Happy Holidays & Have A Wonderful New Year! Winter Break Will Start Monday, December 21 And Students Will Return Tuesday, January 5
Parker G. Peyton M. Makana T. Ava V. 8th grade students have been learning about various art movements in the visual arts. Displayed above are several students Lichtenstein-inspired pop art portraits.
Important Upcoming Events & Reminders Julie Do, MS Principal Dear Parents and Students,
As we look forward to winter break, I just wanted to take a moment to send you all, on behalf of the Middle School faculty and staff, our hopes for a continued safe and happy holiday season. We are all looking forward to the new year, one that will continue to see progress towards better health and a return to many of the day-to-day and annual activities we now appreciate so much more.
As we are enjoying the upcoming days with family and friends, recharging over break, we would like to remind everyone to please stay the course with efforts to keep one another and our school community safe:
When we return to school we will be redoubling our efforts to review and remind students of our face-to-face on campus protocols and practices to help ensure that we have a safe start to second semester. This will help us continue to enjoy the many fun learning activities within our level response guidelines.
Again, we wish you all a great holiday recess spending time with your family enjoying what our beautiful island offers. Stay well & safe, Julie & MS Team
Winter Concert Recording Update
If you missed the email that went out earlier today, please note that due to technical difficulties related to the filming and audio recording process, we will be postponing our Winter Concert release date until Wednesday, December 23rd. On that date, we will share a link to the completed work.
Thank you all for your patience and understanding as we work to honor the incredible hard work of all of our choral and instrumental players!
MS Chorus & Band Students Wait To Record For The On-Line Winter Concert
Student Travel Procedure
These procedures are approved by the Medical Hui--and are in effect as long as the State allows a pre-travel COVID test for Mainland or International* travelers:
This procedure is intended to shorten the amount of time that students must learn remotely following travel relative to the 14-day quarantine alternative. If you have any questions, please email school.nurse@lejardinacademy.org.
*Neighbor island travelers will be expected to comply with current County and State regulations for travel and testing, and procedures may vary by island. Visit https://hidot.hawaii.gov/coronavirus/ for details. Traveling? Contact The Nurse
Please remember to notify the school nurse at: school.nurse@lejardinacademy.org regarding all student travel plans.
Junior Thespian Honor Society
Congratulations to the charter members of the new Junior Thespian Honor Society. This is the first year middle school students have been invited to participate in this international program. Students will be performing in middle school plays, volunteering in other productions, assisting with technical support, and developing a new costume filing system. They will also represent LJA in the annual International Thespian Festival on February 13th, 2021 Way to go, thespians!!
Sincerely,
Mr. Gaines- Junior Thespian Society charter director
Lost & Found
Lost and found table at the front door of the admin building will be donated TOMORROW, Friday, 12/18. There are many sweatshirt/hoodies that look like MS sizes. Also a few swimming items, water bottles, lunch boxes...
Semester Progress Report Information Rachel Domenic, Dean of Academics
End of Semester Reports are coming your way January 22. The end of the marking period is January 8, so please make sure that you are checking Managebac and Google Classroom to ensure all coursework, formative and summative assessments are complete to the best of your son or daughter's ability. In addition, your son or daughter will receive comments on the assessment criteria and the Approaches to Learning Skills (Self-Management, Research, Social, Communication, and Thinking Skills). Please encourage your son or daughter to manage their time well in order to have a restful winter break! Happy Holidays!
MS Learning Support Coordinator Juniper Richardson
Resources on ADHD from the Learning Support Department
If you have a child with a recent ADHD diagnosis, you're probably already doing research on the next steps and what type of treatment is available to support their continued learning, growth, and wellbeing. My advice is to read articles, listen to podcasts, or watch documentaries from reputable sources, keep an eye on which organizations are funding research to rule out any conflicts of interest, and ignore "click bait" or disparaging things heard in conversations. Here are a few good places to start:
For General Information on ADHD:
Specific Information on ADHD and the Brain:
I hope this is helpful! If you are interested in learning more or discussing any of these resources, please contact me at juniper.richardson@lejardinacademy.org
LJA Wellness Message Sean Landau and Jessica Osborne, MS/HS Counselors
The "Season of Family" gives us an opportunity to celebrate and remember those loved ones who have been important to us. During the season, we have an opportunity to decide as family units to hold on to past traditions that have been important to us, to let go of the traditions that are no longer feasible, and to create new traditions that honor the past as well as move us forward as a family. This holiday toolkit link suggests ideas and inspiration for families to celebrate loved ones, those present and those who have died. We hope together your family will create conversations and activities to honor the holiday season and your loved ones. Please join NAGC as together we celebrate the "SEASON OF FAMILY." For general information about counseling services at LJA, please visit www.hscounseling.org.
Take care and be well, Jessica Osborne and Sean Landau Toolkit Resource: childrengrieve.org/images/PDFs/NAGC_Holiday_Toolkit-_A_Season_of_Family-_FINAL-.pdf
Global Read Aloud Update Rachel Domenic and Christine Keogh
Did you know that it is just as important to read aloud to older kids as it is for younger kids? Join our book club for a wonderful and relaxing way to end your Wednesday evening, no prep required! Just sit back, relax, and enjoy reading and discussing a book together either Wednesday or Thursday nights from 7-8pm. We are finishing reading Prairie Lotus and Stamped and would love your input on our next selection. If you are interested in joining us for our next book, fill out this form and we will see you after the winter break.
6th Grade Writing Showcase
In case you missed it! The first annual 6th Grade Exciting Writing Showcase event to celebrate the work 6th Grade students completed in English this semester is still available to stream. Congratulations to all the emerging poets and storytellers for their hard work and to those taking the stage!
Livestreamed and recorded thanks to the wonderful Mr. Connors! It is available to view HERE.
Mahalo! Ittai
Important Notice In order to help us screen all students as quickly as possible in the mornings please switch to the app if you haven't done so already.
Switch Your Health Screening For A Faster Process In The Morning The new app will enable easier self-screening each morning and we are asking that all middle school families use this for daily screening. Please email Melissa Handy at melissa.handy@lejardinacademy.org with any questions.
Bring Your Own Device Policy for 2021-2022
If you are planning on purchasing a new computer during the Holidays you may want to keep these guidelines in mind. The following guidelines clarify the Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) program and are intended to guide your child. All grades 6-12 students must bring a laptop to school to support the academic requirements. Other electronic devices such cell phones, iPads, Chromebooks may be utilized with permission of classroom teachers as secondary devices to support learning. If you already own a laptop you would like your child to use, please check its specifications against those listed below to ensure that it meets LJA's suggested minimum requirements: Suggested Minimum Requirements MINIMUM Intel Core i5 2.6GHz dual-core processor Wi-Fi capable 8 GB RAM 256 GB Hard Drive 11" display Mac OS 10.14 (Mojave) Webcam RECOMMENDED Multicore Intel Processor or M1 64 bit support Wi-Fi Capable 12 GB RAM 512 GB Hard Drive or larger 13" display or larger Mac OS 11 (Big Sur) Webcam MINIMUM Intel Core i5 2.6GHz processor Wi-Fi capable 8 GB RAM 256 GB Hard Drive 11" display Windows 10 Webcam RECOMMENDED Intel multi core i7 2.6GHz processor 64 bit support Wi-Fi capable 12 GB RAM 512 GB Hard drive or larger 13" display or larger Windows 10 pro 64 bit Webcam Click HERE for more information on our BYOD policy.
LJA Merit Scholarship
Dear Grade 6 and 8 Families,
Applications are now being accepted for the Merit Scholarship for incoming 7th and 9th graders and are due February 15, 2021. Merit scholarship awards are no less than 25% of annual tuition, awarded for the remainder of your student's enrollment at Le Jardin Academy and additional need-based financial aid is available, up to 100%, for students who qualify based on the financial situation of the parents.
To qualify for this scholarship, rising 7th and 9th graders must:
If you would like to apply for the merit scholarship, please complete and submit an application by February 15, 2021. Essays can be emailed to jennifer.souza@lejardinacademy.org. Applicants will also need to take the At-Home SSAT which is administered by a proctor online this year. You can register for the SSAT at www.ssat.org. Our school code is 4576 and the results will be sent directly to LJA.
For other scholarship opportunities such as the Shapiro Family Scholarship for military families, or any tuition assistance inquiries, please visit the Financial Aid and Scholarships page of our website by clicking here.
Please call the admissions office at (808) 261-0707 x1310 with any questions.
Merit Scholarship Committee
Spirit Store & Lunch
Hello LJA Community! Today we are announcing the launch of Student ID Debit Cards!
This means that parents will be able to load money under their child's name to be used at the Middle/High School Concession Stand. This point-of-sale system will be integrated with LJA's Spirit Store, which allows students the ability to use credit/debit cards, cash, or store credit. To redeem cash credits, students will be required to show their school ID to the concession stand employee when making a purchase. We hope that this will make lunch purchases easier for you and your child.
This is brought to you by the LJA High School Student Government.
HERE is the link to LJA's spirit store where you can make an account
Required PE shirts/shorts for school and other Spirit items are available to order. Orders placed when the Spirit Store opens will have time to arrive before needed in PE.
You can use this link to order lunch for 2nd quarter.
Kyle Nakayama can be contacted for further questions,
Attendance
Please notify Lizbeth Smith at lizbeth.smith@lejardinacademy.org and Kim McDonald at kim.mcdonald@lejardinacademy.org if you know your child will be absent, arriving late, or leaving school early.
School Links
Tech Support
All tech questions should be directed to helpdesk@lejardinacademy.org or to the chat forum at https://www.lejardinacademy.org/parent-portal. Please do not email teachers regarding tech related questions.
Having trouble with your device? Please contact helpdesk@lejardinacademy.org
Important Dates
December -18 Winter Concert Recording Released December - 21- January 1 Winter Break January 4 - PDD #2 No School for Students January 8 - Last Day of the Semester January 18 - Holiday No School January 22 - Report Cards Uploaded to ManagBac
Middle School Contacts Attendance Hotline 261-0707 x7004
Lizbeth Smith MS/HS Registrar 261-0707 x3070 lizbeth.smith@lejardinacademy.org
Kim McDonald MS Admin Assistant 261-0707 x1160 kim.mcdonald@lejardinacademy.org
Juniper Richardson Learning Support Coordinator juniper.richardson@lejardinacademy.org
Jessica Osborne MS/HS Counselor jessica.osborne@lejardinacademy.org
Sean Landau
Rachel Domenic MS Dean of Academics, MYP Coordinator Rachel.Domenic@lejardinacademy.org
Vicki McNeill Dean of Students 6-12 vicki.mcneill@lejardinacademy.org
Julie Do Middle School Principal julie.do@lejardinacademy.org
Middle School Information
Please visit the Middle School Portal frequently to view additional information, important events, changes, and forms at https://www.lejardinacademy.org/parent-portal/middle-school-portal or Click HERE |