South Jefferson Elementary School

Today we celebrate the accomplishments of our very own, Mrs. Burwell, 5th grade teacher. Mrs. Burwell is graduating today from Shepherd University with her Master of Arts in Teaching. We are very proud of her accomplishment and are so happy that she’s a part of the South Jefferson family! 💜💛

Today, we celebrate and honor our amazing school nurse, Nurse Heidi! She keeps our school running smoothly and takes care of all of us! Thank you, Nurse Heidi, for all of your TLC at SJES! 💜🏥🦷👓🩹🤕🤒💛

This week, we are celebrating the most incredible staff of South Jefferson Elementary! The tireless hours, the kindest support, the constant and loving care for our students….all the little things you may not see, but they pour their hearts into making our school year a successful and fun experience for our students and their families. Take a moment to thank them—-a handwritten note is the best gift ever! I am honored to work alongside this amazing group of people and am celebrating them not just this week, but every week! 💜🥳💛 Ms. Mahoney #StaffAppreciationWeek

We love our cafeteria staff at SJES! Thank you to Mrs. Henry, our Cafeteria Manager, and Miss Adams and Mrs. Ryan-Ruprecht for serving us delicious meals each day! We are grateful for you! 💜💛🥳

Field trips are awesome! Field trips take our students on journeys, exposing our students to places and events that they may not have seen before. They allow us to expand learning beyond the four walls of our classrooms and to provide memories for our students that will last forever. Our 2nd graders traveled to Blandy Farm in Virginia this week and had a blast on a beautiful day! Blandy Experimental Farm is a University of Virginia research facility in the northern Shenandoah Valley. Blandy is also home to the State Arboretum of Virginia and has over 700 acres of beautiful land for our students to explore.

May menu

Just a reminder that SJES’ Kindergarten Registration is Wednesday, April 30th! We hold two sessions: one at 9:30 am and one at 1:30 pm. Please choose which one works better with your schedule and bring your future Roadrunner with you. 💛💜 What you will need: Birth certificate Shot records Proof of residency (utility bill or mortgage statement/rental agreement) Dental exam record Physical If you want to make things move quicker, please pre-register online at jcswv.org. We’re looking forward to meeting you and welcoming you to SJES! Thank you!

Our Earth Day Fun Run couldn’t have happened on a more beautiful day! Thank you to everyone who came by to cheer us on, who donated money to support Cool Spring Preserve and who even joined in the run with us. I’m always reminded about the power of community when this annual event happens. Our students ran with heart and perseverance! It was incredible! We raised over $600 for our community partner! A great day for everyone!

Our 4th and 5th graders, under the creative eye of Mrs. Fiolek, our awesome art educator, viewed sculptures by Claus Oldenburg and Peter Anton. Their challenge was to make a miniature of their favorite food by mixing marker color with model magic. They shared ideas about their foods and if they would work well for the project with their neighbor. They experimented with mixing colors and noted how when they added the marker color to the white model magic it created a "tint" of that color. They used techniques such as texturizing, pinching, coiling, twisting, etc...to create their mini masterpiece! So cool! Looks good enough to eat! 😊

Teamwork makes the dream work! Our third graders have worked hard in Writer’s Workshops this year, under the watchful and supportive direction of our third grade team, to improve upon their writing, in anticipation of their WVGSA writing assessment this week. During this session, the students collaborated together to create a well-written personal narrative. We are very proud of their focus and commitment to perfecting their writing! Well done, Third Grade! 📝

Braylon Shultz is showing us what perseverance, commitment and dedication looks like. He was nominated for a Positive Office Referral by his teacher, who shared that Braylon has been working on his writing, during his free time. Braylon wants to improve with his writing, adding details, citing evidence and defending his opinions in his writing. How impressive is that!? I am positive that Braylon is going to reach his goals and I’m just happy that I have the honor of witnessing it! Fantastic work, Braylon! 💛💜

Third grader, Dylan Michaels, received a Positive Office Referral from his teacher for comforting a classmate who was having a rough time. Dylan immediately came to the aid of the other student and helped. These are the types of moments that we love to see at SJES—-our students showing kindness, respect and compassion to others. Without being asked. Without any hopes of anything in return. Just putting good out into the world. Well done, Dylan! We are proud of you! 💛💜

Our third graders in Mrs. Hipp’s and Miss Potts’ classes took their learning to another level this week. The students were investigating and applying their knowledge of area by “mapping” the area of farm animals, using our hallways! Check it out!

Mrs. Nedorostek’s 4th grade class has been participating in a postcard exchange with other schools in the United States. As part of this program, they’ve been learning about other states and schools. Congratulations to Riley Thomas, whose postcard design was selected to be SJES’ representation in this project. Our fourth graders will color Riley’s design and send out a note to other schools in the nation. So cool!

JCS Update: Jefferson County Schools is experiencing internet and phone outages today, April 11, 2025. We are working with our service provider to resolve the issue. If you are unable to reach your student's school, please use the alternative school phone numbers: https://www.jcswv.org/page/secondary-numbers

South Jefferson's own Ms. Mahoney is the 2025 Jefferson County Schools Administrator of the Year! She builds strong relationships with students, staff, and families, encouraging open communication and celebrating successes. She believes education extends beyond the classroom and works to ensure students feel valued and supported. Ms. Mahoney leads by example with a hands-on approach, stepping in wherever needed from greeting students at bus drop-off to mentoring staff. Having worked in nearly every role within the school, she understands the importance of teamwork and is deeply committed to creating a welcoming and engaging learning environment. Under her leadership, SJE hosts events that bring the school and community together, including fun runs, movie nights, and after-school programs. She is a strong supporter of PTO initiatives and enrichment activities that extend learning beyond the school day. Through her commitment and leadership, Ms. Mahoney has made SJE a place where students thrive, staff feel supported, and families stay connected.

Second grader, Colton Miranda, was nominated by all three 2nd grade ECCATS for his responsible and respectful leadership in the cafeteria. He follows the rules and encourages his fellow classmates to do the same. He is always leading by example and they wanted to recognize him for his character and manners. Way to go, Colton! 💜💛

Kate Magaha, 4th grader at SJES, was nominated by her teacher for a Positive Office Referral. Kate is the type of student that sees something that needs to be done and she tackles it herself. She recently straightened up and put away materials that others had left behind, making sure the classroom was tidied up and safe. She is always the first one to help others with a task or to assist someone who may need a bit of encouragement or support. Kate—-you are EXACTLY the type of student that we love to have at SJES! Thank you for all that you do! 💜💛

Happy Assistant Principals Week to Mrs. Duggan, our energetic, enthusiastic and awesome AP at SJES. What exactly does an Assistant Principal do? The better question, in this case, is what DOESN’T Mrs. Duggan do? From the moment she was hired, she put in the work, organizing every Chromebook in the school, rearranging furniture, painting the front sidewalk, scrubbing the entrance mat, helping with class lists and painting classrooms. That was just in her first summer. She manages technology, SAT meetings, attendance and everything in between. Although this is her first year with us, it feels like she’s been a part of our team and family forever. Thank you, Mrs. Duggan, for bringing your energy, passion, dedication and your fun to SJES! We are grateful for you! 💜💛

Fourth grader, Dylan Brick, was nominated for a Positive Office Referral by his teacher for choosing to rise above a situation when it happened. When a fellow classmate was disrespectful, Dylan ignored it, chose to remain respectful and to lead by example. His teacher wanted him to know that SHE noticed and now WE can all celebrate Dylan and the respectful choices he makes. Well done, Dylan! That’s what leadership looks like! We are very proud of you! 🤩