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.

September 17th: DCPS ECE Division Presents: Pre-K: The Foundation to a Child's Success

September 18th: Boys and Girls Cross Country Meet...The Lafayette Invitational

September 18th: 1st grade through 5th grade Back to School Night @6:30PM

September 27th: PTA Movie Night gates open at 6PM

September 28th: Hill Family Biking Tiny Streets Bike Ride 4PM to 6PM

October 9th: Hispanic Heritage Celebration PK-1st grade performances at 10AM and 2nd-5th grade performances at 2PM

October 10th: Parent Teacher Conference Day...No School for Students

October 11th: Professional Development Day...No School for Students

October 14th: Indigenous Peoples' Day...No School for Students and Staff

We had over 50 parents and staff members participate in last week's PTA Meeting. For those who weren’t able to attend, you can review the agenda and meeting slides online.

During the meeting, the body voted to approve the budget and the slate of board nominees. Congratulations to Emily Badger (2nd Vice President), Tiffany Payne (Secretary), Sheena Gay (Fundraising Director), and Jeliah Brown (Assistant Membership Director).

Detailed minutes will be shared ahead of the vote to approve them at the next meeting (virtual) on Oct. 8. Please email the PTA if you have questions. And if you’d like to sign up for any particular PTA activities, please fill out the membership form to get involved.

Join us for an important conversation about setting the tone for the school year and helping your child succeed in Pre-K!

Date: Tuesday, September 17th
Time: 5:30 PM
How to Join: Click here or visit Tinyurl.com/2024Prek

For any questions, please contact your Family Services Specialist, Courtney Harris, at 202-568-9051 or via email at Courtney.Harris2@k12.dc.gov. We hope to see you there!

Join us for J.O. Wilson Elementary’s Back to School Night on September 18, 2024, from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM! Meet the teachers, learn about the exciting year ahead, and discover how we’re soaring to success every day, in every way. This event is a great opportunity to connect with our school community and ensure your child is set for a fantastic school year. For more details, visit www.jowilsondcps.org and follow us on social media!

The PTA will be selling J.O. swag at both Back to School Nights (Sept.11 and Sept. 18). We have plenty of kids’ short-sleeve t-shirts in sizes 3T to XL, as well as limited quantities of kids’ long-sleeved t-shirts and hoodies, mostly in size large. For adults, inventory is limited mostly to long-sleeved t-shirts and hoodies.

Join us for Spirit Week from Monday, September 23rd to Friday, September 27th and show your school pride! Each day brings a fun new theme:

• Monday, September 23rd: Mix Match Monday – Get creative with clashing patterns, colors, and styles.
• Tuesday, September 24th: Twin Day – Find a friend and dress alike to celebrate unity.
• Wednesday, September 25th: Jersey Day – Wear your favorite sports team gear or jerseys.
• Thursday, September 26th: Decades Day – Dress in the fashion of your favorite decade.
• Friday, September 27th: Cardinal Spirit Day – Wear school colors and show pride for J.O. Wilson!

Be Here, Everyday, On Time and let’s make this Spirit Week unforgettable!

At J.O. Wilson Elementary, our Wellness Team is here to provide supportive services for students and families in need. Whether it's adjusting to a new school year or navigating significant life events, we’re here to help ensure that every student is physically and emotionally safe and ready to thrive in their academic journey.

If you have any concerns about your child’s well-being, simply scan the QR code to connect with one of our wellness clinicians. Together, we can help your child S.O.A.R.! Let’s work as a team to support our students!

This school year, J.O. Wilson Elementary is proud to partner with Safe Shores and implement the Healthy Relationship Project (HRP) to prevent child sexual abuse. This trauma-informed, health-based curriculum is designed for children in Pre-K through 5th grade, helping them identify safe and unsafe situations, use anatomically correct terms, and understand boundaries—all in a developmentally appropriate way.

To learn more about this important initiative, we invite you to join one of our upcoming information sessions:

• In-Person Session (Refreshments Provided):
  Monday, September 23rd at 5:45 PM in the Parent Center

• Virtual Session:
  Tuesday, September 24th at 5:45 PM
  (A link will be shared soon)

We hope you will join us to learn how we can work together to keep our children safe.

Join the PTA on the blacktop and field for the first movie night of the school year on Friday, Sept. 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. We’ll be screening Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Playground gates open at 6 p.m. Movie 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. If you can help with set-up, concessions, or clean-up, please sign-up here!

Join us on Saturday, September 28th at 600 H Street NE for a special back-to-school shopping event with Solid State Books! Explore their amazing selection of books and gifts for book lovers, and support J.O. Wilson Elementary—because a portion of every sale will benefit our students. Don’t miss this chance to shop and give back!

Discover the charming one-block streets of Capitol Hill with a fun Tiny Streets Bike Ride! We'll explore these cute streets together and enjoy free ice cream after the ride!

📅 Date: September 28, 2024
🕒 Time: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Maury Elementary Parking Lot on 12th Pl NE
🚴‍♂️ Distance: 4 miles

Bring your family and friends for a great time! For more details, contact hillfamilybiking@gmail.com or visit hillfamilybiking.org.

J.O. Wilson ES is thrilled to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month on October 9th, 2024!
Get ready for a day full of live performances, awards, and lots of unforgettable memories as we honor the rich cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities!

• PreK-1st Grade: Celebration at 10:00 A.M.
• 2nd-5th Grade: Celebration at 2:00 P.M.

It’s going to be a vibrant and exciting day you won’t want to miss! 🌟💃🎶

For more details, contact: massiel.guzmanfrias@k12.dc.gov Come and celebrate with us!

Dozens of Capitol Hill homes, including those of 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

You can easily track DCPS’ days off, PTA events and more by subscribing to the J.O. Wilson calendar on your Outlook, iCal or Google app. Visit the school’s calendar online and connect it to your phone’s calendar by clicking on the RSS feed icon above the calendar (select at least the DCPS and the PTA calendar options as the PTA calendar contains all PTA and most non-PTA school-wide events).

The PTA is looking for families to donate snacks and drinks for our fabulous J.O. Wilson Cardinal teachers and staff. Sign-up for a week-long shift. During your week of providing treats, families will check-in at the office, and Ms. Stephenson, Ms. Bishop and Ms. Winter will assist them in bringing snacks to the staff lounge. For more information, please contact Ms. Winter at victoria.winter@k12.dc.gov or 202-698-4733. Thank you for your support!