A Message from the President/Principal of JCA

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As the dust settles on the opening of the 2018-2019 school year, we look forward to wonderful days at JCA. The end of the year will be here before we know it, so we have to take advantage of all of the times that we can celebrate together. As I say every year, as much as we tell our students to get involved, we would also like our families to get involved as much as possible. I truly appreciate the sacrifice that our families make to send their children to our school, so with that said, I am hoping that you feel welcome each and every day. I wish nothing but success for our students and our families as we begin Onward Together!  

As the last school year came to a close, we ended our 5-year Strategic Plan… Honoring our Past…Building our Future. We are proud to say that all five goals and 50 strategies were addressed. During the spring of last semester, with the help of over 100 volunteers, we completed our new Strategic Plan… Onward Together! You can see the whole document on our website but (as a preview) the following 6 goals from the document will be addressed over the next 5 years (2018-2023)

GOAL A: By 2023, JCA will expand curriculum design to afford all students opportunities for well-rounded academic achievement and personal growth.

GOAL B: By 2023, Joliet Catholic Academy will infuse our distinctive Carmelite/ Franciscan identity throughout our community.

GOAL C: By 2023, JCA will elevate the practical competency of our students through curriculum opportunities with service, life skills, and community-based instruction.

GOAL D: By 2023, JCA will continue to improve our facility and seek opportunities to utilize our community resources.

GOAL E: Using established baselines, JCA will demonstrate increased data-driven decision making, by 2023.

GOAL F: By 2023, JCA will increase available resources to expand enrollment and outreach both geographically and demographically
 
Once again, please take a look at the complete document on the website to see how the strategies fit in with each goal. We are very proud of the notion that our Strategic Plan is a ‘working document’ and that there is much ownership in the document by the JCA administration, faculty and staff, Board of Directors, Alumni, parents, students, and community. 

With completed projects such as the new Chapel, Air Conditioning, renovated Parking Lot, Dance Studio, renovated Weight Room, Softball Dugouts, and renovated Prayer Garden, along with the projected release of a new capital campaign for our Innovation Research Center, the 2018-2019 school year should be just as thrilling as the last. 


Blessings, 

Dr. Jeffrey Budz
JCA President/Principal
JCA Parent Association Welcome

Dear Parents & Guardians,

The days are getting shorter and the temperatures starting to cool, the 2018-2019 school year has begun. We hope you all had an enjoyable summer with your families and are looking forward to a great year at Joliet Catholic Academy. We have been involved in the Parent Association for the past 11 years. We are what you call a ‘lifer’ on the board. We started on the board when our oldest Jimmy started here. Since then we have gone through with our son Daniel’s class & now our daughter Molly who is a senior. We will have one year off then will start another 4 year run! This year we are honored to serve as President. Our goal is to provide a sense of community & fellowship for both you and your student throughout your time at JCA.

The Joliet Catholic Academy Parent Association coordinates many of the events that take place throughout the school year. Already, we have hosted a Meet & Greet for New Freshman Families over the summer, The Freshman Welcome Mass; Back to School Night & Senior Bowl planning is underway for the Senior Class students with parent’s cookout. Currently, our members are finalizing plans for numerous activities for students scheduled for Homecoming Week later this month. Information on the events is included in this newsletter.

As the year progresses, The Parent Association will be hosting various events including several Honor Society Inductions, Pops & Lollies and Lads & Ladies dances. We organize the Red Carpet Picture event for Prom/ senior week activities just to name a few. We will also celebrate and honor the terrific faculty and staff of JCA during Catholic Schools Week in January. Another big role we serve is to coordinate concessions and work the front gate at all home volleyball / basketball games and tournaments. We also help with the 50/50 Raffle at home Football Games. 

There are many ways you can get involved at JCA and we are always looking for volunteers. If you completed the yellow volunteer form, we have your information and we will be reaching out to you for those activities in which you expressed interest. If you did not have a chance to turn in the form, please feel free-at any time-to contact a Parent Association member and let them know you are interested in helping. We will definitely find a place for you! Our names and numbers can be found each month on the front page of the Parent Pride.

We as parents have the opportunity to work WITH the school, FOR the school & for OUR kids. We look at our 11 years on the Board as a way to give back for all the great things JCA provides for our kids.

This is your time to inspire to make a difference & meet new people. Take the opportunity to share your time and talents with us this year.

Fondly,
Jamie & Kathy Hibner
President of Parent Association
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.
Homecoming Tailgate Party
JCA Junior High Night

What?  JCA Junior High Night

Where?  Joliet Memorial Stadium; located at the Inwood Athletic Complex at 3000 W. Jefferson St., Joliet, IL 60435

When?  Friday, September 14, 2018; 7:00 p.m. Kickoff vs. Carmel 

Joliet Catholic Academy warmly welcomes area junior high students and 2018 JCA Summer Campers to our annual Fall Junior High Night during the JCA varsity football contest with Carmel, Mundelein. Come experience the JCA community firsthand at 10,000 seat ATI Field at Joliet Memorial Stadium, home of the Angels and Hilltoppers since 1951. Parking is available on both the west (home side) and east side of the stadium. 

Youth football organizations, wear your youth jersey and receive free admission. Bring your JCA Junior High Sports Pass, or flash your Digital Sports Pass to receive free admission at the JCA’s gate (located on the west side of Memorial Stadium). Don’t have a Junior High Sports Pass? No worries, JCA will provide all junior high students a pass for free admission to future home sporting events. Youth football programs and players wearing their jersey will storm the filed with the 2018 varsity Hilltoppers, currently ranked No. 6 in Illinois in IHSA Class 5A. Players will be able to stay on the sidelines for pregame stretches and the JCA Hilltopper team prayer. All players and programs interested in storming the field must meet at the southwest gate at 6:30 p.m.

Cheer, Dance, and Band performances will occur at half-time. Junior high band campers will rehearse at JCA after school before attending the game. More information will be available from JCA Band Director Ms. Jenn Szynal. Cheer and Dance campers will rehearse during the first half behind the south endzone, then perform at halftime. Announcements will be made over the P.A.
For questions and to RSVP contact JCA Director of Admissions and head freshman football coach Ryan Quigley at 815.741.0500, ext. 214 or  rquigley@jca-online.org .
September Lunch Menus
Campus Ministry

Enlarge the space for your tent, spread out your tent cloths unsparingly;
lengthen your ropes and make firm your pegs. Isiah 54:2

We are lucky to have a NET team at JCA again this year and need to ask your help in hosting them. When NET ministries are visiting a parish or school like ours, they rely upon the kindness of their hosts to provide housing and two meals for the team. What that means is that they need a clear floor to lay their sleeping bag on, a small breakfast and friendly dinner. 
 
The team splits into pairs or sometimes trios so we will need between 4 or 5 houses to offer them. They will be spending the night October 2 nd and 3 rd . If this is something you and your family would like to participate in, please contact campus ministry with your interest. We will be happy to go over details and answer any questions.                   

jca-ministry@jca-online.org


Melisa Ferro
Campus Minister
(815) 741-0500 ext.262
Joliet Catholic Academy
Annual Senior Bowl and Picnic

When:
Sunday, September 23, 2018
11am practice
12pm game
1pm picnic
Where: JCA fields and Wishing Well

Last name for Senior donations:
A-M bring side dish (fruit, vegetable, salad, appetizer)
N-Z bring dessert, chips, and drinks (lots of water and soft drinks)

Please volunteer to help at picnic:
Contact Julieta Meyer 815-274-0042 julietameyer@yahoo.com or
Kelly Gould 815-557-9003 gouldboys4@aol.com
We need volunteers to serve, help with decorating, and clean up. Thank you.

*Next parent board senior events: Prom May 2, 2019 and Senior Night May 16, 2018. Please plan to help with these future events. 
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 for All students

The JCA medication policy has been updated in accordance with the State of Illinois and Illinois State Board of Education.  It is important that you and your student(s) review the policy as there are changes and action needed prior to the start of school if any medication is to be taken during school hours. The new Medication Administration Authorization (MAA) form is required prior to any medication administration. Telephone consent will not be accepted. Medication Administration Authorization is required for any prescription and non-prescription (OTC medication).

Students with asthma or history of asthma are requested to submit an asthma action plan to the Health Office.

Students with epilepsy, diabetes, or allergies requiring emergency treatment are requested to submit an action plan.

All International students and students who travel internationally

I n accordance with the CDC guidelines, those students coming from or traveling to a country for greater than 2 weeks where TB disease is common (most countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Russia) are required to have an Interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) either QuantiFERON®–TB Gold In-Tube test (QFT-GIT) or T-SPOT®.TB test (T-Spot) completed in the United States within 21 days prior to the first day of school . IGRA results are to be submitted to the Health Office prior to the start of the school year. Students who do not comply with health record requirements are subject to exclusion from school.

Incoming Freshmen :

Reminder that your incoming school physical is to be on file by July 1 if you are participating in a fall sport. A separate sports physical is not required. Physicals are valid for 395 days.

Seniors only :

Reminder: students are to have received the MENINGOCOCCAL CONJUGATE VACCINE (MCV4) prior to the start of their 12 th year of school.
Shadow Visits and Private Tours

Here at JCA, we realize that each family has specific needs, questions and expectations for their child. Therefore, we offer private tours to families throughout the year. Simply contact the Admissions Office at 815.741.0500 to schedule a mutually convenient time. The JCA Admissions Staff values our current JCA families as the greatest ambassadors for our school. Recommending an area family or student you know who is in 7th or 8th grade, or a potential high school transfer students, is a great way to help spread the word about JCA. Please do not hesitate to contact Mr. Quigley or Mrs. Ragusa in Admissions to connect with local families interested in JCA.

Shadow Visits offer seventh- and eighth-grade students an individualized experience by pairing a prospective student with a current Angel or Hilltopper who shares his/her academic and extracurricular interests. Students may shadow on most Fridays that JCA is in session from September through April.

The first Friday Shadow Visit will be this Friday, September 7, 2018 . Please help spread the word.

Current high school students wishing to transfer to JCA are also encouraged to schedule a Shadow Visit and will be offered the opportunity to spend the day at JCA as part of the transfer process.

Parents/guardians who are considering having their high school student transfer to JCA should contact the office of the Vice Principal of Faculty and Operations at 815.741.0500, ext. 217.
JCA in the News