Principal's Newsletter

 A message from Dr. Gibson: No school on President's Day, Monday, February 18. Please make sure to check your student’s Progress Report using Home Access Center on February 21. We wish our Varsity Girls Bowling and Speech Team the best of luck at the State Competitions this weekend. Let’s go, Tigers!

Tip of the Week: Review student's Progress Report on HAC on February 21 #JTAchievesTogether
Progress Reports can be viewed online beginning Thursday, February 21. See your progress report on Home Access Center (HAC) online or using the Eschool Plus Family App on your smartphone or tablet.

Electronic progress reports ensure that parents and students receive the most current, up-to-date grades. Please remember that student grades, attendance, and assignments can be viewed at any time throughout the year. 

For Home Access Center help, please call (815) 727-6860. You may also contact our Family Engagement Liaison, Lisa Guzman, at lguzman@jths.org | (815) 727-6776 | Room B244. 

Enroll for Summer School - Spots filled on a first come, first serve basis! 
Summer School registration is now open. Spots are filled on a first come, first served basis. All Summer School classes are held at Joliet West High School. The cost is $160 per session, and no transportation is provided.

To enroll, call  815‐727‐6930. For payment, call 815-727-6993. For more information, please click here (https://www.jths.org/academics/summer-school).

Tigers Athletic Newsletter - February 2019 edition
Click here to check out the February 2019 edition of the Tigers Athletic Newsletter, created by Joliet West High School student Makenna Clark as part of her project for Miss Alpha Omega. Go, Tigers! 

February 28 is a SIP B Day - JTHS School Improvement Day
Students will follow this schedule on SIP B Days: 

Schedule B	Time
Period 5A	11:20 AM - 11:45 AM
Period 5B	11:50 AM - 12:15 PM
Period 6A	12:20 PM - 12:45 PM
Period 6B	12:50 PM - 1:15 PM
Period 7A	1:20 PM - 1:45 PM
Period 7B	1:50 PM - 2:15 PM
Period 8	2:20 PM - 3:15 PM

SIP B Day Transportation
Freshman standard-sized large buses arrive 4 hours later than regularly scheduled pick up time. Sophomore, Junior and Senior standard-sized large buses arrive 3 hours later than regularly scheduled time. For SIP Day Special Education bus routes, please call the Transportation Office at 815-727-6873.

February Mobile Food Pantry in Will County
Click here to see the flyer with the dates, times, and places in which the Mobile Food Pantry will giving free food in Will County.

Joliet Public Library Spring Guide Now Available!
Check out the what programs are available for children, tweens, teens, and adults this Spring. Click here to download the guide.

Volunteer Opportunity: Tourette Syndrome Camp USA
If you are 16 or older, consider volunteering for this one-week summer residential camp held at YMCA Camp Duncan in Ingleside, Illinois. Learn more and apply at www.tourettecamp.com. 

Joliet Public Library Parent Focus Group Discussion
Parents, the Joliet Public Library invites you to participate in a group discussion with community residents and representatives about future library services. Click here to learn more. 

Summer STEM Programs at University of Illinois
Interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics? Apply for the ACES Pre-College Summer Programs by March 8. Click here to learn more. 

February 16: Fifth Annual African American Read-In Event
The public is invited to the fifth annual African American Read-in, presented in partnership with the National Hook-up of Black Women, the Joliet branch of the NAACP, and Joliet Township High School on Saturday, February 16.  The event will be hosted at the new NHBW Headquarters at 1705 Richards Street beginning at 9 a.m.

A Read-in is an opportunity to celebrate African American authors by reading their work in public.  Members of the community are invited to bring passages (or read from provided passages) by African American authors and read them out loud.  We have had readers of all ages and backgrounds at the event in the past – it is an inspiring and uplifting event!

Student who attend the Read-in are invited to stay and participate in the National Teens Overcoming Pressure Summit which takes place immediately afterwards, from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.  Student can register for the summit at www.NHBWJOLIET.com/T-O-P 

Refreshments will be served. 

February 16: Deadline to register for Oratory Contest
Click here to register for the NHBW  Youth Speaks Oratory Contest, which will be held on Saturday, February 23 at 1705 Richards Street in Joliet.

February 21: JTHS Robotic Cyborgs Team Community Exhibition
The JTHS Cyborgs Robotics Team will unveil its newest robot during the 7^th Annual Community Exhibition from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 21 in the JTHS Administrative Center Board Room, 300 Caterpillar Drive in Joliet. The event is free and open to the public. RSVP to Ms. Farias at afarias@jths.org.

February 25: Coffee & Community Conversation with JTHS Leadership
Superintendent Dr. Cheryl McCarthy and the Board of Education invite you to a Coffee & Community Conversation, from 7 to 8 p.m., at the Spanish Community Center Gymnasium, 309 N. Eastern Avenue on Monday, February 25. This is a great way to connect with JTHS leadership in a relaxed setting.

February 26: Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
All grandparents raising children are invited to join JTHS Bridge Builder and grandparent, Mary White, for fellowship, support, and resources on Tuesday, February 26 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the JTHS Administrative Center, located at 300 Caterpillar Drive in Joliet. RSVP to Kristine Schlismann at kschlismann@jths.org or call (815) 727-6967.

Wake-up Call Event Re-scheduled for April 11, 2019
JTHS has re-scheduled the "Wake-Up Call" Substance Abuse Awareness Event for Thursday, April 11, 2019 at Joliet West High School, 401 N. Larkin Avenue in Joliet. For more information or to register for this FREE event, please click here.  If you had previously registered for the cancelled January 31^st  event, you do not need to register again. If you enrolled and cannot attend the new date, please log in to EventBrite, click on “View Your Order” in the top left of your screen, then click “Cancel Order”.

Upcoming JWHS events include:

• February 16: Band Booster Spaghetti Dinner
• February 18: President's Day (No school)
• February 24: Orchestra Concert
• February 25: Coffee & Community Conversation
• February 28: SIP B Day (Late Start) 

VISIT THE CALENDAR FOR MORE DETAILS.
Joliet West Athletic Update
Visit the Athletic Calendar to see next week's athletic events. Go, Tigers!

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 A message from Dr. Gibson: Dear JTHS Families,

We thank you for your cooperation with the unexpected school closings this week. As weather conditions are unpredictable this time of year, we strongly encourage our families to sign up for text message notifications. 

To sign up for text messages, text the letter (  Y  ) to 67587.

Text messages and electronic communication, such as email, Facebook, Twitter, the Emergency Closing Center, and the JTHS Website, instantly notify parents/guardians of closures or emergencies.  The phone message system that sends phone calls is not immediate, and will often be received after electronic communication is delivered.

If you like to change the email and/or phone number you have registered with the school and you are a West parent /guardian please contact Chris Ebenroth at cebenroth@jths.org or (815) 727-1645.

As always, thank you for working in partnership with the high school.

Black & White Dance Ticket Sales
Black & White Dance Tickets go on sale January 28.  The ticket price is $10 if purchased between the dates of January 28 – February 1.  The ticket price increases to $15 if purchased between the dates of February 4 – 6. Click here for more details. All student fees must be paid before purchasing a dance ticket.  Please visit the webpage to access your student’s current balance. 

Tip of the Week: Pay student fees online, by mail, or on campus #JTAchievesTogether
The textbook department is responsible for collecting all student fees. Invoices are mailed home occasionally to notify parents of outstanding debts. Parents can pay fees on-line, by mail or by bringing or sending the money to the textbook center. The textbook center accepts cash, debit and credit card payments. 

To pay student fees online:

• Go to www.jths.org and click on "Student Fees" under Quicklinks
• Log into your student's account by entering the following information:
  • Username: Student ID Number
  • Password: Student's first initial & last name
    • Password is all lowercase letters and no spaces. Example: Josh Smith - jsmith
  • After logging in, click the "Pay Debts" tab to view and pay debts

February 14 is a SIP A Day - JTHS School Improvement Day
Students will follow this schedule on SIP A Days: 

Schedule A	Time
Period 1	11:20 AM -  12:15 AM
Period 4A	12:20 PM - 12:45 PM
Period 4B	12:50 PM - 1:15 PM
Period 3	1:20 PM - 2:15 PM
Period 2	2:20 PM - 3:15 PM

On SIP A Days, the standard-sized large buses arrive 4 hours later than regularly scheduled pick up time.  For example, if your student’s regularly scheduled pick up time is 6:30 a.m., his or her bus would arrive at 10:30 a.m. For SIP Day Special Education bus routes, please call the Transportation Office at 815-727-6873.

February Scholarship Bulletin
Now is a great time to apply for scholarships. Visit the Joliet West Scholarship Bulletin to see a list of available scholarship applications at https://www.jths.org/joliet-west-high-school/guidance/scholarships

The latest scholarship to be added is the National Hook-Up of Black Women  Inc. Joliet Chapter Scholarship. Each year, NHBW award scholarships up to $1,000 to graduating seniors who has maintained good grades throughout high school and has participated in community service. The high school senior must be a full time student, live in Joliet and/or the surrounding cities, towns, of Will County. Apply now: http://www.nhbwjoliet.com/scholarships/

February 7: YAC Talent Show Auditions
The Youth Advisory Committee of the Will County Substance Prevention Coalition is hosting a Talent Show on February 25 and is having auditions for the event on February 7 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Knights of Columbus on 100 129th Infantry Drive in Joliet. This is for students in grades 9 - 12 only and participants must be accompanied by a parent/guardian to register. For more information or receive an application, please call 815-582-7828 or 815-725-3860.

February 13: Book and Bean Cafe's Limerick Match
The Book and Bean Cafe on 3395 Black Road in Joliet invites you to celebrate Calkins Day with an all-age Limerick Match on Wednesday, February 13, from 6:00pm to 8:30pm. Click here for more details. 

February 15: 5Essentials Parent Survey
The 2018-19 Illinois Parent Survey will close on Feb. 15, 2019. Take the survey by visiting: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/ 

February 16: National Teens Overcoming Pressure Summit
Sign up your teen for the FREE National Teens Overcoming Pressure Summit, by the National Hookup of Black Women, held at 1705 Richards St. Joliet, IL 60433, on Saturday, February 16. This event will be from 10:00am-1:00pm and is for ages 13-17. Topics of discussion include healthy relationships, literacy, and more. To join the conversation register at http://www.nhbwjoliet.com/t-o-p/.

February 16 is the deadline to register for Oratory Contest
The National Hook Up of Black Women will host the Youth Speaks Oratory Contest on Saturday, February 23 at their headquarters for ages 8 years old to 17 years old. Click here to register by February 16. 

February 16: Joliet West Bands Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser

The Joliet West High School Band Boosters will host their annual Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday, February 16, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Joliet West High School Cafeteria, located at 401 N. Larkin Avenue in Joliet.

Tickets will be sold at the event for $12 per person. A dinner of spaghetti, salad, bread, drinks and dessert will be served for dine in or carry out.

This year the dinner is provided by Maciano’s Pizza & Pastaria.

At the dinner, live music will be performed by the Joliet West Jazz band and other West musicians, as well as the Troy Middle School Jazz Band. There will also be various raffles, including: weekend getaway packages, restaurant gift cards, wine tasting packages, party packages, show tickets, a Joliet West Parking Pass, and more.

The Spaghetti Dinner is an important fundraiser for the band program at Joliet West High School. It is a great way to support West’s band program, while enjoying a delicious, professionally prepared dinner and great entertainment.

February 18: Deadline for Senior ads for the Yearbook
The yearbook staff’s annual fundraiser offers a creative way to show how proud you are of your graduating student. All ads must be received by February 18, 2019. For more information, view the 2018-2019 Alpha Omega Yearbook flyer. If you have any questions, please call (815) 727-6953.

February 25: Coffee & Community Conversation with JTHS Leadership
Superintendent Dr. Cheryl McCarthy and the Board of Education invite you to a Coffee & Community Conversation, from 7 to 8 p.m., at the Spanish Community Center Gymnasium, 309 N. Eastern Avenue on Monday, February 25. This is a great way to connect with JTHS leadership in a relaxed setting.


Upcoming JWHS events include:

• February 9: Black and White Dance
• February 14: SIP A Day (Late start)
• February 16: Band Booster Spaghetti Dinner
• February 18: President's Day (No school)
• February 24: Orchestra Concert
• February 25: Coffee & Community Conversation
• February 28: SIP B Day (Late Start) 

VISIT THE CALENDAR FOR MORE DETAILS.
Joliet West Athletic Update
Visit the Athletic Calendar to see next week's athletic events. Go, Tigers!

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