A message from Principal Casperson

Friday, December 19th marks the end of the 1st semester.  That means that we have navigated 85 school days together, complete with team building, content instruction, small group advisories and not one, but two, all school assemblies.  Whether your student is ending their first semester as a Crimson Bear or their seventh semester as a Crimson Bear, we hope that they have learned new things, and have been challenged in their various content areas.  Teaching and learning is hard, and every kiddo comes in with a different skill set as well as a myriad of strengths.  Hats off to you, to our staff and to your young adults for another semester done. 



Along those lines, we send our school community off for Winter Break in hopes that it is a true break for all.  While some of you may have last minute items for your student, in concert with an agreement made with their teacher, the vast majority of students should have from December 20th until January 4th work and school free.  The same is true for our staff - we want them to enjoy time away from school so that we can start semester 2 rested and ready for the new term.  Please do not expect that grades will be updated, or that you will receive school communications until January 5th, 2026.  



When we return to school January 5th we will leap right into the new term, with a typical bell schedule and for many some new semester-based courses.  The 5 day add/drop period applies to the new term, which means any schedule changes MUST be completed with the school counselors prior to Friday the 9th.  Semester 2 schedule changes focus primarily on semester classes - please discourage your student from seeking a change for any other reason. We really want every student to start day one in classes, on time and on task. 



Looking beyond the first week of the new year January will bring us the kick-off to school planning for the 2026-2027 school year. That means you should expect course selection nights, school board public meetings related to budgeting and the opportunity to participate in our annual School Climate and Connectedness Survey.  We know that we ask a lot from you in support of our community and the ongoing feedback cycle.  Please know that your voice is valuable in our planning, in our mid-year adjustments and in all things student-related.  Our system only works in concert with you, our families.  Thank you, for all the things that you do, both large and small to support JDHS.  



Best wishes for a restful winter break and happy new year!