
The Cardinal Connection
September 26th, 2023
At J.O. Wilson Elementary School, we are SOARing to success every day in every way by creating an environment in which joy, pride, positive interactions, and growth mindsets lead students to comfort in taking risks, self-advocating, and facing adversity.
Important Dates:
September 27th: Deputy Mayor for Education virtual town hall meeting to provide feedback on boundary and student assignments at 6:00 p.m. – Register here
October 4th: Vision To Learn visits JOW
October 4th: Master Facilities Plan review meetings 12 noon - 1:30 p.m. Click here to register for this virtual town hall.
October 5th: Master Facilities Plan review meetings 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Click here to register for this virtual town hall.
October 9th: Indigenous Peoples Day...No School for students and staff
October 10th: Virtual PTA Meeting @ 6PM
October 18th: Fall Festival, Hispanic Heritage Celebration and Outdoor Movie Night
October 19th: Parent Teacher Conference Day...No School for Students
October 20th: Professional Development Day...no School for Students
October 25th: Fall 23-24 Picture Day JOW
October 28th: The Literary Feast
October 30th: Virtual Principal Chat 6PM
Boundary & Student Assignment Study 2023
Join the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education for a series of virtual town hall meetings to learn more about the Boundary & Student Assignment Study 2023 and the Master Facilities Plan 2023. These initiatives will provide strategic, data-informed recommendations to ensure more students have equitable access to great schools and modern, well-maintained facilities that meet their needs.
This round of town halls was originally scheduled for July. Based on advisory committee feedback, the town hall meetings are now being held in September. Participants will review the landscape of DCPS boundaries and student assignment analysis, provide feedback on potential policy tools, and receive an introduction to the online web tool.
Wednesday, Sept. 27, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. Click here to register for this virtual town hall.
Vision to Learn is coming to J.O. Wilson on October 4
One in four kids in public schools lacks the glasses they need to see the board, read a book, or participate in class. Students with uncorrected vision problems often avoid reading, suffer headaches, and can have trouble focusing in class, as 80% of learning during a child’s first 12 years is visual.
How Vision To Learn Works:
Vision To Learn mobile clinics solve the problem by bringing eye care and glasses, free of charge, to children at schools. Studies show that students who receive glasses from Vision To Learn are better able to recover lost learning time and succeed in school. Here’s how Vision To Learn works:
· Vision To Learn collaborates with schools and community partners to provide vision screenings to students.
· A Vision To Learn mobile clinic comes to the school or community organization where a Vision To Learn optometrist provides eye exams to students who fail their vision screenings.
· Students who need glasses pick a pair of frames from a large selection in the mobile clinic.
· Students receive new glasses in about three weeks, free of charge.
*Families who do not wish to participate can request and opt-out form from the Front Office.
Master Facilities Plan (MFP) 2023
Participants will review updated programmatic capacities and draft recommendations supporting the three goals of the MFP; ensuring school facilities are efficiently utilized, ensuring every student is enrolled in a modern state of the art facility and, ensuring every student's daily experience is in a well-maintained facility.
Wednesday, Oct.4, from noon - 1:30 p.m. Click here to register for this virtual town hall.
Thursday, Oct. 5, from 6 - 7:30 p.m. Click here to register for this virtual town hall.
VIRTUAL General Body PTA Meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 6 p.m.
Please join the PTA for our monthly General Body Meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 6 p.m.
This meeting will be virtual. Register in advance here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUsdOqsrz4iGtbV3nyjBuH6odY26wXMC_QN
Membership in the PTA is free and open to all parents, guardians, and staff. Please fill out our membership form to let us know if you're interested in roles like volunteering during events or serving on a committee. To stay up-to-date, visit the school website jowilsondcps.org, follow us on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) @jowpta and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/JOWPTA.
Fall Festival, 2nd Annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration and Outdoor Movie Night
Fall Festival, 2nd Annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration and Outdoor Movie Night — Wednesday, Oct. 18
Join the Cardinal Community for:
Pumpkin decorating
Fall-themed activities and games
Bake sale
Refreshments (pizza, popcorn, snacks and drinks)
Halloween-themed movie
Festivities will start at 4 p.m. Movie begins at sundown. Closed captions will be provided. This event is open to all; please help spread the word to friends and neighbors. If you would like to help plan for this event, the PTA's Events and Fundraising Committee will meet via Zoom next week. Please reach out to info@jowilsonpta.org be added to the email list.
To order pumpkins in advance, please complete the pre-order form no later than Wednesday, Oct. 11. Limited quantities will be available for day-of purchase at the Fall Festival. All proceeds support the PTA.
We need bakers to contribute baked goods to the bake sale! Please sign-up here. All items must be individually packaged/wrapped and NO NUTS please.
To make this event a success, we will need a lot of volunteers to assist with set-up, concessions, and clean-up. If you can help during the afternoon/evening of Wednesday, Oct. 18, please sign-up.
Hispanic Heritage Month Spirit Week
Order J.O. Swag!
Thanks to everyone who continues to show school pride by purchasing J.O. Wilson apparel! You may pre-order shirts, hoodies, and yard signs by completing the order form at our Swag Store (unfortunately, verbal and email requests cannot be honored). We will fill orders as we receive them and publicize regular pick-up dates in the Cardinal Connection.
Walk & Roll to School Day
J.O. Wilson is registered for Walk & Roll to School Day on Wednesday, Oct. 4. Walk & Roll to School Day is an annual event that involves communities from across the country (and globe!) walking and rolling to school on the same day. It began in 1997 as a one-day event. Today, thousands of schools across America — from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico — participate every October. Over time, this celebration has become part of a movement for year-round safe routes to school.
Do You Need Free Covid-19 Tests?
Fill out a short form and the federal government will mail you four free tests. Limit of one order per residential address. https://special.usps.com/testkits
DC Teacher Voice Festival
EmpowerEd is holding its 2023 DC Teacher Voice Festival in Ward 6 this year! ALL DC RESIDENTS are invited to join DC educators for family-friendly fun at the 2023 DC Teacher Voice Festival. RSVP now for the event at the Eastern Market Metro Plaza on Saturday, Oct. 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. PLEASE bring family, friends, and colleagues. The event will include:
Go-Go music
Carnival-like games
Food truck
Kids face painting
Balloon animals and more
Explore tables hosted by local educators to discuss action on things like reforming standardized testing, school ratings, teacher retention, culturally responsive education, ending child and family poverty and more. Register here
Help Support a J.O. Partner
Support a J.O. Partner by Participating in October Events Organized by The Capitol Hill Community Foundation
The Literary Feast - Oct. 28
Dozens of Capitol Hill homes, including J.O. Families are opening their doors to celebrate great literature, great neighbors, and the great schools that will benefit from this annual fundraiser. Visit the Feast’s website to register for one of our delightful dinners — inspired by a book you select — by Sept. 30 (or before tickets run out)! All proceeds from this event support the Capitol Hill Community Foundation’s Grants to Neighborhood Schools.
Join the Literary Pumpkin Walk and Get on the Map
Transform your yard or stoop into a festive fall display and sign up for inclusion in the Foundation’s Literary Pumpkin Walk map. Choose a book or favorite character, and design a single pumpkin or an entire yard scene. Each year, neighbors vote for their favorite entry, and the Foundation donates $1,000 to a school selected by the winner.