The Jayhawk Weekly

Happy New Year, Julian Parents & Guardians!!

We hope you enjoyed a pleasant winter break and had time to enjoy family and some cheer! We are excited for the New Year and the new possibilities that lie ahead this school year! A friendly reminder that there is no school on Monday. Students will return on Tuesday, January 7th (B Day), and classes begin promptly at 9:00 am. Please help us ensure your student(s)'s success by having them arrive by 8:50 am every morning. On-time arrival is a key indicator of student success!

We ask that you do a check-in with your Jayhawk as we reset in the New Year! We will be having a 'Welcome Back Week' for students to reengage in our School-wide Expectations. During Advisory, teachers will lead activities around the school-wide expectations to help remind and reteach our students of what it looks like, sounds like, and feels like to be safe, respectful, and responsible. Your partnership is greatly appreciated in ensuring these expectations are clear for your students. If you ever need to contact your child during the day, please don't hesitate to call the office so we can get a message to your child. This helps our students with our Away for the Day cell phone expectation.

The New Year might also be a great time to clean out your Jayhawk's backpack and reestablish routines for charging their Chromebook each night and packing their backpack with all the necessary supplies each morning. Here is a link to some tips and tricks from the National PTA about morning routines!

In this week's newsletter, we have information for several upcoming meetings that you might find useful for your family. There are many supports available, and we hope you take advantage of them!

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or ideas, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Jayhawks together,

Nick Filipowski

Principal, Percy Julian M.S.

Hey, Jayhawks! Are you ready to be part of something AMAZING? CAST at Julian’s Winter Auditions are just around the corner—happening on January 8th at 3:30 PM in the Julian Auditorium!

Whether you’re dreaming of taking the stage, working behind the scenes, or just trying something new, CAST is the perfect place to express yourself, meet incredible people, and be part of a welcoming and creative community. We’ve got a spot just for YOU!

✨ Why join CAST?

- Make new friends who share your passion.

- Get hands-on experience in acting, tech, and more.

- Be part of shows that will leave a lasting impression.

Don’t miss this chance to be part of our winter productions—it’s your time to shine! 💫

Learn more at castatjulian.org, email Cory Marshall (CAST Program Manager) at cmarshall@op97.org, or give us a call at (708) 524-7848. We can’t wait to see you there! 😊

We are excited to share that the registration portal is now open for the eighth-grade trip to St. Louis/Springfield, which will take place from Sunday, May 25 to Tuesday, May 27! Below, you’ll find all the details you need to register your student, submit the deposit, and prepare for the trip.

Key Deadlines and Payment Details:

1. Registration and Deposit: Complete your registration and submit a $100 deposit by Friday, January 17, 2025.
2. Final Payment: The remaining balance of $599.00 is due by Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

How to Register and Submit Your Deposit:

1. Click here to visit the registration portal.
2. Enter your email address and create a free account.
3. Use the Tour Web Code: T6ED2P3
4. Follow the prompts to complete your student’s registration.
5. Submit the $100 deposit to secure your student’s spot.

**If financial assistance is needed, please contact Ms. Jackson at 708-524-7512 or at ejackson@op97.org BEFORE registering to see if you qualify.

If you have any questions or concerns about registration or payments, feel free to reach out to Julian Executive Coordinator Echelon Jackson at ejackson@op97.org. We are happy to assist you and ensure all families have access to the information they need.

Thank you for your attention to these deadlines and your support as we prepare for this memorable experience for our eighth-grade students!

Sincerely,
The 8th Grade Trip Planning Team

Check out Oak Park and River Forest High School's website for the most up-to-date news that current 8th Grade Julian students will need to prep for their next academic environment.

The D97 Special Education Parent Support Group is now meeting monthly, and we would love for you to join us! Meetings will take place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Community Room at Whittier Elementary School, 715 N. Harvey Ave., on the following dates:

• Jan. 13, 2025

• Feb. 24, 2025

• April 28, 2025

• May 12, 2025

Childcare will be provided. We hope to see you there!

District 97 believes that all students should be challenged and supported to develop to their maximum potential. For students who demonstrate they may benefit from accelerated placement, we provide opportunities to participate in an instructional setting that is usually reserved for students who are older or in higher grades than the child. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Early entrance to kindergarten or first grade

• Single subject acceleration

• Whole grade acceleration

For families interested in District 97's Accelerated Placement Program, we invite you to attend one of our family information sessions (details below), which will provide an avenue for families to share questions as well as receive information about the acceleration process and the upcoming application/referral windows (Feb. 1 through April 1 for early entrance; March 1 through April 25 for acceleration).

In 2025, District 97 will continue to offer Access to Algebra (formerly known as Math Enrichment) for students in grades 5 through 7 who are not currently accelerated.

Families should save the date for our family information session on Wednesday, January 15th, if their student is interested in participating in these courses. We will be meeting from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Brooks Middle School.

Click here to view the event flyer >>

Registration information and additional details about this program will be shared with families in January 2025.

We are in the process of updating our website to reflect this year's dates and any new changes.

Join District 97 for an Accelerated Learning Family Information Night on Wednesday, January 22nd from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Julian Middle School. The session will include a presentation that outlines the process and requirements for single-subject and whole-grade acceleration (Grades K-8).

Click here to view the event flyer >>

We are in the process of updating our websites to reflect this year's dates and any new changes.

For families who are seeking early admission to kindergarten or first grade, the district will be hosting a Family Information session on Wednesday, January 29th, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m, at the D97 Administration Building. The session will include a presentation that outlines the process and requirements for early admission to kindergarten or first grade.

Click here to view the event flyer >>

We are in the process of updating our websites to reflect this year's dates and any new changes.

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION FOR OPYBS

Take advantage of OPYBS early bird rates thru 1/5/25 to save up to $50 for our spring tball, baseball and softball leagues. We offer leagues for kindergarten through 8th/9th grade. It's never too late to play baseball or softball. All levels welcome.

Questions? Email Megan Elsener, meganelsener@gmail.com

Parents and Guardians,

This is a friendly reminder about the Middle School Cell Phone policy. We are "Away for the Day" which means students should not use their cell phones from 9:00am - 3:30pm. If there is an emergency, students can call home from a teacher's classroom phone or the school office. If a student is feeling unwell, they can get a pass from their classroom teacher, and call home from the school nurse's office.

If a student is caught using their cell phone/electronic device during instruction time or caught using their device while school is in session for unrelated curriculum activities, then the following occurs:

• 1ST OFFENSE: The device is sent down to the school office by a staff member and the student must retrieve the device at the end of the school day.
• 2ND OFFENSE: The device is sent down to the school office by a staff member and parents/guardians are notified. The student will be able to retrieve the device at the end of the school day.

• 3RD OFFENSE: The device is sent down to the school office by a staff member and parents/guardians are notified. A parent/guardian/caregiver must then come to the school to pick up the device, it will not be released to the student. The parent/guardian/caregiver must also meet with an administrator or student success coach to decide one of two options:

OR

2) The student will leave the device at home and no longer bring the cell phone to school for the remainder of the trimester.

Thank you for your efforts to help us all make school a place of academics and social emotional learning.

• 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.

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:

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

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

• PTO Executive Board Meeting: Wednesday, January 8th
• Dr. King Holiday: Monday, January 20th (District 97 Closed/NO SCHOOL)
• Family/Teacher Conferences: Thursday, February 13th (Full day of classes)
• Family/Teacher Conferences: Friday, February 14th (No School for students)
• Presidents Day: Monday, February 17th (District 97 Closed/NO SCHOOL)
• Institute Day: Monday, March 3rd (No School for students)
• Spring Break: March 24 - March 28 (NO SCHOOL)
• Institute Day: Tuesday, April 1st (No School for students)
• District Closed: Friday, April 18th (District 97 Closed/NO SCHOOL)
• 8th Grade Class Trip: Sunday, May 25 - 27, 2025
• 8th Grade Graduation: Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Oak Park, IL 60302

708-524-3040 School office

708-665-3064 Attendance line

www.op97.org/julian