The annual JGEMS Welcome Picnic will be on Friday, June 1st, from 4-7pm at Minto-Brown Island Park in Salem. This picnic will welcome in-coming 6th graders and their families as well as celebrate Mr. Blair's retirement! All in-coming, current, and former JGEMS students and their families are invited! Bring plates/cups/cutlery, something to grill, and a dish to share. The picnic will be located in the shelter at the far parking lot at the park. See you there!

The 8th Grade Amphibian Group has been featured in a USGS podcast! Check it out here.

JGEMS is in need of volunteers to help supervise during lunch time. Lunch is from 11:30 am to 12:15 pm. Volunteers must be approved by Salem-Keizer School District prior to volunteering. Please contact Keara or Vicki in the office if interested! 503-391-7030

Want to be the most stylish person around? Then buy a JGEMS t-shirt or sweatshirt! Shirts are $10, sweatshirts are $15. See Keara to get yours today!

Welcome back, JGEMS students! We are excited to begin the new school year at our new location at the OSD campus! It's going to be a GREAT year! Some things to remember:

* Our new ADDRESS is 999B Locust St. NE, Salem, OR 97303. Our building is considered building #13 and our classrooms are in the Orange Pod (we have orange doors that open into the library). We are located inside the Maple Street entrance at the northwest end of the OSD campus. We'll be out to greet you the first day. Find Locust Street and turn north on Maple and you'll find us near the end of the street.

* START/END TIMES: School will start for 6th graders on Sept. 6 and for 7th and 8th graders on Sept. 7. We will run 15 minutes earlier than last year: 7:45 a.m. classes start. 2:15 p.m. classes end. We will have our same 6-period A/B schedule and students will get their schedule on the first day of school.

* DROP OFF/PICK UP: Please don't leave your child at school earlier than 7:30 a.m. or much later than 2:15 p.m. (there will be study halls most Tues., Wed., and Thursdays until 3:15 p.m. but they will be in classrooms). DROP OFF/PICK UP: The speed limit is 5 mph. Drivers should pull into the parking lot along the curb and go up as far as they can so there is room for other drivers. Please exercise caution at all times and do not cut through the parking lot. Avoid the parking lot between 2:30-2:50pm as this is when OSD kids are let out and the parking lot is VERY busy with students and buses.

* LUNCH will be at 11:30 a.m. Lunch may be purchased from OSD but students have to sign up in the morning and pre-pay.