Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year at Johannesburg-Lewiston Area Schools! Whether you are new to our school community or returning, we are thrilled to have you with us. As we embark on this exciting journey together, we want to take a moment to share some important information and updates.
A Warm Welcome
We extend a special welcome to our new families. We are excited to have you join our school community and look forward to getting to know you. To our returning families, welcome back! We are grateful for your continued support and partnership.
Important Dates
Please mark your calendars with these important dates:
Back to School BBQs: Wednesday, August 21st, 5:00-6:30 pm
First Day of School: Tuesday, August 27th
Parent-Teacher Conferences: October 10th and 11th
Communication
Communication between school and home is essential. We encourage you to stay connected through our own app -Download for Android, https://bit.ly/3Mb3zSl or Download for iPhone, https://apple.co/3MbFZVt. You can also join our story through our website at www.jlas.org. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
Updates
We have been busy over the summer preparing for the new school year. Here are a few updates:
New Staff: We are excited to welcome several new staff members!
Ken Blust, Middle School Social Studies Teacher
Laurie Butterfield, High School Math Teacher
Rebekah Kolka, Preschool Teacher
Shannon Lucas, Middle School English and Lewiston Special Education Teacher
Joy Moll, High School Secretary
MaKenzie Curwin, Grace Carroll, Jessica Dondapati, Heidi Rick, Angela Munroe - aides in Lewiston
Elizabeth Madonna, Riley Zbacnik, Krystal Middlesteadt - aides in Johannesburg
Tiffany Gann, Cook
We are confident they will be wonderful additions to our team!
Facility Improvements: Over the summer, we made several improvements to our school facilities, including signage, work on the outdoor classroom, updated doors and frames in the high school, updating the well house and water pressure tanks in Johannesburg, and wrapping up of the bond projects.
Curriculum Enhancements: We have also enhanced our curriculum with new programs and resources to better support our students' learning, specifically a grant paid for additional math manipulative kits for our elementary students.
Food Service
In both buildings, breakfast is at no charge and will be served in the classroom for grades K-5. Students in grades 6-12 may pick up breakfast in the cafeteria in Johannesburg and take it to their first hour class beginning at 8:05am.
In both buildings, lunch is at no cost to students. It is imperative that free and reduced paperwork be filled out so the district can get funding sources for other activities based on free and reduced lunch counts.
Looking Forward
As we begin this school year, we are filled with hope and excitement for the learning, growth, and memories that lie ahead. Together, we will make this a fantastic year for our students.
Thank you for entrusting us with your child's education. We are honored to be part of their academic journey and look forward to a successful and rewarding school year.
It’s a great day to be a Cardinal!
Your Partner in Education,
Mrs. Katy Xenakis-Makowski, Superintendent