For those of you who use the carpool line, thank you for your patience and understanding as we move 250 cars or more each day. We ask that you pay attention to the adults who are out there in the safety vests, limit your cell phone usage and help us keep all of our students, staff and parents safe.
This is the time of year where sickness is everywhere. We are asking that kids wash their hands multiple times a day. We are asking that you not send your student to school if they are running fever. This will help keep all of our buffaloes safe. Thank you and Good Night.
Are you interested in a meaningful career with lasting rewards? Are you passionate about shaping the future?
Join Johnston County Public Schools at our Job Fair on Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 9 AM to 12 PM at Smithfield-Selma High!
Why JCPS?
✅ Competitive pay
✅ State health benefits
✅ Opportunities for growth and incentives
✅ A great place build your career and life
Don't miss this opportunity! Scan the QR code or register at: https://bit.ly/jobfair2026
Can’t wait and want to join the team today? The job vacancies page here: www.johnston.k12.nc.us/employment
Good evening parents and students! This is Mr. Jewett, principal of Thanksgiving Elementary School, with some important information.
I wanted to remind all of you that we have an early release tomorrow- students will be dismissed for carpool and buses at 1:55pm. Also, we do not have After School Care tomorrow- there is no after school care on early release days.
School will be closed for students from Monday, December 22nd through Monday, January 5th for Christmas Break. Students will return to school on Tuesday, January 6th.
I also would like to take this opportunity to say "Thank You!" to all of our staff, students, and families. Thanksgiving Elementary School has been one of the greatest blessings to me personally and professionally; and it is because of all of the love and support you have shown me over the years. I know I may be leaving to go open Wilson's Mills High School, but Thanksgiving will always be home.
I love you all and I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
JCPS is thrilled to announce an exciting community event you won’t want to miss! Our wonderful partners, the Johnston County Ed Foundation, will host a Harlem Wizards basketball fundraiser on February 9, 2026, at Smithfield-Selma High School. The event will begin at 6:30 PM and doors will open at 5:30 PM.
We invite all JCPS families, staff, and community members to join us for an unforgettable night of high-flying basketball where some of JCPS’s most captivating athletes will compete against the Harlem Wizards! Come cheer as some of your favorite principals, teachers, coaches, and support staff step onto the court for some friendly competition, school spirit, and lots of laughs. This high-energy evening promises fun, laughter, and unforgettable entertainment for students, families, and staff, all while supporting a great cause.
🏀 Who are the Harlem Wizards?
The Harlem Wizards are a nationally renowned basketball entertainment team known for their incredible ball-handling skills, jaw-dropping trick shots, and interactive, family-friendly showmanship. Blending athletic talent with comedy and crowd engagement, the Harlem Wizards create an electrifying experience that delights audiences of all ages while promoting positive messages about teamwork, education, and community.
🏀 Who is the Johnston County Ed Foundation?
This event is spearheaded by the Johnston County Education Foundation, which plays a vital role in supporting JCPS by investing directly in our educators and classrooms. Through grant funding and other initiatives, the Foundation helps bring innovative instructional projects to life, supports creative teaching strategies, and enhances learning opportunities for students across the district. Events like this fundraiser make it possible for the Foundation to continue expanding its impact in JCPS schools.
So, if you are looking for great entertainment, for an even greater cause, mark your calendar now and get ready for a night of excitement, community engagement, and fun for everyone!
🎟️ To register, click here: https://bit.ly/4anzlrL
It is with both excitement and sadness that I am sending all of you this message. I have accepted the position as the principal of the new Wilson's Mills High School and the school board approved the change at last night's school board meeting. This has been a very difficult internal conflict. I love Thanksgiving Elementary School with all of my heart- this is home. However, after a lot of prayer, I felt led to take on the challenge of opening the new high school.
This change will happen very quickly. My last day at Thanksgiving Elementary School will be on Monday, December 22nd, and I will begin the new position on Friday, January 2nd. The interim principal for Thanksgiving Elementary will be Mrs. Kathy Parrish. She is a retired principal that has served JCPS for many years as the principal of Four Oaks Elementary School. I know Mrs. Parrish very well and I know she will do a wonderful job as the interim principal until a new principal of Thanksgiving Elementary School is named.
I want you to know that the love and support the families of TES have shown me these past 4 and a half years has been one of the best blessings of my life. I will always be a Buffalo and you will always have a special place in my heart. I love you guys and I know TES will remain a special place because of the amazing staff, the amazing students, and the amazing families. Love you guys!
All students and staff should report to schools and campuses on a two-hour delay.
We have been advised that the potential of black ice is possible tonight through Tuesday morning, creating hazardous travel conditions. To allow for better road visibility for our bus drivers, students, and staff drivers, we will be on a two-hour delay tomorrow. We encourage all travelers, especially our student drivers, to travel with caution.
School nutrition will serve breakfast upon students’ arrival. Early morning care will open two hours later than the normal start time.
Thank you for your understanding as we work with local safety and emergency officials to ensure that we are all safe during these inclement weather events.
Due to the forecast of inclement weather and per the guidance of local emergency and safety officials, Johnston County Public Schools will be closed for all students tomorrow, Monday, December 8, 2025, as well as all extracurricular activities. The district will operate under Condition 3 of the inclement weather plan.
View the inclement weather plan online at www.johnston.k12.nc.us/inclementweather.
Please be safe and have a great evening!
I wanted to remind everyone that our staff and students do not have school the remainder of this week for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Students and staff will return to school on Monday, December 1st.
Our annual Thanksgiving Elementary School Turkey Trot will take place this Thursday, November 27th (Thanksgiving Day). Please arrive between 8:30am and 8:45am to stretch, and we would like to get a group picture of all of our participants before we start the 5K run/walk at 9am. There is not a fee for this event; this is a free event. We just want to have a fun community event and exercise before we indulge ourselves later in the day. We will have hot chocolate and water for everyone at the finish line.
Thank you for your time and I hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!
I want to let you know that we have a lot of events going on at school tomorrow and parking will be tough. We will be able to have cars park in our carpool lane in the right lane, but only park on the right side so we have an open lane for emergency vehicles if needed.
I also want to remind you that our students and staff will be out of school next Wednesday, November 26th; Thursday, November 27th; and Friday, November 28th.
And finally, I want to remind all of you that we will have our annual Turkey Trot at our school on Thanksgiving Day. This is a 5K run or walk and this is free event. Please arrive between 8:30 and 8:45; we would like to take a picture before we start. We will start the 5K run/walk at 9am and we will have water and hot chocolate at the finish line. This has been a fun community event over the years and we are excited to host this event again. We are hoping and praying for no rain.
Thank you for your time and I hope you have a wonderful evening!
Our Fall Book Fair begins next week and will run through November 24th. Students will shop during their enhancement times. Mrs. Barber has shared the schedule via Class Dojo so you know what day your child will visit the Book Fair (she also posed the link for gift cards as well). We also have a Family Night at the Book Fair next Tuesday, November 18th from 5pm to 7pm. Luna Pizza and Cafe will have a food truck on campus if you would like to order some food to take home as well. We do still need volunteers to help with our Book Fair, so if you have some time to help, please sign up through the Class Dojo message Mrs. Barber shared.
I also wanted to let all of you know that students will be out of school for Thanksgiving Break on Wednesday, November 26th, Thursday, November 27th, and Friday, November 28th.
Please join us for our annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day morning. It is a 5K run/walk on Thursday, November 27th. The run/walk will start at 9am, but please arrive around 8:30 to stretch and for us to get a group picture before we start. We will have waters and hot chocolate for everyone at the finish line.
Thank you for your time and I hope you have a wonderful evening!
I wanted to let all of you know that we have a TES Spirit Night this Wednesday night, November 5th, at La Cucina Italian Restaurant by the Harris Teeter at Flower's Plantation from 4pm to 8pm. Please let them know that you are with Thanksgiving Elementary School.
I also wanted to let all of you know that next Tuesday, November 11th, is Veteran's Day and our students and staff will not have school- it is a holiday.
And finally, mark your calendars for Thanksgiving Day- Thursday, November 27th for our annual Turkey Trot. We were not able to run last year due to rain, but we are hoping and praying for better weather this year. The run will take place at 9am and more details will be coming soon. This is a free event- there is not an admission fee; it is just a fun, family/community event to get some exercise before our Thanksgiving meals.
Thank you for your time and I hope you have a wonderful evening!
I wanted to make sure that all of your remember that we have our annual Trunk or Treat tomorrow night, Friday, October 24th from 6pm to 8pm here at our campus. This is a free event, but we will also have some concession items and activities for sale as well. This was a huge event last year and we hope to see all of you again tomorrow evening.
I also want to let you know that students will not be allowed to wear costumes to school next Friday, October 31st. We do have some activities going on that day and we unfortunately had some issues with certain costumes last year, so we are asking that students hold off on wearing costumes until they get home for Halloween. Thank you for understanding!
I hope all of you have a wonderful evening!
I wanted to remind all of you that we are hosting a PTA general meeting tomorrow evening at 6pm in our library. This is a meeting for parents that are members of our PTA or interested in being a part of our PTA. We will be reviewing the budget, priorities for this school year, events and plans for this school year. I will also be going over the state of our school and our progress over the years, and our goals for this school year. I will also address the grading changes for this year as well in this meeting.
I also wanted to remind everyone that students do not have school next Monday, October 20th- it is a teacher workday.
And finally, please come out and join us for our Trunk or Treat on Friday, October 24th from 6pm to 8pm. This was an amazing event last year and we are excited to do it again this year. There is no admission cost to go for the trunk or treat, but we will have concessions for sale and other activities, such as a hayride, that will have a cost. Please come out for a fun time as a school family!
Thank you for your time and I hope you have a wonderful evening!
Good evening parents and students! This is Mr. Jewett, principal of Thanksgiving Elementary School, with some important information. Our fall picture make-up day is tomorrow, October 10th. If your child did not get their fall picture taken on September 12th or you have a child that is new to our school since September 12th, Lifetouch Pictures will be here tomorrow to take their picture. These pictures will be in our yearbook for this school year. I hope all of you have a wonderful evening!
I wanted to let you all know that we have a TES Spirit Night at the Smithfield Chicken and Barbeque location at Flower's Plantation this Thursday, October 9th from 4pm to 8pm. Please say that you are with TES and a percentage of the sales will come back to our school.
Our PTA is also hosting a General Meeting on Thursday, October 16th at 6pm. You will be able to hear information on our PTA budget, priorities for this school year, opportunities to get involved, and more. Please come out and learn how to partner with us as we continue to make TES a great school.
Finally, I wanted to make you aware of our next teacher workday. This will be on Monday, October 20th- students will not have school that day.
Thank you for your time and I hope you all have a wonderful evening!