Introduction:

After-school activities play a crucial role in fostering students' holistic development, providing opportunities beyond the classroom to explore diverse interests and enhance various skills. It is our goal this year to increase the outside of school hour offerings to students in order to return the same level prior to 2020.  Our hope is to bring back some familiar competitions and clubs, as well as introduce new offerings to students. This document categorizes our after-school activities into four main groups: Sports, Arts, Academics, and Clubs.  

Sports activities aim to promote physical fitness, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Through participation, students develop discipline, resilience, and leadership skills. These activities complement classroom learning by fostering a healthy lifestyle and teaching valuable life lessons. 

Intramural Sports

We provide intramural level sports for 5th and 6th grade students as follows:  Fall - Volleyball, Winter - Basketball, Spring - Soccer.  See the schedule below for more details.  Practices are from 3:15-4:30pm with a culminating competition at the end of the season. Our program will offer two separate days for each sport to accommodate more students. You will have a choice between practices on Tuesdays or on Thursdays (you will need to select only one). Registration for volleyball is now open. Registration , emergency card and payment is required to hold your sport (links below). Each program will be 8 weeks long and is available to 5th and 6th graders at the Elementary school as well as our Summit Program. Drop off paperwork and payment in the office.  All practices will be held at the Elementary school from 3:15-4:15. Students will need to be picked up at the main entrance by 4:30 p.m. In the event that we do not have enough participants on one of the days, we will move those students over to the other day so that everyone can participate. We are looking forward to you joining us this year! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Larkin at tlarkin@jajags.com.

Intramural Registration

Intramural Schedule

Intramural Emergency Form

Intramural Handbook

Clubs offer a diverse range of interests, catering to specific hobbies or shared passions among students. The goal is to create a sense of community, provide an avenue for social interaction, and allow students to explore niche areas of interest. Clubs serve as an extension of classroom learning by fostering camaraderie and collaborative learning experiences.  Examples of these are Yearbook club, Newspaper, and StuGo.ZAS

Formation of After School Activities:

Clubs are typically formed by interested students with the guidance of a supervising staff member. Students propose the idea for a club, outline its purpose, and seek approval from the school administration using a form from the main office and return to the main office. Once approved, the club is officially recognized, and members can start organizing activities.  

The Arts

Artistic pursuits, including visual arts, music, and drama, encourage creativity and self-expression. These activities enrich students' lives by fostering a deeper appreciation for the arts, promoting confidence, and developing critical thinking skills. They serve as an extension of classroom learning by allowing students to explore and showcase their talents.  This area includes our Musical, primary art and intermediate art.  Some clubs in this section may run 2x4 weeks sessions in each season.  Additionally, our Musical/Drama timeframes may go into 2 seasons.

Academics

Academic activities provide additional opportunities for intellectual growth. They may include subjects such as mathematics, science, and language arts, offering students a chance to delve deeper into specific areas of interest. These activities reinforce and extend classroom learning, helping students excel in their academic pursuits.  Examples of these are Geography bee, Spelling Bee, and Math club.

Club and Activity Calendar

Teachers/sponsors will work together to ensure the club and activity offerings are spread across the days of the week to allow students the potential to select multiple offerings if allowed.   9 weeks is provided to compensate for any lost days.  All activities end at 4:30 PM unless otherwise agreed upon with administration (examples could be competitions, festivals, culminating event).

Fall - September 8 - November 7, 2025

Winter - November 10, 2025 - February 6, 2026

Spring - February 9 - May 1, 2026

Art Club- JA's Art Department is excited to offer after school art clubs for 1st-6th grade students! Enrollment is open August 25th-29th. Information and registration for Mrs. Sovereign's 1st-2nd grade art clubs can be found HERE. Mrs. Weir's information and registration for 3rd-6th grader art clubs can be found HERE. We hope you can join us for some creativity, community and fun!

Chess Club  - Calling all 3-6th graders. Join the chess club and become a master of strategy! You'll have fun learning new moves, challenging friends, and solving tricky puzzles. Whether you're a beginner or already know the basics, you'll improve your skills while making new friends!  Register HERE

D & D Club! - Calling all 5th-6th graders, we will be offering a new club in our Winter session from November 14th - Jan 30th. Joining a Dungeons & Dragons club offers your child a unique opportunity to develop creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving skills in a fun and imaginative environment. Through storytelling and role-playing, students enhance their critical thinking and communication abilities, all while building friendships and working together to achieve goals. The game fosters a sense of community, encourages positive social interaction, and allows kids to explore their creativity in a safe, inclusive setting. Plus, it's an engaging way for them to practice math and reading without even realizing it...and it's free! Registration TBA.

Destination Imagination (DI) - Thursdays, 3:15-4:15 - We are continuing to grow our Destination Imagination team(s) again this year! DI is an educational nonprofit club on a mission to inspire young people to imagine and innovate today so they can become the creative and collaborative leaders of tomorrow.

Teams will consist of 2-7 students depending upon interest. This will be open to 4th, 5th and 6th grade students. The cost for each team will be $500 which will include registration costs and the cost for supplies. This fee will be divided amongst each team member (the fee will depend on the number of members on each team). The students will be working on their challenge every Thursday from 3:15-4:15 Beginning Thursday Sept 11th. The DI tournament will be in March (exact date TBD), with winning teams being invited to a state tournament approx. April (those dates will be given to you as soon as we get them.  To sign up, please complete the DI Registration. Thank you, and please feel free to contact RJ Everett, rjeverett@jajags.com,  if you have any questions.

Drama Club- This after school program is offered to 5th & 6th grade students.  Students may tryout for parts in the play or take part in the stage crew. Mrs. Ballard will offer drama club for 5th & 6th grade students. This club will begin meeting in November with performances in April. Registration TBA.

Earth Club will meet every Tuesday after school from 3 - 3:45 during the school year (weather permitting) beginning September 9.   Earth Club is open to students in 3rd-6th grade.   Students who participate will spend time picking up trash around the outside of the school, collecting recyclable materials around the school, and doing other projects to help ‘beautify’ our school.  Your student will need a good pair of fitted gloves (preferably gardening).  Permission slips are available from Ms. Tucker in the Library.  

Hip Hop (K-6th): A high-energy dance form that uses the latest age appropriate Hip Hop and Pop music coupled with dance steps influenced by some of today's finest dance choreographers. A style that is incessantly changing, Hip Hop incorporates poppin’, lockin', and body isolations. Students will learn the trendy hip hop style of today as well as old school, and always emphasizes dancers finding their own individual swagger and style. Hip Hop is a fun, high-energy way to express oneself in a big way! More information HERE! Register HERE.

Homework Club (1st - 6th) - Mondays, 3:20-4:30 - Need a quiet place to get your homework done? Want some extra help from teachers and friends? Come join the Homework Club! It’s the perfect spot to finish assignments, ask questions, and feel confident about your work. Fill out THIS form to reserve your spot. Students in 1st-6th grade are welcome, limit 15 students per session.

Karate - Late Start Wednesday Mornings - Synergy Martial Arts - Get the day started off on the right foot!  Karate Club helps your child to develop self-defense and strong character through martial arts related skills, drills and games. Head karate instructor, Scott Pedersen, will be teaching four early morning ‘Karate Club’ sessions (9/3, 10/1, 11/5, 12/3) from 8:45-9:45 am in the Primary Gym, for 1st through 6th grades.  The cost is $20/session and all proceeds are being donated to Jefferson Academy Clubs. Today, screens and sedentary habits often dominate too many children's lives. Karate is a dynamic and engaging alternative; improving balance, coordination and fitness. Registration Coming Soon! In addition to energetic activities, Karate Club also reinforces life skills such as focus, discipline and respect for others.  Given time, the training will also build self confidence and the very vital ‘belief-in-self’ for each child

Spelling Bee Club  -September 22 - November 6 on Thursdays from 3:15-4:15 p.m. (no club on October 16). Are you in grades 4th-6th grade? Do you have a love for words? Is spelling your strength? Are you ready to show off your spelling skills and compete with your fellow classmates? Come and practice for the spelling bee! We will be playing word games and studying words! The school wide spelling bee will be during the second semester of the school year. Get a jump start with studying. Come and join this free club! Join the Spelling Bee with Mrs. Lydick and Mrs. Erickson! Here is the form to signup.

Talk to the Camera 2 - (grades 3rd - 6th) Jump into the world of show business. Your kiddos become stars in their own mock Netflix series! Students will get their creative juices flowing by becoming screenwriters, actors, camera operators, and much more! They will learn the steps of what it takes to produce a series from storyboarding to set design and editing. We can’t wait for you to see your kids shine in their own series! Families will receive an edited mini series a few weeks after the last day of class. More information HERE, register HERE.

Yearbook Club- This Yearbook Club is offered to students in 5th & 6th grade.  Students will participate in choosing the yearbook theme, cover and the creation of pages. There is not a fee for this club.  Registration TBA.

Club & Activity Calendar