October 2024 Parent Pride Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I can’t believe how fast our year is going. Cooler weather has arrived, and we are already at the end of the first quarter (Friday, October 11^th). Our children are entrenched in their studies and much (over 80%) of our student population is involved in something extracurricular. Since all of our students are encouraged to get involved outside the classroom, this is good news to hear. Colleges and universities now stress the importance of what is done above and beyond the classroom. Even though ACT scores and classroom grades are important, so is volunteer work, leadership roles in clubs and teams, and the time a student puts forth making a mark for their school and themselves in their four years.

October is a busy month. As we already have Homecoming in the rear-view mirror, we now move on to celebrating Heritage Month. It is because of the work of the Carmelites and Franciscans that our school is what it is today! We follow the charisms of both groups that speak to: PRAYER, COMMUNITY, MINISTRY, GOSPEL VALUES, HOSPITALITY, SERVICE, and CHARITY. As a school, we try to embrace and teach these values as we know our students learn them from our families also.

Our Spirit Raffle comes to a close on Wednesday, October 22^ndwith our drawing on the 30^th. With this I’d like to truly say THANK YOU for helping our school with this fundraiser. It seems that many fundraisers run throughout the year, but this school-wide fundraiser is most important for JCA’s success. Good luck to all! Finally, we welcome our parents to our Parent / Teacher Conferences on Thursday, October 24^th.

In these early months of school, I hope that your children are happy and thriving in and out of the classroom. I hope that you are getting involved and are experiencing all the good things that JCA has to offer. I hope you have witnessed the essence of all that is Carmelite…all that is Franciscan… and all that is Jesus Christ at JCA.

Blessings,

Associate Principal's Office

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Thursday, October 24th

2:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Teachers and counselors will be available for parents and guardians to meet and discuss their student’s academic progress. Conferences will be held in the teachers’ classrooms, counselors’ offices, and the IRC. Appointments are not required. Parents and guardians will be seen on a first come, first served basis.

Parents and guardians should enter the school through the main office facing Larkin Avenue. Student schedules, a list of faculty and staff locations, and a map of the school will be emailed to parents and guardians prior to conferences.

Parents and guardians with concerns about their student’s academic progress are highly encouraged to attend. If you are unable to attend, please feel free to contact your student’s teachers and/or counselor via e-mail or call 815.741.0500.

Dean's Office

Attendance and Attendance Probation Reminder - please see the Parent/Student Handbook for more details about attendance.

Absence Probation Policy

Students who miss any individual class period ten (10) times will be placed on attendance probation specific to that class period only.

Parents will receive a “warning” letter email from the Dean’s Office when students reach their 5th –9th unexcused absence.
The tenth (10th) absence will result in the student being placed on Attendance Probation for that class period.
While on attendance probation, students will receive 50% credit for any academic work (i.e., quizzes, tests, projects, homework, etc.) missed for each period absent.
Students on attendance probation can attend and/or participate in some school-sponsored activities such as field trips and retreats with approval from the dean.
Students cannot participate in the Disney Trip and other out-of-school activities.
Be advised extended vacation days will turn into unexcused absences after 10 days, which will prevent full credit for make-up work.
UNEXCUSED ABSENCE even with a parent phone call prevents the student from earning full academic credit for that absence.
Students on Attendance Probation ARE allowed to make up work for non-countable/excused absence days listed in the handbook. Verification must be turned into the Dean’s Office. Teachers will be notified of a change.

Examples of absences counting towards the ten (10) unexcused absences allowed per year:

Sick without a doctor's note
Vacation
Tardy to school greater than 30 minutes
Sent home from the Health Office (no doctor’s visit)
Called in absent

Non-Countable Absence Days / Excused

Students absent for the following reasons will not have those absences count against the total 10 days for attendance probation. Please provide documentation within 72 hours of the absences.

Illness or absence verified by a written note/ office visit from a recognized health professional. Notes must be received in the same grading semester.
Death in the family – phone call from parent/ guardian needed.
College visits (maximum of two per grade level per year) -completed form from Guidance Office needed.
School-sponsored activities (field trip and athletics) – notification from teacher, coach, moderator
Any chronic medical condition verified (at the start of each school year) by a written note from a recognized health professional and approved by the Dean’s and Health Office.
Hospitalization.
Court appearance.
“Extenuating circumstance” as determined by the Dean’s Office. Extenuating circumstances do not include family vacations.
2 mental health days (see Mental Health Day policy)

Excel Driving School

Did you know Excel Driving School offers driver’s education to JCA students at the school?

Click here for more information and class schedules.

Christian Service Hours

All students are to complete Christian Service hours every year. The Christian Service Hours Director will periodically publish a list of approved and recommended agencies and work sites whereby a student may earn service hours. This list will be made available to the students on their Christian Service Teams page.

The expectations are as follows:

Freshmen will complete 5 hours total by May 9, 2025.

Sophomores will complete 10 hours total by May 9, 2025.

Juniors will complete 15 hours total by May 9, 2025.

Seniors will complete 30 hours total by May 1, 2025.

Click here to download the form.

Counseling Department

October/November Advisory Topics

Seniors: Paying for College/Scholarship Search and Updating College Decisions/Career Focus Lessons

Juniors: What do you know about college? College Knowledge Survey/ Factors in College Admissions/ The Great Sorting Game

Sophomores: Mental Health Awareness /Career Exploration/Student Paths and Review of Pre-ACT Data

Freshmen: Good Decision Making/Social Media/Mental Health Awareness

Counselor Roles

Mr. Mickey Palmasani – 9^th and 10^th Grade (A – K)

Mrs. Kris Horn – 9^th and 10^th Grade (L – Z)

Mrs. Kerri Voltz – 11^th and 12^th Grade (A - K)

Mrs. Jackie Pullara – 11^th and 12^th Grade (L - Z)

Don’t Miss Out!

Coffee with the Counselors – 10/4

7:45am in the IRC

JJC College Fair

October 23, 2024

100+ Colleges will be in attendance

Looking ahead:

FAFSA opens December 1.

Follow the Counseling Department on Social Media:

Twitter: @jcacounseling

Instagram: jca.counseling

(JCA Counseling Department)

Facebook: Joliet Catholic Academy Counseling Department

College Financial Aid Resources:

The College Financial Aid FAFSA Presentation: CLICK HERE

Conquering College Costs: Counseling Department | Joliet Catholic Academy (jca-online.org)

Campus Ministry

Heritage Month

In the month of October, JCA celebrates the faith and ambition of our founding orders, Franciscans and Carmelites. The of Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate and The Order of Carmelites, Province of the Most Pure Hear of Mary, answered the call to educate the children of Joliet and bring them closer to a relationship with Christ. We honor their call to Pray, Gather, Minister and Serve the people of God during our Heritage Month. Each Wednesday in October, we will be learning a little more about each order and following their example to be Christ to one another.

Heritage Month Wednesdays:

October 2- Heritage Mass celebrated by Fr. Micheal Joyce O. Carm

October 9- Extended Outside Lunch- all freshmen and sophomores eat, relax and play all of 4^th period & all juniors and seniors eat, relax and play all of 5^th period

October 16- Excellence Day- Sophomores and Juniors strive to meet their academic goals, taking the PSAT & PACT

Freshmen stive to deepen their faith while they participate in their class retreat

Seniors work to make a difference in our community through the senior service day.

October 23- Franciscan Heritage at JCA Presentation

October 30- Carmelite Heritage at JCA Presentation

Athletics

The Official JCA Athletics Android/iPhone App! This is great for everyone; Alumni, Families, Students, and JCA Fans! Download today and sign up for notifications!