The Jayhawk Weekly

Dear Julian Parents and Guardians,

As we prepare for the upcoming holiday break, we want to take a moment to thank you for your ongoing partnership and to share a few updates from our school community. It’s incredible how quickly the year has moved and how much our students have grown—academically, socially, and as members of our Jayhawk community. We are especially proud of our JV and Varsity basketball teams for their great games and the outstanding sportsmanship they demonstrated. Way to go, Jayhawks!

As we head into this final week, we kindly ask for your partnership in helping students finish strong. Maintaining consistent routines—such as getting to school on time, staying engaged in class, and following our school expectations—will help students stay focused and confidently navigate the excitement and energy of this time of year. Your support at home truly makes a difference.

We hope our students enjoy participating in the Spirit Week activities, which bring so much joy and positivity to the building.

We look forward to a wonderful week ahead and wish all of our families a restful, safe, and joyful Winter Break.

Wishing all of our Jayhawk families a wonderful holiday season!

Jayhawks together,

Dr. Luis De Leon, Assistant Superintendent, Middle Schools

Nick Filipowski, Principal

Adrienne Court, Associate Principal

DaWanda Fountain-Dotson, Associate Principal

1. We are excited to let you know that elective course selection for the upcoming school year will be opening soon! This is an opportunity for current 6th and 7th grade students to explore their interests and choose courses that excite them. More details, including instructions and deadlines, will be shared with you by December 12th. Please stay tuned and be sure your student completes their selection once the process begins. If you have any questions in the meantime, don’t hesitate to contact the school office for assistance. Thank you for supporting your student as they prepare for the next school year!

2. Students will have STAR Assessment testing on Tuesday, January 13th and Wednesday, January 14th. As always, students should be on time for classes, well rested and have a good breakfast on the morning of testing, and bring their fully charged chromebooks with them to school.

Winter Preparedness in District 97:

Emergency Closings and Cold Weather Reminders

Winter seems to have arrived early this year—with cold temperatures and snow already making an appearance. As we navigate the season ahead, it’s important that we continue to work together to keep our schools safe and healthy for learning. Please take a moment to review the information below, which includes an overview of the district’s emergency closing procedures and important winter reminders for students, families, and staff.

Emergency Closings and E-Learning Days

District 97 always strives to have schools open. However, if heavy snow or extreme cold make it dangerous to travel, we may need to close schools. The district’s emergency closing procedures are outlined in this brief deck; full details are posted at https://www.op97.org/communications/emergency-closings.

In July 2021, the District 97 Board of Education approved an E-Learning Plan for students to receive instruction electronically in lieu of traditional emergency days (or inclement weather days). This means that instead of canceling school, the superintendent now has the option of calling an “E-Learning Day” where students and staff learn and work virtually at home. This provides a continuation of learning and prevents the loss of critical instructional days, particularly in our first and second trimesters.

If the superintendent decides to close buildings and hold an E-Learning Day, the information is shared through multiple channels, including email, the district website, our Facebook page, and the Emergency Closings website. Staff and families are also encouraged to OPT IN to text messages from the district by texting YES to 79041 or 87569.

Cold Weather Reminders

District 97 believes it’s important for students to have opportunities for fresh air and play—even in winter. Students will go outside for recess when the temperature, including wind chill, is 15°F or higher. We use the Wind Chill Chart developed by the National Weather Service to guide these decisions.

• Dress in Layers: To help students stay warm and comfortable throughout the day, please make sure they come to school dressed in layers. This includes hats, gloves/mittens, scarves, coats, snow pants, and boots. Labeling these items with your child’s name is strongly encouraged. Our staff monitor conditions closely and watch for signs of frostbite or other cold-related concerns.
  

• Extra Clothing: During the colder and wetter months, students may get wet during recess, outdoor learning, or simply walking to and from school. Because our supply of spare clothing is limited, families may send a full extra set of warm, dry clothes to keep in your child’s locker.
  

• Be Prompt at Drop-Off and Pick-Up: Minimize time spent outside by arriving as close to designated times as possible.

Winter Illnesses and Everyday Preventative Strategies

Health officials urge individuals and families to take basic precautions to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses—stay home when you are sick, wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough, and stay up to date on your vaccines. CLICK HERE to watch a brief video of everyday strategies to keep our schools healthy this winter >>

• 1 - Cap & Gown Picture Day - Friday, January 16, 2026

The photographers will provide the cap & gowns for the picture day poses. Families that order a new cap & gown (orders will not be distributed until the Spring) or have a sibling's old cap & gown that they will be using for the June ceremony, won't need these in January. Van Gogh School Photographers will provide a cap & gown for the picture day poses (two poses total: one pose with the cap & gown and one pose without) on 1/16/26.

• 2 - Julian Graduation - Monday, June 1, 2026 from 6:30 pm - 7:45 pm (Julian rehearsal - Monday, June 1st, from 10 am - noon) Rehearsal and ceremony both take place at Oak Park and River Forest High School. All attendees, ages 2years or older, must have a ticket to attend the ceremony.

OPYBS Spring 2026 Baseball & Softball

Register today to play Oak Park Youth Baseball Softball this spring and take advantage of early bird rates through January 5th to save up to $60. Register at www.opybs.org. If you have any questions, reach out to Julian OPYBS Ambassador meganelsener@gmail.com.

The school building will be closed Dec 20 thru Jan 5!

• On Fri., Dec 19th, the school office will open at 8:45am and close at 4:00pm.
• The LIBRARY will be CLOSED BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL on 12/19. Please plan accordingly.
• Winter Break for students is Mon., Dec 22nd - Mon., Jan 5th.
• Students return to school and classes resume on TUESDAY, January 6, 2026. It will be a A day when Jayhawks return on 1/6.

**PLEASE BE SURE THAT YOUR CHILD BRINGS HOME ALL BELONGINGS ON 12/19 that they will need over the winter break. All Lost & Found items will be removed on 12/19. There will not be an opportunity to pick up forgotten cell phones, coats, boots, musical instruments, chromebooks, etc after 4pm on Friday, December 19th. The building will be closed 12/20/25 - 1/5/26.**

We're in Trimester 2 and the weather has changed, so please check in with your student regarding school supplies that may need to be replenished. Your student may need more glue sticks, pencils, spiral notebooks, folders, etc....especially for any new elective courses they're taking now.

Also, teachers could definitely use more boxes of Puffs/Kleenex facial tissue, disinfecting wipes, bottles of hand sanitizer and other items for classrooms. Students can bring the personal hygiene items to their WIN teacher's classroom.

Check the 2025-26 School Supply List for your student's grade level supplies that are needed.

As a reminder, if your child will participate in Ultimate Frisbee, Basketball, Volleyball, Cheer, Cross Country or Track: On the health form the interscholastic box “yes” must be checked in order for your child to be eligible to try out or participate in any interscholastic activity.

SPORTS PHYSICALS –

Please remember that EVERY student needs to have a current sports physical in order to participate in athletics at Julian.

• Sixth graders can have a separate sports physical or the school physical with the sports box checked by their doctor.
• Seventh and eighth graders are required to have a separate sports physical every year (physicals expire after 13 months, 395 days after the date of the physical). If these requirements for physicals are not met, they cannot try out for the team. Please provide two copies of the physical prior to the tryouts/practices for your sport. You can either give it directly to your coach or the school office.

To access student health forms please visit http://www.op97.org/hr/health-requirements

We have now entered "that time of year" when students may experience scratchy throats or dry coughs. Please know that teachers can not administer cough drops, vitamins, or aspirin to students. And students are not permitted to share their personal over the counter "meds" with their peers (this includes items such as Tylenol, Aleve, Motrin, vitamins, supplements, cough drops, etc).

All students are required to have a medication authorization form on file in the health office for any over the counter and all prescribed medications. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Health Office at juliannurse@op97.org.

All Julian students who wish to attend basketball and volleyball games must wear their school issued student ID. We do not allow OPRFHS, Fenwick or Brooks students to attend games without parental or adult supervision. Students will not be able to enter the gym early on game days. Students should eat their afternoon snacks before entering the building (doors will not open until 4:15 p.m. on game days). Only water is allowed inside the main gym.

Here are the game day expectations to discuss with your Julian student:

• All Julian students are required to wear their school ID in order to gain entry to games.
• Children under 18 years of age and teens that are not Julian students must be accompanied by an adult. All OPRFHS, Fenwick and Brooks students must be with a parent or guardian over the age of 18.
• Please do not bring food or drink into the gym. Outside food and beverages are not allowed. Water or water bottles are permitted. But we ask that you refrain from bringing snacks and beverages into the school on game days.

Thank you in advance for reminding your child of the game day expectations.

If you are unable to make it in person, you can watch on livestream from this public link via Hudl.

FOOD DELIVERY POLICY

1. If a parent or guardian needs to drop off a forgotten lunch bag, it will be placed on the grade level shelf in the school office for the student. We ask that you please label the outside of the bag/container with your student's full name and grade level.
2. ***DISTRICT 97 EMPLOYEES WILL NOT SIGN FOR OR ACCEPT FOOD OR BEVERAGE DELIVERIES FROM RESTAURANT DELIVERY DRIVERS ON BEHALF OF STUDENTS.***Julian students, parents and guardians should NOT have food delivered to the school through any food delivery service (i.e. DoorDash, UberEats, GrubHub, Postmates, etc).
3. Food and Beverage deliveries will not be accepted during the school day. Students that order lunch for themselves will have to wait until 3:30pm to pick it up. Cold and hot lunches are always available in the school lunchroom during grade level lunch periods for any student that forgets to bring a lunch to school.

Please be sure to review this food delivery policy with your Julian student.

LUNCH

Hot lunch (and cold lunch such as a sandwich or salad) is available to students who wish to participate and have a funded or approved lunch account. If you have questions regarding your student's lunch balance, you may contact the Julian Lunchroom Manager, Ms. Cornelia Mack at cmack@op97.org. To make payments on student lunch accounts please visit, https://www.mymealtime.com/signin.aspx

As we begin Trimester 2, please be sure your child is aware of the Julian Cell Phone Policy:

This is a friendly reminder about the Middle School Cell Phone policy. We are "Away for the Day" which means students should not use their cell phones from 9:00am - 3:30pm. If there is an emergency, students can call home from a teacher's classroom phone or the school office. If a student is feeling unwell, they can get a digital pass from their classroom teacher, and call home from the school nurse's office.

If a student is caught using their cell phone/electronic device during instruction time or caught using their device while school is in session for unrelated curriculum activities, then the following occurs:

• 1ST OFFENSE: The device is sent down to the school office by a staff member and the student must retrieve the device at the end of the school day.
• 2ND OFFENSE: The device is sent down to the school office by a staff member and parents/guardians are notified. The student will be able to retrieve the device at the end of the school day.

• 3RD OFFENSE: The device is sent down to the school office by a staff member and parents/guardians are notified. A parent/guardian/caregiver must then come to the school to pick up the device, it will not be released to the student. The parent/guardian/caregiver must also meet with an administrator or student success coach to decide one of two options:

1) The student will drop off the cell phone in the school office at the start of the school day and pick it up at the end of the school day.

OR

2) The student will leave the device at home and no longer bring the cell phone to school for the remainder of the trimester.

Thank you for your efforts to help us all make school a place of academics and social emotional learning.

District 97 believes it is important for students to have opportunities for physical activity and play time during the day—even during the cold winter months. This winter, students will be permitted to go outside for recess when the temperature, with wind chill, is 15 degrees or higher. The district utilizes the Wind Chill Chart developed by the National Weather Service.

• It is important that students dress in warm layers when cold temperatures are expected. Students should remember to bring hats, gloves/mittens, scarves, coats, snow pants and boots. It is recommended that families label these items with their children’s names.
• Our staff will carefully monitor students while outside and take the necessary steps to ensure students are appropriately clothed/prepared for the cold weather, watching out for signs of frostbite and other cold-related issues.

2nd Wednesday of the month: Exec Committee @ 6:30 pm, Open Meeting @ 7 pm in the Library Media Center in-person or join online:

January 14, 2026

February 11, 2026

March 11, 2026

April 8, 2026

May 13, 2026

PTO Julian Middle School is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89578210054?pwd=z3zBaWFUbMcnvtpcaPMafbwU46nwel.1

Meeting ID: 895 7821 0054 Passcode: 455571

IMPORTANT NOTE: Only SCHOOL ISSUED LOCKS are allowed to be used on the lockers. Due to safety concerns, no student can use a lock that is not issued by the school on their locker.

If you need an alternate lock, please reach out to your 504 or IEP Case Manager. They will ensure the accommodation is listed on the plan and provide an alternate lock.

If you have already put a different lock on your locker, please replace it with the school-issued lock as soon as possible. If you have lost your school-issued lock, a replacement must be purchased for $5.

If you are having issues with your locker, please complete the Locker Challenge Form. There are signs at the end of each locker bay with the link to this form as well.

THE ONLINE OPTION IS NOW AVAILABLE!

The annual school fee of $225.00 can be now be paid on the Julian webstore. You may pay fees in person at the Julian school office during the school day between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM. We accept only cash (exact change please) and checks (made payable to District 97) at the school office. All debit/credit card payments must be made online.

• School Office opens at 8:45am: Friday, December 19th (No early entry into the building on this day)
• School Office closes at 4:00pm: Friday, December 19th
• ​Winter Break: Mon., Dec 22nd - Mon., Jan 5th (NO SCHOOL) Classes resume on Tues., Jan 6th
• 8th Grade Graduation Picture Day: Friday, January 16th
• 8th Grade Graduation Ceremony: Monday, June 1st
• Last Day of School: Tuesday, June 2nd

We strive to improve the attendance of all of our students. Each minute of each school day provides opportunities for learning and it’s noticeable when students miss time. Absences, even if they are excused, can add up to academic trouble. Please be sure students are arriving daily by 8:50 am. Students arriving after 8:57 am will receive a tardy for the day.

Missing only 2 days a month (excused or unexcused), means your child misses 10% of the school year. If your child is going to be absent, please notify the office prior to 9:00 a.m. by calling (708) 665-3064 or emailing julianinfo@op97.org. When we do not receive a call or email from a parent/guardian, school regulations require that parents/guardians are contacted to verify the child's absence.

Should you need resources to support your child’s attendance please visit this link or reach out to your child’s Student Success Coach.

• 6th grade - Becca Murray (rmurray@op97.org)

• 7th Grade - Kasey Fleming (kfleming@op97.org)

• 8th grade - Segio Torres (storres@op97.org)

416 S. Ridgeland Ave.

Oak Park, IL 60302

708-524-3040

www.op97.org/julian