The Mustang Memo

• Friday, April 24th - Remote Learning Planning Day (No Student Instruction)
  
• Each Sunday you can find the updated weekly plans on the Mann Website in addition to getting them daily from the teachers
  

Today Governor Pritzker announced that schools will stay closed for the remainder of the academic year. District 97 has been planning for this possibility and we are working hard to support all of our students. We will continue with remote learning and in the coming days we will have more information regarding end of the year procedures, such as picking up personal belongings, transitioning to new schools, and our end of year celebrations. Thank you for your support, patience and flexibility during this challenging time.

Please listen to this week's Friday pm announcements.

Birthdays will be included as well as weekly PBIS winners!

Incoming Kindergarten Questionnaire Fall 2020

We are now planning for the 2020-21 school year and would like to know more about your elementary-aged child from your point of view. Creating class lists for the upcoming school year is a complex process that has several stages. For this initial stage, we want to provide an opportunity for our families to provide us information about your child. To access our brief form, please click the following link:

Profile Form

Note that this is in the form and something we will be adhering to as we balance the classrooms to benefit all students. "Please be aware that requests for specific teachers will not be considered in this process."

Completing this form is optional. If you wish to complete it, please do so by the end of the day on Friday, April 24, 2020.

Attention ALL Mann Students
The Virtual Variety Show is open to ALL!

We know you have lots of time at home to practice your talent! Show us your dance or gymnastic moves, musical talents, funniest jokes or best magic tricks!

Create and record a performance for up to 2 minutes by yourself, with a sibling or virtually with friends. All videos will be approved for content and language.

Upload your video to Flipgrid (see below) by April 20th.

On Friday, April 24th at 6:00pm get ready to watch the 2020 Mann Variety Show from your couch!

Kindergarten and 1st - https://flipgrid.com/82325f85 password - Mann2020

2nd and 3rd - https://flipgrid.com/b1111e19 password - Mann2020

4th and 5th - https://flipgrid.com/1ac19070 password - Mann2020

For Questions or Concerns contact:

Meg Espinoza

Aneta Balliet

Ms. Baylian

I would like to invite you to begin uploading your candid photos for potential inclusion into the Mann Yearbook. Follow this link:

http://interstate.pixami.com/ISSMaster/home3/Public.jsp

Click on "Photo Post" and select IL, Oak Park, and Horace Mann

Create an account if this is your first time logging in, or get logged in if you're a repeat helper. I promise not to spam you with anything after you're done uploading photos. (If you had an account last year, it was likely disabled and you'll need to create a new one.)

Follow the prompts to upload your photos.

Select the folder or create a New Folder (name it) --> Upload --> Add files --> select the photos from your computer --> repeat as needed

You can upload photos to the existing folders, or create a new folder. When naming a folder, please use a title that reflects the event. Please see the list at the bottom of this email for ideas of what we're looking for. I will be updating this list and may send out more requests as I start filling in specific pages. You do no need to put the names of the students in the photos, but please somehow include the teacher name the student(s) are in if a picture doesn't fit into one of the specific categories below.

***If you'd like to help with building the yearbook or if you have problems or questions about uploading, please contact me at beth@stormbirds.org The deadline is ever-changing, but we don't want this year to go by without a yearbook. This will be one to look back on for sure!!!

I could use some extra hands to build some of the pages.

Thank you so much for your help!

Beth Siegel

Examples of photos needed: (you can email me your ideas and I'll add folders)

Candid of your student or a group of students -- upload to the specific teacher's folder

Kids in their class t-shirt -- put in the correct folder

K-5 special projects -- put in the correct folder labeled "Special Projects" (separated by grade) Ex: 5th grade 'TED talks', 4th Grade Innovators .. if it happened? -- etc

Band - Orchestra - Chorus

Student council

Field trips -- identified by the teacher

Safety Patrol

Reading Olympics

School store

Destination Imagination

MannPower

Halloween Party / Parade / Trick-or-Treating (please include Mann students and staff/teachers ONLY)

Variety Show -- practicing/performing/or a viewing party

International fun fest

Kids Choice

Distance Learning from home

your learning space

themed days

making musical-- Ex: instruments from home objects

art projects for art class

PE from home

Spanish from home

Library projects

Kids/families helping out during this time at home (making masks, making thank you signs for essential workers, etc)

Beyond Hunger (formerly the OPRF Food Pantry) is once again doing the Can-Do Community Challenge where we compete virtually against other Oak Park and River Forest schools during the remainder of April. The Mann School community has always been very supportive of this event and we have been able to claim the trophy several times over the past years. Please consider making a donation at the link below and reach out Mr. Hayward at jhayward@op97.org with any questions. Thank you in advance! Here is the link to our Mann Donation Page.

With the transition to remote learning due to COVID-19, District 97 has been working to develop and improve strategies to help students and families. As we continue to strive for continuous learning and we move forward with further plans, we would REALLY like to hear from you. Please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey on remote learning in District 97.

Your feedback and suggestions will be helpful in allowing us to better serve you and inform our future plans for all students.

This survey will be open through Thursday, April 23, and we will carefully consider all feedback received through this date. Thank you for your continued partnership and extraordinary efforts to support your children throughout remote learning.

District 97 will hold meal distributions every Monday, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Longfellow Elementary School (for Julian and feeder schools), 715 S. Highland Ave., and Brooks Middle School (for Brooks and feeder schools), 325 S. Kenilworth Ave. Meals are available to any District 97 family in need. Each student will receive breakfast and lunch items for five days.

If you have any questions, please contact our food service coordinator, Carla Ellis, at cellis@op97.org.

Given the economic impact of COVID-19, families may have experienced a financial change such as income reduction or job loss. Even if it is temporary and regardless of other financial factors, a change of income may qualify your children for free or reduced lunch from now until October 1, including summer meals. We encourage all families who have experienced a loss or reduction of income to take a few minutes to complete the National School Lunch application. To learn more or access the application, please visit https://bit.ly/3c5gxvV. Applications will also be available at our meal pick-up sites.

The District 97 Student Services Department is hosting a virtual Special Education Parent Support Meeting on Monday, April 20, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to allow parents to come together to discuss what is working for them during remote learning and what they may need in terms of support from each other. Parents and district staff have been listening and sharing ideas together.

Please see the details below to join us.

• Topic: Special Education Parent Support Group
• Date/Time: Monday, April 20th, at 6:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
• Join Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/96637937565?pwd=NzVrMTlZaVl4ekt4cUpMK3Nxc0c3QT09
  • Meeting ID: 966 3793 7565
  • Password: 028632

Technical support will be available from school and district technology staff by accessing the Help Desk through email, helpdesk@op97.org. When an email is submitted, a Help Desk ticket is created and assigned to technology staff, who will be working throughout the day to address technology concerns. Our technology team can support District 97 devices and student online programs.

"District 97 Spring Scavenger Hunt"
Join District 97 students and staff in a Spring Scavenger Hunt! Click here to view complete details >

To participate, just put something in your front-facing window each week to go with that week's theme. It should be large enough to see from the road and can be handmade or anything around the house! Kids can spot them from the road and can still practice social distancing. Let's show our community we are #D97Strong! (Tag the district's social media accounts using @oakpark97 and #MyD97.)

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the social distancing measures that are in place, the 40th Annual District 97 Multicultural Parade and Festival scheduled for May 2 has been postponed indefinitely. Click here for more information >

District 97 social worker Abby Berman and school psychologist Rike Neubert put together a video with tips and self-care ideas to help students and families cope during our school closure. Click here to view the video >families that they really wanted a way to connect with each other.

It's now been four full weeks that students have been learning from home. And we know the COVID-19 pandemic can wear on every resource—from food and shelter to our emotional bandwidth and mental health. Fortunately, the Illinois Department of Human Services has launched a support line called Call4Calm that is reachable via text. Individuals who want to speak with a mental health professional can text the word “TALK” or “HABLAR” (for Spanish speakers) to 552-020. Within 24 hours, that individual will receive a call from a mental health professional employed by a local community health center.

People can also text other terms, like “unemployment” or “food” or “shelter” to the same number to receive information on how to navigate and access supports and services. Call4Calm is free, and individuals who use it can remain anonymous. We encourage you to share this resource with your students, families, and staff.

Community Resources/ Public Health updates:

CDC - Center for Disease Control informational website

Village of OP (resources specifically for OP)

Sign up for Village emergency notifications

How to talk with your child about COVID-19 and talking points from CDC

https://healthconnectionhub.org/ (Community Mental Health Board resources)

Helpful information:

Comcast will provide low-income residents with 2 months of free internet to help them work from home: https://www.internetessentials.com/

Free/Reduced Lunch Supports for D97 students

Beyond Hunger- Oak Park

(OP Food Pantry) - will relax requirements for families to access food. There will be no questions asked for anyone who requests food.

Walgreens is also waiving delivery fees for all eligible prescriptions, beginning Friday, March 13th

Mindfulness Strategies: These are ways to help manage stress and maintain well being. There are many different activities online, these are two suggestions.

Leaves on a stream (mindfulness/meditation)

MindYeti: https://www.mindyeti.com/v2/s/get-started-all-ages

Email: csullivan@op97.org
Location: 921 N Kenilworth Ave. Oak Park, IL
Phone: 708-524-3084
Twitter: @MrsSullivand97