The Cardinal Connection

August 24th, 2022

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:

August 25th: Staff/Family/Student Meet and Greet and Ice Cream Social 1 PM-2 PM

August 27th: We Keep Us Safe...Back to School Bash 11AM-4PM @Audi Field

August 28th: All students in grades Kindergarten-12th must take a COVID-19 test and report results on Sunday, August 28th.

August 29th: First Day of School for Students in Kindergarten-5th Grade

August 31st: All students in grades PK3 and PK4 must take a COVID-19 test and report results on Sunday, August 28th.

September 1st: First Day of School for Pre-K 3 and Pre-K4 students

September 5th: Labor Day Holiday...No school for students, teachers, and staff

September 6th: After School Programming Begins

September 22nd: Back to School Night 6 PM-8 PM

September 28th: Virtual Principal Chat @ 6 PM

Join us for our Ice Cream Social and Staff Meet and Greet!

On Thursday, August 25th, from 1 PM to 2 PM, we are kindly inviting the JOW school community to attend our ice cream social and staff meet and greet. This event is taking place on the school playground and is the perfect time to learn what class your student will be in for the coming year and meet your student's teacher as well. If you are unable to attend, you can call the main office starting at 11 AM and our front office staff will provide you with your student's class assignment only. Come out a join us for a great time and fun-filled event. See the flier below for more details.

Take A COVID-19 Test Before School Starts

All students and school-based staff will need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test on their first day of school. Our SY22-23 #SafeReturn protocol follows the test-to-return measures in place last school year and this summer. J.O. Wilson will distribute COVID-19 test kits on Tuesday, August 23, and Friday, August 26 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., as well as on Wednesday, August 24, and Thursday, August 25 from 12:00 to 5:30 p.m.

Students in grades K-12 will need to take a COVID test on Sunday, August 28 and report results that same day by going to DCPSstrong.com/testing.

Pre-K students will need to take a test on Wednesday, August 31 and report results that same day by going to DCPSstrong.com/testing.

Visit this link to learn more about how to have a safe return for the first day of school, including how to take a rapid test and share your results with your school.

What Is The Cardinal Kiss and GO?

The Cardinal Kiss and Go is a super easy and convenient way for families of students in grades Kindergarten through 5th to drop their students off during morning arrival without having to park. Families simply pull in the Kiss and Go lane, which is marked off with orange cones and located in front of the main entrance of the school on K St to drop students off. You don't even need to get out of the car, it's just that convenient.

We want to thank all families who utilized this convenient way of dropping our cardinals off at school last year. We thank you, thank you, thank you, for helping us to make this venture a success. Please see below for a few reminders to help us make this process even better.

A Few Cardinal Kiss and Go Reminders...

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.

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.

Please Join Us In Welcoming Mr. Dakari Taylor-Watson!

Hi J.O. Wilson family! My name is Dakari Taylor-Watson and I am the interim Site Coordinator this fall for Communities in Schools of the Nation's Capital(CISNCAP) at J.O. Wilson ES. I am excited about working with and learning from you and our students. Prior to this site, I served in a similar role at local DC middle and elementary schools for the past 7 years. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions or any wonderful ideas to support our school community. I look forward to meeting you in the coming weeks . Go Cards!

School Visitation for School Year 22/23

For the coming school year, DCPS and J.O. Wilson will continue to limit visitors. Very similar to last year, this means there will be no parent/guardian entry for drop-off or pick-up. We will continue to follow pandemic protocols and allow visitors to attend pre-planned assemblies, school events, coordinated meetings etc. Whenever possible, meetings with parents, guardians, and community members will be conducted both in person and virtually.