Principal Patten's Newsletter

Welcome to August and the Back to School rush! My newsletters will come every week now, and there will be additional beginning-of-the-year information that you need to know as each week passes. By the start of school, you will be ready! If not, feel free to call the main office at (773) 534-1180, or email me at mlpatten@cps.edu. We want to be helpful.

I wanted to share some exciting news from the district’s Back to School Kick Off Rally for school leaders that happened at Symphony Center. Onahan Elementary was recognized by CPS, and I was deeply honored to receive the Game Changer award on behalf of our school.

While my name is on the recognition, this award truly belongs to our entire community. That means our dedicated teachers, hardworking staff, supportive parents, and incredible students own this honor. Everything we accomplish, we do together.

Keep an eye out in the coming weeks for a new banner that CPS provided to mark this achievement, which we’ll proudly display in our main entryway. Thank you for being such vital partners in making Onahan an extraordinary place to learn and grow!

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FIELD NEWS

For over a decade, our community has advocated tirelessly for a safe, level playing field for our students. As you are driving around the building you probably notice that we are getting beautiful green sod and the field has been evened out.

HOW DID WE GET HERE

CPS leadership recently hired a contractor to evaluate our field’s drainage system. The inspection revealed that the drainage was never properly connected to the street which is the root cause of our severe erosion and uneven ground. With this issue identified, the decision was made to fully level and sod the field!

WHAT'S AHEAD

• SY27 Budget Improvements: Onahan is slated to receive additional field upgrades in the upcoming school year budget, which may include a turf field. 🤞

• Track Replacement: The Onahan Local School Council (LSC) remains committed to long-term improvements, including eventually replacing our existing track.

IMPORTANT BACK TO SCHOOL NOTES

• Field Care & Event Update: Because the new sod needs time to establish strong roots, we will not host our traditional Back-to-School Bash this August. Instead, we will host a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in mid-September to celebrate the new field together once it’s ready! Be on the look out for the date!

• Recess Schedule: Until CPS fully returns the field to our school for daily use, we are implementing a rotating schedule using both indoor spaces and our available outdoor areas to ensure all students get active recess time. As a side note, if you have any board games that you would like to donate to the school for recess, it may help now and for inclement weather.

Thank you to everyone in our community who fought for this project over the years. We can’t wait to see our students enjoying their brand-new playing field soon!

Last Sunday, a group of parents and friends put together new picnic tables as part of the outside "mini-make over" brought to us by Friends of Onahan! Now, we know that all who helped were not expert picnic table builders, but they still did it! That's the Onahan spirit. Volunteers show up and the work gets figured out. The funds for this project came from the annual Friends of Onahan fundraiser. Wait until you see what else is coming! Thank you!

NOTE: PRE-K STUDENTS DO NOT OWE ANNUAL STUDENT FEES

Exciting News for School Year 2026-2027! It is now easier for you to pay for things like annual Student Fees, ROAR Care, field trips, etc.

CPS has streamlined the process for paying all fees. You will now be able to make payments directly through the Aspen Parent Portal (AspenParentPortal).

By viewing the “Fees/Transactions” tab in Aspen (depending on if you’re using your phone or computer), you will be able to pay and keep track of what has been paid and what is still outstanding.

This year’s annual Student Fees have now been posted to your Aspen Parent Portal. Follow these steps to make your payment. (For more information/in depth instructions, click on one of the links at the bottom of this message):

IMPORTANT: This year, there is no tier fee schedule; the fee is a flat $150/student. With the new system, you can only pay for one student at a time. For example, if you have 3 students at Onahan, you will have to make 3 separate payments.

1. Log in to your Aspen Parent Portal account (AspenParentPortal).

2. Click the Fees tab.

3. Select which student you’re paying for from the drop-down menu.

4. Click the box next to the fee you are paying.

5. Click “pay online”; this will take you to ePay to process your payment. ***Your student’s information (their cps email) will automatically be listed; if you would like a receipt emailed to YOU, please change that email address to your own.***

Throughout the school year, fees specific to your student will be added periodically, like field trips, ROAR Care, graduation fees, etc. You will use the same steps to pay for these.

PLEASE NOTE:

Going forward, Aspen Parent Portal (AspenParentPortal) is the only method for paying any fees related to your student. If you are unable to access your Parent Portal, click this link for more information. onahanschool.org. If you are unable to pay your school fees, please fill out this waiver form and return it to the main office: Fee Waiver Template

ENGLISH

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XLHLTFaCFsKMTznj6EH65d3UqO8UbfcuNGWrxs0YUGc/edit?usp=sharing

SPANISH

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jYtOB0rVj4DEBtU131wtKqpbTYpEFn9dz8lxtieNndA/edit?usp=sharing

On Wednesday, August 19th at 4:00 pm, we are giving away 80 free book bags with school supplies. They will be given on a first come, first serve basis. Please stop by to say hello.

Please share this with anyone you know who has not registered. We are working on the final details of each classroom.

If you are looking for a fun way to wrap up summer break with friends, consider supporting our very own Harrison Kukis at his 3rd Annual Strike Out T1D bowling fundraiser, raising funds for a cure for type 1 diabetes. The event flyer is below, and you can visit here: https://givebutter.com/c/3rd-annual-strike-out-t1d-9a8xa6 to buy tickets, donate or even become a sponsor. The event is Saturday, August 22 from 6pm - 9pm at Habetler Bowl and includes bowling, food, a live band, a raffle and a silent auction. We hope to see you there!