The Jayhawk Weekly

Dear Julian Parents and Guardians,

Last week, Julian started to come back to life with the joy and fun of Middle School Connections and our Welcome Night! It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces and hear about everyone's summer adventures! We have also been busy connecting with many families and welcoming new families to our school community. If you have questions about the upcoming school year, please don’t hesitate to contact our Admin team at: nfilipowski@op97.org, acourt@op97.org, dfountain@op97.org.

Thank you for all your patience this week as we have worked through our brand new master schedule and the error in our locker combination document. Our team is continually reflecting and finding ways we can improve, and we have already taken steps to ensure we have a better process. We appreciate you believing in our good intentions, and we will be the good by continuing to learn and improve.

This Wednesday is one of the most exciting days of the year! Our staff will be spending the next 2 days preparing and learning together, and then we welcome our Jayhawks into the 25-26 school year! Setting your nighttime routines and morning routines for the first day is a great way to set yourself up for success this school year! Try to set routines for ensuring materials are packed (class materials and student ID) and there's a plan to ensure phones are away for the day. Finally, remember that drop-off begins at 8:30 and students can enter the building at 8:50! Plan to be ready to go! Students arriving after 8:57 am will be marked tardy to school.

On Friday evening, we hope you will plan to join us for our Back to School Party. Join us for music, games, and community. Please also mark your calendars for our Curriculum Night on Thursday, 9/11. Here's to an amazing year ahead!

Jayhawks together,

Nick Filipowski

Principal

Our front office handles attendance, transportation inquiries, and keeps our building running smoothly!

Our Student Success Coaches manage 504 plans as well as support students with their academic and executive functioning needs. Our Student Support Specialist will be helping students with self-regulation and supporting reteaching of expectations.

Our social workers help students with their social and emotional needs and regulation.

Team Leaders are a great first contact if you are not sure what teacher you want to talk to or have a more global academic concern or question about your child.

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.

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)

Need a new Julian t-shirt, hat or tote bag to show your school spirit? Then check out 1stPlace SpiritWear...they have a great back to school sale going on now. There's FREE SHIPPING on orders over $75! So take advantage of 25% off plus a portion of the sale will be donated to Julian Middle School! Check out their sale today.

This year's Jayhawk Reminders is now live on our website. Don't miss the comings and goings, catch the reminder!

Your child’s schedule were emailed home on Wednesday, August 13th. All requested courses were considered and assigned whenever available. And remember, if your student’s registration hasn’t been fully completed, including uploading all documents, we will not be able to send your student’s schedule at this time.

Navigating the schedule can be confusing at first. Here's a quick guide to how to read about your classes.

School begins promptly at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. Students will now have 7 class periods per school day.

• Here is the new Bell Schedule for 2025-26. Please note the lunch and WIN class period for your child's grade level.

I will be sending weekly school communications on Sundays this school year. You can find past Jayhawk Weeklys on our website. The next Jayhawk Weekly will be shared on Sunday, August 24th.

On Wednesday, August 20th, students will attend school from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM. On the first day of school, all students should report to their arrival entrance locations (see below) prior to 8:50 am. At 8:50 am, students will head to their lockers and then to their 1st period class.

WIN teachers will collect shared school supplies during WIN time, so students should place those in their lockers at the start of the day. Teachers will be in the hallways to assist students with their lockers and guide them to where they need to be.

Students should arrive at their designated entrance (see below) by 8:50 am. Starting after Labor Day, Students who arrive after 8:56 am should enter the main entrance at Ridgeland Ave and check in to the main office to receive a tardy pass to their first class. Pick-up and drop-off procedures are located here.

• All 6th graders should line up to enter the building at the entrance near the turf field

• All 7th graders should line up to enter the building at the entrance on Washington

• All 8th graders should line up to enter the building at the main entrance on Ridgeland

Research shows that attendance matters! Attendance includes being on time to have a successful day and ready to learn. Please talk as a family about your nighttime and morning routines to support on-time arrival to school. Please be sure students are arriving daily by 8:50 am. Students arriving after 8:57 am will receive a tardy for the day.

DROP INSTRUCTIONS: ALL PARENTS/GUARDIANS should be dropping students off on Ridgeland Ave and then have their child exit on the passenger side of the car and then walk to their designated line-up location (see above). Please refrain from pulling into the staff parking lot, as it is hazardous with multiple cars in motion, as well as staff members driving in for work. This is a safety and security concern, so we thank you in advance for your cooperation.

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, Venus Jones at vjones@op97.org. To make payments on student lunch accounts please visit, https://www.mymealtime.com/signin.aspx

***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 pack a lunch or purchase a school lunch each day.***

1. PTO Friday - Firehouse Subs/Domino’s Lunch Options will be available.
2. CAST Thursday - Buona Beef/Domino’s Lunch Options will be available.

Ordering information for these lunch options will be shared separately by the CAST Theater program and the Julian PTO, as they are both fundraising programs for each organization. PLEASE NOTE: The school office does not collect payments for either fundraising program. You must contact CAST or the Julian PTO directly if you have questions or wish to sign up. They will communicate details soon, so be sure to check your email for more info.

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 for 2025-26 (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:

While some of these expectations and procedures were in place in our middle schools before the pandemic, we understand that changes around phones, backpacks and lockers may be new for some. We’re committed to helping students adjust to these expectations both before the school year starts and throughout the year, but we need your support and partnership to make the transition as smooth as possible.

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.

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:

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 will not be utilizing PE locker rooms or PE Uniforms. Students will need to wear gym shoes and clothing that would permit participation in PE on the days they are scheduled for PE. Please be sure your student wears appropriate footwear and clothing on the days they are scheduled to attend PE class.

Incoming 6th-grade students and/or any new students who have transferred into District 97, MUST have a wellness physical and dental exam dated within one year prior to August 20th, 2025. Your child's physical must have been performed after August 20, 2024. Your child may not be admitted to school without these documents. 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 – The State of Illinois Office of Education requires that any student who wishes to participate in interscholastic sports MUST have an Athletic Physical Examination, dated within one year prior to August 22nd, 2025. It is MANDATORY that your child have this physical before they will be eligible to try out or participate in any interscholastic activity. To access student health forms please visit http://www.op97.org/hr/health-requirements

Please submit the appropriate document by mail or in person no later than September 2, 2025 to the following:

Percy Julian Middle School

Attn: Health Office

416 S. Ridgeland Ave

Oak Park, IL 60302

Math accelerations' letters have been emailed to families whose students participated in any of the acceleration pathways. Your student’s schedule will reflect the needed math class.

Please use our School supply list to get the needed supplies for the upcoming school year.

THE ONLINE OPTION IS NOW AVAILABLE!

(Fees may be paid online at the Julian webstore).

Starting Monday, August 11th, 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. We accept only cash (exact change please) and checks (made payable to District 97) at the school office.

• First Day of School: Wednesday, August 20th from 9:00am to 3:30pm
• Back to School party: Friday, August 22nd from 5:00pm to 7:00pm
• No School: Monday, September 1st, 2025 (Labor Day)
• Curriculum Night: Thursday, September 11th from 5:30pm to 8:00pm
• No School: Thursday, October 2nd, 2025
• No School: Monday, October 13th, 2025
• Family/Teacher Conferences: Thursday, October 23rd through Friday, October 24th, 2025 (PLEASE NOTE: NO SCHOOL for students on 10/24)
• End of Trimester 1: Friday, November 14th

416 S. Ridgeland Ave.

Oak Park, IL 60302

708-524-3040

www.op97.org/julian