Middle Matters Remote Learning

Highlights from this week's Middle Matters:

• Important Upcoming Dates
• PTO Gift Distribution to all Students on February 20th
• Trimester 3 Hybrid Selection
• Parent Teacher Conferences
• Remote Learning .5 Day Schedule for 2/25 and 2/26
• Illinois 5Essentials Survey
  
• Zoom Picture Day
• 7th Grade - Washington D.C. Trip opportunity for February 2022 Information Sessions
• Brooks Students Help Declare 2021 'The Year of the Butterfly' in Oak Park
  
• Tuesday 2/16 is B day for 6th and 7th Grade Students & 8th Grade Hybrid Week from 2/16 through 2/18.
• 8th Graders - Smiles, Laughs, And Pictures to Share
  
• Middle School Hybrid Week Information
• Crisis Go Health Certification
• When to Stay Home From School
• Keep D97 Safe: Please Avoid Non-Essential Travel
  
• Winter Weather Reminders
• Remote Learning Requests
• Student Attendance - Trimester 2: How to Report Student Absences
• 8th Grade Graduation Packet
• D97 to Host Virtual Parent-to-Parent Circle Series
  
• Yearbook All Call
  
• GBMS Yearbook Information
  
• Check out... What's happening in the Brooks Library
  
• Middle School Virtual Clubs Starting Days & Times & BRAVO Information
• Technology Support: helpdesk@op97.org
• In case you missed it: items from previous Middle Matters (see below)
• District Information Highlights
• Community Highlights

In case you missed it:

• Rise Up Animation Virtual Field Trip
• A Greater Good Foundation
• STARS Program
• Morning Virtual Homework Support
• GBMS Remote & Hybrid Learning Webpage (include A/B Day calendar)
• School Immunization and Physical Information

If you have questions about the upcoming school year, please don’t hesitate to contact me at acapuder@op97.org. You can also contact my Executive Coordinator, Ms. Tasha Guerino, at tguerino@op97.org or (708) 524-7636.

Our administrative team is also available to help answer your questions.

Angelica Love Curriculum & Instruction AP (6th grade, Teams 7.1 & 7.2) alove@op97.org

Antione Bland Curriculum & Instruction AP (8th grade, Teams 7.3) abland@op97.org

Stacie Klein Culture & Climate AP sklein@op97.org

• Feb 15 - Presidents Day - No Student Attendance
• Feb 16 - Sign-up Genius P/T Conference Time selection form emailed to families by end of day
• Feb. 18: Parent Circle Series (Session 1), 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
• Feb 18 - Trimester 3 Learning Selection form due by 10pm
• Feb 20 - PTO Gift Distribution
• Feb 22 - Sign-up Genius P/T Conference Time selection deadline
• Feb 25 - Half Day Student Attendance (A Day), Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Feb 26 - Half Day Student Attendance (B Day)

All D97 PTO’s received an extremely generous anonymous donation to buy gifts for all of our students. We are deep in the throes of winter, 11 months into a pandemic, and the students have been forced to be flexible with ever changing school schedules. To bring everyone a little joy, Brook’s students will all be receiving $15 Amazon gift cards!!!

You will need to come and pick up the gift card on Saturday, February 20th from the Brooks Parking lot: 6th grade 12:00p - 1:00p, 7th grade 1:00p - 2:00p, 8th grade 2:00p - 3:00p. This will run like the other supply pickups have worked. Head south on Kenilworth and enter the parking lot. Please wear masks and put a sign in your window with your student’s full name. Exit the parking lot heading south on Kenilworth. If you can’t make your designated time, you may come during one of the other times. We look forward to seeing you!We look forward to seeing you!

District 97 will continue to offer hybrid learning during Trimester 3. This means that families must choose to enroll their students in either 1) on-site learning or 2) full-time remote learning.

All families must complete the Trimester 3 Learning Selection Form for each student in their household by 10 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. Your selection will apply to Trimester 3, which begins Monday, March 15, and goes through the last day of school, June 10. Students who select remote learning will not be able to switch to on-site learning once the form closes. If we do not receive a student’s form by 10pm on Feb. 18, they will default to their learning selection for Trimester 2.

Click here to access the form and additional information about Trimester 3 >

On Thursday, February 25, 2021, Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School will hold Parent Teacher conferences. You and your child will be meeting virtually with one of their teachers. Please look for a sign-up genius by the evening of Tuesday, February 16th from one of your child's teachers. Please select your time slot no later than Monday, February 22nd. Once you've received and selected your remote conference time slot, you will receive an email by Wednesday, February 24th confirming your conference time, which will also include the zoom meeting link.

Our goal is to effectively share your student’s progress while involving students in reflection related to their work. We hope each family will be able to attend remote conferences as a way to foster learning and a partnership between home and school.

Prior to the conference, we encourage you to have your student share some of their assignments with you from each of their classes. If you haven’t yet created a Canvas Observer account, here is some information on how to do so that will enable you to view your student’s Dashboard List View that outlines all the assignments that will be worked on in each of their courses, as well as to see what has been turned in, you will need to create an observer account. Here are the directions to do this. Here is the Canvas Parent/Guardian (Observer) Guide. Here is a quick overview outlining key features of Canvas that will help families and students access the learning materials as well as see what has been submitted. To login to CANVAS go to op97.instructure.com. As you review your student’s assignments, you may want to ask some of these questions:

• What is your favorite assignment in X class? Why?

• Describe your favorite activities or subjects.

• What activities or subjects are hard for you? Why?

• What experiences at school do you find the most satisfying?

• What experiences frustrate you the most?

• What are the most important concepts you’re learning?

• What goals have you set or do you want to set?

• How can I help you?

All Students will be learning remotely following this remote A/B half day schedule.

District 97 will be administering the Illinois 5Essentials Survey again this year to certified staff and parents/guardians from all 10 of our schools, as well as students in grades four through eight.

The online survey was developed by the University of Chicago’s Consortium on Chicago School Research and is derived from the Five Essentials for School Success, which is an evidence-based framework that identifies five factors that can lead to important student outcomes such as improved attendance and significant gains in test scores. These five factors/essentials are:

• Effective Leaders
• Collaborative Teachers
• Involved Families
• Supportive Environment
• Ambitious Instruction

Below is information about how the survey will be administered to our middle school students and parents/guardians.

Parent Survey
The parent survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. You may skip questions you do not wish to answer, but the survey must be completed in one sitting and cannot be retrieved once it is submitted. If you have more than one child enrolled in a building (i.e., two students who attend the same school), you have the option of completing multiple surveys for that building. In addition, if you have children enrolled in multiple schools (i.e., a District 97 elementary school and middle school), you may participate in the survey for each school. However, only one parent/guardian per household may fill out the survey.

As with the student and teacher surveys, your identity will be kept completely confidential and your responses will not be linked to you. In addition, school-level reports will only be generated if at least 20 percent of our parents/guardians complete the survey. This percentage will be based on the total number of students enrolled at each school. Please survey can be accessed until April 2, 2021, by visiting http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/.

If we successfully meet this requirement, we will receive our reports in Spring/Summer 2021. The results will also be made available to the public via the State School Report Cards, which will be released in the fall. You can access general information about the Illinois 5Essentials Survey by visiting https://www.uchicagoimpact.org/our-offerings/5essentials.

Thank you for participating in this important endeavor and for your continued support of our schools and the children we serve.

Student Survey

The student survey is being administered to children in grades four through 12 throughout Illinois. School-level reports will only be generated for our district if at least 50 percent of the students respond to the survey. In order to successfully meet this requirement, Brooks middle schools will be setting aside time for students to take the survey with minimal disruption to instruction. We anticipate the survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

In order to participate in this process, students will need to log in to the survey using their student ID and birthdate. However, their participation is optional and their identities will be kept completely confidential. Teachers and administrators will never see individual responses to survey questions. They will only have access to summary level responses, such as the percentage of students who agree that homework assignments help them learn the course material.

We also want to make you aware that under the Protection of Pupil Rights Act. 20 U.S.C. Section 1232(c) (1) (A), you have the right to review a copy of the questions your child will be asked. Student survey questions are available, which can be accessed by visiting http://bit.ly/5EStudentSurvey.

If you DO NOT want your child to participate in this activity, please fill out the opt-out form no later than February 21st, 2021. We are scheduling time for students to complete the survey starting the week of February 22nd, 2021.

We will be taking advisory class zoom photos to include in our Yearbook. Below is important information regarding picture dates, as well as how to best prepare and set up the advisory class zoom photo.

Great news!! We are excited to reinstate our yearly trip to Washington, D.C. for our current 7th graders who will be 8th graders. Students have missed out on so much this past year. We are confident about a successful and safe travel program for February 2022.

Janorisè Robinson provide more details about the trip at our upcoming virtual parent meetings at 6:30 PM on either:

• Tuesday, February 23, 2021

OR

• Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Join Zoom Meeting

https://worldstrides.zoom.us/j/85934593001?pwd=amJBYkE1a3F4VXhjeS80MldvWjRiQT09

Meeting ID: 859 3459 3001

Passcode: DC2022

We will discuss the following:

• Travel Arrangements
  

• Registration discounts

• Flexible payment plans

• Scholarships and Financial Aid options

• Meal accommodations
  

• Parent Chaperones

If you have questions, please email Janorisè Robinson, DC Program Leader.

After a year of upheaval and uncertainty, students on the Brooks Earth Action Team (the BEAT) are taking action to create hope for a better future among the citizens of Oak Park. Their mission: declare 2021 “The Year of the Butterfly” to educate and inspire people to plant habitats for monarchs and other species of butterflies whose populations are threatened.

In the proclamation the Village of Oak Park Board of Trustees adopted on Feb. 8, the students wrote: “Butterflies have been a symbol of peace, hope and good fortune in many countries and cultures for a long time; they are iconic in beauty and they bring wildlife even to dense cities; and their story of transformation from a land-bound caterpillar to a free-flying butterfly is an inspiration for all of us ... butterflies as a symbol of hope and immortality can inspire us to keep going through a difficult time; as a symbol of beauty, they can remind us that the smallest things are also important; as a symbol of transformation, they remind us that things can get better.”

Click here for the full story >

Monday, 2/15 is President's Day and a non-attendance day for students.

A/B Day Calendar (including the dates of hybrid weeks)

GBMS Remote and Hybrid Learning Webpage

Monday, 2/15 is President's Day and a non-attendance day for students.

• 8th Graders: To celebrate your first week of hybrid, check your Canvas lunch course for the Module Brooks S.L.A.P.S (Smiles, Laughs, And Pictures to Share) and an assignment to upload pictures of you playing in the snow OR how you are keeping warm during these frigid temps. The link to submit your pics is in that assignment - and keep an eye out for a Canvas Inbox message. All pics should be uploaded by Wednesday, Feb 17th, so we can gather them all and share them back with you on Thursday, Feb 18th. Have fun!

Please visit GBMS Remote & Hybrid Learning page on our website.

You will find the following information there:

• A/B DAY CALENDAR WITH HYBRID WEEKS DENOTED
• CHANGE TO REMOTE LEARNING START TIME FOR ALL STUDENTS - 9:10am Monday through Thursday; Friday start time will be 9am since all students will be remote.
• WHAT THE DAY WILL LOOK LIKE FOR STUDENTS ENGAGED IN LEARNING DURING THE HYBRID WEEK
• THE DATES OF THE FIRST HYBRID WEEK FOR EACH GRADE LEVEL
• Will each Hybrid class (in-person and remote students) work with the same teacher every Hybrid week?
• What is the process for breakfast, snacks or lunch for in-person students? Students will not be eating at school.
• SCHOOL SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING IN-PERSON
• SELF-CERTIFICATION INFORMATION
• STUDENT ARRIVAL PROCESS FOR HYBRID IN PERSON STUDENTS
• STUDENT DROP OFF LOCATIONS
• DISMISSAL PROCEDURES (WALKERS AND BUS RIDERS)
• WEARING MASKS
• BUSING
• TARDY PROCEDURES
• PROCEDURES AND ROUTINES WHILE IN THE CLASSROOM
• Brooks Return to Learning On-Site Safety Procedures

Student Health Certification Due Daily for In-Person Learners
Starting Monday, February 1, the CrisisGo Safety iPASS will go live. Health certifications must be completed every day before in-person learners arrive to school. Middle school students must have their certification completed by 8:15 a.m. Please see the linked PDF for full details. Highlights of what you can expect are included below.

Information about CrisisGo and resources to help families are available at https://www.op97.org/updatecenter/crisisgo.

We ask that our entire District 97 community help keep our schools safe by adhering to our COVID-19 guidelines. This includes students/staff staying home if they:

• Are feeling sick
• Have tested positive for COVID-19
• Are waiting for a COVID-19 test result
• Are a close contact of a positive/probable COVID-19 case
• Have traveled for more than 24 hours out of state.

Click here for our "When to Stay Home" flyer >

In the event that a District 97 student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, they must immediately notify their school nurse so they can initiate our response protocols and begin contact tracing. In an abundance of caution, the school will place the affected classroom in an adaptive pause for 14 calendar days, meaning students will participate in remote learning. We will also notify the school community via email, and information will be updated weekly on the District 97 COVID-19 dashboard. Click here to view our COVID-19 response procedures >

Travel increases the risk of exposure to the coronavirus for our students, staff and community. Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. The Cook County Department of Public Health recommends that residents avoid all non-essential activities, including school and work, for 14 days upon their return to suburban Cook County. If staff, students or families travel out of state for more than 24 hours, they should not report to school. The district's quarantine requirements are outlined in our Framework for Reopening Schools.

FLYER: COVID-19 and Travel Guidance for District 97 Students and Staff >

Winter Weather - Emergency Closing Information
Winter is here and that means there may be times when District 97 schools close due to weather-related conditions or other emergency situations. We make every effort to keep our schools open, but circumstances beyond our control sometimes make it unsafe for our students or staff to get to school safely.

New this year: Rather than closing school on days when it would be unsafe for students and staff to get to school, we will notify our employees and students’ families that the district will have a Remote Learning Day. Because all of our students are already equipped with iPads or Chromebooks, making the temporary shift to remote learning should be fairly seamless. This also means that there will be no need to extend the school year further into summer to make up for lost days.

Whenever possible, District 97 will seek to make and communicate decisions regarding weather-related closings by approximately 8 p.m. the day before. This will include notifying stakeholders if the forecast or conditions warrant additional monitoring prior to making a final decision. If the forecast changes or conditions deteriorate after 8 p.m., we will let people know about the status of classes and/or afterschool activities no later than 5:30 a.m. the next day. Visit our Emergency School Closing Information webpage for more information.

Cold Weather Reminders
With frigid temperatures expected in the Chicago area over the next week, we also wanted to share a couple of reminders for families:

• In order to preserve our classroom pods and COVID-19 safety protocols, we will not be able to allow students to enter their buildings early in cold weather. Please arrive at the designated time and ensure that students are dressed in warm layers.
• In the event of single-digit temperatures or wind chill, students will remain indoors during the school day. Elementary students will still be provided a snack break of no more than 15 minutes, following the school safety protocols for COVID-19.

Parents who opted into hybrid learning for Trimester 2 are permitted to switch to remote learning at any time. If you requested hybrid learning for your student but wish to enroll in full-time remote learning, please contact your building principal.

Please note that we are unable to accept requests to switch from remote learning to hybrid during Trimester 2. A new enrollment form will be sent to families in February for Trimester 3.

Attendance will be taken every day for each class period by each of your child's teacher and it will be denoted in PowerSchool, including ADVISORY. Student's are expected to attend each of their classes at their scheduled time and day. If your student will be absent from remote learning, please call the attendance number 708-665-3074 or email brooksattendance@op97.org

While we still are unable to share details regarding a date or a ceremony for our 8th grade students, we have made available the opportunity to purchase the 8th grade Gown, Cap & Tassel as well as the 8th grade t-shirt. We are working with the graduation photographer to plan a date in the Spring for graduation photos. You will have the option to have photos taken with the cap & gown (which must be purchased in advance) or photos taken in dress attire. We will not have the ability to lend students a cap & gown for the graduation photos. You must purchase this item in advance.

You may make your purchases via the REVTRAK Webstore

District 97 families are invited to join our upcoming Virtual Parent-to-Parent Series, which will be facilitated in partnership with the E-Team of Oak Park. Events will be held:

• Thursday, Feb. 18, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Thursday, March 18, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Thursday, April 29, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The sessions are designed to build community among District 97 parents and guardians and provide support as we navigate hybrid learning. The intention is for parents/guardians to attend all three sessions to help build a consistent community, but if you cannot make the first session you may still attend the others. Please let us know your availability in the registration form so that we can plan accordingly.

The deadline to register is Tuesday, Feb. 16. To sign up, please visit https://bit.ly/D97ParentCircles.

Photos Due on TreeRing.com by March 19th!

Yearbook All Call for Submissions presentation.

Want to be in the yearbook, then check out our ALL CALL FLYERS!

• All Call for Hybrid Project Learning -Share photos of yourself/class, remote or in-person, that show us your projects and experiences!

• All Call for the Brooks Art Showcase - Show your best artwork created this year in the Yearbook Art Showcase!

• All Call for Mask-On Fashion (Who Wore it Best) - show us your mask-on style while at home, in school, o out and about.

• All Call for Show us your Greatness - it’s your time to shine, send us pictures showing the things that you are great at. WOW us!

• All Call for Pet Zoombies - Pets love to learn too! Show us your pet zoombies.

• ***Need a TreeRing Account to share photos? Complete the Yearbook 20/21 Module in your Advisory course***

Sharing Photos with our Yearbook Editors

A copy of the email sent to all families last week to provide consent for your student, if 12 years or younger, to create a treering account to be able to submit photos to be reviewed by our yearbook editors to potentially include in the 20-21 yearbook.

To Purchase & Customize Your 20-21 Yearbook

Must be a parent or student 13 years or older.

1. Go to www.treering.com/validate
2. Enter your school’s passcode: 1014096931934358

Regular Price: $26.02. *Does not include sales tax or any discounts, if applicable

Deadline: April 9th, 2021

Week of Feb 15

NEW HYBRID SCHEDULE LIBRARY BOOK PROCEDURE!!!!

1. During the first three hybrid weeks: Books that were put on hold (but not picked up) for the January 28th pickup will be delivered to in-person students via their hybrid classrooms classrooms during these first three hybrid weeks

2. Starting the week of February 22nd, we will have a new process for each grade-level’s hybrid week!

1. Place books on hold via the catalog by the Monday of your grade level’s hybrid week (11:59pm). Tuesday and Wednesday those books will be pulled and prepared. You will be notified through Canvas that your holds are ready.

2. On Thursday of your grade level hybrid week, books will be delivered to classrooms for students who are in person, and those who are remote can pickup theirs from a cart on Kenilworth from 3:30-4:30 (same as now, but only after school).

1. For deliveries, Mr. Alejos will step into the classroom at a location 6 feet away from everyone and place the books on a counter unstacked with your name visible. Your teacher will instruct you to go up one at a time and get your book or grab it on your way out of the classroom.

3. RETURNS

1. If you are in-person, your teacher will have a place in your classroom to pile library books you would like to return - ideally near the front door

2. Remote students can return books to the cart on their grade-level pickup date and time

4. Instructions and flyers

1. VIDEO: HOW DO I PLACE A LIBRARY HOLD?

2. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Virtual Author Visit

1. Alan Gratz’s new book, Ground Zero, about 9/11, and came out on February 2nd!

2. On Monday, February 8th, many GBMS students participated in this powerful virtual author event.

3. Signed copies are still available from Anderson’s Bookshop until Monday, February 15th. Any and all can purchase a book whether or not they attended the virtual event. Use this ORDER FORM to purchase a book and support a local book store.

PTO Virtual Book Fair Is On-going

1. Any book fair items not picked up on the original distribution date will be available on November 21st along with trimester 2 materials.

2. Even though our official Book Fair dates ended you can still earn money for GBMS PTO all year long!

3. Head to https://www.abcfairs.com/ and indicate Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School in the school name box upon checkout.

4. Thank you to our amazing PTO!

Please see our virtual club offerings below. Zoom links for all club meetings can be accessed in the lunch course on your Canvas Dashboard. Contact Ms. Klein if you need help finding the links.

Crochet Club: Next Meeting is Wednesday 3:30-4:40

Please contact Ms. Rodriguez at trodriguez@op97.org with any questions.

• Supplies needed- If you don’t have the supplies and cannot get them please contact me: Ms. Rodriguez (trodriguez@op97.org) I can drop off at your home

• Crochet hook- different patterns require different hooks, but we can make it work if you have a hook similar to one we are using. I suggest G6 4.00mm Hook. There are hooks at the Dollar Store near Ridgeland and North Ave.

• Yarn- different patterns require different yarn. We will need yarn that is not fuzzy, so a yarn that is cotton/polyester works. (They used to have some at Dollar Store but I haven’t seen it in a while). We need yarn that have clean looking strands so we can see our stitches.

• Scissors

• 3 Safety pins- if you don’t have these no problem! We can use string

• We will start crocheting a mini triceratops! There is a Canvas Class for our Crochet Club and if you did not get invited to join please email me so I can add you! Video and pattern is uploaded so you can start practicing!

Morning Vocal Ensembles: Open to Everyone!

Auditions for New Members will take place at the beginning of March!

Contact Mr. Blackman at fblackman@op97.org if you’re interested

• Women's Ensemble - Tuesdays 8:00 - 8:45 am

• Men's Ensemble - Thursdays 8:00 - 8:45 am

• Mixed Ensemble - Fridays 8:00 - 8:45 am

Social Justice Club: The first meeting will be on Every Tuesday 3:45 to 4:45pm Contact Ms. Stigger with questions (nstigger@op97.org).

• Meeting ID: 830 7488 7298

• Passcode: 173560

• Zoom Link Below

• https://op97-org.zoom.us/j/83074887298?pwd=d0VDaE5QQzdpVmlxQmZYdldXbS9GQT09

Rainbow Tribe: Rainbow Tribe club will meet on Mondays from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. Our next meeting is Monday, February 22nd (no school on 2/15)! We will have someone from Yearbook coming again to take our picture and ask questions! Contact Ms. Berman with questions (aberman@op97.org) Students who identify as LGBTQ and/or allies are ALL WELCOME!

Math Team: Math Team will meet Mondays from 3:40 to 4:30 pm. All are welcome! Here is the ZOOM link. Contact Ms. Esther Smith (esmith3@op97.org) with questions. No School Monday! Our next meeting will be February 22nd.

Brooks Earth Action Team (the BEAT): Our next meeting is TUESDAY, FEB. 16. Here’s the link to the meeting.

Yearbook: Calling all poets, writers, artists, photographers, and more! Our next yearbook meeting will be February 16th and 23rd from 8:00 - 8:45 am. Contact Ms. Pabellon at mpabellon@op97.org with questions. Come be a part of our creative team, we need YOU to make this year’s yearbook like no other! Everyone is welcome. Here is the zoom link.

Morning Band Groups:

• Jazz Ensemble meets on Tuesdays from 8:00 am to 8:45 am
• Jazz Band meets on Thursdays from 8:00 am to 8:45 am.

YEMBA: YEMBA meets on Wednesdays from 3:30-5:00 pm. Students can access the zoom link to attend the YEMBA session through the lunch course in Canvas.

• YEMBA has begun supporting students with a homework hotline. Here is info about how to access the homework hotline.

Audition and Show Info
Student Sign Up Form

• We still have a few more spots open for our Virtual Open Mic Night! Sing a song, play an instrument...come showcase your talents on February 26! Open to all grades. Sign Up: bravoperformingarts.org

• We are continuing our Hour to Empower - Bravo podcast in January: Conversations from Brooks students for Brooks Students and our larger community; Meets Mondays & Thursdays 4pm-5:30pm - Students are encouraged and welcome to join in anytime! Email bravo@op97.org if you are interested!

• Check out our first 7 Hour to Empower Podcast Episodes HERE!

Technical support will be available from school and district technology staff by accessing the Help Desk through email, helpdesk@op97.org. When an email is submitted, a Help Desk ticket is created and assigned to technology staff, who will be working throughout the day to address technology concerns. Our technology team can support District 97 devices and student online programs.

Connect with PTO

Follow us on FaceBook at @gwendolynbrookspto, or email us at gwendolynbrookspto@gmail.com.

NEW - 6th grade families can connect on FaceBook in the Gwendolyn Brooks 6th Grade Families 2020-21' group.

As many of you know, Starship is a local restaurant in Forest Park that, in normal times, caters lunch for Brooks on Tuesdays. These lunches are the primary fundraiser for the PTO and fund important school programs like Teacher and Student Grants, provide scholarships for the 7th and 8th grade trips, host staff appreciation lunches and guest speakers for parent education events.

During remote schooling, Starship has agreed to partner with Brooks PTO in a slightly different way. Every Tuesday, beginning October 6, for all orders that mention Brooks PTO, Starship will donate 20% of the orders back to the Brooks PTO! Make sure you mention you are with Brooks PTO. And best of all, you can order online and they deliver!

This means you can still support a local business, support the Brooks PTO, and take time off in the kitchen! A win-win-win! Now, you can have lunch delivered to your home for everyone schooling/working from home or even have dinner delivered! Or maybe order a sandwich tray and keep fed all week! Order online at www.starshiprestaurant.com or call 708-771-301. Make sure you mention you are with Brooks PTO (online orders put ‘Brooks PTO’ in special instructions).

A $10 donation will help the PTO make Brooks even better

The PTO’s regular fund raising has been eliminated with the switch to remote schooling. However, a $10 donation from YOU can help us continue to fund grant requests from teachers to provide additional educational materials for optimal learning, providing a year end 8th-grade graduation celebration, and so much more. If you would like to contribute directly to the PTO, please follow this link. Any amount is helpful!

If you have any questions or ideas on fundraising initiates we welcome your feedback. You may email the PTO Fundraising Chair April Fleming at afleming56@yahoo.com.

Brooks Spirit Wear

Brooks spirit wear can be ordered at any time by visiting this website. Sizes for kids and adults! Orders will be shipped to your home!

Thank you to Bobby Pontillas who provided a video of the the virtual field trip .

YouTube Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGgYBm6zfVM

The Greater Good Foundation is geared towards male students of color in 6th through 8th grade. Students will meet with mentors from A Greater Good Foundation during advisory time one day a week. All students will meet on Mondays from 11:40 am to 12:20 pm. This group will use a workshop model with the students and a sample of topics covered include: think tanks, how the brain works, goal setting, etc. More detail on the program is provided in the handout. You can still join the program!

If you have any questions or would like your student to participate, please contact Stacie Klein at sklein@op97.org.

FLYER and VIDEO about the program

Students Taking Action Regarding Success (STARS) is an affinity group for students of color in the middle school space. STARS provides a safe space where students can build connections, process difficult moments that occur in the classroom and the broader Oak Park community. Students will receive support and affirmation in a setting with other middle school aged children that share in similar experiences.

The goal of STARS is to be an outlet in implementing change in the middle after school space. STARS provides students with essential leadership skills such as: positive identity development, self-advocacy, empowerment and social awareness. The intention of STARS is to be a space where students can authentically be themselves and express themselves. Students will share their personal experiences/reflections with the goal of becoming advocates for themselves and each other. Student reflection will work in tandem with the STARS curriculum that has been developed to intricately weave together the experiences of minority students.

Our focus is for youth to develop skills of recognizing, communicating and negotiating situations they perceive as unjust in school or in the broader Oak Park Community. The ultimate plan is to create a map to solve issues that pertain to the population of students that are disproportionately being affected by the racial inequities that has created an opportunity gap in the Oak Park community.

Sidika Balogun, MSW (she/her/hers)

Program Coordinator

www.yemba-inc.org

Email: sbalogun@yemba-inc.org

Phone:(708) 719-6702 ex: 02

Follow us on Facebook@ YembaInc

APPLICATION

Does your student need virtual homework support? Your student can connect with our Teacher Assistants on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8am to 8:45am for virtual homework help. Students can find the zoom link in their Canvas Lunch Class for the MORNING Homework Support!

Please be aware that The Illinois State Board of Education has provided new information to Districts regarding families who may have been listed as non- compliant due to failure to present proof of a current health examination and required immunizations.

If a family has not ensured a child’s timely compliance with health examination or immunization requirements, the child may be provided e-learning or remote instruction, provided instruction is solely by remote means and he/she does not have a physical presence on school grounds (either before, during or after school). Any child continuing to receive remote instruction during this time will not be considered in violation of Section 26-1 of the School Code and will not be subject to the penalties imposed by Section 26-10. Importantly, any such student who is permitted to attend school through an e-learning program or remote learning plan due to failure to present proof of required immunizations, and who qualifies for free and reduced meals, may continue to receive those meals in the manner that other e-learning or remote students receive meals. The Illinois State Board of Education will continue to provide updates to the field, as necessary, concerning compliance with Section 27-8.1.

To read more about this information provided by The Illinois State board of Education please click here.

Please submit following the information to the Health Office:

• A school physical (Certificate of Child Health Examination and Immunization record)
• Up-to-date immunizations (requirements for the State of Illinois can be found here).

If you have not already provided this information when you registered your child, please email your child's records directly to our school nurse, Nancy Radogno at nradogno@op97.org.

Wanting to confirm information you've heard regarding our schools?
Oak Park District 97 is committed to providing accurate and timely information. Our new Fact Checker will be updated consistently based upon common questions and concerns to ensure you have access to the key facts that interest you most.

Information Session Recordings: Single Subject/Whole Grade Acceleration and Early Admission to Kindergarten/First Grade
Two parent information sessions were held in January to discuss acceleration opportunities in District 97. Please click the links below to view the recordings.

• Single Subject and Whole Grade Acceleration
• Early Admission to Kindergarten and First Grade

Information about the District 97 Accelerated Placement Program, including definitions and timelines, can be found at http://www.op97.org/acceleration.

Text Messages from District 97

District 97 uses the notification system BrightArrow to communicate with families via email and phone calls. This year, we have started using periodic text messages to send reminders directly to parents' cell phones. In order to receive text messages, parents must opt in by texting YES to 87569. Once you have subscribed, you will receive a text confirmation.

Texts may appear from District 97 from 87569 or a phone number with a 424 area code (you may wish to save them to your contacts).

Wellness Check-in Program

The district-wide wellness check-in program, which was an initial crisis response to the pandemic, will not continue in its current format during the new Hybrid schedule. Please reach out to your school's school psychologist or social worker if you have social-emotional concerns about your child. If your child is experiencing an immediate mental health crisis, please call the Thrive 24hr Crisis Hotline at 708-383-7500. You may also refer to this local resource guide created by the Community Mental Health Board of the Oak Park Township.

Child Care Scholarships Available for Families

In order to provide additional support during the COVID-19 pandemic, District 97 is offering financial assistance to qualifying families who participate in child care programs through the Park District of Oak Park and Hephzibah.

For families who currently receive free or reduced lunch, the district will continue to cover 100% of the daily program fee.

During Trimester 2, District 97 will also offer scholarships based on family income level.

• For families with incomes below $65,000 per year, the district will cover 100% of the daily program fee.
• For families with incomes between $65,000 and $99,999, the district will cover 50% of the daily program fee.

Click here for more details about the child care scholarships

Next Meal D97 Meal Distribution: Tuesday, Feb. 16
February Breakfast/Lunch Menus
Meals will be provided free of cost this fall to any District 97 student in need. Each bag of food will contain five breakfasts and five lunches.

Meal distributions will be held every Tuesday, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Longfellow Elementary School (for Julian and feeder schools), 715 S. Highland Ave., and Brooks Middle School (for Brooks and feeder schools), 325 S. Kenilworth Ave.

D97 Breakfast/Lunch Menus - February 2021

Free/Reduced Lunch Application

We know that a common experience for many families during this health crisis is the loss of jobs and income. This change in income may qualify your children for free or reduced-price meals. We encourage all families who currently qualify to take a few minutes to complete the National School Lunch application as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please email the district's food service coordinator, Carla Ellis, at cellis@op97.org.

Effective Student Behavior Handbook

District 97 is committed to creating a positive learning environment that is equitable, inclusive and focused on the whole child. Behavior education involves proactively teaching positive behaviors to create the conditions that make every classroom and school a positive place to learn.

The revised District 97 Effective Student Behavior Handbook is designed to provide information about policies, procedures and practices related to student behavior, and to help students and families prepare for a successful school experience. It also provides notifications required by state and federal law. Click here for our full communication about the new Effective Student Behavior Handbook >

The Help Corner will features a frequently-asked question related to services and opportunities available for District 97 students and families. We will keep a complete list of these FAQs on our district website.

District 97 has created Community Resources Page. We also encourage families to stay connected through Facebook and Twitter. Additional updates can be found at:

Village of Oak Park

Oak Park Township

Oak Park Public Library

Park District of Oak Park

Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200

District 97 also has a broad network of partner organizations that provide an array of supports and services for Oak Park residents. The Community Mental Health Board and Oak Park and River Forest Townships have also put together a COVID-19 Social Services Resource Guide, which is available at https://tinyurl.com/oprfguide.

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 services(s) is sanctioned, sponsored or endorsed by the district, the Board of Education or the superintendent.

PHONE-BASED COUNSELING

Thrive is offering phone-based counseling, 24/7 crisis intervention services, medication management and, a free Thrive Check-In phone support line (Ext. 8) to address our community’s needs during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Call us at (708)383-7500. Our Front Desk team is also ready to assist you Monday-Friday, 9am to 2pm, with requests for referrals or new services and to reschedule or cancel an appointment.

Mental Health Resource, "Call4Calm"

Thrive is also a proud partner of the Illinois Call4Calm Text Line Service. Text “TALK” TO 552020 (or “HABLAR) for Spanish. The Illinois Call4Calm Text Line is not a crisis hotline, but is a source of support for anyone experiencing stress and in need of a listening ear.

And we know the COVID-19 pandemic can wear on every resource—from food and shelter to our emotional bandwidth and mental health. Fortunately, the Illinois Department of Human Services has launched a support line called Call4Calm that is reachable via text. Individuals who want to speak with a mental health professional can text the word “TALK” or “HABLAR” (for Spanish speakers) to 552-020. Within 24 hours, that individual will receive a call from a mental health professional employed by a local community health center.

People can also text other terms, like “unemployment” or “food” or “shelter” to the same number to receive information on how to navigate and access supports and services. Call4Calm is free, and individuals who use it can remain anonymous. We encourage you to share this resource with your students, families, and staff.