JCA Parents,

Due to COVID-19 restrictions severely limiting the amount of personal interaction typically experienced in the Joliet Catholic Academy high school admissions process, we are excited to announce several upcoming events and options for students to experience JCA on campus by meeting current Angels and Hilltoppers.

The Admissions Office would greatly appreciate it if you and your family can share social media posts and upcoming events, or refer families to the JCA Admissions Office. The below events and information provided are all online, and are easy to send as a text message link to prospective families.

Also, because Open House had to be adjusted and crowd sizes limited, the JCA Admissions staff has rolled out a Private Tour Scheduler for families. Families can pick the best day and time to receive a one-on-one tour with the JCA Admissions staff and receive all the information you would have at Open House.

WJCA, JCA's own student media production class, has also produced a Virtual Open House for families that may prefer not to attend in-person events. All links are provided below in this newsletter to register for upcoming events.

Upcoming Events

  • Private Tours: Monday-Friday; Tuesday and Thursday nights throughout the month of November

  • November 8 - Girls Basketball Skills Clinic (6th-8th graders); 5-6:30 p.m. JCA Student Activity Center

  • November 10; 6:30-7:30 p.m. - Meet the Angels and Hilltoppers

  • November 12: Open House - SOLD OUT

  • November 15 - Girls Basketball Skills Clinic (6th-8th graders); 5-6:30 p.m. JCA Student Activity Center

  • November 17; 6:30-7:30 p.m. - Meet the Angels and Hilltoppers

  • November 19; 6:30-7:30 p.m. - Meet the Angels and Hilltoppers

  • December 5: 8 a.m. - JCA Entrance Exam - Register Online


Please contact the JCA Admissions Office if you have any questions related to upcoming events.
Go Angels! Go Hilltoppers!


Ryan Quigley '03
Joliet Catholic Academy – Director of Admissions and Communications
Office: 815.741.0500, ext. 214
Grandparents’ Mass

Given the current circumstances, Joliet Catholic Academy wants to keep everyone safe including all of our grand people. Unfortunately, we are going to postpone our Annual Grandparent’s Mass scheduled for November 24, 2020. We are looking to reschedule in the Spring perhaps in a virtual way. Our students, faculty and staff are thankful to all of our Grandparents who make our JCA family complete.

Jubilate 2021

New look for Jubilate! This event has usually consisted of dinner, bidding, dancing, dressing-up, socializing with your friends and making money for JCA. Yes, we still want to generate revenue for JCA and have fun but we will do it in a “different” way in 2021. Our theme is “Be the Light” showcasing our Victory Light and all it represents. We will use virtual bidding for our awesome auction items which will include something for everyone.

Our committee is busy planning an exceptional time which will include more student and parent participation. Jubilate is April 24, 2021. Please contact Chris Voss (cvoss@jca-online.org or 815-773-0784) if you are interested in being a part of this committee or have any questions.

We are all looking forward to “seeing the Light at the end of the tunnel” and Jubilate 2021 will give us this focus.
JCA Habitat Club brings HOPE to the restaurant community
 
Starting in November, area restaurants, banquet facilities and caterers, will have the opportunity to distribute meals to the JCA community.  This initiative is being organized through the JCA Habitat for Humanity club, moderated by Fr. Nepi along with current parent Nicole Murray. Please watch for links to place your order and enjoy the convenience of picking it up here at JCA. More information is to come and ways you can show your support to an industry that has done so much for all us.
Thanks in advance.




Susan M Bebar
Director of Alumni Relations
Joliet Catholic Academy
1200 N. Larkin Ave.
Joliet, IL. 60435
w 815-741-0500, x 269
Important Information from the Health Office
 
FRESHMAN
NEW State Law: Freshman entering 2019-2020 are now required to have dental exam.
Freshman who do not provide a dental exam by May 15, 2020 will have their final semester grades held. 
Flu Season is HERE!
It is not too late too to get your and your student's flu vaccine. It takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies that protect against flu to develop in the body, so make plans to get vaccinated.  CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October. Getting vaccinated later, however, can still be beneficial and vaccination should continue to be offered throughout flu season, even into January or later.

COVID:
  • Complete the self-certification check-list for your student(s) prior to sending them to school.
  • Do not send your student to school if they do not pass the self-certification checklist
  • Call the Dean’s office to report your student’s absence and include symptoms.
  • Refer to JCA’s online return to learning plan for updates.
  • Refer to https://www.isbe.net/Documents/IDPH-COVID19-Exclusion-Decison-Tree.pdf for return to school updates per IDPH.

All Students

  • Health Office information is on the school web site under the Parents tab, click on Health Office
  • Medication Administration Authorization (MAA) forms are required at the start of every new school year. Forms are available on the web site.
  • Emergency Action Plans (EAP’s) are requested for those students with asthma, diabetes, epilepsy (seizures) and severe allergies. EAP’s are available on the web site. Medication Authorization forms to self-carry emergency medications and supplies must be submitted at the start of every new school year. Forms are available on the web site.
  • Those that travel internationally to areas of high TB risk (most countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Russia) for greater than 2 weeks are required to have IGRA prior to returning to school. Additional information is on the web site.                 




The JCA Health Office is staffed when students are present in the building Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8:00am-2:30pm; Wednesday 8:00am -12:00pm.

During school breaks voicemails and emails are checked weekly.
815-741-0500 Ext 275, 815-741-3015 fax,  nurse@jca-online.org
Last week, in keeping in line with best practices and information provided by area schools, JCA created a COVID-19 Community Metrics Dashboard. It is located on the front page of the JCA website and updated daily. JCA reports the Will County School Metrics (they lag one week behind), the number of cases among JCA students, faculty and staff, and also the Active COVID cases as a percentage of our entire campus community.

Please note, all JCA cases reported to the JCA Health Office are reported to the Will County Health Department, and have been throughout the entire school year. The active COVID case % of our positive cases and total students, faculty, and staff at JCA is not the same as "case positivity rate" reported by IDPH. This percentage only represents reported positive cases in the JCA community. Please let JCA communications know if you have any further questions.


Regards,

Ryan Quigley ’03
Joliet Catholic Academy – Director of Admissions and Communications
Office: 815.741.0500, ext. 214
Vice Principal Announcements

Thursday and Friday, November 12-13: Attention sophomores and seniors, a representative from Jostens will be visiting your Theology class next week with detailed information for sophomores regarding class rings. Seniors will receive information on graduation items including your cap and gown.

Monday and Tuesday: November 16-17: Attention sophomores and seniors, a representative from Jostens will be visiting your Theology class today with detailed information for sophomores regarding class rings. Seniors will receive information on graduation items including your cap and gown.

Thursday and Friday: November 19-20: Attention sophomores and seniors, a representative from Jostens will be available in the cafeteria and in alumni hall during lunch periods collecting orders for class rings and graduation items. If you brought your order with you, please ask the lunch supervisor to see the Jostens representative. Jostens will be available again during lunch periods on Thursday and Friday, December 3rd and 4th for sophomores and seniors who did not bring their order form today.

Monday and Tuesday, November 30-December 1: Attention sophomores and seniors, a representative from Jostens will be available in the cafeteria and in alumni hall during lunch periods on Thursday and Friday collecting orders for class rings and graduation items.

Thursday and Friday: December 3-4: Attention sophomores and seniors, a representative from Jostens will be available in the cafeteria and in alumni hall during lunch periods collecting orders for class rings and graduation items. If you brought your order with you, please ask the lunch supervisor to see the Jostens representative.
Spirit Shop In-Person Sign Up  
 
Good News, I am excited to announce we will now be able to offer In Person shopping in the JCA Spirit Shop. There are a few protocols we need to follow to make this successful.

  • Limited to 1 person at a time
  • By appointment only
  • 5-minute maximum appointments

Make an appointment today!!  Use the link below, see you soon!!

Sign Up Genius Website –


If you have any questions, please contact me at the Spirit Shop.

Paula Gorski
Spirit Shop Coordinator
(815) 741-0500 ext. 231
Spiritshop@jca-online.org
Meet the Angels and Hilltoppers!

This all new student-only event will allow area 7th and 8th graders the opportunity to hear from current JCA students on academics, spirituality, and extra-curricular involvement. A Q&A session will follow the JCA student ambassador presentations. Presentations will take place in the JCA Student Activity Center.
 
  • Tuesday, November 10, 2020; 6:30-7:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, November 17, 2020; 6:30-7:30 p.m.
  • Thursday, November 19, 2020; 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Virtual Open House
Thanks to Mrs. Mary Ostrem, and the WJCA student media production team, Open House has a virtual option this year at JCA. Check out our Open House playlist with great videos from the following departments:

  • President's Welcome: Dr. Jeffrey Budz
  • Curriculum, Course Placement, Academic Resource Center
  • Technology: 1:1 program and Microsoft Teams
  • Athletics
  • Alumni Relations Office
  • Counseling Department
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Dean's Office
  • Student Council
  • Virtual Tour of JCA's Campus
Class of 2025 Admissions Timeline

7th and 8th Grade Shadow Days
Fridays, September through April – 7:50 a.m. to 2:40 p.m.
Register online at www.jca-online.org/comevisitjca

*UPDATE: Friday Shadow Visits for area 7th and 8th graders have currently been suspended until further notice.

The JCA Admissions Office is open Monday-Friday when school is in session from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., as well as select We are currently giving socially distanced, private family tours. All indoor masking and IDPH/ISBE guidelines must be followed.
The JCA Admissions Team is also available for online private tours via Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

Families may e-mail admissions@jca-online.org or call 815.741.0500, ext. 214 to schedule a private tour.

Applications available September 1-December 5, 2020

MINI OPEN HOUSE: SOLD OUT!!! Thursday, November 12, 2020
*Please register for a Private Tour if you are interested in more information in the Open House format.
Tuesday, November 10, 2020; 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, November 17, 2020; 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 19, 2020; 6:30-7:30 p.m.
This student-only event will allow area 7th and 8th graders the opportunity to hear from current JCA students on academics, spirituality, and extra-curricular involvement. A Q&A session will follow the JCA student ambassador presentations.

Entrance Exam
Saturday, December 5, 2020
8:00 a.m.

Incoming Freshman JCA Leveraged Financial Aid Application Deadline
December 31, 2020
* Financial Aid deadlines will differ for JCA, the Catholic Education Foundation, and Empower Illinois.

7th Grade Step Up Day
Thursday, March 4, 2021

Class of 2025 Celebration and Registration Night
TBD

The complete JCA 2020-2021 Events Online Calendar can be found at www.jca-online.org/events

Check back for information regarding extra-curricular camps or clinics announced in the near future.

Questions? Contact the JCA Admissions Staff:

Admissions Office Staff
  • Ryan Quigley, Director of Admissions and Communications 815.741.0500, ext. 214
  • Mary Ragusa, Assistant Director of Admissions 815.741.0500, ext. 274