Students take P.E. (physical education) plus four core subjects at their grade level:

• ELA (English language arts)
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies

Students also take two elective classes of their choice; sixth-graders take one elective of their choice plus the wheel, a four-elective sequence that changes each quarter. Some students take reading intervention classes or English learner classes.

JCMS is on a quarter system, with each quarter lasting about nine weeks. JCMS uses letter grades:

A = 90-100

B = 80-89

C = 70-79

D = 60-69

F = 59 and below.

Schedule changes are rare and should be initiated by a teacher, caregiver, and/or administrator as early in the quarter as possible. Students can get additional help with classes by signing up for REACH, a 30-minute period Tuesdays through Fridays, and/or by getting parent/guardian permission for and attending after-school tutoring in the library Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 3 to 3:50 p.m.

Students: If you’re making As and Bs, that shows your teachers that you

1) Understand the work

2) Do the work

3) Turn in the work.

Help yourself by checking PowerSchool regularly, using your planner to keep up with assignments, listening and making the effort to learn in class, and asking for help when you don’t understand.

Parents/guardians: Check PowerSchool regularly (there’s an app); check ParentSquare regularly; connect with teachers via email.   

Regular attendance – as in being at school on time at least 90 percent of the time – is connected to learning and mastering grade-level standards. Think of being a student as a job; showing up on time every day and doing what is expected are positive habits that carry over into adulthood. 

JCMS has three major expectations:

1. Be safe
2.  Be respectful
3.  Be responsible

Practicing these three every day in every way helps make JCMS a positive place for ALL students to learn and for ALL educators to help ALL students become proficient at grade-level standards. Administration gets involved for minor and major discipline referrals.

The counselors are a proactive resource to help students master positive coping skills with behavior. (Behavior is communication. For example, misbehavior usually means we want/need attention [even negative attention]; we get into a power struggle, where we want our way; we want revenge, such as getting back at someone because you feel hurt; we feel inadequate, like we don’t feel good enough.) Good manners don’t cost a penny but mean everything when used.

This stands for attention deficit disorder of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. If you have a lot of problems focusing or paying attention in class, you lose things or have problems with organization, you make careless mistakes or don’t listen, or you have difficulty finishing your work, you may have ADD.

If you also have problems acting or reacting without thinking, you interrupt or talk constantly, you have difficulty sitting still, or you have a hard time getting along with others, you may have ADHD.

Sometimes a doctor may prescribe medication to help you; sometimes you may work with a counselor on coping skills, or ways to help you manage ADD or ADHD without medication; sometimes you may take medication and work with a counselor; and sometimes your parent or guardian may not pursue any treatment.

Check out this video from chadd.org, “Children can Thrive with ADHD.”

You only get one brain, the one you were born with. Check out these two videos:

This one is produced by Mind Up and is about the teen brain

This one is about the learning brain vs. the survival brain

We want everyone to feel safe and included at JCMS, which is a major reason we have eighth-grade WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) leaders who help sixth-graders all year. Feeling welcome — or unwelcome — in any space is almost always connected to people and how they treat others.

Bullying is unwanted, harmful behavior that’s repeated and comes from people who exert power over others as a way to control them, to make them feel as though they don’t matter. Bullying causes pain and affects everyone.

We want that behavior to stop; we want students who are being bullied to feel supported; and we want every incident of bullying behavior to be reported to a trusted adult as soon as possible so that we can stop it.

It’s hard work to get along with people — sometimes even with our friends. Often, when something happens to us, we either respond or react. A response is an action that’s thoughtful; you’ve considered what to do and chosen to respond in a way where you keep the outcome in mind. A reaction is an impulsive action that you don’t take the time to think about first.

LOGS is one strategy to help you deal positively with conflict.

• Listen carefully to what others say; this helps you hear their side of the story and shows respect for their point of view.
• Observe or pay attention to the body language and emotions of everyone involved. Sometimes people say one thing but feel another.
• Guess: Try to understand what the real (or underlying) issue might be. What are the needs or feelings that might not be said out loud but are driving the conflict?
• Support: Think of a way you can support those involved in the conflict so that they feel heard and understood, and work toward resolving the conflict peacefully.

Work on figuring out your part in the conflict, do your part to make amends and repair the relationship. Remember: Give each other space and grace to grow into your best self.

We all need positive ways to deal with life. Here are some strategies for you to try

• Stop, and breathe, I can do this  
• This will pass  
• I can be anxious/angry/sad and still deal with this  
• I have done this before, and I can do it again  
• This feels bad, it’s a normal body reaction – it will pass  
• This feels bad, and feelings are very often wrong  
• These are just feelings, they will go away  
• This won’t last forever   
• I can feel bad and still choose to take a new path 
• I don’t need to rush, I can take things slowly  
• I have survived before, I will survive now  
• I feel this way because of my past, but I am safe right now  
• It’s okay to feel this way, it’s a normal reaction  
• Right now, I am not in danger 
• Right now, I’m safe  
• My mind is not always my friend  
• Thoughts are just thoughts – they’re not necessarily true or factual  
• This is difficult and uncomfortable, but it’s only temporary  
• I can use my coping skills and get through this  
• I can learn from this and it will be easier next time

Sometimes we just need to breathe. Like this:

Just like the movies “Inside Out” and “Inside Out 2” demonstrate, we all have strong (core) feelings. Figure out your strong feeling and then follow the color wheel to get a more precise handle on your emotion. Then work through the next entry on emotional regulation to help you get back to feeling more in control of your feelings, emotions, and thoughts.

Self-regulation is your ability to manage your behavior (and your learning). Being able to manage our emotions is important.

Check out this video

Breathing is one easy and simple way that helps you help regain your control. Trace your hand with your finger; when you trace up a finger, inhale deeply through your nose for a count of four; when you trace down, you exhale deeply through your mouth for a count of four.

Watch this video for another way to practice deep breathing. 

Here are some other ideas to help you regulate your emotions:

When I’m feeling angry, I can pause until I’m able to think clearly so I can respond rationally instead of reacting.
When I’m feeling anxious, I can focus on the present moment and take deep breaths to regulate my nervous system.
When I’m feeling discouraged, I can be kind to myself and remind myself of the reason I’m trying. I’ll use that as my strength.
When I’m feeling down, I can acknowledge my feelings and do something for  myself that brings me joy.
When I’m feeling I’m not good enough, I can remind myself of my strengths and take baby steps to improve my shortcomings.
When I’m feeling insecure, I can work on appreciating and accepting myself, flaws and all. I’m more than I give myself credit for.
When I’m lonely, I can meet with or video call someone I love and care about.
When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I can write down what I need to get done and focus on one task at a time based on importance.
When I’m feeling rejected, I can acknowledge that this feeling sucks, but I won’t let it consume me. Rejection is redirection.
When I’m feeling stressed, I can focus on what I can control and let go of what I can’t.

A fixed mindset makes these kinds of negative statements:

• I can’t do it
• I’m not good at this
• It’s good enough
• It’s too hard
• I’m afraid of making a mistake
• They’re better at this than I am
• I don’t know how
• I can’t make this any better
• I don’t like challenges
• I give up

A growth mindset makes these kinds of positive statements:

• I’m still learning
• I’ll keep trying
• What can I learn to get better at this?
• Is this the best I can do?
• With more practice it will get easier
• Mistakes are how I learn and get better
• What can I learn from my mistakes?
• I can learn how
• I can always find ways to improve
• Challenges make me better
• I’ll try a different way
• I can ask for help
• I don’t understand this — yet!