The Jayhawk Weekly
Dear Julian Parents and Guardians,
This is National "Staff Appreciation Week"! We are so grateful for our teachers and staff members, the dedicated individuals working to make Julian a safe and robust learning environment for all. Our staff is committed to helping our students become thoughtful global citizens who will make a great impact on their community. We appreciate these educators everyday and are thankful to celebrate them May 5 - 9! And please remember, the school office will be open at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 9th and the library media center will be closed this Friday morning (teachers will be enjoying a lovely breakfast sponsored by the amazing Julian PTO in honor of Staff Appreciation week)!
On Thursday, we sent out revised Trimester 3 Progress Reports. Our tech department identified and resolved the error that caused Trimester 2 grades to show in the initial reports. We apologize for any confusion and appreciate your understanding as we worked to resolve this issue. As a helpful reminder, you can always check your student's grades and academic progress by logging into PowerSchool.
We are still on the lookout for a few more presenters for our upcoming Career Exploration Day. If you are an artist, entrepreneur, business executive, educator, engineer or medical professional, we'd love to have you discuss your career experience with our Jayhawks. Thank you to those of you who have already volunteered. We look forward to hosting you here on May 30th (see the Career Exploration Day section below for sign-up details).
As always, if you have questions, concerns, or ideas, please don’t hesitate to contact our team (emails below). Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students' growth and success.
Jayhawks together,
Nick Filipowski
Principal, Percy Julian M.S.
Mrs. Court, Associate Principal
Mr. Filipowski, Principal
Mrs. Fountain-Dotson, Associate Principal
- Library Media Center: Friday, May 9th (CLOSED before school)
- School Office hours: Friday, May 9th (Opens@8:30 a.m. /Closes@ 4:00 p.m. on 5/9) Office closes at 4:00 p.m. during the last week of school on 6/2 - 6/4)
- Memorial Day: Monday, May 26th (NO SCHOOL)
- Julian Olympic Day: Thursday, May 29th
- Career Exploration Day: Friday, May 30th
- 8th Grade Graduation: Tuesday, June 3rd (6:30 p.m. @ Oak Park and River Forest H.S.)
- Last Day of School: Wednesday, June 4th (Report Card Day)
PLEASE ORDER YOUR STUDENT A 2024-2025 JULIAN YEARBOOK NOW!
Dear Parents & Guardians,
Yearbooks are on sale now.
They are $30 and have 100 pages of color photographs!
Pre-orders can be made via the Julian webstore.
Other orders - bring $30 cash or a check (payable to District 97) to Mrs. Guarino, C104.
Yearbooks will be delivered later in May and will be distributed after Memorial Day.
Toy guns and water guns are not allowed on campus
Under no circumstances are students allowed to bring water guns to school. Weapons of any type or kind, including toy guns or water guns, are strictly prohibited. And should not be brought to school or be used anywhere on school property, including the turf field. Students found using or bringing anything resembling a weapon to school, including toy or water guns, will have immediate consequences, up to or including detention and suspension.
We ask that families discuss this important safety practice with their Julian student(s). Administrators will contact parents/guardians and issue appropriate consequences for behavior infractions.
Please note the following modified school office hours:
- Friday, May 9th - THE SCHOOL OFFICE WILL OPEN AT 8:30am due to a staff event so PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY (closes at 4:00pm)
- Friday, May 9th - THE LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER will be CLOSED before school
- Mon., 5/26 - NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day)
- Tues., 5/27 - the school office will open at 8:00am and close at 4:00pm
- Mon., 6/2 - Wed., 6/4 - the school office will close at 4:00pm for graduation ceremony prep and on the last day of school
👓🧐LOST & FOUND:
- There are several pairs of prescription eyeglasses in the school office. If your child lost their glasses, please have them stop by to check at the front desk.
- The Lost & Found area is in the commons. And it is cleared out each Friday afternoon. Please make sure that if your child has lost or misplaced a piece of clothing, lunch bag, water bottle or shoes, that they thoroughly check the Lost & Found area.
Join us for the musical review that celebrates some of CAST's best costumes over the years. This show features the greatest hits of the fabric and broadway variety.
Performances will take place in the Julian Middle School auditorium. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets >>
Performances:
- Friday, May 9, at 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, May 10, at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
PLEASE SIGN UP TO BE A PRESENTER
Career Exploration Day is back at Julian Middle School, and we are in need of community support! The school is seeking presenters to share about their career, industry, and personal journey to students during 30-minute sessions.
The event will take place Friday, May 30, at Julian. Please consider signing up to support this amazing event or share the sign-up link with local friends and family members so we can make this an amazing event for the Julian community.
Questions? Please contact the school planning team at julianced@op97.org.
VOLUNTEER WITH THE PTO ON 5/16
**PARENT VOLUNTEERS FROM ANY GRADE LEVEL NEEDED**
A MESSAGE FROM THE JULIAN PTO....
NEW FOR 2025 - 8TH GRADE FEST!
Why a Fest?
For our previous dances this year - we’ve had a challenge as a PTO. Out of our 8th grade class of almost 320 students, only 40 or about 12% attended. For a dedicated 8th grade celebration, we wanted to see as many students as possible. So we asked!
Almost 60% of our students responded they would prefer a field day style event over a dance as something just for 8th graders!
Here’s where you come in! We’re building a planning committee to kick off this new PJMS tradition. Interested? - email us at ptojulian@gmail.com
Want to be there for the fun? You can be a six, seven or eight grade parent/guardian. Sign up to help us decorate, chaperone fun stations with games and crafts, and enjoy an afternoon celebrating our graduating Jayhawks!
Link for Signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D48AFAB28A6FF2-56333151-8thgrade#/
**Attention parents/guardians that have children registered for the 8th Grade class trip
**Make sure that you have completed the Roommate Request google form no later than noon on Monday, May 5th.
8th Grade IMPORTANT DATES
- 8th Grade Student Fest: Friday, May 16th (1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.)
- 8th Grade Springfield/St. Louis Class Trip: Sunday, May 25 - Tuesday, May 27th
- 8th Grade Device Return: Thurs., May 29th - Fri., May 30th (students turn in their chromebooks and chargers during PE/Health classes)
- 8th Grade Graduation Materials Distribution: Friday, May 30th at the end of the Career Exploration Day - graduation materials will not be handed out early on 5/30 (distribution between 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. of the graduation tickets and, if ordered, class t-shirt and cap & gown orders)
- 8th Grade Great America field trip: Monday, June 2rd (9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.)
- 8th Grade Graduation rehearsal: Tuesday, June 3rd (10:00 a.m.)
- 8th Grade Graduation Ceremony: Tuesday, June 3rd (6:30 p.m. @ Oak Park and River Forest H.S. main auditorium - MUST HAVE TICKET FOR ENTRY)
As you make travel plans for summer vacation and arrangements for out of town graduation guests:
Please let your family and friends know that the graduation ceremony for Julian will be held on Tuesday, June 3rd at 6:30pm in Oak Park and River Forest High School's auditorium:
- Each Julian student that is graduating will receive 4 tickets for the ceremony.
- The school does not have a ticket wait list or ticket exchange.
- Every person over the age of 2 years old must have a ticket to obtain entry to the OPRFHS auditorium.
- A live stream of the ceremony will be available for those that do not have tickets and/or can not attend in-person.
Dear Parents and Guardians,
In September 2024, District 97 introduced the VisitorSafe™ Visitor Management System(formerly known as the Raptor Visitor Management System) to streamline the visitor check-in process, ensuring that all visitors are properly identified and authorized before entering our schools.
As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance school safety, visitors may sign in using the Raptor Safe mobile app.
The Raptor Safe app offers a secure and convenient way for visitors to verify their identity before arriving at school. With the Raptor Passport feature, visitors can pre-verify their identity, which ensures a faster and smoother sign-in process when they arrive.
When arriving at a school, visitors can use the secure QR code generated by the app to expedite the check-in process. These QR codes regenerate every 5 minutes to maintain security and prevent misuse.
Please note, that using the Raptor Safe app to pre-verify your identity is optional. Visitors may still check in upon arrival using a government-issued ID.
The Raptor Safe app is available for all visitors across the district. To download the app, please refer to the Raptor Safe FAQ Sheet or go to https://raptortech.com/raptorsafe-app/.
If you have any questions, please contact your building principal or contact us via Let’s Talk.
Sincerely,
D97 Safety Team
ISBE State Performance Plan Indicator 8 Survey Now Open!
If your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), we highly encourage you to take the ISBE SPP Indicator 8 Survey to help guide our parent engagement efforts and provide the best possible service to our students.
Your responses through the survey play a vital role in shaping future initiatives and strengthening family-school partnerships in special education.
The survey can be completed by mail or online using the unique seven-digit survey ID enclosed in a recent letter from Measurement Inc. If you did not receive a letter from Measurement Inc., or need your seven-digit survey ID, you may request it online here.
For assistance in English or Spanish, contact Measurement Inc. at ISBEParentSurvey@MeasInc.com or (877) 881-7077. You can also reach District 97 Senior Director of Student Services Donna Middleton at dmiddleton@op97.org.
The survey is open through June 30, 2025. We value your input and thank you for your participation!
Registration for 2025-26 School Year Open for All Students
Online registration for the 2025-26 school year in District 97 is now open for all students. Complete details about the process—including residency documents, timelines and other helpful resources—are available on the district website: www.op97.org/registration.
Returning Students
Registration for returning District 97 students is open Feb. 26 through April 30, 2025. Complete details can be found at https://www.op97.org/hr/returning-student-registration.
New Students and Kindergarteners
Registration for kindergarten and new students opened Feb. 19. Please click the links below to learn more about the registration process for kindergarteners and new students.
Get Ready to Register
Visit our District 97 Registration page for everything you need to know about the process, including residency documents, timelines, and helpful resources.
Need Help? Our registration team is here for you! Reach out anytime through Let’s Talk. We look forward to supporting you through this process!
Please remember to only park in a legitimate space
Parents & Guardians,
We kindly ask that you refrain from parking outside of the painted lines of the parking spaces in the Julian staff lot. If there are no spaces available and the parking lot is full, please do not park outside of the lines or in the driveway. Just before spring break, one of the transport vans for our elderly lunchroom workers was unable to get out of the parking lot because vehicles were blocking the driveway. It was an unfortunate situation that took nearly a half hour to resolve.
If the front staff parking lot is full, please find a parking space along Ridgeland, Cuyler or Randolph. If these areas are blocked by double-parked or illegally parked cars, there is a great safety issue if an ambulance or emergency response vehicle cannot navigate our parking lot. Thank you for your understanding and your cooperation.
A Healthy Learning Environment for All
Health Reminders
We are so happy when your child can be at school on time and well enough for learning. However, keeping your child home when sick is essential to keep illness out of our schools and prevent spread to others.
*Families must report any absences due to illness or for any other reasons by calling or emailing the school attendance line (708-665-3064 or julianinfo@op97.org).
Please keep your child home if they are exhibiting signs of illness:
- Temperature of 100.0 degrees F° (37 C°)
- Your child should be fever free without medication for 24 hours before returning to school.
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Your child must stay home for a full 24 hours after their last episode of vomiting/diarrhea before returning to school
- Strep throat:
- Your child must be on an antibiotic for 24 hours before returning to school and fever free for 24 hours without medication if a fever is present.
- Swollen, red eyes that itch and are draining (possible pink-eye)
- Your child must be on an antibiotic for 24 hours before returning to school for bacterial conjunctivitis and drainage free and/or a note from the doctor.
- Uncontrolled coughing or constant “runny” nose – especially with yellow or green mucus
- However, for a mild runny/stuffy nose and mild cough it is alright to send your child to school.
- An unusual rash, a blistery rash, or a rash associated with a fever
- Your child should remain at home until you have discussed the rash with your physician and your child is not contagious (a note from your doctor may be required)
- COVID? Please see and follow the info in the link: https://www.op97.org/health-services/covid-19-guidelines
- Has symptoms that prevent them from learning:
- Very tired or lack of appetite
- Headache, body aches or earache
- Sore Throat—a minor sore throat is ok for school, but a severe sore throat could be strep throat, even if there is no fever. Other symptoms of strep throat in children are headache, stomach upset, or rash. Call your doctor if your child has these symptoms.
Food Allergies/Food Safety
Approximately 10% - 15% of students have a food allergy. The most common allergen item is nuts of any kind. Every food-allergic reaction has the possibility of developing into a life-threatening reaction within minutes. Some individuals may react to merely touching the substance, while for others, consumption of a tiny amount of that food can cause a reaction which could be fatal.
We strongly encourage packing nut-free products in your student's lunches
We strongly encourage sending nut-free products on field trips
There is NO food sharing between students at any time during school
How to identify safer foods for your children to eat:
Please read all packaging to ensure the item is not produced on equipment shared with nuts
Additional safe options may be viewed at: www.snacksafely.com
We appreciate your partnership in promoting the health and safety of our children.
FOOD DELIVERY POLICY
***District 97 employees will not sign for food deliveries for students.*** Julian students or parents/guardians should NOT have food delivered to the school through any food delivery service (i.e. DoorDash, UberEats, GrubHub, etc). Food deliveries will not be accepted during the school day. Please plan to pack a lunch or purchase a school lunch each day.***
LUNCH
Hot lunch 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 Lunchroom Manager, Ms. Venus Jones at vjones@op97.org. To make payments on student lunch accounts please visit, https://www.mymealtime.com/signin.aspx
SCHOOL FEES
Fees may be paid online at https://oakpark.revtrak.net/Middle-Schools/BMS/BMS-School-Fees/#/list
You may also pay fees in-person (with check, money order or cash only) at the Julian School Office during the week between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM.
Join the fun!
Come help Julian be an even more awesome place...all that's missing is YOU! Julian PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) meetings will be held every 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the Library Media Center:
Final meeting of the 2024-25 school year:
Wednesday, May 14
If you can't make it in person, log onto Zoom for the PTO meetings:
Every month on the Second Wed, until May 14, 2025, 9 occurrence(s)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZIqd-2grzwqH9xbM57ma8Z4koONenHwAstO/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGuqTsuEtWSsByPRpwAB4igLPzzmGZfgvpFnjKwVC1SOjmiPe1tHLdxOM_x&meetingMasterEventId=8BZCj1FGQtmhEqFKmR7G4w
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86704817058?pwd=sQ8438MQAlKe75JZ21eRBMFkOpJDza.1
Meeting ID: 867 0481 7058
Passcode: 325017
Report an absence
- Please call the attendance line at 708-665-3064 to leave a voicemail regarding your child's absence.
- Email julianinfo@op97.org if you have any questions for the school office.
- Dial 708-524-3040 to reach the Julian school office. And remember, if you plan to get your child for an early dismissal, give the school office a call 10-15 minutes prior to your arrival. This will give them time to locate your student and for your student to gather their belongings. Please, whenever possible, have your pick up done prior to 3:00 pm. Thank you for your understanding.
