Dear 6th Grade Parents and Guardians,

I am reaching out this evening to share an important update regarding tomorrow’s 6th Grade Awards Day ceremony.

Unfortunately, due to an oversight, families were not notified in advance if their child would be receiving an award. I sincerely apologize for this lapse in communication. I know how meaningful these celebrations are, and I regret that you were not given proper notice.

The 6th Grade Awards Day will take place tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. We are proud to share that most of our 6th grade students will be receiving an award, with only a small number who will not. While not every student will receive an award, we value the opportunity to celebrate all of our students together as a grade level.

We would truly love for you to join us as we recognize and celebrate our students’ achievements. Your presence would mean a great deal to them.

Again, I apologize from the bottom of my heart for this oversight and appreciate your understanding and continued support of our school community.

Sincerely,
Danielle Cassady
Principal

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We have several important events and reminders to share as we head into the final weeks of school. Please review the information below carefully.

SBDM parent elections are currently taking place. The last day to vote is tomorrow. Please use the link below to submit your vote:
SBDM Parent Election Ballot

The Concert Band and Symphonic Band concert will be held tomorrow at 6:00 PM in the JTA gymnasium. We hope to see you there to support our students!

Students who qualified for the end‑of‑trimester reward will be going to the Sportsplex on Thursday. There is no charge for this trip. A limited concession stand will be open for students who wish to purchase items. Students were sent home with a blue permission slip. Permission slips must be returned by Wednesday.

The House of the Year Field Trip is scheduled for Friday at Cosmic Golf. There is no charge for this trip. Students were sent home with a green permission slip. If students would like to purchase concessions at Cosmic Golf, those items must be pre‑ordered. Ordering information was included on the permission slip.

The 8th Grade Dance will take place this Friday. Tickets are $15 and will be sold Wednesday through Friday.
Payment options include cash, tap‑to‑pay, or School Cash Online. Please note: This is not a formal dance, and students must be in dress code in order to attend.
School Cash Online Link:

Field Day will be held Monday, May 18. We are still in need of parent volunteers to help make this event a success.
If you can assist, please contact Ms. Atterberry at: kristin.atterberry@hardin.kyschools.us

Awards Days
May 20
6th Grade: 12:30 PM
7th Grade: 1:30 PM

May 21
8th Grade: 1:00 PM

Many families have asked whether their child will be receiving an award. That information will be shared no later than this Friday. We appreciate your patience as grades are still being finalized and may change.

Holiday World End‑of‑Year Trip – May 26
Permission slips have been sent home for our end‑of‑year trip to Holiday World on May 26. This is the largest field trip of the year. To qualify, students must meet all of the following criteria:

No more than 9 total absences for the year
No more than 3 unexcused absences
No grades below a C on any trimester report card
Successful completion of the Portrait of a Learner Defense
No suspensions this year
No more than 2 combined in‑school and after‑school detentions

The cost for this trip is $40. Students may pay with cash, tap to pay, or using School Cash Online. School Cash Online Link

Thank you for your continued support as we finish out the school year strong. Please reach out if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Danielle Cassady
Principal

Dear JTA Parent(s)/Guardian(s),

As we approach the end of the school year and prepare for Awards Day, we would like to thank you for your continued support and ask for your patience as we finalize award determinations.

Awards Day will take place over the final two days of the school year, and at this time, we are still in the process of receiving and finalizing grades. Because many awards are based on final academic performance and year‑long criteria, we will not know all recipients until grades have been fully submitted and reviewed.

We understand how exciting Awards Day can be for families, and we appreciate the many calls and emails expressing interest. However, to ensure accuracy and fairness for all students, we are not able to confirm award recipients at this time. Families will be notified of award recipients no later than May 15.

Thank you for your understanding, patience, and partnership as we work to thoughtfully celebrate student accomplishments. We look forward to recognizing our students very soon.

And this is just a friendly reminder to use the link to pre‑register in order to bypass the visitor badge line upon arrival: Awards Day Pre-Registration

Sincerely,
JTA Admin. Team

Good afternoon 8th Grade JTA Families,

This is a quick reminder about an exciting leadership opportunity for our current 8th‑grade students as they prepare for high school.

The Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council is made up of 12 students—one from each grade level at each high school—and meets once a month from September through April during the school day. Meetings focus on school and community topics, and all absences are excused. Students selected will serve for their entire high school career and are regarded as leaders within their schools. If your student is interested in being considered, they must:

Complete the application using their HCS email address
Submit two letters of recommendation (from a teacher, counselor, FRYSC staff member, or administrator)

Deadline:
🗓 Friday, May 8, 2026, by 3:00 p.m.
Application link:
👉 Student Advisory Council Application

8th Grade Awards Day DVD
HCEC TV will be recording our 8th Grade Awards Day ceremony and will have DVDs or flash drives available for purchase.
If you would like to order, just complete the order form and mail it to the address listed at the bottom OR
Call the phone number on the form to place a credit card order.

8th Grade Celebration Order Form

This is a great way to preserve a meaningful milestone for your student.

If you have any questions about either opportunity, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you for supporting our students as they step into leadership roles and celebrate their achievements.

Good evening JTA Families,

We had another great day of testing today, and we could not be prouder of our students. They are putting forth a tremendous amount of effort, and we truly appreciate their focus and perseverance.

Thank you as well to our families for your continued support—especially for helping ensure students get a good night’s sleep so they can come in ready to do their best.

Tomorrow’s testing schedule is as follows:
7th grade: Science assessment
8th grade: Social Studies assessment
Some 6th grade students: Advanced Math Placement Test

Your encouragement and support make a big difference, and we are grateful for your partnership during testing season.

SBDM parent elections are now open for voting. You may use the link below to cast your ballot:
SBDM Parent Election Ballot

Please note: Votes may only be placed by a parent or guardian of a current or incoming JTA student.
All votes will be verified through email confirmation. Please use the email address listed in Infinite Campus for your student when voting.

Awards Day Information
We are excited to recognize our students’ achievements during our upcoming awards ceremonies:
6th & 7th Grade Awards Day: May 20
8th Grade Awards Day: May 21

To avoid long wait times when signing in, families may pre‑register using the link below:
Awards Day Pre-Registration Link

By pre‑registering, your visitor badge will be ready when you arrive, allowing you to skip the full sign‑in process.

Thank you again for your continued support of our students and school. We appreciate you!

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I hope this message finds you well. As we head into a very busy and important week at JTA, I wanted to share several reminders and updates.

This week we will be administering the Kentucky Summative Assessment (KSA). One of the biggest ways you can support your child and our school during testing is by ensuring your child is present at school each day. If possible, please schedule appointments for the afternoons, as this greatly helps us maintain a smooth testing environment. We also encourage you to help your child get plenty of rest each night and remind them to come to school ready to try their best.

This week is also Staff Appreciation Week. I encourage you and your child to reach out to a teacher or staff member who has made a difference in their life. A quick email or note of appreciation truly means more than you can imagine.

We have several upcoming performances to look forward to:
Beginning Band Concert: Tuesday night at 6:30 PM in the JTA gymnasium. Students should arrive by 6:15 PM.
Orchestra Concert: Wednesday night at 6:00 PM.
Concert Band and Symphonic Band Concerts: Next Tuesday evening, May 12.

As we approach the end of the school year, we have many fun activities and rewards planned. Please remember that students must be passing for the year in order to participate in end‑of‑year events. Students who are failing will not be able to attend the 8th grade dance, field day, or end‑of‑year field trips. This is not meant to be punitive; students who are not passing will remain at school to focus on making up missing work.

Finally, the Superintendent’s Advisory Council is sponsoring a community service project to support elderly members of our community who have limited family support. They are collecting several needed items. You can follow the link to get a list of the requested donations. Items must be turned in by May 5. Participation will also earn a ribbon toward the House of the Year competition. Community Service Project

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. It truly makes a difference for our students and staff.

Sincerely,
Danielle Cassady
Principal

Good afternoon JTA families,

We are excited to share an opportunity for current 8th‑grade students who are interested in leadership and student voice at the high school level.

The Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council is made up of 12 students—one from each grade level at each high school—and meets once a month from September through April during the school day. These meetings focus on school and community topics, and all absences are excused. Students selected will serve for their entire high school career and are regarded as leaders within their schools.

If your student is interested in being considered, they must complete the application using their HCS email address and submit two letters of recommendation (from a teacher, counselor, FRYSC staff member, or administrator).

Deadline:
🗓 Friday, May 8, 2026, by 3:00 p.m.
Application link:
👉 Student Advisory Council Application

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. Thank you for supporting student leadership opportunities within Hardin County Schools.

Dear JTA Families,

We had a very successful Defense of Learning Day, and we are so proud of the work our students shared. Our students demonstrated preparation, reflection, and growth, and it was exciting to see them take ownership of their learning. Please take a few moments to ask your child how their Defense of Learning went—we know they would love to share their experience with you.

For your reference, I am linking our parent newsletter. As you’ll see, there are many important events planned as we move toward the end of the school year.

One important upcoming item that did not make the newsletter is our final i‑Ready Diagnostic:

Monday, April 27 – Reading
Tuesday, April 28 – Math

It is extremely important that students do their very best on this final diagnostic, as results will be used to help make instructional and scheduling decisions for next school year. This is especially important for our 8th grade students preparing to transition to high school, as their scores play a role in placement decisions.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Danielle Cassady
Principal

Dear JTA Families,

We promise we’re not trying to win an award for longest email of the year—but we do have several important updates to share, so thank you in advance for sticking with us until the end! ☺️ Each item below is important, and we appreciate your time and partnership.

Site‑Based Decision Making (SBDM) Parent Nominations
We are currently accepting parent nominations for our Site‑Based Decision Making (SBDM) Council. Parent nominations are due by Friday, April 24, and parent elections will take place May 5–10. The Site‑Based Council is made up of teachers, parents, and the principal and meets once a month after school. The council is responsible for setting school policy and making decisions outlined in state statute, all with the goal of providing an environment that supports and enhances student achievement. We strongly encourage parents to consider serving in this important leadership role. Nominations should be sent to kristin.atterberry@hardin.kyschools.us

Month of the Military Child – Purple Day -April 20
April is the Month of the Military Child, and we will be recognizing this on Monday, April 20. We ask that students and staff wear purple on this day. Purple represents all branches of the military by combining their official colors—Army green, Air Force blue, Navy blue, Marine red, and Coast Guard blue. Let’s turn JTA into a sea of purple to show our military children how much they are seen, supported, and appreciated.

Defenses of Learning – Tuesday, April 21
Defenses of Learning will take place on Tuesday, April 21. This is an opportunity for students to reflect on their learning and growth throughout the year and to show that they are more than a test score. Students in all grades will present on three of the five Portrait of a Learner competencies. We would also like to remind families that students wishing to attend Holiday World must complete a successful Defense of Learning. Students are encouraged to dress for success on this day.

KSA Testing – April 30 through May 8
During this important testing window, we greatly appreciate families ensuring strong attendance. If possible, we ask that appointments be scheduled after noon during testing days. This helps us avoid having to pull students from testing and allows them to perform their best. Thank you for helping us create the best possible testing environment for our students.

Staff Appreciation Week – May 4–8
We are looking forward to celebrating our outstanding staff during Staff Appreciation Week. Families who are able to help may sign up to donate items using the link below:
Staff Appreciation Sign‑Up

If donating items isn’t an option but you'd still like to help, monetary donations can be made here:
Donations for Staff Appreciation

Your generosity—whether time, items, or support—means so much to our staff.

Field Day Volunteers – May 18
Field Day will be held on May 18, and we are looking for parents willing to volunteer. Please note that this is an all‑day commitment, but it’s also a fun and rewarding way to support our students. Parents interested in volunteering should contact Jenny Stuecker at jenny.stuecker@hardin.kyschools.us

Thanks again for hanging in there through our “newsletter‑in‑email‑form.” We truly appreciate your support and involvement at JTA. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions.

Danielle Cassady
Principal
James T. Alton Middle School

Dear JTA Families,

As we head into the final stretch before Spring Break, we wanted to share a few important reminders and updates. Please take a moment to review our latest Parent Newsletter here:
Parent Update

With the final i‑Ready diagnostic right around the corner, we are encouraging students to make a strong push this last month. Please help remind your child to complete their i‑Ready lessons consistently and give their best effort so they can demonstrate their growth on the spring diagnostic.

When we return from Spring Break, we will have only about a week and a half before students present their Defenses of Learning. Please remember that completing and presenting a successful Defense of Learning is required in order to attend the Holiday World trip, so preparation during these final weeks is very important.

Finally, we are in the process of rescheduling end‑of‑year activities to reflect the updated last day of school, May 21. One important date change to note is that the 8th Grade Dance has been moved to May 15. More updates will be shared as plans are finalized.

Thank you for your continued support as we wrap up the school year strong. We appreciate all you do to help your students succeed.
Sincerely,
Danielle Cassady
Principal

Dear 8th Grade Parents and Guardians,

I’m writing to share some important information in advance about this year’s 8th Grade Dance, so families can plan accordingly.

The dance will be held on Thursday, May 22 from 6:00–8:00 PM at JTA. This is a fun, celebratory evening for our 8th graders as they wrap up their middle school years.

That said, I want to be very clear about expectations so that all students can participate without unnecessary stress or expense.

This dance is NOT a mini‑prom or a formal event.
Students are welcome to dress up if they choose, but this is not a formal dance. There is no expectation for expensive outfits, professional hair or makeup, or missing school for preparation. We want this event to be inclusive and enjoyable for everyone.

Please keep the following expectations in mind:
Students must be in dress code in order to be admitted to the dance.
Students must attend school for the entire school day on the day of the dance.
Students must be passing their classes for the year to attend.
Students may dress nicely if they wish, but casual, dress‑code‑appropriate clothing is perfectly acceptable.

The 8th Grade Dance has always been a great time for students, and our goal is to ensure that no student feels left out or pressured due to cost or unrealistic expectations. Providing this information early helps us keep the focus on fun, friendship, and celebration.

More specific details will be shared as we get closer to the event. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Danielle Cassady
Principal, JTA