The Cardinal Connection

September 28th: Virtual Principal Chat @ 6 PM

September 30th: "Shimmy and Sprinkles" Perfect Attendance Contest 2 PM

October 6th: Parent Teacher Conference (No School for Students)

October 7th: Professional Development Day For Staff (No School for Students)

October 10th: Indigenous Peoples' Day (No School for Students and Staff)

October 11th: PTA General Body Meeting @6PM

October 21st: Fall Festival and Outdoor Movie Night

Cardinal Families,

We will be hosting our first Principal's Chat of the school year this Wednesday, September 28th, at 6 PM. Please use this link https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpc-GgrTovHtG9X2xkyQhBbke7efIaGLaH to register and join us. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Hope to see you there!

The PTA is looking to fill the following vacancies: treasurer, assistant treasurer, fundraising director, assistant fundraising director, a parent representative on the LSAT (1), and parent representatives for the Ward 6 Public School Parent Organization (2). If you would like to learn more about participation and responsibilities, please email the PTA at jowilsonpta@gmail.com.

To nominate yourself or someone else that you believe will best represent the interests of J.O. Wilson and the Cardinal community, please complete the nomination form by Friday, Oct. 7, at 6 p.m. Nominations will also be allowed during the meeting on Oct. 11.

Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApc-mtrTMjH9Bl-CJUSpDj9zk-4fBQ1zSl

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. As a reminder, membership in the PTA is free and open to all parents, guardians, and staff.

We’ll have pumpkin decorating, fall-themed activities, and end the evening with an outdoor movie! Decorating and games begin at 4 p.m. The movie screening starts at sundown. Refreshments (pizza, popcorn, snacks, and drinks) will be available for purchase. Closed captions will be provided. This event is open to all; please help spread the word to friends and neighbors.

To purchase pumpkins, please complete the pre-order form by Monday, Oct. 17.

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 the afternoon/evening of Friday, Oct. 21, please email the PTA at jowilsonpta@gmail.com. We’ll also need some hands-on Thursday, Oct. 20, to help unload pumpkins (for about 1 hour during the school day; exact time TBD).

In the event that weather prevents us from dismissing from the field in the afternoon using our normal process, we will follow the prescribed process below...

*If your child is in PK3 or PK4: Enter the playground gate and pick them up from the rear classroom (or entrance) door as normal.

*If your child is in grades K-3rd: Please enter through the main entry doors. Students in grades K-2nd will be dismissed from the cafeteria and students in grade 3 will be dismissed from the commons area. All parents will exit using the 7th street cafeteria doors only.

*If your child is in grades 4th-5th: Please provide your child’s name to the guard or staff member at the main entry door and step to the side to leave the areas in front of the door clear. We will then have your child called down from their classroom.

**As a reminder, for the safety of our students and neighbors please do not double park or park in the coned-off bus area. We will also try to provide advance notice by communicating to families via blackboard when we may have inclement weather dismissal.

Kiss & Go Do's:
To keep the lane open for Kiss and Go, parking is prohibited in the orange cones on K during morning drop-off. Remember, the Kiss and Go lane is intended to be a quick and efficient process.

• Plan ahead. Encourage your children to gather their belongings in the car before arriving in the Kiss and Go lane.
• Proceed as far as you can in the coned-off section in front of the school on K Street
• Remain in your vehicle. A Kiss & Go staff person will open the car door & help your child exit the car.
• Exit the Kiss & Go lane with care. Please pay attention to the flow of traffic on K Street before exiting the coned section.

Kiss & Go Don'ts

• Do not drop off students in the middle of K Street. Remember, PEASE no double parking at any time.
• Do not allow students to exit the car on the driver's side of the vehicle in the Kiss and Go lane.
• Do not drop off PreK3 and PreK4 students at Kiss & Go. PreK3 and PreK4 students use a separate entrance and have to be walked to the door by an adult.

Any off-campus trips will require the chaperone to be fingerprinted. The updated suitability matric can be found here on the DCPS way website. https://dck12.sharepoint.com/sites/DCPSWay/SitePages/22-23-Clearance-and-Compliance.aspx

DCPS wants and needs you to help shape the direction of our schools. Join a strategic planning listening session this fall. Students, staff, families, and community members are invited to reflect on our strengths and share where we must grow. Learn more here.

LEARN. REFLECT. SHARE.

Engage with other community voices to guide our vision as a school district of progress and equity. Listening sessions are open to DCPS families and District residents. Sign up today!