April 22, 2019

Community Café Series
The next event in Superintendent Kelley's community café series will take place on Thursday, April 25, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Buzz Café (905 S. Lombard). You can access additional information about this series by visiting http://bit.ly/2QtXotc.

Parent Café
On Saturday, April 27, there will be a parent café at the main branch of the Oak Park Public Library that will also serve as the first official meeting of the Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee in D97. The event will take place from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and food and childcare will be provided. Learn more about the event >

Students in the Eco Eagles ecology club at Brooks Middle School have set a date for a community rally and school walkout, given that a permission slip has been completed, against climate change for April 22, Earth Day, at Scoville Park from 3:10-4:30 pm. They’ve named the rally The Climate Comeback and are encouraging all community members to participate.

The community rally and school walkout are inspired by Greta Thunberg, the 15-year-old activist whose school strikes have been followed by millions of students in Europe. On March 15, over a million students around the world walked out of school to protest their government’s lack of action on climate change.

The students at Brooks are inviting all students in Oak Park and River Forest to join them at Scoville Park. They will be leaving school at 3:10 to march to the park, where there will be student speakers and performers.

The Eco Eagles are also inviting all community members who care about this issue to attend the rally.

We need parent volunteers to assist with the march. Please email lstamp@op97.org if you can join us.

If your student wishes to participate, a permission slip must be completed.

For more information, email lstamp@op97.org and follow eco_eagles on Instagram.

With the year coming to a close very soon, Yearbook Team is working hard to design the 2018-2019 Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School Yearbook. We are looking to send out our design for publishing in the next couple weeks.

We have spent time documenting our sports teams, clubs, school events, and the school day this year, however, we could use your help to boost our photo archive. We want your photos!

Use the Yearbook Photo Submission form to easily send us photos. We look forward to seeing them.

P.S.: We specifically need photos for the following:

• Best Buddies
• Chess Club
• 8th Grade yearbook spread (DC trip)
• Springfield Trip
• Girls Basketball
• Track and Field
• Girls on the Rise
• Eco Eagles
• Service Club
• YEMBA
• Beautyshop
• Shopettes
• Boys Volleyball

Thank you!

Yearbook Team

Meaghan Pabellon

Marsha Turner-Reid

The service club is collecting food for the OPRF Food Pantry's Can Do Challenge.

https://www.classy.org/team/224062

We will be collecting donations between April 1st through April 30th.

Service Club is collecting travel size toiletries all year! Donations will be used to make care packages for Housing Forward. Please send any small, unopened toiletries to Ms. Walsh or Ms. Martínez. Thank you for your help!

Wednesday, May 22 @ Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School Auditorium

6:30pm - 9:00pm

• 6:30pm come visit resource tables hosted by Oak Park Community Mental Health Partners
• 7:00pm to 8:15pm Sow the Movie Angst
• 8:15pm to 9:00pm Panelist Discussion

FLYER and Link to Panelist Bios

Planning is already underway for the next school year! The PTO is committed to enriching the experience of students at Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School through supporting a positive school environment, facilitating the development of positive relationships within the community, advancing school equity initiatives, and creating an environment where all students have access to school resources and opportunities. See the positions that are available and sign up here! Email any questions to gwendolynbrookspto@gmail.com.

TreeRing, our yearbook vendor, has a new process for ordering yearbooks. You must enter a passcode and set up an account to place an order. Please use the link provided below:

https://www.treering.com/validate?PassCode=1014096931934358

If you are asked for a pass code, please use: 1014096931934358

If you or your student would like to recognize any staff member (a teacher, a teacher assistant, social worker, librarian, front office staff, lunchroom staff, custodial staff or school administrator) please take a moment to complete this form. The staff member will receive a certificate detailing the information shared through this form.

Please find information regarding the student re-do/re-take policy in our Brooks Website.

http://www.op97.org/brooks/handbook

If you're would like to see the Student Announcements that are shared with students at the top of each week, you can always find them on our Brooks Home Page by clicking on the button along the left-hand side that is entitled, "Student Announcements".

This is some information about an upcoming event hosted by Oak Park and River Forest High School’s A Place for All (APA) club. All Middle School students are invited:

1. GSA Adventure Night on Friday, May 10th from 7:00-9:30 PM. Try out our rock climbing wall, high ropes course, or just enjoy some low-key board games. Pizza provided, and the event is free! RSVP to gcolamussi@oprfhs.org if your school/group will be joining us.

WICKED tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely but profound friendship between two young women who first meet as sorcery students at Shiz University: the blonde and very popular Glinda and a misunderstood green girl named Elphaba. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences for her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West. Fun for the WHOLE FAMILY!

Performances: April 26 - May 5

PURCHASE TICKETS

Defying Gravity to Oz and Back!

BRAVO is excited to announce the upcoming all-school spring musical, Wicked, Junior! BRAVO was one of five programs in the world asked to pilot the Junior adaptation of the Broadway blockbuster Wicked, which means that the GMBS community is in for a treat! Wicked is a complicated story about two young girls: Pretty, popular Galinda and awkward, outcast Elphaba, who grow to become Glinda the Good Witch and The Wicked Witch of the West, respectively. Wicked tells of their friendship, their loves, their losses, and of social change. Its themes are relevant to middle school students and all of us as we engage in today’s complicated world. We wanted to share some of the shows themes with the Brooks community as Opening Night nears. We look forward to seeing all of you at a performance of Wicked, JR!

INCLUSION

The story opens with Elphaba, an average young girl who happens to have green skin. Elphaba is mocked, bullied and discriminated against simply because she is different. To make matters worse, the "great and powerful" Wizard of Oz endorses segregation and stereotyping of animals. Yet, it is Elphaba, alone, that stands up for the animals, and points out injustice and intolerance when she sees it.

For our middle school students, Elphaba is a relatable character. Middle schoolers want a sense of belonging, to be accepted for who they are and to feel included. Elphaba seeks a world where she can be seen for who she truly is. What does Elphaba’s courage say about her character? What does it take to be more like Elphaba?

22 BRAVO actors toured our feeder schools this week to offer a preview of Wicked JR. and share in a talk-back of the messages buried in Wicked JR. The discussion included:

1. What or who do you think the animals represent in Wicked? "Can you imagine a world where animals cannot speak?"
2. Through unconscious bias do we assume Elphaba is a bad witch by her appearance. After the seeing the story unfold, do you think Elphaba is a good witch or bad witch?
3. We are human and thus make mistakes. How, when and why did Glinda choose to be more like Elphaba?

Here are some of the messages our young audiences took away from the 30 minute version of Wicked:

Looks can be deceiving... Do not judge a book by it's cover -- Actions have consequences ... -- Rumors and gossip can be toxic and hurtful -- Animal rights are important -- Treat all people equal regardless of ethnicity, race, gender, religion, etc. -- Your appearance does not define what you are capable of and who you are authentically

The club will play on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm and end on May 22.

For more information contact Coach Gillespie at mgillespie@op97.org

Mondays

• Yearbook Club: Next meetings 4/22 in room B202 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. Here is link to the entire year meeting dates schedule. Contact Ms.Turner-Reid or Ms. Pabellon with questions mturnerreid@op97.org or mpabellon@op97.org
• Math Team: in room B204 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. Contact Mr. Sam Kahn with questions. skahn@op97.org
• ORFF: Monday mornings 8am to 8:50am in D110 Contact Mr. Carrillo with questions fcarrillo@op97.org
• Spoken Word Club: Mondays in B205 (3:30 - 5:00 pm) with Mr. Lee and resident poet Christian Robinson. Contact Mr. Lee with questions. mlee@op97.org

Tuesdays

• EcoEalges - meets from 3:30 to 4:30 pm in room C202. Contact Ms. Stamp with questions lstamp@op97.org
  
• Chess Club: meets from 3:30pm to 4:30pm in room B305. Contact Mr. Hausfeld with questions mhausfeld@op97.org
  

Wednesdays

• Best Buddies: Here is the year long calendar that can be downloaded. Contact Ms. Beauprez with questions lbeeauprez@op97.org .
• Girls on the Rise: Meets week on Wednesdays from 3:45pm to 4:45pm in room C105
• World Language Club: Every other Wednesday from 3:30 to 4:30pm in C209. Contact Mr. Lagioia with questions vlagioia@op97.org

Thursdays

• Rainbow Tribe: Contact Ms. Berman with questions aberman@op97.org
• Art Club: Thursdays in room D301 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. Contact Ms. Murray with questions. kmurray@op97.org

Fridays

• Service Club: Friday mornings from 8am to 8:50am in room B209. Contact Ms. Walsh with questions swalsh@op97.org

Email: acapuder@op97.org
Website: op97.org/brooks
Location: 325 S Kenilworth Ave, Oak Park, IL, United States
Phone: (708) 524-3050
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/108994473138309/
Twitter: @brooksop97