran en el registro del estudiante tendrán acceso a nuestros estudiantes. No se permiten visitantes en los salones de clases durante el día escolar, a menos que el maestro del salón de clases sepa que se hizo una cita/acuerdo con la fecha y hora de su visita o el período de tiempo voluntario. No queremos interrumpir la enseñanza y el aprendizaje que se lleva a cabo en nuestra escuela. Tendremos oportunidades de voluntariado y le informaremos sobre esas oportunidades y la futura orientación para voluntarios. Todos los voluntarios deben participar en una orientación voluntaria obligatoria en el campus. Pronto les informaremos de esas fechas. Visite el sitio web a continuación para solicitar ser voluntario.

Nos gustaría aprovechar el primer mes de clases para establecer firmemente las rutinas y expectativas del desayuno y el almuerzo con los estudiantes libres de distracciones o visitantes. Los visitantes del desayuno y el almuerzo serán bienvenidos el 8 de septiembre.

Birthday Celebrations

Birthday celebrations should not interfere with the instructional day and classroom learning. We ask that Birthday celebrations for your child occur after 3:10 p.m. (5th grade can be at 1:30 before their specials classes). The brief celebration must be pre-approved and scheduled with the classroom teacher. The teacher has the authority to not approve birthday celebrations on particular days if it conflicts with instructional plans or state and district testing. Parents are limited to bringing only store-bought cupcakes or cookies. Sodas, carbonated beverages, red drinks or other drinks that will stain the classroom carpet are NOT allowed. Thanks for your understanding.

Las celebraciones de cumpleaños no deben interferir con el día de instrucción ni con el aprendizaje del salón de clase. Las celebraciones de cumpleaños de sus hijos solamente podrán llevarse a cabo después de las 3:10 p.m. (5to grado puede estar a la 1:30 antes de sus clases especiales). La celebración breve debe ser pre-aprobada y programada con la maestra del salón de clase. En caso de conflicto con los planes de instrucción o exámenes del estado, la maestra tiene la autoridad de no aprobar celebraciones de cumpleaños en ciertos días. Los padres están limitados a traer solamente galletas o pastelitos (cupcakes) comprados en la tienda. Favor de NO traer refrescos(sodas), bebidas carbonatadas, ni bebidas rojas ya que estas manchan y queremos proteger la alfombra del salón de clase. Gracias por su comprensión.

Health Screenings Beginning

The State of Texas requires that school children receive certain health screenings at school. Students who are new to the district, as well as those in Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades, will participate in these screenings with our school nurse. If you have any questions about the screenings, please contact our school nurse directly, Mrs. Juarez at sjuarez1@aisd.net. She plans to begin the screenings on September 2.

El Estado de Texas requiere que los estudiantes reciban ciertas evaluaciones de salud en la escuela. Los estudiantes nuevos en el distrito, así como aquellos en Kinder, 1.º, 3.º y 5.º grado, participarán en estas evaluaciones con nuestra enfermera escolar. Si tiene alguna pregunta sobre las evaluaciones, comuníquese directamente con nuestra enfermera, Sra. Juarez at sjuarez1@aisd.net.. Ella planea comenzar las evaluaciones el 2 de septiembre.

Educational Student Travel

I am excited to share that one of AISD's dedicated teachers, Ms. Jessica Ortiz, will be leading two amazing student travel opportunities in 2027 through EF Educational Tours. These experiences are open to students in our district, and I encourage you to learn more about them. Please note: This is a non-school or district sponsored trip. Me complace anunciar que una de las dedicadas maestras de AISD, la Sra. Jessica Ortiz, organizará dos increíbles viajes estudiantiles en 2027 a través de EF Educational Tours. Estas experiencias están abiertas a los estudiantes de nuestro distrito y los invito a conocerlas mejor. Nota: Este viaje no está patrocinado por la escuela ni el distrito.

Educational travel provides students with the chance to explore new destinations, immerse themselves in different cultures, and build lifelong skills such as independence, resilience, and confidence. I truly believe these opportunities enrich a child’s education in ways that extend far beyond the classroom. Los viajes educativos brindan a los estudiantes la oportunidad de explorar nuevos destinos, sumergirse en diferentes culturas y desarrollar habilidades para toda la vida, como la independencia, la resiliencia y la confianza. Creo firmemente que estas oportunidades enriquecen la educación de un niño de maneras que van mucho más allá del aula.

To learn more, please join one of the upcoming informational meetings where Ms. Ortiz will share trip details, learning activities, costs, safety measures, and how to reserve your student’s spot: Para obtener más información, únase a una de las próximas reuniones informativas donde la Sra. Ortiz compartirá detalles del viaje, actividades de aprendizaje, costos, medidas de seguridad y cómo reservar el lugar de su estudiante:

Spring Break 2027 – Washington, D.C. & New York City

• 📅 Date: September 16
• 🕒 Time: 6:00 PM
• 📍 Location: Zoom
• 👉 RSVP here: https://bit.ly/3HN3e8S

Summer 2027 – Switzerland, Italy, France & Spain

• 📅 Date: September 18
• 🕒 Time: 6:30 PM
• 📍 Location: Zoom
• 👉 RSVP here: https://rsvp.eftours.com/dyy39jv

Volunteer Sign Up

We’re excited to invite you to our first Volunteer Campus Training of the school year, happening on Tuesday, September 9th at 5:30 PM via Zoom. This session will provide helpful guidance for anyone interested in volunteering on campus and supporting our students and staff. Nos complace invitarlos a nuestra primera capacitación para voluntarios del año escolar, que se llevará a cabo el martes 9 de septiembre a las 5:30 PM a través de Zoom. Esta sesión ofrecerá orientación útil para todas las personas interesadas en ser voluntarias en la escuela y apoyar a nuestros estudiantes y personal.

Volunteers play a vital role in enriching our children’s educational environment and experiences. Whether you’re helping in the classroom, assisting with events, or supporting teachers behind the scenes, your involvement makes a meaningful difference.Los voluntarios desempeñan un papel fundamental en el enriquecimiento del entorno educativo y las experiencias de nuestros niños. Ya sea que ayuden en el aula, colaboren en eventos o apoyen a los maestros detrás de escena, su participación marca una diferencia significativa.

• Time: Sep 9, 2025 05:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
• https://us05web.zoom.us/j/89164824250?pwd=t2vQJzSSGivqvzbcbHvQipiEOaYxMy.1
• Meeting ID: 891 6482 4250
• Passcode: 0mS0Bd

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!

Grandparents Breakfast! September 5

Join us for breakfast with your All-Star grandchild and mingle with other grandparents! You are welcome to purchase a meal from the cafeteria or bring your own. Pastries and coffee will be provided for grandparents. To receive a pre-printed visitor badge and help us plan for space, please RSVP by 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 4. Please complete this form for each adult/grandparent attending who will need a visitor’s pass.

¡Acompáñenos a desayunar con su nieto/a estrella y conviva con otros abuelos! Puede comprar comida en la cafetería o traer la suya. Se ofrecerán pasteles y café para los abuelos. Para recibir una credencial de visitante preimpresa y ayudarnos a reservar espacio, por favor, confirme su asistencia antes de las 12:00 p. m. del jueves 4 de septiembre. Complete este formulario por cada adulto/abuelo que asista y necesite un pase de visitante.

Jones Performance Shirt

If your student will be in any of our choirs or is in 5th grade performing arts, they’ll need a black performance shirt. It’s the same shirt as last year, so if it still fits, no need to purchase a new one. The deadline to order is October 1. $15! Si su estudiante participará en alguno de nuestros coros o está en 5.º grado, necesitará una camiseta negra de actuación. Es la misma que la del año pasado, así que si todavía le queda, no necesita comprar una nueva. La fecha límite para pedirla es el 1 de octubre. ¡Cuesta $15!

Upcoming Events

• September 1- Labor Day Holiday
• September 2- Apex Fundraiser Kick Off!
• September 5- Grandparents Breakfast
• September 9- Volunteer Training
• September 11- Apex Fun Run
• September 12- Donuts with Dudes! Sponsored by Dads' Club
• September 15- Fall Individual Picture Day
• September 18- PTA Meeting & Hispanic Heritage Month Kick Off
• September 19- Student Holiday/Professional Learning Day for Staff
• September 20- National Dance Day
• September 22- Student Holiday- Parent Conference Day
• September 29- Volunteer Training