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The Cardinal Connection
January 30th, 2024
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:
January 30th: Stuart Hobson Talk and Tour 6PM-7:30PM
February 2nd: Spring Picture Day
February 2nd: National Wear Red Day for Women's Health
February 6th: Girl Scout Cookie Sales at JOW 3:30PM-6PM
February 8th: JOW Open House @10AM
February 10th: DC Camp Fair 10AM-1PM
February 13th: February 13th PTA General Body Meeting and Parent Yoga Night @6PM
February 16th: Professional Development Day...No school for students
February 19th: President's Day Holiday...No school for students and staff
February 20th: Girl Scout Cookie Sales at JOW 3:30PM-6:30PM
Stuart Hobson Talk and Tour
Stuart Hobson MS is inviting prospective families to join them on Tuesday, January 30th for a modified Open House, just tours and Q & A with Principal Fraser. They will still host a full Open House event on February 13th as previously scheduled.
Life Touch Spring Picture Day...Friday, February 2, 2024
📷 Smile, Cardinals! It's Picture Time at J.O. Wilson Elementary!
Cardinal Families,
We've got exciting news! This Friday, February 2nd, is our Life Touch Spring Picture Day. Get ready for a day full of smiles and style, as students will be taking individual pictures. Remember, no class photos this time. And guess what? Uniforms are not required! So, let your Cardinals dress in their favorite outfits and show off their unique styles. Let's make this picture day one to remember. Can't wait to see all our Cardinals looking photo-ready! Don't miss out on capturing these precious moments. Mark your calendars and let's get those picture-perfect smiles ready! Scan the QR below or see the attached order form for more information.
Celebrating Black History Month at JOW
Join us at J.O. Wilson in celebrating Black History Month all month long! Every Thursday during February will be a special Spirit Day, where we honor and explore the rich history and contributions of the African American community. Let’s come together to learn, commemorate, and celebrate this important part of our nation's history. Don't miss out on the chance to show your spirit and participate in this meaningful celebration! See the graphic below for the dates.
Thursday, February 1st: Black Love...Wear red, black, and green!
Thursday, February 8th: DC Pride...Wear clothing that represents the 202!
Thursday, February 15th: Throwback Thursday...Wear attire from the following decades: 1st floor 70's, 2nd floor 80's, 3rd floor 90's.
Thursday, February 22nd: African Pride Day...Waer your African prints
Friday, February 29th: Black Out...Wear All Black
Join Us for Our Open House – Thursday, February 8th @10AM
We are excited to invite you to our Open House on Thursday, February 8th! This is your opportunity to discover the diverse and dynamic world of J.O. Wilson. Explore our wide range of programs, extracurricular activities, and the multitude of partnerships that enrich our educational environment. Meet and greet members of our dedicated school administrative team, who are the driving force behind our innovative approach to learning. Additionally, connect with our active Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) members to learn about their invaluable contributions and how you can get involved. This Open House is the perfect occasion to immerse yourself in our vibrant school community, understand our unique offerings, and learn how we work together to foster a rewarding educational experience for our students. We look forward to welcoming you!
The JOW Social Emotional Learning (S.E.L.) Half-time Pep Rally!
This past Thursday at JOW, the school community came together to celebrate a significant milestone with an exciting and engaging half-time S.E.L pep rally, marking the successful journey through the first half of the school year. This event, thoroughly enjoyed by both students and staff, served as a dual celebration and reminder of the expectations for the upcoming months. Teachers and students, demonstrating their school spirit, wore JO Swag or the vibrant JOW school colors. The rally was a vibrant mix of activities including a special appearance by JO-JO The Cardinal, dynamic performances, and a review of the SOAR principles. It also spotlighted the achievements of the Students of the Month. Furthermore, the event included an important review of the lunchroom, recess, and grade-level expectations, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. The enthusiasm and participation of everyone involved truly made it a memorable and uplifting event. Enjoy the pictures below!
PTA News and Updates
Thanks to all who logged on last week for January’s Virtual PTA Meeting! For those who were not able to attend, you can review the meeting presentation here. (All past meeting presentations and minutes are made available on the PTA page of the school website.)
Our next PTA meeting will be on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
We are excited to partner with DCPS Out of School Time Programs and LaShone Wilson from Hot Yoga Capitol Hill to bring parents strategies to help unwind after those long days at work and the evening shift with kids. We hope this event will allow parents to take a moment for themselves and learn ways to stay relaxed and balanced. Please RSVP here if you plan to attend. (An RSVP is not required, but will help us plan for childcare and dinner.) Childcare will be provided for current J.O. students only.
Dinner - 5:30 p.m.
PTA meeting - 5:45 p.m.
Parent Engagement & Wellness - 6:15-7 p.m.
School Modernization Information
To stay up-to-date on information about J.O. Wilson's upcoming building renovations scheduled to start during the 2024-2025 school year, refer to the new Modernization Page on the school website.
Be a Caretaker for the Teachers’ Lounge
The PTA is looking for families to help care for and restock snacks in the teachers’ lounge for the second half of the school year. This involves occasionally resupplying treats and drinks for the teachers and other small upkeep tasks. To sign up for a month-long shift, or a shorter period of time, reach out to emilybadger@jowilsonpta.org. And big thanks to these families who have kept our teachers supplied with goodies so far this school year:
Gray Brooks & Erie Meyer
Melissa Ngo
Phuc Tran & Cynthia Belmonte
Bill Morrissey & Caitlin House
Grace Shie-Kelly
Bryan & Tiffany Payne
GIRL SCOUT COOKIES
Keep an eye out in February for the J.O. Wilson Girl Scout cookie booth during pickup time (3:30 to 6 pm). They will be outside (weather permitting) on Feb. 6 and 21. They will also be at the Camp Fair on Feb. 10. The girls are raising money for a fun end-of-year celebration and bridging ceremony. Stop by and get your favorites!
DC Camp Fair Rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 10!
The DC Camp Fair has been rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 10, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Thanks for your understanding. Sign-up to volunteer here, or email us DCCampFair@jowilsonpta.org if you have questions!
Please update your calendars, help spread the word, and most importantly, make plans to attend! Rest assured that our camp exhibitors are excited to participate and share information about their programs with the community.
WHAT: DC Camp Fair
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
WHERE: J.O. Wilson Elementary School
This event is free and open to all; please help spread the word to neighbors and other interested families.
For information on participating camps, please visit DCCampFair.com. Also, new for this year, we want to formally recognize camps who have generously offered free camp sessions to offer deserving members of our school community. These Cardinal Contributors include: DC Way Soccer Camp, Camp Rim Rock, Theatre Lab, Northeast Stars Montessori, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Arena Stage, Pedalheads, Polite Piggys, Breathing Space Yoga, Joy of Motion Dance Center, Bravo Zulu Chess, The Future Stars Enrichment Program, Adventures on the Hill, HoopEd, and Headfirst.
Spelling Bee
Join us in a SOARING round of applause for our extraordinary spelling maestros - Gidget Horn, who clinched the coveted 1st Place, Esperanza Tran, our brilliant runner-up in 2nd Place, and Roxy Horn, securing a strong 3rd Place. These incredibly talented students have not only showcased their exceptional spelling skills but have also brought immense pride to J.O. Wilson. With their victory, they're now gearing up to represent our school at the prestigious DCPS Cluster Spelling Bee on February 9. Let's rally behind them as they prepare to spell their way to the top! Go, team J.O. Wilson!
Special Thanks to Ms. Smith-Brown! Your dedication made our Spelling Bee a huge success! And to all our SOARing Cardinal Spelling Bee participants, you are ALL STARS !
SHE SOARS is celebrating American Heart Month!
BLACK HISTORY MONTH CONTEST - Calling all JOW creative writers and artists!
NPR is excited to announce an opportunity for innovative JO Wilson Elementary School students to participate in the 2024 Black History Month Essay and Art Contest. This contest is open to students in grades 1-5, and winners of the competition will receive prizes. If you are a student who loves writing or creating art, this may be a great opportunity for you to showcase your skills. The winner in each category will receive a $100 Amazon Gift Card!
JO Wilson students are encouraged to showcase their artistic talent by creating original artwork honoring influential Black STEM icons. This includes historical figures, world leaders, scientists, and educators. A winner will be chosen in each category based on the creativity and quality of the submitted work.
Contest criteria:
- Students can choose between submitting a drawing or writing an essay.
- Option 1 - Create a visual image that celebrates Black people's contributions that are important to you or focuses on an important Black Historical figure, past or present, whose story inspires you.
- Option 2 - Choose one of the essay topics below and write an essay which must be 50-100 words, handwritten or typed.
- Review your information (and check the spelling of a Written Essay) and submit your entry by February 15, 2024
- Winning entries are selected by NPR staff and will be displayed in their offices. If your entry is selected, we will notify Ms. Winters.
- The winning essay will be read on NPR's premier morning show, Morning Edition, and seen in the NPR newsletter.
- The winning visual image will be seen in the NPR newsletter.
- Contest begins on February 1 and deadline for submission is February 15, 2024.
- Winner announced February 29, 2024
- Prizes will be delivered by March 8, 2024
Essay topics:
1. During your lessons learned during Black History Month, who/what event is most inspirational to you and why?
2. How do you think the national effort made by black people and their supporters in the 1950s and 1960s to eliminate segregation and gain equal rights, known as the Civil Rights Movement, changed the world and how we live today?
3. There was a time in our country when black and white people were segregated. They could not drink from the same water fountain, enter a building through the same door, sit together in a movie attend the same school, or eat at the same restaurants. It was called “separate but equal”. How would you feel if you could not use the same things as your friends or go places together?
Submit entries to victoria.winter@k12.dc.gov and WJohnson@npr.org.
Hill Family Biking
Ward 6 Public Schools Parent Organization Updates
1. W6PSPO Meets Feb. 20 from 7-8:30 p.m. - At our February meeting, we will be joined by Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Antonio Nunes, Legislative Director for Councilmember Charles Allen, to talk about the recent education-related hearings, the upcoming performance oversight hearings, and the City's education budget. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAudOqsqDorHdOqNZKiWVfvLL0TPp_az3Wp
2. D.C. Council Performance Oversight Hearings - The Committee of the Whole will hold the following performance oversight hearings:
- Feb. 27 at 9 a.m. - Performance oversight hearing for UDC, the DC Public Charter School Board, State Board of Education, Office of the Student Advocate, Office of the Ombudsman for Public Education, and the DC State Athletic Association. Register to testify or submit written testimony here.
- Feb. 28 at, 9:30 a.m. - Performance oversight hearing for the Deputy Mayor for Education, DC Public Schools, and Office of the State Superintendent for Education. Register to testify or submit written testimony here.
3. DC Teachers' Night: An Environmental Education Evening, Feb. 29 from 6-8 p.m. The US Botanic Garden will be hosting the 17th annual DC Teachers' Night where teachers can connect with environmental organizations to learn field trip experiences, professional development opportunities, and classroom resources. The event is free and light refreshments will be served. Please spread the word to your teachers. Register here.