The Jayhawk Weekly

Dear Julian Parents and Guardians,

We are hard at work getting our new class sections and course selections finalized for the 2025-26 school year. And we need your registration information to make it accurate. If you have a Julian six or seventh grader, please make sure that you have completed the D97 registration for next school year. Registration for returning District 97 students closes on April 30, 2025! Complete details can be found at https://www.op97.org/hr/returning-student-registration. You should also have received information on course selection on Friday. Students will be working with their current elective teachers to choose courses in class prior to the May 7th deadline.

Friday, we also sent our Trimester 3 Progress Reports home by email. It has come to our attention that there was an error in the data and students' Trimester 2 grades were pulled from PowerSchool. We are working with the tech department to identify the cause of the issue and resolve it. Once the issue is resolved, we will send home the correct Progress Report information. In the meantime, the current Trimester 3 grades can be seen live by logging into PowerSchool.

As we come to the end of the year, we ask you to help us remind students of appropriate school conduct and our expectations: for example, they should not order McDonald's, Slurpees, iced coffees or Wing Stop for themselves from DoorDash, GrubHub or UberEats. We've seen an uptick recently in students trying to sneak food and beverages into the building that they ordered from food delivery services. Per school policy (see below), having children open side doors of the school to strangers is a safety concern. We have also seen students having water gun fights on the turf field before or after school. Food and drink damage the sod on the turf field. Also, toy guns of any kind, are not permitted at any time on school grounds. We are asking for your partnership to ensure this behavior is addressed immediately and collaboratively.

The end of the year brings many celebrations and field trip opportunities. The opportunities are a great privilege we love affording our students to celebrate their achievements. However, certain requirements must be met for a student to be considered eligible for participation in these excursions to ensure we are focused on our main priority and goal: a well-rounded and rigorous education. Please review these with your student (see below in the newsletter) and if you have any questions, please reach out to your child's team leader or one of the Associate Principals.

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.

• 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)

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.

• To ensure safety, students must be able to redirect behavior and follow adult directions or requests throughout the school day.

• To ensure student accountability, students should consistently demonstrate responsibility through regular class attendance and limited tardies throughout the school day.

• Student must be in good standing, in accordance to behavior expectations, as outlined in the Oak Park School District 97 Student/Family Handbook. Any student who does not adhere to the behavior expectations in the handbook may be removed from the end of year field trip/travel opportunity, even past the date of eligible refunds.

🧐LOST & FOUND:

• There are 5 pairs of prescription eyeglasses in the school office. If your child recently 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.

Please note the following modified school office hours:

• Fri., 5/9 - the school office will open at 8:30am due to a staff event so PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY closes at 4:00pm)
• Fri., 5/9 - the library media center will be closed before school
• Tues., 5/27 - the school office will 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

April 2025

Dear Julian Middle School Families,

Oak Park Elementary School District 97 is committed to creating positive learning environments that are equitable, inclusive, and focused on the whole child. An important part of this work is listening and learning from our students as to how they are experiencing the culture and climate at our schools.

District 97 is working with Panorama Education, a student survey platform, to support us in administering school culture and climate surveys to our students in grades 6-8. The purpose of the survey is for students to share their perceptions on engagement, school climate, school safety, sense of belonging, and teacher-student relationships. Students will complete the online survey in school and it will take about 10 minutes to complete. Student responses are confidential.

Survey data is used to help District 97 and school teams with continuous improvement, adjusting programs and resources to meet the needs of students and to support inclusive and safe environments for everyone in the school community. Students take this survey in the fall and in the spring.

We hope to have all students participate in our spring survey that will take place between May 5th-16th. While our goal is to have 100% participation, parents/guardians may choose to not have their child participate. If you prefer your child does not participate, please complete this opt out form by May 2 at 4 p.m. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Michele Capio, Director of UDL at mcapio@op97.org.

Sincerely,

Nick Filipowski, Principal

Percy Julian Middle School

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.

The Ninth Annual West Suburban Consortium of Academic Excellence Student Art Expo (WSCAE) is on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at the Cheney Mansion from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in Oak Park! The WSCAE Art Expo is an open house style event so please drop by at a time convenient for you. Fifteen Julian students' artwork will be on display alongside other outstanding student artists from the fifteen districts that make up the West Suburban Consortium for Academic Excellence.

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#/

****LAST CHANCE - Since there were technical difficulties with the website last week, we will extend the deadline by one more day for parents to submit SFGA or t-shirt payments!
****Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL payments and Class t-shirt orders due BY MONDAY, APRIL 28TH!

CLICK HERE: GREAT AMERICA SUPER MEGA DEAL IS ONLY $100!

We are pleased to announce that we are offering a super mega deal for the 8th Grade Celebration field trip. We will go to Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, IL on Monday, June 2nd from 9:30am - 6:30pm. For only $100, students will get admission to Great America amusement park, transportation to and from the park, lunch, a snack, and a refillable beverage cup...plus a Class of 2025 t-shirt!

1. All payments are due by April 25th (PLEASE NOTE: we will NOT extend the payment deadline. If you wish for your child to participate, payment must be received on or before 4/25. Great America must be paid in full prior to the trip date and we must have our final t-shirt order submitted by April 28th. Therefore, no refunds will be issued since each vendor must be paid in advance, prior to the SFGA field trip date.
2. IF YOU OWN A SEASON PASS to Six Flags Great America, the cost of the trip is $60 (it includes the Class of 2025 t-shirt, transportation, lunch, snack and the refillable beverage cup). Click here if you already own a valid SFGA season pass and you wish to purchase the season pass deal. **On June 2nd, if your student does not bring the season pass, they will have to pay full price admission at the gate or a parent/guardian will need to pick them up from the amusement park. If you already own a season pass, your child is responsible for bringing their valid season pass with them on the day of the field trip.
3. If your student will not attend the SFGA field trip on 6/2, but they want to order a Class of 2025 t-shirt, the cost will be $15.

We encourage all 8th grade parents/guardians & students to read the INFORMATION SHEET first before making the payment. Any students who do not abide by the rules of the amusement park and/or the D97 code of conduct will be asked to leave the amusement park. And parents/guardians will be responsible for their departure and transportation home. **No refunds will be granted for any student that is asked to leave the amusement park for any reason.

Click here to make your online payment for the Mega Deal or the Season Pass Deal via the Julian webstore.

And don't forget to complete the Permission Slip for Six Flags Great America!!

If you have questions, contact Ms. Jackson at ejackson@op97.org.

***IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY, YOU MUST SUBMIT YOUR GREAT AMERICA MEGA DEAL, SEASON PASS DEAL OR T-SHIRT ORDER/PAYMENT BY MONDAY, APRIL 28TH!!!***

• 8th Grade SFGA payment deadline: Friday, April 25th (last day to submit Great America and Class of 2025 T-shirt payments) ***SUBMIT PAYMENT BY 4/28.***

• 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)

**Make sure that you have completed the Roommate Request google form no later than noon on Monday, May 5th.

We will have the final parent meeting on Tuesday, April 29th at 6:00pm in the commons. WorldStrides will have a finalized itinerary and helpful packing tips regarding the trip. If you have not already, please make your final payment for the Springfield/St. Louis this week. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Jackson.

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.

More details regarding the graduation ceremony will be shared later this month.

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.

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

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!

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.

• Kindergarten Registration

• 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!

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.

As you may be aware, there are currently several measles outbreaks across the United States. Measles is highly contagious, particularly among school-aged children. While there are no reported cases in Illinois at this time, there has been an increase in positive cases nationwide.

The Oak Park Department of Public Health has requested that we provide the following letter (linked here), which includes important information about measles; the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine; and the 21-day quarantine period required for exposed individuals who lack immunity.

We encourage you to review the attached letter carefully. For further questions, please contact the Oak Park Department of Public Health at 708-358-5480 or email health@oak-park.us.

Additional Information:

• MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) VIS What You Need to Know (English)
• MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) VIS What You Need to Know (Current Translations)

-----------------------
Información Importante sobre el Sarampión para las Familias

Como usted sabrá, actualmente hay varios brotes de sarampión en todo Estados Unidos. El sarampión es altamente contagioso, especialmente entre los niños en edad escolar. Aunque no se han reportado casos en Illinois hasta el momento, ha habido un aumento de casos positivos a nivel nacional.

El Departamento de Salud Pública de Oak Park ha solicitado que proporcionemos la siguiente carta (enlace aquí), que incluye información importante sobre el sarampión, la vacuna contra el sarampión, las paperas y la rubéola (MMR); y el período de cuarentena de 21 días requerido para las personas expuestas que carecen de inmunidad.

Le recomendamos revisar detenidamente la carta adjunta. Si tiene más preguntas, comuníquese con el Departamento de Salud Pública de Oak Park al 708-358-5480 o envíe un correo electrónico a health@oak-park.us.

Información Adicional:

• MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) VIS What You Need to Know (English)
• MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) VIS Lo que necesitas saber (traducciones actuales)

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.

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.

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

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.

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

• 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.

Oak Park, IL 60302

708-524-3040

www.op97.org/julian