Zachary Taylor Elementary

ZT Family Newsletter

October 5, 2025
Bully Prevention

Welcome To October

October is National Bullying Prevention Month.

Did you know that In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Department of Education released the first federal definition of bullying. It includes three core elements:

  • unwanted aggressive behavior

  • observed or perceived power imbalance

  • repetition, or high likelihood of repetition, of the bullying behaviors

This definition helps determine whether an incident is bullying, another type of aggressive behavior, or both.

Other types of aggressive behaviors that are not considered bullying include peer conflict or early childhood conflict (ages 3-6).

At Zachary Taylor, we work on multiple levels to support our students to prevent bullying and given them the skills to navigate peer conflicts.

Last year we began to utilize the Character Strong social emotional learning curriculum building wide and created a master schedule that allowed for this to be taught in every homeroom. We also created a school calendar that ensured all grades were covering the themes at the same time. This curriculum has provided our teachers and students with a common language and skill set to develop their knowledge and skills on being respectful, caring, responsible, grateful, empathetic, honest, brave and persevere. It also has bully prevention lessons that teach students how to avoid displaying bullying behavior and how to support those who are experiencing it.

ZT also has peer mediation groups that are student led for when peer conflicts arise. Our peer mediators are selected and trained by our school counselor, Mr. Talley, and they help our students navigate when disagreements arise amongst classmates.

Since the adoption of these two programs we have seen a dramatic decrease in all negative behaviors at school. However, we know nothing is perfect. When we see that more support is needed, we have school based personnel that can provide that. We have a small group and individual student support that can be provided. Additionally, JCPS has district supports that can be provided.

I want to share all of this with families so you for two reasons. First, I want you to know that we take the social emotional health of our students very seriously. If our children are not feeling safe, their ability to learn the content is not going to occur. Also, I want you to know that you can reach out if you have questions, concerns, or want support for your child.

Below you will see a link to request support from our MHP or Guidance Counselor for your child. This includes when stressful things happen outside of school.

As always, if you need anything, please reach out.

Mrs. Cravens, EdS.

502-485-8336

analese.cravens@jefferson.kyschools.us

ZT School Policy

Zachary Taylor is a Title 1 School. This means that we get funding from the Federal Government to support our students that is in addition to the funding that allocated by the district. These funds must be used for enhancing student achievement. At ZT we use some of this funding to have a second Kindergarten homeroom and 3 full time special area classes. We also use the remaining funds to subsidize field trips and in school learning experiences as well after school educational experiences. One requirement is that the SBDM council adopt a School-Family Compact policy. Our policy is pictured to the right. Please be familiar with this. If you have questions, please reach out.

Family/School Compact

School-Family Compact

Early Entrance To Kindergarten Information

Talley

NOW OPEN | The Fall/Winter Early Entrance to Kindergarten Testing Application window is now open. Families interested in applying for Early Entrance to Kindergarten for the 26-27 school year should note the window will close promptly at 3:00 PM on November 1, 2025.

For more information, including eligibility criteria, click below to read more. https://www.jefferson.kyschools.us/page/early-admission-to-kindergarten

Here is your Zachary Taylor PTA!

PTA Board

Thank you to all who came to our PTA elections and a big thank you to our new PTA Board!

Trina Williams - President

Teneasha Schweiman - Treasurer

Victoria Amsler - VP

Amanda Magee - VP

This is going to be a great year! PTA Membership Drive information will be coming soon!

ZT Star Students

Star Student

Ms. Lamon - Isha Kalmbacher

Ms. Lamon - Abner DelCid Morales Jr.

Ms. Radeker - Mayco Ortiz Pablo

Mrs. Schneider - Brayan Herrera Silva

Ms. Streich - Yanluis Silva Rivera

Mrs. Boone - Ojas Yellale

Mrs. T. Campbell - Adelyn Thomas

Mrs. Thompson - Jose Castro Tziquin

Mr. Epperson - Xavier Cortese

Mrs. Pierce - Nataly Mercado

Mr. Berry - Manuel Ramos Zetino

Ms. Radeker - Audrey Taylor

Mrs. Hagan - Britliany Alegria De Leon

Mrs. Ginder - Maria Lopez Castro

Mrs. Ginder - Mia De Cruz

Mrs. Ginder - James David

Mrs. Ginder - Alex Schiewman

Star Student Interviews

K-2 Star Students:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gZgf4n6DkhNTECpoP94T9hoSaGct-nI1/view?usp=sharing

3-5 Star Students: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X0nQnB_b_cQe1ENVmkLeZ1GZ7iDAIC7r/view?usp=sharing

Choices

Middle Choices!

CHECK IT OUT | Not sure what options are available within your network? Digital versions of the Choices Books are now available online for all school levels. Printed copies are expected to arrive at schools the week of Oct. 6. Want to plan a school tour? The Prospective Student Tours and Open House Schedules are also now available: https://www.jefferson.kyschools.us/choices-guide

ZT Lighthouse Leaders

lighthouse

"The lighthouse has but one mission: to protect the journey of the traveler." -Steve Pemberton

Every week in the staff newsletter, we celebrate teachers and staff who are doing amazing work. We call them Lighthouse Leaders because they protect our students by ensuring their educational journey is filled with rigorous work in a caring environment that will allow them to be the leaders of tomorrow.

This week, our Lighthouse Leader is Ms. Kirkpatrick! Ms. Kirkpatrick came in to school on her Fall Break to get her CPR/First Aid and AED training. We are required to have 6 adults trained in our building for this. Now that she is one of the 6, this means that we have trained individuals stationed at all parts of our building at all times and someone who works with our most fragile students is now officially certified in these areas.

Thank you Ms. Kirkpatrick for your support of our students.

Upcoming Events

  • October 7 - SBDM

  • October 7 - Vision Screening

  • October 13 - Picture Day

  • October 15 - Hearing Screening

  • October 20 - October 24 Book Fair Week

  • October 22 - Book Fair Family Night

  • October 31 - Fall Party Day (Your teacher will send home information about what their class is doing.)

In Every Issue

support

Student Support Services

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfYIE80tpexTo81pDUECZZ_8BIp7MXJ8ephMEZyNJX0we1ZlA/viewform

As we are settling into this new school year, students are getting back into routines and what it means to be back at school everyday!

With that being said, sometimes our students can be going through some challenging times and we aren't always aware of that. This year we are implementing a Student Support Services request form. It is a google form you can fill out if you would like your child to be seen by the Mental Health Practitioner or School Counselor for a check-in or if you would like for your child to receive more counseling services.

Please fill out the google form linked above, and Mrs. Harris the MHP or Mr. Talley the school counselor, will make sure to get to your child in a timely manner to make sure there are not any next steps that may need to happen.

New Law

New Law for K/1 Families

HB 240 is a Kentucky law focused on early reading intervention and proficiency. It outlines required supports for students in kindergarten through third grade who need additional help in reading and provides guidance for kindergarten and first-grade retention. 
Click Here for information about HB 240

Bus

How To Track Your Child's Bus

To get started, download the Edulog Parent Portal Lite app from the Apple or Android store.

After downloading the app, you’ll be asked to enter a registration code. Use district registration code: 98295545. This code is specific to JCPS buses.

Go to the DISTRICT tab, tap the plus sign (+) in the top right to add the district code. When the code is accepted, you will see the district name and the number of buses you are following (initially zero).

Next, tap on the slide button to activate one or more buses. Tap on My Buses in the Main Menu below. You can scroll to each bus by swiping the vehicle box. Tap on the plus sign (+) to add an Alert Zone. Enter an address or move the map, name the alert zone, add a time frame, adjust the radius with the slide button, then hit Save. Once your vehicles have been added and alert zones created, they will be listed on the Home screen.

To access your Inbox, tap the envelope icon on the Home screen, where you can view Messages and Notifications.

You can view the location of a bus by tapping that particular bus in the MY BUSES tab.

Notifications are sent immediately when a GPS ping from your bus occurs within the notification zone. The school bus sends regular GPS pings to the app database in the cloud every 15-20 seconds. As with all technology, disruptions can occur. A lag can be produced if there is a disruption in cellular service or the GPS unit on the bus is disconnected. Make sure to monitor the app for bus movement before the expected bus time.

You can view the instructions in Spanish and learn more about the app at our website.

Bus Behavior and Progressive Discipline

Below are our behavior expectations for all bus riders, this includes when riding on field trips. This information is also in the ZT Student Handbook and the JCPS Behavior Handbook that went home at the start of the year.

Expectations for Students Riding The Bus

B - Be Responsible For Your Behavior. Obey the driver’s instructions. The driver of a school bus is in complete charge of their passengers. • Eating, drinking, and smoking are not permitted on the school bus. • Keep the bus clean. Do not throw trash on the floor. Do not mark or deface the bus. Seat covers must not be damaged in any manner. Anyone caught damaging the equipment will be subject to consequences and/or to making restitution. • Pets and animals are not allowed on the bus at any time.

U - Use Respect. The driver has the authority to assign seats. • Use your inside voice. • Do not wave or shout to pedestrians or occupants or other vehicles. Do not throw objects out of the bus windows. • Know that using profanity and making obscene gestures on the school bus are prohibited. • Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself. • Do not fight or scuffle on the bus or create any loud disturbances. • Refrain from talking to the driver, except in an emergency.

S - Stay Safe. Be seated immediately, and remain seated while the bus is in motion. If a seat is not available, hold onto the back of a seat. • Keep your head, hands, and feet inside the bus. • Students may not stand in the stairwell while the bus is in motion. • Books and backpacks should remain in your lap and not be placed in the aisle way. Instruments and large objects will be allowed on the bus only if they can be held on the lap. • Do not tamper with the emergency door, fire extinguisher, or other equipment on the bus.

Progressive Discipline

As bus referrals accumulate for students', the consequences will be more severe. Please remember, if your child is suspended from riding the bus, they are still required to be at school.

*If a child misses school due to a bus suspension, the absence is considered unexcused for most students. Guardians of students with exceptions are conferenced with on an individual basis.

o 3rd referral gets a 1 day bus suspension.

o 4th gets a 2 day bus suspension.

o 5th gets a 3 day bus suspension and parents/guardians must have a conference with school administrators.

o 6th gets a 4 day bus suspension.

o 7th gets a 5 day bus suspension.

o 8th and up gets 6 days or more of a bus suspension and parents/guardians must have a conference with school administrators. *Please see note below.

*These are on a case by case basis, and according to behavior guidance from JCPS, suspensions can go up to 20 days in length. This is also noted in the JCPS student behavior handbook that went home with every child at the start of the year.

Car Rider Information

In the morning, car rider line closes at 7:20. This is to allow our building to be secured in a timely manner. If your child arrives after 7:20, they need to enter, WITH AN ADULT, at the front door. Any child arriving after 7:30 must be signed in by the adult and is considered tardy. These are recorded into the state data base. Kentucky has a state law regarding absences and tardies. excessive tardies will add up to an absence. More information on the attendance law is below.

Car Rider Line Protocol

Keeping your child safe is our number 1 priority. Therefore we have the following rules in place in the car rider line.

  1. Do not pass a car in the car rider line unless a school staff member signals you to do so.

  2. Do not have your child exit the car until they are next to the sidewalk.

  3. Do not get out of the car to assist your child in getting in or out of the car, wait for assistance. We have adults and a student safety patrol that will do this. When adults get out of the car, it slows the line down and creates an unsafe situation.

  4. AM Car Rider Line closes at 7:20 and PL Car Rider Line closes at 2:25. If you are arriving outside of those times, please come to the front door with your child. Remember, students must come in with an adult.

School Forms

form

Please don't forget the back to school paperwork for parents. All students received a folder with paper copies of the forms and a QR code to fill them out electronically. Either way is fine. To fill them out online, please go to the PARENT PLACE link below. Forms need to be completed for EVERY child in the household that attends a JCPS school. It will require you to create an account.

Remember, if you are having a hard time filling these out online, please reach out to the school an paper copies can be sent home. https://apps.jefferson.kyschools.us/ParentAccount

Snacks At Lunch

snack

While school meals are provided at no cost, parents may still want to set up on online account.

JCPS Nutrition Services partners with MySchoolBucks so parents can pay for à la carte items or extra entrees by using a credit or debit card. Parents may also monitor transactions and set up convenient email reminders when funds are running low.

New Kentucky Laws That Impact Your Child

HB 611 | This one started in August of 2024. It is very important so I included it for this year too. The Kentucky General Assembly passed HB 611, aimed at addressing student attendance. This legislation mandates that students throughout Kentucky who accumulate 15 or more unexcused absences be referred to their local County Attorney's office. The goal of HB 611 is to reduce unexcused absences, promote consistent attendance, and ensure students receive the support they need to stay engaged in school. To comply with the new law, JCPS began the mandatory referral process to the Jefferson County Attorney’s Office (JCAO) in October.

Below are things specific to Zachary Taylor that you can do to ensure you are doing everything you can to mitigate unexcused absences. Please call the office if you have questions or need support.

If your child is absent, please have them bring in a note explaining why when they return. Students can have up to 10 notes from parents excusing absences.

  1. If they are absent or late due to a doctor's appointment, get a note from the office. Students can have unlimited doctor's notes.

  2. If there is an extenuating circumstance, please reach out to the school and explain what is happening. The principal is able to excuse some absences based on the information we receive. Communication is key!

  3. Avoid tardies! These can accumulate and turn into an absence.

House Bill 208 l This law bans student cell phone use in schools for the 2025-2026 school year, with districts determining the specific enforcement of the rule. This statewide ban aims to address distractions and improve the learning environment, as mandated by the legislation passed during the 2025 session.

What it means for students at ZT: No student is permitted to have their phone at any point during the school day. It must be in their backpack or in the office safe. It is not to be on their body or coat pocket. If you have questions, please ask.

Birthday Treat Reminder

cake

We love celebrating student birthdays and the students love the treats.

Please remember that these treats are shared with students at their lunch time. The purpose for this is to protect instructional time.

It may seem like a 20 minute break from instruction at the end of the day to sing Happy Birthday and eat treats would not be much to miss. However, in a class with 24 students, that 20 minute period can multiply to 480 minutes...8 hours! That is more than one day of school.

If you want to know your child's lunch time, please call the office and we will tell you.

Thank you very much for your understanding with this matter.

JCPS Is An Equal Opportunity Provider

equal opportunity

https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/4298/JCPS/4115244/Equal_Opportunity_Policy_Ad.pdf