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.

August 6th: New and Returning Family Tours and Orientation 10AM & 5PM

August 8th: New and Returning Family Tours and Orientation 5PM

August 9th: Last to register for Polite Piggy's to ensure guaranteed enrollment

August 22nd: Ice Cream Social and Teacher Meet and Greet

August 26th: First Day of School for Students in Kindergarten through 5th Grade

August 29th: First Day of School for Students in Pre-K 3 and Pre-K4

August 31st: Hill Family Biking Back to School Ride

September 2nd: Labor Day Holiday...No School for Students and Staff

September 3rd: First Day of After School Programming

September 10th: Parent Teacher Association (PTA) General Body Meeting 6PM

Save the Date: Parent Teacher Association (PTA) General Body Meeting, Tuesday, September 10, at 6 p.m.

At our September meeting, we will hold PTA Board elections for the following positions:

• 2nd Vice President - Emily Badger, interim appointee

• Secretary - Tiffany Payne, interim appointee

• Fundraising Director - Sheena Gay, interim appointee

• Assistant Membership Director - Open

The interim appointees currently occupying these positions intend to seek permanent election, but any J.O. Wilson parent, grandparent, guardian, or staff member is eligible to be nominated for these positions. Please submit your nomination(s) here! Also, feel free to reach out to the PTA info@jowilsonpta.org to learn more about the positions

At J.O. Wilson Elementary School, we offer a large and diverse after-school program utilizing three different partners to cater to our students and families.

Polite Piggy's: Provides after-school programming for students in PK3, PK4, and Kindergarten. Registration is now open and must be completed by August 9, 2024, to guarantee enrollment. A waitlist will open on August 10, 2024. For more information, visit Polite Piggy's.

DCPS: Offers after-school programming for students in 1st and 2nd grade. Registration for these grades opened on June 6th. To enroll, visit DCPS Aftercare.

Kid Power: Delivers after-school programming for students in 3rd to 5th grade. Enrollment is now open! Registration will close on August 20th. The link to complete the application can be found here: Kid Power Registration. Please be aware that spaces are limited and applications are approved on a first-come, first-served basis, so complete your application as soon as possible to reserve your spot. Once you complete the application, the Kid Power team will review it and you will receive an email with either confirmation of your student's placement in the program or waitlist status (the initial confirmation of receipt message does not serve as a confirmation of enrollment). Please ensure you complete an application for each student if you have multiple children you wish to register.

Please note that space is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis for all three programs. Additionally, students must be enrolled for the upcoming school year to register.

Learn more about requirements and register to visit a DCPS Student Health Hub for free health exams, immunization and other health resources.

Girls on the Run inspires individuals of all abilities to discover, build, and grow their self-confidence. Together, they experience a sense of belonging and connection as a team. Volunteer coaches facilitate lessons that blend physical activity with life skill development, including managing emotions, fostering friendships, and expressing empathy. At the end of the season, the team completes a Community Impact Project and a 5K together, which provides a tangible sense of accomplishment and sets a confident mindset into motion.

Click on the link below to register for Girls on the Run

Mark your calendars! We're thrilled to welcome all new and returning families with special tours and orientations. Join us on August 6th at 10AM or 5 PM, and again on August 8th at 5 PM. Don't miss this fantastic opportunity to get acquainted with our school, meet the staff, and kick off the new school year with excitement! See you there!

Dear J.O. Wilson Families,

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we would like to remind you of our school uniform guidelines to ensure all students are appropriately dressed.

Tops: Students may wear any top with sleeves that is white, burgundy, gray, or black. They may also wear J.O. Wilson swag.

Bottoms: Students may wear any bottom (or dress) that is black, burgundy plaid, gray, or black.

Shoes: Students must wear closed-toe shoes.

Please ensure your child adheres to these uniform guidelines to promote a cohesive and focused learning environment. If your family needs any assistance in obtaining school uniforms or if you have any questions, please call the school directly at (202) 698-4733.

Join us on Thursday, August 22nd from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM for our annual Ice Cream Social and Teacher Meet & Greet sponsored by Communities in Schools in conjunction with J.O. Wilson ES! Come out and meet our wonderful teachers and staff. We will have vendors, raffles, and giveaways. Don’t miss the chance to meet representatives of our amazing PTA and purchase J.O. Wilson SWAG as well. It's a perfect opportunity to connect with the school community and enjoy some delicious ice cream. We look forward to seeing you there!

Progressive tour of schools around the northern part of the Hill plus a block party at Maury Elementary to celebrate the new school year!

It’s time for the Back to School Ride - a 4.5 mile bike ride touring Capitol Hill schools on the northern part of the Hill! Join the ride at a school of your choice or start with us at Maury Elementary for a quick ribbon cutting for the permanent crosswalk art project in collaboration with Maury PTA made possible by our t-shirt fundraiser and grants from the Capitol Hill Community Foundation and ANC 6A .

We’ll end back at Maury for a block party to celebrate the new school year including a bouncy house, a giant chalk art mural, DJ Paul Spires, Maracas Ice Pops tricycle and a food truck (TBD).

Go to https://hillfamilybiking.org/events/2024-08-31-kidical-mass/ for more information and to register.

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we want to ensure that all students are equipped with the necessary supplies to support their learning experience. Below, you will find the school supply list for each grade level. Please note that all students will need a book bag in addition to the items listed. Additional specific items may be shared at Back to School Night. If your family needs any assistance in obtaining school supplies, please call the school directly at (202) 698-4733.

We understand that many families are eager to know their child’s teacher for the upcoming year and that some parents may have preferences for specific teachers. While we value and appreciate your interest and involvement in your child's education, we must inform you that we are unable to accept requests for specific teacher assignments.

Our primary goal is to create balanced and equitable classrooms that provide the best possible learning environment for all students. When forming class rosters, we consider a variety of factors to achieve this balance, including:

• Academic needs and learning styles
• Social and emotional development
• Peer relationships
• Teacher recommendations
• Class size and composition

Each of these factors is carefully weighed to ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive. Accepting specific teacher requests would compromise our ability to maintain this balance and meet the diverse needs of all our students. Additionally, we are still in the process of building out class rosters as we continue to enroll more students. Once rosters are complete and finalized, we will provide families with a date on which teacher assignments will be announced.

We trust in the professional judgment of our dedicated educators and administration team to make thoughtful and informed decisions regarding class placements. Rest assured that every teacher at J.O. Wilson Elementary School is committed to providing a high-quality education and a supportive, nurturing environment for your child.

We understand that this may be disappointing to some families, but we ask for your understanding and cooperation in this matter. Our focus remains on delivering the best educational experience for every student and ensuring that all children have the opportunity to soar academically, socially, and emotionally in accordance with our mantra of SOAR: Safety, Ownership, Acceptance, and Respect. Thank you for your continued support and trust in J.O. Wilson Elementary School.

DCPS Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) no longer requires a new dietary accommodation form each school year. You only need to submit a new form if:

• Your student is new to DCPS and needs dietary accommodations, or
• There are changes to the current dietary accommodations on file.

Forms submitted from the 2019-2020 school year onward will carry over. DCPS does not serve meals containing pork, peanuts, or tree nuts and offers vegetarian meals daily without needing a form.

To request dietary accommodations, follow these steps:

1. Complete the Form:

   • Medical Dietary Accommodations Form (for allergies, requires medical provider's signature)
   • Milk Substitution & Philosophical Dietary Accommodations Form

2. Submit the Form:

   • Email to dietary.forms@k12.dc.gov (preferred)
   • Drop off at your school’s cafeteria
   • Mail to: DCPS Food & Nutrition Services
     c/o Nadine James - Dietary Accommodation Form
     1200 First Street, NE 9th Floor
     Washington, DC 20002
     Fax: (202) 727-2512

3. Confirmation: Food and Nutrition Services will confirm receipt via email.

4. Follow-Up: Our Dietitian will contact you if necessary.

For severe or life-threatening food allergies, we recommend developing a 504 plan with your school. Contact your school or email 504@k12.dc.gov.

Before submitting a form, remember:

• Accommodations are tracked via student ID. If your student transfers schools, inform us to ensure continuous accommodations.
• Forms must be fully completed, including signatures, to be processed.

Please select the dietary form for which your student requires a medical dietary accommodation: English | Español | አማርኛ| Tiếng Việt | Français | 中國人

Please select the dietary form for which your student requires a milk substitute and philosophical dietary accommodation: English | Español | አማርኛ| Tiếng Việt | Français | 中國人

When kids write, they gain confidence in their writing and their reading comprehension grows, too. Here’s how kids can practice writing in creative, personalized ways to make their writing meaningful—and prompts to get them started.

The summer—or any break from school—is a great time to encourage kids to get creative with writing. When kids write, it helps them gain confidence in their writing, and their reading comprehension grows, too. This Report to Parents offers strategies kids can use to practice writing in creative, personalized ways to make their writing meaningful—and prompts to get them started.