8th grade Hybrid Week: Monday, March 8 through Thursday March 11
Illinois 5Essentials Survey
District 97 is 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 parent/guardian survey is available now. Please click here to learn how parents/guardians can participate in this important endeavor and click here to access the parent/guardian version of the survey.
Please note that school-level reports will only be generated if at least 20 percent of our parents/guardians complete the survey. Our current response rate for parents/guardians is at 3%.
Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey!
Announcing the First Annual Teacher Challenge Fundraiser!
Get ready Brooks families! On March 22nd our teachers are ready to entertain us virtually with their fun-filled antics. The goal is to raise $500 which will be used exclusively to honor our teachers.
See Ms. Love, Mr. Contraveos, and Ms. Belmont get a pie in the face; Ms. Capuder work outside; Mr. Gillespie teach in a wig; Ms. Klein get taped to the wall; Ms. Maggio and Mr. Lee wear the eagle head to teach; Mr. Kline eat some serious wings; Ms. Joyce juggle water balloons; Ms. Marinez dress up as a meme; Mr. Andersen play the drums; and more! But this can only happen with $500 in donations! We need your contribution!
Money earned towards this event will help to provide gifts, resources and activities for the Brooks faculty. So, get ready and tell EVERYBODY that your teacher is getting a pie in the face and no one is getting in trouble!
Ohhh and guess what…it will be recorded! They can never deny these laughable sketches and anecdotes.
OPEF SPOKEN WORD CLUB IS BACK FOR TRIMESTER 3!
Purchase your Brooks Spirit Wear Today!
Spiritwear can be purchased here at the Shabby Fly website.
Please consider supporting the PTO's fundraiser!
Zoom "Picture Day"
Current 7th Graders-Washington D. C. Trip in February 2022
If you were unable to attend the meeting and would like more information regarding the 8th grade Washington DC trip, please email Janorisè Robinson, DC Program Leader.
8th Grade Graduation Packet
You may make your purchases via the REVTRAK Webstore
Check out... Whats happening in the Brooks Library
The library will hold a book pickup/delivery each week according to grade level hybrid schedule.
Place books on hold via the catalog by the Monday of your grade level’s hybrid week (11:59pm). You will be notified through Canvas that your holds are ready. Upcoming Dates:
8th put holds on by March 8
6th put holds on by March 15
7th put holds on by March 22
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). Upcoming Dates:
8th pickups/deliveries on March 11
6th pickups/deliveries on March 18
7th pickups/deliveries on March 25
RETURNS
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
Remote students can return books to the cart on their grade-level pickup date and time
Instructions and flyers
For those who chose the pickup at school option, books will be shipped to Brooks from Anderson’s
When they arrive, library staff will be contacting families/students that they are available for pickup (or delivered if student is in person)
As of Thursday, March 4, the books had still not arrived.
Use this url to access all of our databases and research eBooks: http://www.galepages.com/oak8130
Outside of school the password for the Gale Databases is eagles.
For Britannica the username is op97 and the password is learn
STUDENT ATTENDANCE - Trimester 2: How to Report Student Absences
Technology Support
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.
Middle School Virtual Club Starting and Meeting Days/Times
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.
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 meeting will be every Tuesday from 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, March 1st! 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. Our next meeting will be March 8th.
Brooks Earth Action Team (the BEAT): Meets on Tuesdays from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. Here’s the link to the meeting.
Yearbook: Calling all poets, writers, artists, photographers, and more! Our next yearbook meetings will be March 9th and 16th 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 (7th and 8th graders) meets Tuesdays from 8:00 am to 8:45 am.
- Jazz Lab Band (6th graders) meets Thursdays from 8:00 am to 8:45 am. Ask Mr. Davis for the Zoom Link!
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.
A gift for ALL Brooks students!
Due to a very generous anonymous donation, the PTO has purchased $15 Amazon gift cards for each student. If you haven't picked yours up yet, it will be included in the student materials distribution on Saturday, March 13th. If you have any questions, please email Kristen Lee (kristenlee1@gmail.com) or Ariel Rainey (ariel.rainey@gmail.com).
Connect with the Brook’s PTO
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.
Order your Brooks Spirit Wear
We are happy to announce our new Brooks Spiritwear as a PTO Fundraiser! The designs were created by one of our 7th grade students as well as Mrs. Love. All proceeds will benefit the PTO.
Spiritwear can be purchased here at the Shabby Fly website.
Please consider supporting the PTO's fundraiser!
Starship Tuesdays are back (kind of) -THIS TUESDAY!
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).
Updated COVID-19 Travel Guidance from the Oak Park Department of Public Health
On Feb. 25, the Oak Park Department of Public Health updated its travel guidelines to align with the new guidance from the Cook County Department of Public Health, which follows the travel order issued by the City of Chicago.
District 97 has been following the guidance of the Oak Park Department of Public Health throughout the school year, and will be adjusting travel expectations for staff and students accordingly. A summary of the new travel guidelines is included below.
Please note that travel guidance during the pandemic is fluid and highly dependent on the level of COVID-19 transmission at local, state and national levels. Any plans made under this guidance could be subject to different restrictions when the planned travel takes place.
Although we will no longer require a full 14-day quarantine for those who travel out of state (see below), there continues to be a consistent message from health officials to avoid non-essential travel to reduce the risk of getting and spreading COVID-19. We ask that all staff and families carefully review this information and continue following all public health guidance to keep our community safe.
Updated Travel Guidance
As of Feb. 25, 2021, the Village of Oak Park and suburban Cook County are following the emergency travel order issued by the City of Chicago. Under the new system, states are categorized as Yellow or Orange based on the level of community-wide spread.
- If you travel to a YELLOW state, no COVID test or quarantine is required upon return. You must maintain strict masking and social distancing and monitor your health for COVID-19 symptoms, both during and after travel.
- If you travel to an ORANGE state, you must follow the quarantine guidelines, even if you visit the state for less than 24 hours:
- 10-day quarantine OR
- Pre-arrival negative test result (no longer than 72 hours prior to arrival) with strict masking, social distancing and avoidance of in-person gatherings. OR
- (NEW) Be fully vaccinated, defined as two weeks after the second dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine or two weeks after one dose of a single-dose vaccine, without symptoms and maintaining strict masking and distancing.
If you have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days, you are exempt from the travel order as long as you have completed your 10-day isolation (from start of symptoms and/or positive test), have a documented positive test, and remain asymptomatic during your travel.
If a District 97 student or staff member travels out of state, they should check Chicago’s travel web page for the current status of the state and follow all recommendations before returning to school/work.
Click here to view the list of states, travel requirements and frequently asked questions.
International Travel
GBMS Remote and Hybrid Learning Resource
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
When to Stay Home from School
- 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.
A Greater Good Foundation
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.
STARS 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
Email: sbalogun@yemba-inc.org
Phone:(708) 719-6702 ex: 02
Follow us on Facebook@ YembaInc
Virtual Morning Homework Support
School Physicals and Immunizations
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).
