The Cardinal Connection

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.

December 4th: Fundraising and Events Committee Meeting at 8PM

December 5th: Winter Program...PK3 and PK4 @9:30AM

December 6th: Winter Program...K-2nd @9:30AMgrades and 3rd-5th grades @2PM

December 7th: Help Our Teachers Pack Event 10AM-4PM

December 10th: Virtual PTA Meeting at 6PM

December 17th: JOW Move Update Chat 6PM (virtual)

December 19th: Last Day of After-School Programming

December 23rd-January 1st: Winter Break! No school for students.

Join us as we celebrate winter through a global journey of art, culture, and creativity.

• December 5, 2024

  • PreK3 - PreK4: 9:30 AM

• December 6, 2024

  • Grades K-2: 9:30 AM
  • Grades 3-5: 2:00 PM

Don't miss this festive event showcasing our students' talents and cultural exploration!

Are you available to help teachers pack up their classrooms before the move to our swing space? There will be a school-wide community service day to help pack this Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Volunteers are welcome to join us for any time during the day, and childcare and refreshments will be provided. Additionally, teachers may need help packing at other dates and times. Please fill out this form to sign up to help.

We are excited to share that Children's National Hospital will be hosting a free health event on Saturday, December 7, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at THEARC West Building (1801 Mississippi Ave, SE, Washington, DC 20020). The event will include:

• Pediatric immunizations
• Adult screenings
• Health education
• Dental screenings
• Well child appointments

As we prepare for our temporary move to the swing space at 810 26th Street NE in January 2025, we need your input to create an effective transportation plan!

DCPS will provide bus transportation between the current campus and the swing space, but we need your help to ensure smooth operations.

Take a moment to fill out our transportation survey:

• Let us know if your family will use the bus service.

• Share your plans if you’ll commute directly to the swing space.

Click here to complete the survey or scan the QR code in the flyer below.

Your feedback is essential for making this transition as seamless as possible! Thank you for your support.

DC Public Schools (DCPS) invites families to fill out the annual Impact Aid survey to help secure additional federal funding. This year, the survey is fully electronic via the Seamless platform. Families should complete one survey per child at dcps.dc.gov/impact-aid. For questions, contact DCPSImpactAid@k12.dc.gov.

DCPS is seeking parent and student input on how our new playground will be designed. Please take the playground visioning survey, which has a version for parents to complete, and a separate one where students can weigh in. The surveys are open through Dec. 5.

It's the Season of Giving. There are so many ways to give your time, talents, and treasures to support J.O. Wilson and our community. Please consider giving in one of the following ways:

• Donate to the Cardinal Fund to help us reach our 2024 $10,000 giving goal using this link https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=KRTUCCTSNHR3N

• New Winter Clothes and Toys - Give toys and winter apparel for our Cardinal families in need. Donations can be dropped off through Dec. 17 at the front office. The most requested sizes are 5-6, 7-8 and 10-12 for both boys and girls, and needed items are hoodies/sweatshirts, long-sleeve shirts and pants. Popular toy requests include Barbie, LOL Dolls, action figures, Spiderman, Sonic, Mario, remote control vehicles, art and science kits and educational games.

• Support our teachers’ Donor Choose projects.

• Volunteer your time and talents by joining a PTA committee, helping our teachers pack for the move, or volunteering at the Book Fair.

Check out all the ways to give here!

The group will meet virtually to discuss upcoming events, including the Annual Giving Drive and the DC Camp Fair. Join us to learn how you can help! All are welcome.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83110855976?pwd=pT3FKv1U3eLCJzcpXBsY9IhHb9HvBT.1

On Tuesday, Dec. 10, the PTA will hold its monthly General Body Meeting.

Agenda:

• Approve November Meeting Minutes

• Principal’s Updates

• Facilities & Modernization

• Swing Space Move Updates

• Fundraising & Events

• Giving Drive

• DC Camp Fair

• Open Discussion

Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvc-mtrzIoE9zevR2owf9CY54N5FD4YEYa

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Get ready — the Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school! This is a great opportunity to connect with your child over the thrill of bringing home new books to dive into again and again. Studies show that kids read more when they choose books for themselves. And fostering a love of independent reading leads to a wide variety of benefits — including academic success and improved mental health.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Book Fair:

• Dates: Dec. 9-12 from 4 to 6 p.m.

• Location: Parent Center

• Family event: Literacy Night on Dec. 12 from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

• Every purchase at the Fair benefits our school!

• We need volunteers to assist students and families, organize books, and help with checkout and cashier duties. If you are available to work a shift during the Book Fair, please sign-up here!

There’s even more info on our school’s Book Fair homepage:

https://www.scholastic.com/bf/jowilsonelementaryschoolMay2024

While you’re there, set up a Book Fair eWallet, the digital payment account that allows your child to shop for books at the Fair without cash. Then share your eWallet link so friends and extended family can add funds. When you fund an eWallet, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to a giving initiative called Share the Fair™. Your contributions directly support our students who need help buying books from the Fair.

Many of us still remember the rush of finding the perfect book at a Scholastic Book Fair. We hope you’ll join your child at our school’s Fair and share a reading experience they’ll remember forever. Happy reading!

Join Us for a Special Community Event! Families from JO Wilson, Ludlow-Taylor, and Watkins are invited to Stuart-Hobson Middle School on Saturday, December 7, at 1 PM to enjoy a magical performance of Matilda The Musical.

Shop at Harris Teeter? Link your VIC card to J.O. WIlson, and Harris Teeter will donate a portion of your purchases to J.O. Note that cards needs to be re-linked every year, so please double-check that you’ve successfully linked your card for the ‘24-25 school year.

Buy General Mills products? Download the Box Tops for Education app to scan receipts when you buy participating products (including Annie’s, Betty Croker, Cascadian Farm, Immaculate Baking, Larabar, Lysol, Nature Valley, Old El Paso, Paper Mate, Pillsbury, Progresso, Totino’s, Yoplait, and others) and J.O. will receive a portion of each purchase.