Joy Elementary

The sun is coming back and temps are starting to warm up. I just want to take a few moments to send some reminders as we move into springtime:

• Please remind your children that even though it is warming up, we still need students dressed for the cold weather during recess.
• Our student tardiness has been on the rise. Please do your best to get your children to school on time. We begin instruction at 8:30 so students late miss valuable learning time.
• We continue to promote an atmosphere of kindness and respect for all regardless of our differences. Please help by reminding your students of our Cub Code even while at home - We are Respectful, Responsible, Safe, and Involved.
• It is almost SBA time! Our State assessments for students in grades 3-6 will be April 2,3, & 4. I know it is difficult to get children to bed when the daylight is returning, however we need all students well rested each day so they are ready to learn and give their best performance on the assessments.
• Keep on the lookout for more family nights coming up. Updated info will be coming soon.

Below you will find downloadable versions of our Home & School Connection.  These monthly newsletters are full of information to help make school successful for you and your children.  It also has many parenting tips and ideas for you and your children.  These will be coming home monthly in the Principal's Newsletter also.

FAIRBANKS — From cakewalks to science nights and hockey games to robot rallies, the days at Joy Elementary School bustle with diverse activities for students and families. However, the spirited atmosphere is nothing new for the small school on Margaret Avenue. Joy Elementary has a long history of inspired community involvement and engaging family events.

Unique from the beginning, Joy Elementary opened its doors in 1961 with a circular design in which classrooms were built around the center of the school. The design was not only notable in the local community but also on the global stage where it was honored with an award at the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. At the time, the name “Joy” could have reflected the school setting but it was in honor of the admired school board member Louis F. Joy, a dedicated school supporter who served on the board for 25 years and oversaw the growth of the school district throughout the 1950s.

In the early years of Joy Elementary, students turned their attention to the expanse of land near the school. Recognizing the importance of the property to migrating birds, students raised funds to protect the area and helped establish what we recognize today as Creamer’s Field, a wildlife refuge and a treasure of Fairbanks.

A thoughtful concern for the environment continued on, generations later, in 1997 when Joy Elementary was the first school in the Fairbanks School District to receive a Green Star Award. The school earned the honor by successfully implementing a series of waste reduction and energy conservation measures.