School phone number: (540)828-6081

Greetings John Wayland Families,

We have a lot to celebrate and share in this week’s edition of the Jaguar Jiggy Journal! From opportunities to get active to recognizing the incredible people who support our school each and every day, this issue is full of appreciation and important reminders.

We’re excited to share an opportunity for our community to take part in a 30-day movement challenge called Rockingham Moves.  It’s a great way to stay active, have fun, and build healthy habits together.  We also highlight Paraprofessional Day and School Librarian Day, as well as celebrate Assistant Principal Appreciation Week.  These are three opportunities to recognize the dedication, care, and hard work of the staff who make a difference in the lives of our students. We’re also sharing an important reminder about Kindergarten Registration for our newest Jaguars joining us this fall.

As always, thank you for your continued support of our school community. We hope you enjoy this week’s updates!

Mr. Granger, Principal

We are pleased to announce that your child will receive information about an exciting new initiative on Friday, April 10th.

Rockingham Moves is a 30-day movement challenge developed in collaboration between a School Board member and a Board of Supervisors member who share a commitment to promoting lifelong physical activity and healthy habits among our students.

Program Details:

Duration: Sunday, April 12 – Monday, May 11

Goal: Students will set personal daily movement goals and log their activity outside of school hours. (Recess and PE do not count toward this challenge.)

Participation: Students can track their progress by recording minutes of movement or marking a box/sticker each day they meet their goal.

Completion: Students will return their tracking sheets to the PE teachers at the end of the 30-day period.

The tracking sheet includes a variety of movement options to encourage students to explore different ways of staying active.

Purpose of the Pilot Program: This pilot initiative allows us to assess student and family interest and participation. If successful, we plan to expand the program next year with enhanced incentives to further motivate students to maintain active, healthy lifestyles.

For questions or additional information, please contact Mrs. Sanders or Mr. Eby.

Paraprofessional Day was celebrated on April 1st, and we are proud to recognize the incredible contributions of our paraprofessionals. These dedicated staff members support classrooms throughout the school, working alongside teachers to keep learning engaging, supportive, and fun for students. With over 2 dozen paraprofessionals serving in a variety of roles, their impact is felt in every corner of our building. Our teachers greatly value their skill, flexibility, and commitment to helping all students succeed.  Here are some pictures of just a few of our many great Paraprofessionals!

This past April 4th, we celebrated School Librarian Day! Our head librarian, Tricia Hass, and library assistant, Sabrina Alumbaugh, truly make learning come alive in our library. With a collection of over 13,000 books, along with puppets, puzzles, and games, they create a space where students can explore, imagine, and stay actively engaged in learning.

We are fortunate that every child visits the library regularly, where they build skills in reading, research, and a love of books under the guidance of such knowledgeable and caring educators. In addition to the meaningful lessons each class receives, we are grateful for our dedicated volunteers who come each week to read with students and support their growth.

None of this would be possible without the incredible work of our library team. We are thankful for all they do to inspire our students every day!

This week, we celebrate Assistant Principal Week and recognize the incredible impact of our assistant principal, Diane Secord. Now in her fifth year at John Wayland, Mrs. Secord brings both intelligence and heart to everything she does. She has a genuine love for our students and works tirelessly each day to support staff, strengthen our school community, and ensure a positive learning environment for all. We are truly fortunate to have her as part of our team and are grateful for her dedication and leadership!

If you or someone you know has a child who will be 5 years old by September 30, we encourage you to register for kindergarten as soon as possible. We love getting to know our incoming students and families, and early registration helps us begin preparing for a smooth and successful start to the school year. Signing up now is a great first step in getting ready for an exciting kindergarten experience this fall!

We have 66 coats and hoodies that have been lost over the past months.  If your child is missing a jacket (or anything else) please swing by the school and take a look in our Lost and Found whenever you get a chance.

Breakfast and lunch are available for purchase to every student at John Wayland Elementary School each day.  Daily menus and information about the cost of each meal can be found at: https://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?sid=1496945305215 

Families are welcomed and encouaged to come to school to enjoy breakfast or lunch with their children.  We love having you here!  To ensure we have enough food for everyone, PLEASE LET YOUR STUDENT'S TEACHER KNOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO BUY A LUNCH.  There have been a few times that we did not have enough food on hand for all the family members and children who wanted to eat.  (We obviously prioritize the children having food, but hate it when family members are not fed.)

Monday, March 30 - Friday, April 3: RCPS Spring Break (No School)

Monday, April 5: Teacher Workday (No Students)

Tuesday, April 21: Teacher Workday (No Students...this is a shift from the original school calendar.)

Wednesday, April 29 (new date): Title 1 Reading and Math Night

Friday, May 1: Regular School Day for Everyone (This is a shift from original school calendar.)

Need a new t-shirt?  Looking for a nice fitting hoodie?  Wondering where all those great looking John Wayland clothes come from?  Look no further.  The University Outpost has created a site you can use to order a number of great items that not only look great, but support the school as well.  The University Outpost will donate 15% of every purchase back to the school.

You can find t-shirts, hoodies, polos and more at this site: https://stores.inksoft.com/john_wayland_elementary_school/shop/products/all?page=1