JTHS Families, 
 
There is no school next week on Wednesday, November 22, Thursday, November 23, and Friday, November 24 due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. Classes resume on Monday, November 27. We wish our students, families, and staff a Happy Thanksgiving! 

Heating Gas, Propane & Electricity Assistance Available
Eligible households in Will County can receive help paying for home energy services. This includes assistance with heating gas, propane, and electricity. An application event is taking place on December 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. View the LIHEAP Flyer to learn more.  

Thanksgiving in 5 Community Event – Nov. 18
A Thanksgiving event to serve families in need is tomorrow, Saturday, November 18 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Joliet Central Student Center. The event includes a full Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings, distribution of clothing and winter accessories, blankets, free haircuts and hair braiding, raffle giveaways, children’s story time, a book giveaway, and more.  Thanksgiving dinner is served from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. View the Thanksgiving in 5 Flyer for more information. 
 
Food & Winter Clothing Distribution – Nov. 18
A food and winter clothing distribution is taking place from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Faith Bible Church, 1600 Schuster Ave. in Joliet.  View the Food & Winter Clothing Distribution Flyer for more information. 

Bilingual Parent Advisory Council Workshop – Nov. 29 
The JTHS Bilingual Parent Advisory Council (BPAC) invites families to its next workshop on November 29 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Joliet West High School Media Center, 401 N. Larkin Avenue in Joliet.  Guests should enter the building through Door 5.  The workshop will be presented in Spanish with English interpretation available. During the workshop, attendees will hear from VNA Health Care about Vaping E-Cigarettes and their associated dangers.  Appetizers, refreshments, and free childcare for children ages 3 and older will be provided.  Complete the RSVP Form if you will attend.  
 
Michael Austin Clark Community Service Award Scholarship 
Thanks to a generous donation, the Michael Austin Clark Community Service Award Scholarship has increased to $1,000 per campus.  The deadline to apply is December 22 and the link to apply is HERE. 
 
Emergency E-Learning Days 
As the weather gets colder, we are reminding parents and students that JTHS has an Emergency E-Learning Day Plan approved by the Illinois State Board of Education. If an Emergency E-Learning Day is necessary due to an unscheduled school closure, students and staff do not report to the school building and assignments are completed online. The Emergency E-Learning Day is considered a school attendance day and is not made up at the end of the school year. Emergency E- Learning Day procedures, including instructions for students, are HERE. 
 
Student Attendance on Emergency E-Learning Days 
On Emergency E-Learning Days, students must record their attendance one time between 9:30 and 3:15 p.m. through the Infinite Campus Student Portal. Students must then complete each class assignment.  In the event of unforeseen circumstances, students should consult with their teachers. For example, students without access to power or the internet should see their teachers the following student attendance day. Instructions for recording attendance are HERE. 
 
School Closure Announcements 
JTHS will announce the Emergency E-Learning Day by 5 a.m. the morning of the closure through email, text message, phone call, social media and the Emergency Closing Center.  
 
Sign Up for Text Messages 
Text messages reach our families faster than email or phone. If you are not receiving our text messages, you can sign up by texting “Yes” to 67587.   
 
Dressing Appropriately for Cold Weather 
We ask that parents ensure that their child travels to and from school each day in the proper winter clothing. A warm winter coat, scarf, mittens, proper shoes/boots and hat are essential pieces of clothing that your child should wear during the winter so that he or she is protected against the cold and frostbite. In severely cold weather, frostbite can happen within minutes and can cause permanent damage. Frostbite is an injury that occurs when a body part is not covered in freezing temperatures. Just like water turns to ice when the temperature drops, your student’s fingers, toes, feet, nose and ears can freeze, and this causes frostbite.  Frostbite is preventable if your student bundles up during these cold temperatures.  

Need Winter Clothing?  We Can Help 
If your family does not have the financial means to purchase appropriate winter clothing, JTHS is here to assist. Contact your student’s guidance counselor so that we can help. 
 
JTHS Board of Education Meeting – Dec. 19    
The JTHS Board of Education invites families and the community to their next regularly scheduled meeting at 7 p.m. on December 19 at the JTHS Administrative Center.  Agendas are posted at least 48 hours prior to the meetings. If you cannot attend in person, meetings are accessible via live stream. Individuals wishing to make public comments must sign up upon   
arrival before 6:50 p.m. 
 
MLK Day of Service – Jan. 15 
Students and families can sign up to volunteer at the MLK Day of Service on Monday, January 15. The event kicks off in the Central Cafeteria with volunteer registration from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., followed by the program launch at 8:30, and community service completion at locations throughout the community from 9 a.m. to noon. After projects are finished, volunteers return to Central for lunch, project re-caps, and family-friendly entertainment. More information HERE.