Dear Parent /Guardian,

I hope that everyone had a relaxing Thanksgiving break, enjoying much needed time with family and friends. Keep up to date on all the latest events and announcements at JCA through the Prayer and Daily Announcements tab located at the top of the JCA website. Daily Prayer is available so that all of our families may participate in the same morning prayer that our faculty, staff, and students begin each school day with. You will also find the daily lunch special, extra-curricular highlights and announcements, upcoming events, and more.

December is a big month in the JCA Admissions Office with the Incoming Freshman Entrance Exam scheduled for Saturday, December 7 at 8:00 a.m. Information on how to pre-register online is included in the newsletter. As always, do not hesitate to contact the Admissions Office with family referral's, questions about application timelines, registration, etc.

December can also be a hectic month for our JCA students with their upcoming semester exams. The semester exam schedule and busing information from December 17-19 has also been included below.

Is there an important event or headline coming up in December that we missed? Contact us below so that we can post through social media, the JCA website, or an e-mail blast. We only post information in the Parent Pride Newsletter that is sent in before the submission deadline (the 20th of each month; with each newsletter planned to be sent on the first of the month or the first Monday after the first of the month).

Regards,

Ryan Quigley ’03, M.B.A.
Joliet Catholic Academy – Director of Admissions and Communications
Office: 815.741.0500, ext. 214
JCA Christmas Dance Online Tickets

Date: December 19, 2019
Time: (6 p.m. early in), 6:30 start, (9 p.m. early out), 9:30 end
Location: Jacob Henry Mansion 20 S. Eastern Ave. Joliet, IL 60433
All you guys and dames, be sure to save the
date to have a swingin’ good time at
Joliet Catholic Academy’s 35th Annual Jubilaté

THE ROARING ’20s
at the swanky Bolingbrook Golf Club
on Saturday, March 7, 2020.

Join us for dinner, auctions & raffles, and a little
giggle water. Before the night is over, you just may
find yourself dancing the Charleston or Fox-Trot.
It's going to be the bee’s knees!

EVENT CHAIRS
Debora & Ellis Kennedy (’86) and
Amy Lausch (’87) & Ken Mihelich (’83)

For inquiries, contact
Mrs. Christine Voss, Director of Special Events
at (815) 741-0500, ext. 283
WWW.JCA- ONLINE.ORG
JCA First Semester Exam Schedule

Tuesday, December 17
Period A (1) Classes
7:50 a.m. – 8:50 a.m.
Period B (2) Classes
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Period C (3) Classes
10:10 a.m. – 11:10 a.m.
Announcements
11:10 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
 
Wednesday, December 18
Period D/E (4/5) Classes
7:50 a.m. – 8:50 a.m.
Period F (6) Classes
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Announcements
10:00 a.m. – 10:05 a.m.
Make-Up Exams
10:10 a.m. – 11:10 a.m.
 
Thursday, December 19
Period G (7) Classes
7:50 a.m. – 8:50 a.m.
Announcements
8:50 a.m. – 8:55 a.m.
Period H (8) Classes
9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Make-Up Exams
10:05 a.m. – 11:05 a.m.

Friday, December 20
Makeup Exams
7:50 a.m. – 11:05 a.m.

Semester Exam Bus Schedule

Tuesday, December 17
Buses schedule to depart JCA at 11:25 a.m.
Wednesday, December 18
Buses schedule to depart JCA at 10:15 a.m.
Thursday, December 19
Buses schedule to depart JCA at 10:15 a.m.
Friday, December 20
Buses service is not available. Transportation for makeup exams, if applicable, is the student’s responsibility. 
Stay Connected and Help Promote JCA

Don’t miss the latest news about JCA, Angels and Hilltoppers, events, and more; stay connected through social media. “Like” Joliet Catholic Academy on Facebook, “Follow” JCAOnline on Twitter, and check out Joliet.Catholic on Instagram. 

Several extra-curricular clubs and sports also operate social media pages that the main JCA accounts will share and re-tweet. With changes to Facebook's algorithm over the last year, the more people that can share articles coming from the main Joliet Catholic Academy Facebook page, the better we can organically market all of the great things happening at JCA. Please continually re-tweet and share social media posts.
ACT PREPARATION COURSE
for April 2020 ACT Test

Joliet Catholic Academy is offering an eight week course for students wishing to formally prepare for the April 2020 ACT Test.

Location/Time: JCA
Saturdays 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Sessions: Eight Saturday Classes

Fees: $200 – handouts, professional instruction and manual
                                   
Enrollment: 25 students/class

Registration: First come, first served! Please include form below and
                     Checks payable to JCA.  No refunds after December 13.     

Return to: JCA, Mrs. Tina Osburn (Rm. 118)
Days/Dates:               January 25 – Math/Sci           February 29 – Math/Sci
                                   February 1 – English             March 7 – English
                                   February 8 – Math/Sci           March 14 – Math/Sci
                                   February 22 – English           March 21 – English

April 4, 2020 – ACT Test @ JCA
ACT Registration Deadline: 2/28/20
ACT Late Registration Deadline: 3/13/20

Fall Play
Congratulations to the JCA Drama Department on the successful completion of their run at Bicentennial Park Theatre of this year's fall play "Dracula".

Browse and purchase photos from this year's sold out performances of Dracula at the Bicentennial Park Theatre.


Password to view: JCAC
*purchasing or downloading photos is an additional cost.
Asbestos Management

Parents, teachers, employee organizations, and other relevant groups: Please be advised that the Asbestos Management Plan for JCA, as required by law, is available for inspection during normal business hours by representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Illinois, and the public – including teachers, other school personnel, representatives, and parents at 1200 N. Larkin Avenue, Joliet, Illinois 60435 within five working days after receipt of a written request for inspection. The school may charge the reasonable cost of making any copies requested. 
Nurses Corner
Important Information from the Health Office

Health Office Hours are while students are in attendance, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 8:00am-2:30pm Thursday 8:00am -1:40pm. During school breaks voicemails and emails are checked weekly. 815-741-0500 Ext 275, 815-741-3015 fax,  nurse@jca-online.org
 
 
Student Health Data Notification
 
Parents, teachers, employee organizations, and other relevant groups: Please be advised that the State of Illinois Student Health Data for JCA, as required by law, is available for inspection during normal business hours by the public -including teachers, other school personnel, representatives, and parents at 1200 N. Larkin Avenue, Joliet, Illinois 60435 within five working days after receipt of a written request for inspection. The school may charge the reasonable cost of making any copies requested.
 
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.
Students should stay home from school when ill, including but not limited to, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, undiagnosed rash and until they are fever free, <100.0F, for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medication (Advil, ibuprofen, Tylenol etc.).
 
Encourage everyone to cover a cough with a sleeved covered elbow, wash hands regularly, do not share drinks/food/lip balm, keeps hands away from eyes, nose and mouth, all to decrease the risk of catching the seasonal cold or influenza.
 
All Students
Reminder: Students are not allowed to have medications (over the counter, homeopathic or prescriptive) on their being, in their locker or lunches or in their backpacks, except for emergency medications that have a Medication Administration Authorization (MAA) on file in the Health Office. Students are allowed medications to be kept in the Health Office with a MAA. Please see the Medication in School Policy which can be found on the JCA web site.
  • Medication Administration Authorization forms are required at the start of every new school year. Forms are available on the web site.
  • Health Office information is on the school web site under the Parents tab, click on Health Office
  • 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.
  • Per the State of Illinois and JCA policy, students whose medical records are not in compliance will be excluded from school and all school activities, including athletics, starting October 15 and will remain excluded until all health records are compliant. 

 
Health Office Hours while students are in attendance:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 8:00am-2:30pm Thursday 8:00am -1:40pm
During school breaks voicemails and emails are checked weekly.
815-741-0500 Ext 275, 815-741-3015 fax,   nurse@jca-online.org
Spirit Shop News

The Spirit Shop is OPEN with regular School Business Hours through December 16 th . We will have limited hours through FINALS, the last few days before our Christmas break!!! Stop in early to pick up any Christmas Gifts for your Angel or Hilltopper. 

Christmas ornaments are in !!! We also have a variety of ¼ zips, T-shirts, hoodies, cups, blankets and many more Joliet Catholic Academy items to choose from to show your school spirit!! There is always a clearance section as well, with huge discounts for you on selected items and what I like to call our “Old School” rack in the back with jackets, pullovers and a few other items. Merchandise changes seasonally, so stop in and check things out.


Spirit Shop Hours

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday
7:15am – 3:00pm

Thursday
7:15am – 2:00pm
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINALS WEEK – December 17 th , 18 th , 19 th   - 7:30am – 11:00am 

Basically if the students are in school and classes are in session, the Spirit Shop is OPEN.

All of the proceeds from all sales in our Joliet Catholic Academy Spirit Shop go directly back to our school.
Have a Very Merry Christmas


Paula Gorski, Spirit Shop Coordinator
Joliet Catholic Academy
815-741-0500 x231
Shadow Visits and Private Tours

Refer a local 8th grade student to join a current Angel or Hilltopper student for a "Last Look" Friday Shadow Visit on Friday, December 6, 2019 before the JCA Entrance Exam on Saturday, December 7. Online registration links for Shadow Visits and the JCA Entrance Exam are both included below.

This is the last Friday Shadow Visit Day before the end of the current semester. Shadow Visits offer seventh and eighth-grade students, as well as current high school students wishing to transfer, an individualized experience by pairing a prospective student with a current Angel or Hilltopper who shares his or her academic and extracurricular interests. Students shadowing report for regular school hours from 7:50 a.m. to 2:40 p.m.

Please contact the JCA Admissions Office at 815.741.0500, ext. 214 or  rquigley@jca-online.org   to schedule a private family tour or to answer any further questions about enrolling a student at JCA.


JCA Entrance Exam: Saturday, December 7, 2019 – 8:00 a.m.   

Joliet Catholic Academy will host its annual Entrance Exam  for current 8   th    grade students considering JCA as their choice for high school next fall. Eighth grade students should arrive no later than 7:50 a.m. and enter through the main entrance off of Larkin Avenue. The exam will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m.  Students will exit the building at approximately 11:30 a.m. through the south doors, on Ingalls Avenue. Students are asked to bring the $30 exam fee, two #2 pencils, along with their completed JCA application for admission (students may also drop off or mail in the application before the exam date or fill out the application and payment online). Calculators are not allowed; scratch paper will be provided for the exam.

Pre-Exam Workshop: Wednesday, December 4, 2019 – 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.

The Pre-Exam Workshop is not mandatory. It will take place on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the large chapel. Students and parents should enter at JCA’s main entrance located along Larkin Ave. It is not mandatory for parents to stay, but there will be a presentation on HSPT scoring, scholarships, and the admissions timeline. Students will then be dismissed to classrooms to take a short practice test.
JCA in the News