Weekly Newsletter

Mr. Wilson's Message

This time of year is full of traditions. Perhaps you and your family always decorate your house with trees or light displays. Perhaps you had a turkey for Thanksgiving, or your family gathered at one particular family members house. Maybe you always watch the same movie together this time of year, or everyone jumps in the car to go look at various light displays.

In many ways, traditions are like habits; things we do over and over until it almost becomes second nature. We have our own traditions here at school. We hope to instill a love of learning, or at least the habits that support life-long learning. We say the pledge every morning to remember this great country we live in. We try to instill in students problem solving and creative thinking.

Our habits, like our traditions, say a lot about who we are and what is important to us.

Here are a few questions to get the conversation started this week::

1. What are your traditions this time of year?

2. What are some habits that you hope to develop?

Have a great week!

The Bedford American Legion is inviting 9th-12th graders to enter the American Legion Student Oratorical Contest. Contestants must write and prepare to deliver from memory an 8 to 10-minute presentation on some aspects of the U. S. Constitution, with emphasis on citizens' duties and obligations. Contestants must also speak for 3-5 minutes on an assigned topic, usually a specific provision or an amendment to the Constitution. Contestants must be prepared to speak on each of the five assigned topics, which are cited on the website, but will be called to speak on only one of the assigned topics, the single topic selected by the judges during the contest. The contest begins at the post level, with the winner advancing to the district level, and subsequent winners advancing to the region, state, and national levels. Prizes are awarded at each level, with the state-level prize being a $2,000 scholarship and the three national-level winners receiving scholarships of $25,000, $22,500, and $20,000.

For more information and sample speeches visit the website. If you are interested please let your School Counselor know by December 4th by filling out this google form.

Legion -- Oratory Contest information, 11-7-23 -1.pdf

The Fall 2023 Non-Writing Standards of Learning testing will be held November 28-December 13, 2023. This is for students new to Jefferson Forest who have previously taken a class in which a Standards of Learning test is given and needs the verified credit. This is also for students who have previously attempted and failed an SOL test but passed the class in which it was given and needs the verified credit for graduation. Letters were sent home to all students who will be testing with the test(s) they are taking highlighted. All testing will be completed online and on student Chromebooks. Morning testing will begin at 8:45 and afternoon testing will begin at 1:00. Teachers will have a list of who is testing and will remind students where to report. The testing schedule is below. Please reach out to Kylie Gilleland ([email protected]) with any questions.

Food for Thought is a program to help provide food for families. This would be provided weekly and anonymously. Please use this form if you'd like this resource, or if you could benefit from any other Community Resources. Please reach out to your child’s School Counselor or our School Social Worker for further assistance.

Forest Zone School Social Worker - Amber Andrews

School Counselor Breakdown

A-D - Ms. Taylor Vermillion
E-K - Mrs. Elizabeth Newby
L-R - Mrs. Jessica Baker
S-Z - Dr. Justin Silvey

Jefferson Forest High School
Building Citizens. Promoting Success.