Principal’s Message:

Welcome to Jefferson Elementary, Where Greatness Lives!

My name is JR Kuch and I am extremely grateful to serve as the Principal of Jefferson Elementary! The 2022-2023 school year serves as my 16th year in education, with my first six years coming at the elementary level with my time split between being an Intermediate Reading Specialist and Fifth Grade teacher. The last nine years I served as an Associate Principal and Head Principal of Clinton High School here in Clinton. From what I have learned so far about the staff at Jefferson, they are top-notch people that put students first and will do whatever it takes to help them be successful. I couldn’t be any more excited to work with this amazing staff! If you are a new family to our building, it is our pledge to make Jefferson feel like a home away from home for you and your students! We welcome everyone!

We are home to roughly 380 students in K-5th grade, and over 50 staff members to ensure they reach high levels of learning, not only academically but social-emotionally. Here are just a few of our resources and programs that we have to ensure our students are successful:

• Professional Learning Communities for our staff
• Title 1 services for Reading
• English as a Second Language
• Therapeutic Classroom
• Band and Orchestra for 4th and 5th Grades
• Chorus for 3rd, 4th and 5th Grades
• School Counseling
• Life Connections Onsite Counseling
• Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports
• Character Strong Socio-Emotional Learning
• Capturing Kid’s Hearts
• Special Education Services for Academics and Behavior support

Outside of these supports for their academic and socio-emotional learning, Jefferson Elementary is a Professional Learning Community. This means that we are dependent on each other to share instructional strategies and techniques to benefit all students. We will be committed to the following elements as a PLC:

• Element 1: Educators work in collaborative teams and take collective responsibilities for student learning rather than isolation.
• Element 2: Collaborative teams implement a guaranteed and viable curriculum, unit by unit.
• Element 3: Collaborative teams monitor student learning through an ongoing assessment process that includes frequent, team-developed common assessments.
• Element 4: Educators use the results of common assessments to improve individual practice, build the team’s capacity to achieve its goals, and intervene and enrich on behalf of students.
• Element 5: The school provides a systematic process for intervention and enrichment.

We want all students at Jefferson to chase greatness and know they will be successful and it is our job as educators to ensure they all become great! We value the partnership with you and our community. Together, as a team, we can accomplish great things! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact any of us at Jefferson!

Respectfully,

JR Kuch

Principal

Jefferson Elementary