The Jayhawk Weekly

Dear Julian Parents and Guardians,

We hope you are all enjoying the beautiful weather we have had this Labor Day weekend! Classes will resume tomorrow, Tuesday, September 8th. This week, we will conclude STAR assessments. If your student(s) missed any of their STAR testing, our team will be doing makeups on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Their 1st period teacher will send them to their makeup testing location to complete the assessment(s).

It's hard to believe that we are already through the first 8 days of school! We had a blast in August, so we know September is going to be great! We look forward to seeing families this week, on Wednesday evening for Curriculum Night. We will begin promptly at 5:30 pm on 9/9 in the auditorium. Please bring your student's class schedule with you so that you may greet their teachers and walk through their schedule in the proper order. Here is a link to the message sent to all families regarding Curriculum Night last week.

If you have questions about the school year, please don’t hesitate to contact our Admin team at:

nfilipowski@op97.org, acourt@op97.org, dfountain@op97.org

Jayhawks together,

Nick Filipowski, Principal

Adrienne Court, Associate Principal

DaWanda Fountain-Dotson, Associate Principal

As we continue throughout the school year, we’re asking for your support in reminding your students to wear their school ID every day.

Wearing school IDs is important for identification and safety purposes. It helps our staff quickly recognize students and supports a secure environment throughout the day. We can also use your help in ensuring that students charge their Chromebooks each night. We have heard from many families that a 'charging station' that is away from their student(s)' room. This helps students ensure tech is put away for the evening and supports positive sleeping habits, as well as helping to have devices ready when needed.

Thank you for your partnership and for helping us reinforce these expectations at home. If you have any questions or need assistance with student IDs or Chromebooks, please contact the school office.

Renaissance Star assessment is a computerized adaptive test given to students in grades K-8 that measures a child's academic growth from season to season and year to year in the areas of mathematics, reading, and language usage. In the Star system, the difficulty of the test is adjusted to the student's performance. The difficulty of each question is based on how well the student has answered all of the questions up to that point. As the student answers correctly, the questions become more difficult. If the student answers incorrectly, the questions become easier.

In grades 6 through 8, STAR assessments shift away from foundational skill checks and focus heavily on complex comprehension, multi-step problem solving, and preparation for high school coursework.

What Middle Schoolers Take

• STAR Reading: Focuses on literary analysis, understanding complex informational texts, evaluating arguments, determining author bias, and advanced vocabulary in context.

• STAR Math: Focuses on middle school standards such as ratios, proportions, pre-algebra concepts, basic geometry, data analysis, and multi-step word problems.

This year, the Core Instruction Department is partnering with the 6–8 Math Department, including sixth through eighth grade teachers at Brooks and Julian to review several comprehensive mathematics resources that are standards-aligned and support evidence-based Tier 1 instruction in Math 6, Math 7, and Math 8.

As part of this process, the department will select two mathematics resources in April to pilot during the 2027–28 school year. Following the pilot, a recommendation will be made to the Board of Education for a potential districtwide adoption beginning in 2028–29.

We want to hear from you! Families are an important part of this process, and we invite all District 97 families with students in Grades 6–8 to complete a brief survey about their student’s mathematics experiences. The survey is also an opportunity to share your hopes for a comprehensive mathematics resource that supports your student’s strengths, needs, and goals.

Survey dates: Friday, September 11 – Friday, September 25, 2026

[Click here to participate in the survey]

Thank you for sharing your perspective and partnering with us as we work to identify high-quality mathematics resources for our students.

Oak Park D97 students are encouraged to participate in extracurricular programs and clubs offered at their school. All students must have a permission form on file before participating in any school extracurricular programs or clubs. Please review the program/club with your student before completing and submitting this form. A separate form should be completed for each club a student attends.

Now that school is back in session, students are back on the streets and sidewalks traveling to and from school. While e-bikes, e-scooters and other e-rides have become increasingly popular, the Village of Oak Park Public Health Department has a few reminders, guidelines and tips for middle school parents to encourage safe travel.

• The minimum legal age for e-rides: 15 years old. This means the vast majority of middle schoolers cannot legally operate an e-ride in Oak Park. For more on e-rides, the law, and safety, visit the Village's e-ride webpage.
  
• Alternatives to dropping off students via car if they are not eligible to take the bus:
  • Walk with friends and classmates: Choose a common meeting spot or create a route where you can pick up friends along the way. While crossing guards are stationed throughout the community, make sure students also know to be alert and aware of cars, bikes and other vehicles any time they cross any street.
  • Bike to school:
    1. Protect your head! Get a well-fitted helmet for all bike riders in the family and encourage consistent wear every time, every ride.
    2. Choose a route: check out Neighborhood Greenways and bike lanes in the Village. Remember no one can ride on sidewalks in Oak Park business districts, but cyclists 14 years and younger can ride on sidewalks anywhere else in the Village.
    3. Brush up on rules of the road. Click here for safety tips for kids from Ride Illinois.
       
• Reminders for drivers. Every one of us has a role in road safety and reducing the number and severity of accidents, drivers included. What can drivers do to ensure walkers and bikers are safe?
  • Obey school zone speed limits
  • Stop for crossing guards and pedestrians
  • Avoid distracted driving
  • Never pass a vehicle stopped for children crossing the street

A few extra seconds of caution can help ensure every student arrives safely at school and back home each day.

***PLEASE NOTE: students or parents/guardians may NOT have food delivered to the school through any food delivery service (i.e. DoorDash, UberEats, GrubHub, etc). DELIVERIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. Please plan to have your child pack a lunch or purchase a school lunch with their student ID (it will be charged to their MealTime account) each day.***

***With over 950 students at Julian, it can quickly get overwhelming if parents/guardians wish to purchase a special lunch for their students' birthdays, sporting event championships, A+ on a test, etc. We hope you will consider celebrating with food after school and not during the school day. We thank you in advance for your consideration and your understanding.***

Take advantage of the discounts and break on the shipping cost!

Check out 1stPlace SpiritWear! Do some early holiday shopping for your Jayhawk and even grandma & grandpa...they have an exciting variety of items for the whole family!! Plus, get up to 35% off sitewide on all long sleeved t-shirts, mugs, hoodies, drawstring bags, caps...and more! Get FREE shipping on orders over $85.😍

And remember, a percentage of your purchase gets donated directly to the school!

Families should review this information and expectations with their 8th grade student:

• 2027 Graduation Ceremony - please mark your calendar: The Julian 8th Grade Graduation ceremony will be on Tuesday, June 8 at 6:30pm in the Oak Park and River Forest High School auditorium. This ceremony will be live streamed (all in-person attendees over the age of 2yrs old must have a ticket to enter). We will release the live streamed link in the Spring, so that you can share it with family and friends that are unable to attend the ceremony in-person.

• Cap and Gown Orders - Forms were shared with students in their 8th grade WIN classes last month. Please be sure to fill out the order forms and return the envelopes with payment (check or cash). An online payment option is now available on the Julian webstore. We ask that you make your order/payment for the cap, gown and 2027 tassel no later than Friday, October 30th. **If you plan to have your child wear a sibling's old cap and gown, please be sure to check the size and length of the gown (caps are "one size fits all"), as well as the condition of the gown (no stains, no holes, no snags, etc.).**

• Prepared Daily for the Learning Environment - every student should come to school with their school ID and a fully charged Chromebook. As we continue throughout the school year, we’re asking for your support in reminding your 8th grade students to wear their school ID every day. Wearing school IDs is important for identification and safety purposes. It helps our staff quickly recognize students and supports a secure environment throughout the school day. Replacement IDs can be purchased in the school office for $1. We hope for our 8th graders to be leaders and role models for our younger students!

Thank you for your partnership and for helping us reinforce this expectation at home. If you have any questions or need assistance with student IDs, please contact the school office.

Our front office handles attendance, transportation inquiries, and so much more in order to keep our building running smoothly! Here's a brief description of responsibilities:

Ms. Craig - Student attendance, classroom substitutes, announcements, locker repairs, locks, locker assignments, student IDs, record requests, teacher supplies, admin team and student support, etc.

Ms. Euring - Field trip payments, classroom supplies, record requests, school IDs, admin team and student support, etc.

Ms. Johnson - Guest/Visitor check-in, office calls, supports student attendance tracking, school IDs, special projects, admin team and student support, etc.

Ms. Jackson - Building usage requests, School Fees, Cap & Gown orders/payments, class schedule corrections (please contact an administrator for any schedule adjustments due to IEPs & 504s, etc.), Free and Reduced Lunch applications, student work permits, as well as supports Principal Filipowski & Julian staff.

The standard school office hours are 8:00am - 4:00pm daily. If your child is going to be absent from school, please notify the office prior to 9:00 a.m. by calling the attendance line at (708) 665-3064 or emailing julianinfo@op97.org. The school office direct number is 708-524-3040.

ince we are off school on Monday, Garden Club will meet before school in the courtyard -- that's 8AM, Tuesday September 8 behind the school. See you there!

Ms. Strauss & Ms. Winchell

Julian Library before & after school

Students are welcome to use the library for studying, reading, or relaxing this school year!

• BEFORE SCHOOL: 8:00-8:50 AM Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (not on Wednesdays!)

Students can enter the front door starting at 7:57 AM & will be dismissed to their lockers.

• AFTER SCHOOL: 3:30-4:30 PM Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (not on Fridays!)

Jamie Winchell

Teacher Librarian | Percy Julian Middle School

EIGHTH GRADE TEAM

Open Gym

Thursday, September 10- 7:15- 8:40 AM

Friday, September 11- 7:15- 8:40 AM

Tryouts

Monday, September 14- 7:15- 8:40 AM

Tuesday, September 15- 7:15- 8:40 AM

Open Gym

Thursday, September 10- 3:30- 5:00 PM

Friday, September 11- 3:30- 5:00 PM

Tryouts

Monday, September 14- 3:30- 5:00 PM

Tuesday, September 15- 3:30- 5:00 PM

If you have any questions, please contact Coach Kannan at akannan@op97.org.

Join the revamped and fired up Julian Jayhawk Spirit Team! We will lead heritage month celebrations, rep our school at annual events and so much more! See Coach Mundine for more info or email him at pmundine@op97.org for more details.

Do you like fashion, music and the arts in general? Well there's a new club in town (starting in the fall) and it might just be for you! Contact Ms. Marie at mjones@op97.org for more club details.

The club will have two sessions, with a student showcase at the end of each session:

Session 1: September–December 2026 (Start Date: Monday, September 14, 2026)

Session 2: March–May 2027

The club will meet consistently on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:45–5:15 p.m. in Room B202.

CALL FOR MAGAZINES: We are looking for new or gently used magazines related to fashion, design, photography, spoken word, art, music, and culture. Magazines and other appropriate creative materials can be dropped off in the front office and labeled:

Marie Jones – Sound 2 Style Design Club

Who Can Participate in the Pre-Season Cross Country Camp?

Any incoming or returning Julian student can join, regardless of whether they plan to join Cross Country during the school year. It's open to all students interested in exploring the sport, improving fitness, or enjoying outdoor activities with peers.

Additional details: While daily attendance is not mandatory, we highly encourage participation as it will help students prepare for the upcoming Cross Country season. Whether your child is new to the sport or a seasoned athlete, this camp offers a fantastic opportunity to enhance skills, build endurance, and foster teamwork.

Official Season Kickoff - JULIAN

Regular Practice Schedule:

● After-school practices: Monday & Tuesday (3:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

● Morning practices: Thursday & Friday (7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.)

● NO PRACTICE ON WEDNESDAYS

All practices start on the Julian turf field/back field. Athletes should come prepared to run and remember to bring water for every practice!

Forms Required:

Ensure your child has the following ready:

● Up-to-date IESA Sports Physical form or the IL Physical Exam form (with the interscholastic sports box checked; see more details on our Cross Country Website.)

● 2026 Athlete Survey (survey coming in August!)

Contact Information:

*For any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to Coach Tysse at ktysse@op97.org or Coach Talarico at mtalarico@op97.org.

Looking forward to an awesome season ahead!

The VEX Robotics program at Julian is a collaboration with D97 and the Oak Park Education Network (OPEN). For the 2026-27 school year we will be offering the following programs:

FALL HOUSE LEAGUE:

This program is designed to give students an opportunity to "try out" robotics and see if it is for them. Students will work with a kit of materials in small groups and build a "clawbot" and test out coding techniques to play the game "OverDrive."

Both new and experienced students can participate.

Fall House League Runs from Sept 10th-Oct 8th. Meetings will be on Monday & Thursday from 3:30-5pm.

COMPETITIVE ROBOTICS TEAM:

For students who enjoyed the "House League" experience and crave more, we offer the Competitive Robotics Teams which will travel to compete against other schools in the area.

Participation will be selective. Teams will be set by the coaches based on what they observed during the house league sessions. We are looking for key traits: grit; approach to task; cooperative and collaborative teaming, consistent attendance and stewardship of the supplies.

All interested students need to

Click here to apply. (Application due by Oct 6st)

Meetings will be on:

Mondays: 3:30-5pm

Thursdays: 3:30-5pm

Fridays: 7:45-8:55am

+ Saturday competitions & extra meetings as needed.

Students are expected to attend 2 of the 3 practices each week. (See calendar for exact dates)

The competitive season runs from the end of October till the beginning of March.

SPRING HOUSE LEAGUE

If the fall schedule does not work for you, we will be running the House League program again right after spring break. The meeting days and times will be posted in March.

Students who are interested in being on the competitive team for 2026-27 next year should use this program to gain experience.

Hot lunch will be available to students who wish to participate and have a funded or approved lunch account, starting the first day of school. If you have questions regarding your student's lunch balance, you may contact the Lunch Manager, Cornelia Mack at cmack@op97.org. To make payments on student lunch accounts please visit, https://www.mymealtime.com/signin.aspx

Breakfast and Lunch Menus

Menus for our elementary and middle schools are available on our Food Services webpage. During the 2026-27 school year, students may:

• Bring a nut-free lunch from home

• Order school lunch
  

My MealTime

Breakfast and lunch payments are processed electronically through your student's My MealTime account. To set up an account and add funds, visit My MealTime. You may elect to sign up for scheduled deposits and/or low-balance alerts. You may also view transaction reports. Please note you will need your student's ID number for registration.

Free and Reduced Lunch Application

All students are required to pay for their breakfast and lunch meals unless they are directly approved by the State of Illinois or approved after completing the 2026-27 Free and Reduced Lunch Application (English/Spanish). We encourage all families who currently qualify to complete the application as soon as possible. Please visit our Food Services webpage for more information.

Food Allergies/Nut-Safe Schools

Nuts and nut products are not allowed in any District 97 schools. This includes products labeled “processed in a facility that shares equipment with nut products.” Our schools have been nut-safe for the past two years — helping to create safer, more inclusive environments for all of our students.

Please visit https://bit.ly/4xFtS83 to access information about the district’s food allergy management program, as well as tips and options for identifying food that is safe for snacks and field trips. We appreciate your support of this important initiative!

Our school-wide expectations reflect our commitment to positive, evidence-based practices that support students’ academic, social, emotional and behavioral success. Administrators, teachers and staff play a crucial role in this supportive process, and we believe that clear and consistent adult practices will create a middle school learning environment where every student can succeed.

Key Links:

• School-Wide Behavior Expectations (one-page overview in English and Spanish)

• Frequently Asked Questions - Created by the middle school team with the goal of being clear about expectations and answering some common questions before the school year starts.

Supporting Our Students:

We’ll introduce the expectations to sixth-graders during District 97 Middle School Connection and to seventh- and eighth-graders (and any sixth-graders who are unable to attend District 97 Middle School Connection) at our middle school welcome nights. In the first two weeks of school, and again at the start of Trimesters 2 and 3, teachers will review these expectations during advisory. We'll celebrate when students meet expectations and provide reminders and extra support to foster independence to ensure everyone feels confident and successful.

When students do not meet expectations, a staff member may record a Behavior Incident Report (BIR). A BIR is simply a record of the unmet expectation. As outlined in our student handbook, level 1 or 2 behaviors may be recorded as a minor BIR. When a student has 2 minor BIRs, a teacher will meet with them for a remediation session to reflect on their behavior, relearn expectations, and make a plan for future success. The teacher will share this with the parents/guardians after the remediation session. Each trimester is a fresh start for our students!

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.

• Nuts and nut products are not allowed in any of our schools. This includes products that are labeled “processed in a facility that shares equipment with nut products.”

• There is NO food sharing between students at any time during school.
  

• There is NO eating or drinking on school buses.

How to identify safer foods for your children to eat:

1. Please read all packaging to ensure the item is not produced on equipment shared with nuts

2. Additional safe options may be viewed at: www.snacksafely.com

We appreciate your partnership in promoting the health and safety of our children.

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 - Sergio Torres (storres@op97.org)

• 7th Grade - Becca Murray (rmurray@op97.org)

• 8th grade - Kasey Fleming (kfleming@op97.org)

Distribution of information by a community group in accordance with District 97 policy does not imply, directly or indirectly, that the group's program(s), event(s) and/or service(s) is sanctioned, sponsored or endorsed by the district, the Board of Education or the superintendent.

I’m excited to share that Boys and Girls on the Rise will be returning to Julian this school year on Fridays during WIN periods, beginning Friday, October 2nd.

We are especially excited because, for the first time, Boys on the Rise will be offered to all three grade levels 6th, 7th, and 8th grade! We are looking forward to creating a space where our students can build confidence, strengthen relationships, develop leadership skills, and have real conversations about the things they are experiencing as they grow.

With programming about a month away, we would greatly appreciate your help spreading the word. If possible, please share the attached Boys and Girls on the Rise flyers and registration information with your students and families who may be interested.

• Families are welcome to reach out to me directly with any questions about the program or registration. Register Here:

Boys on the Rise 26/27

Girls on the Rise 26/27

Thank you for continuing to support Boys and Girls on the Rise. We are excited to be back and are looking forward to another great year!

Best,

Dominique Hickman, M.S

Assistant Director

Youth and Family Services

Oak Park River Forest Township

Office: (708) 445-2727

OAKPARKTOWNSHIP.ORG

Distribution of information by a community group in accordance with District 97 policy does not imply, directly or indirectly, that the group's program(s), event(s) and/or service(s) is sanctioned, sponsored or endorsed by the district, the Board of Education or the superintendent.

The trip will be May 5-8th. Please visit the website www.oakpark4dc.org for more information about this trip and to contact the organizers. Those interested should please complete this survey.

Distribution of information by a community group in accordance with District 97 policy does not imply, directly or indirectly, that the group's program(s), event(s) and/or service(s) is sanctioned, sponsored or endorsed by the district, the Board of Education or the superintendent.

Distribution of information by a community group in accordance with District 97 policy does not imply, directly or indirectly, that the group's program(s), event(s) and/or service(s) is sanctioned, sponsored or endorsed by the district, the Board of Education or the superintendent.

Please use our Julian School Supply List to get the needed supplies for the upcoming school year. For your convenience, school supplies are listed by grade level and course subject.

THE ONLINE OPTION IS NOW AVAILABLE!

Fees may be paid online at https://oakpark.revtrak.net/Middle-Schools/JMS/julian-school-fees/

You may pay fees in person at the Julian school office during the week between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Debit/credit card payments can only be processed online or at the district office (at 260 Madison Street), not in the Julian school office. The school office can only accept cash (exact change please) or check (made payable to District 97) payments.

• Labor Day: Monday, September 7th (District 97 Closed)
• Curriculum Night: Wednesday, September 9th from 5:30pm to 8:00pm
• No School: Monday, September 21st (District 97 Closed)
• Indigenous Peoples Day/No School: Monday, October 12th (District 97 Closed)
• Student-Family Conferences: Thursday, October 22nd through Friday, October 23rd

***(Full day of classes on 10/22/No school for students on 10/23)***

• • End of Trimester 1: Friday, November 20th

Oak Park, IL 60302

708-524-3040

www.op97.org/julian