Middle Matters

Highlights from this week's Middle Matters:

• Important Upcoming Dates
• Lost & Found
• PTO Starship Lunches are Back with a Twist!
• BRAVO Pizza Lunches
• PTO Business Meeting--March 14th
• PTO March Staff Appreciation Lunch-March 15th
• Help Plan the 8th Grade Dance
• 8th Grade Graduation T-Shirts (Last Call)
• Vex Robotics Celebrations
• All About Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) (Repeat)
• Masking Continues to be required until March 17 (Repeat)
• Community Project: School Supply Collection (Repeat)
• GBMS Student Breakfast 8:30am to 9:00am in Commons (Repeat)
• DePaul University Community Mental Health Talks (Updated weekly)
• MEP Exploration (Repeat)
• ILLINOIS SHIELD TESTING (Updated Weekly)
• Calling Your Child in Sick from School (Repeat)
• Questions regarding COVID-19: Contact our School Nurse (Repeat)
• Submit Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination After Second Dose/Booster (Repeat)
• PTO Sponsored Anderson’s Bookshop Virtual Book Fair (Repeat)
• GBMS Yearbook Information (Repeat)
• Middle School Clubs Meeting Days and Times (Updated weekly)
• Student Announcements (Updated weekly)
• From the Library (Updated weekly)

Highlights from GBMS PTO

• Donation to GBMS PTO
• Connect with GBMS PTO
• Buy GBMS Spirit Wear

Highlights from District 97

Repeated Topics from Past Week's Middle Matters

• Bullying Report Form Link (Repeat)
• Live Streaming of GBMS Athletic and Music Events (Repeat)
• Spectator Opportunities (Repeat)
• GBMS Student Spectator Opportunities (Repeat)
  
• Partnership with D97 and DePaul University - Care Coordinator (Repeat)
• School Supply Reminders (Repeat)
• Water Bottle Reminder (Repeat)
• Stay Home When Sick (Repeat)
• Social Work Team (Repeat)
• Office Phones and Dropping off Items at Brooks (Repeat)
• Allergy Safe Information (Repeat)
• School Physical and Immunization Information (Repeat)
• Tech Support (Repeat)

Community Partner News

• Kids Kloset at First United Church
  
• Friday Night Place
• Strengthening Families Program

• SMART LOVE FAMILY SERVICES
• NAMI
• Leyden Family Service
• THRIVE

If you have questions about the upcoming school year, please don’t hesitate to contact me at acapuder@op97.org. You can also contact our Executive Coordinator, Ms. Latrina Hurst, at lhurst@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

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

Stacie Klein Culture & Climate AP sklein@op97.org

• Monday, Mar 14- A Day; Tuesday, Mar 15- No School; Wednesday, Mar 16- B Day; Thursday, Mar 17- A Day; Friday, Mar 18- B Day

• Winter Performances: Wed, Mar 16- Choir Concert @7:00-8:00p; Tues, March 22- Orchestra Concert @7:00-8:00p

• Tuesday, Mar 15- No School

• Thursday, Mar 17th-Masks Recommended; not required

• Friday, Mar 18- Report Cards Emailed Home

• March 28 - April 1: Spring Break - No School

Please encourage your student(s) to check the 'Lost & Found' bins (located in the Commons), for missing belongings by 3:30p on Friday, March 25th. There are tons of coats/jackets, water bottles, and other valuable items that will be donated during the Spring break holiday, which starts March 28th.

Thank you!

What is Starship lunch? Take a break from packing or buying lunch every Tuesday! The Brooks PTO is once again pleased to offer an alternative purchased lunch option for students on Tuesdays from Starship Restaurant. Starship is a local restaurant in Forest Park that 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, and host staff appreciation lunches.

Lunches will be served every Tuesday starting April 12 and ending on May 24 (for a total of 7 lunches). Orders must be placed by Friday, March 25. When you place your order, you will be ordering lunch for each Tuesday for a total of 7 lunches. You will have the same item for lunch each Tuesday. Once you have signed up, students pick up their lunch on Tuesdays. No need to pack a lunch or stand in the school lunch line. If you have further questions please contact our Starship coordinator, Kristen Lee, gwendolynbrookspto@gmail.com.

What is the twist? Because we are serious about inclusion and Brooks being a school where all kids feel that they belong, we determined that our fundraisers shouldn’t be a source of exclusion for any students. In the past, the cost of Starship lunches excluded some students from participating. To address this, we are experimenting with a Pay What You Can model. The recommended price for the lunches will be what we have historically charged - a small increase over the cost the PTO pays Starship for the lunch. However, you will be able to enter the price that makes sense for your family to pay. This may be lower or higher than the recommended price.

PLEASE NOTE - this is still intended to be a fundraiser. If we do not make money, we will not be able to continue with this model and will need to rethink the future of this fundraiser. We are counting on those families that are able to pay more than the recommended amount to be generous.

Sign up at https://forms.gle/iXUUCVPFaPDcEu399

Make payment at your chosen amount https://sites.google.com/view/brooks-pto-starship/home

Volunteers Needed! Brooks PTO is seeking volunteers to assist with the distribution of the Starship lunch fundraiser on Tuesdays from 10:50 - 1:30 from April 12-May 24th. All volunteers must have completed a background check through the D97 administrative office as well as provide proof of Covid vaccination (which includes the booster if eligible). If not fully vaccinated, a proctored negative COVID-19 test result dated within 48 prior to volunteering work will suffice.

To sign up, or for additional information, please email Allison Fluecke at afluecke@gmail.com

IT'S BACK -- Open to ALL BROOKS STUDENTS!

March 25 - CASH ONLY DAY: Domino's Cheese Pizza Slices - 1 slice for $3 or 2 slices for $5

Pre-Sales ONLY Starting April 8 (no cash sales)

Starting April 8, students MUST have a pre-paid order to participate. ORDER FRIDAY PIZZA LUNCH

We encourage families to send a fruit or vegetable to school with their child on Pizza Fridays. Adding fruits and vegetables to every meal increases nutritional content and helps build healthy habits for life!

PARENTS - We need your help!: VOLUNTEER to SERVE PIZZA LUNCH

*NOTE - All volunteers must have completed a background check through the D97 administrative office as well as provide proof of Covid vaccination (which includes the booster if eligible). If not fully vaccinated, a proctored negative COVID-19 test result dated within 48 prior to volunteering work will suffice.

Our next PTO Business Meeting will take place on zoom on Monday, March 14. We will discuss the 8th grade dance, Starship lunches, our budget, and beginning planning for next school year. All are welcome to attend.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://mcmastercarr.zoom.us/j/98614008594

Meeting ID: 986 1400 8594

On Tuesday, March 15 (an Institute day for the teachers/staff - students not in school) the PTO will be catering a lunch from Panera to thank the staff for their hard work (this was originally scheduled in February but the snow/remote school day forced us to reschedule)! Never has their work been more appreciated! You can participate by signing up to donate drinks, desserts, or flowers for their lunch. They can be dropped off in the office before 11:00 on Tuesday the 15th!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090849AEAC2DAA8-march

The 8th grade dance is planned for Friday, May 20th (exact time TBD) and the PTO could use your help in planning a memorable evening for our 8th graders. Please contact Judy Seals at judyseals2011@gmail.com if you are interested in helping with any of the following:

Planning the dance

Setting up/decorating the day of

Volunteering during the dance

Breaking down/cleaning up after the dance

Donating beverages, $ for gift card prizes

Volunteer slots are not limited to only parents of current 8th graders.

This is the last call to order an 8th grade graduation t-shirt for your prospective graduate! Please don't miss the opportunity to capture another memory of their time in middle school. Purchases can be made in cash in the main office with Ms. Colbert. The last day to place your order is March 25th, 2022. For more information, please email Ms. Colbert, mcolbert@op97.org.

The Brooks Robotics club wrapped up their season this past weekend at the Battle of the Bots @ Elm Middle School in Elmwood Park. All teams performed well but 2 were able to make it all the way to the championship and ended up competing against each other's alliances.

Eclipse: Isaiah Ruehle-May, Julian St.Pierre, Ryan Wells, Aiden Burch and Elias Dysart were victorious in a best of 3 series and came away with the Tournament Championship this year in a very exciting match. Team Eclipse also won the Design Award given to the team with the best overall design and were Regular Season Champs. Special note: Team Eclipse did not lose a match the whole season except in the final match against Rusty Nails.

Rusty Nails: Zac Wehman, Ian Hollinden, Kian Lampert, Jobin Lampert, and Lennon Achterhof were Battle of the Bots Finalists and ended up finishing in 2nd Place for the Tournament, losing to Eclipse in a super exciting best of 3 final match.

Irish Wristwatch: Ryan Campbell, Graham Templeton, Erik Dean and Andrew Borel won the Skills Award. The skills award is a tournament within the Battle of the Bots where teams showcase their coding and driving expertise. In the field of 33 teams, Irish Wristwatch came out on top. We ended up having 4 teams in the top ten for the Skills Tournament.

Brooks 21-22 Competitive Vex Robotics Teams:

JEEZ - Ethan Blesch, Jaxon Young, Alex Burke

Big Brain Bread- Zackary Glennie, Gavin O'Shaughnessey, Ruby O'Shaughnessey, Henry Kephart, Maeve Lingenfelter

DROIDS- Thomas Millinovich, Finn Cascarino, Cael Walicki, Ben Fields

Irish Wristwatch - Ryan Campbell, Graham Templeton, Erik Dean and Andrew Borel

Rusty Nails - Zac Wehman, Ian Hollinden, Kian Lampert, Jobin Lampert, Lennon Achterhof Eclipse -Isaiah Ruehle-May, Julian St.Pierre, Ryan Wells, Aiden Burch, Elias Dysart

We are very proud of all 6 teams this season as they worked in building and coding their robots. Every single team made great progress throughout the season.

Coaches: Brian Shinners, Tasia Rodriguez

Mentors: John Michelotti, Knox Lingenfelter, Desi Murphy, and Cody Kirkpatrick

Each Spring, all District 97 students in Grades 3 to 8 take federally-required assessments to help us understand how they are growing academically. Since 2019, the state has utilized the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) to assess students’ knowledge and skills in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics, as well as their progress toward the long-term goal of college and career readiness.

This year, the IAR will be administered to Brooks students between April 5 and 14.

Check out our “5 Things to Know About IAR” document to learn more about this year’s assessment! (also pictured below)

IAR PARTICIPATION IMPACTS SCHOOLS’ OVERALL RATINGS. Under the state’s ESSA plan, a school cannot receive the “Exemplary” designation on the Illinois Report Card when it has less than 95% eligible student participation for three consecutive years. This proficiency rate impacts schools’ interim progress measurements and summative designations. Similarly, many public, online rating agencies—including GreatSchools.org—utilize IAR data exclusively for all of their ratings of school districts, by which many opinions are formed and decisions are made affecting property values in a school's community. All schools across the state strive to have at least 95% of their students participate in the federally-required state assessment, IAR.

GBMS Historical Participation rates in federally-required state assessments:

2017- ELA (89%), Math (88%)

2018- ELA (85%, Math (83%)

2019- ELA (86%), Math (86%)

2020- no testing due to the pandemic

2021- ELA (61%), Math (61%) impacted by optional remote learning during testing window

Please read about the Impact of Participation in State Assessments - IAR (ISBE) (also pictured below)

Additional Resources for Families

• District 97 IAR Webpage

• Frequently Asked Questions

• FAQ: 95% Participation in State Assessments (ISBE)

It is to be expected that there will be a range of emotions about our transition to “masks recommended and not required" on March 17th. Students may be anxious, excited, apprehensive, or eager and those feelings may evolve as the transition sets in. Some of our students have never been in school without a mask, so for those students this will be a new experience.

As we move towards this transition, our emphasis is on the social-emotional needs of our students and supporting each other as a community. Our school staff will support classroom communities that encourage inclusiveness, belonging, and care. Our district Culture and Climate Coaches, in collaboration with our school-based PBIS/Culture and Climate teams, have designed resources to support classroom conversations, which will begin the week of March 7. They have also prepared resources for families to support the conversations that will happen at home to support students with this transition.

Regardless of a family’s decision about mask wearing, preparing your child for this change in their learning environment may put them at ease.

• Communicate Kindness: You can help your child understand that the pandemic has caused many unknowns, and everyone is working to do what is best for their families. Being different is ok and respecting difference is an important part of our community. Another family’s decision may not be the same as their own and that is ok.

• Clear Expectations: As we get closer to March 17th, depending on the developmental age and stage of your child, explain why your family has decided that wearing or not wearing a mask at school is best for them. Set clear expectations for your child’s behavior at school. Reinforce the need to respect differences. You may want to discuss with your child what respect looks like/sounds like.

• Model and Practice Skills: If your child feels self-conscious about wearing or not wearing a mask, help them to put words to their feelings. You can develop a script with them and practice with them how to respond directly. For example, “I feel better wearing/not wearing a mask at school; what should we play at recess?”

• Encourage Your Child to Speak Up: Remind your child that it is important to speak to an adult at school if they notice a student being mistreated or if they have been mistreated. Promoting a culture of mutual respect should include feeling safe to speak up. Help your child to identify a trusted adult(s) at school that they can go to.

Additionally, it’s important that we prepare our students to be flexible should masks become required indoors again due to a state or local mask mandate or if we experience high transmission in our community, per CDC guidelines. This is not something that we want to happen. However, as we have experienced throughout the pandemic, we should expect the unexpected and be prepared to listen, learn and take action when necessary to address the safety of our students, staff and families.

Hello Brooks,

A few of our 8th grade students are collecting school supplies for their community project. They have boxes located in different spaces around the building to collect items.

We are doing a community project for our 8th grade advisory class. We made donation boxes that are located in the gym foyer, office foyer, outside the health room, and in the first floor D wing. You can put used or new school supplies such as notebooks, folders, binders, pencils, pens, highlighters, markers, sharpies, etc. The boxes will go to an organization called the Wasteshed that gives the school supplies to disadvantaged communities in Chicago for schools that don't have the resources to get these items. The boxes will be taken down on March 25, 2022. Thank you for your help!

- 8th grade students, S. Ruff, M. McCreary, and A. Sandahl

Daily Breakfast Menu Choice of: Cheerios*, Cocoa Puffs, Trix, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Chex, Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Muffin* plus includes choice of juice, fruit, graham cracker and milk

• There is no charge for students
• Breakfast will be available from 8:30am to 9:00am daily in the commons/cafeteria
• Students will be seated to maximize social distancing, eat quickly and then return outside until all students enter the building

Resiliency Skills for Anxiety, Depression and Executive Functioning DePaul University, in partnership with the Oak Park Township Community Mental Health Board and D97, plan to offer a series of community talks to the D97 community as part of the Mindful Middle Schoolers & Mindfulness Matters Program.

Below is a list of upcoming talks for early 2022! Registration via the eventbrite links below is requested: https://bit.ly/DePaulTalks

Parent/Student/Staff (open to all):

March 15, 6-7 PM: Mindfulness-based strategies and their applications in academic environments (Dr. Victoria Doobay): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/256953403547

March 16, 6-7 PM: Understanding anxiety in youth and strategies for treatment and support (Dr. Orson Morrison) https://www.eventbrite.com/e/256957235007 Dr. Orson Morrison, PsyD Dr. Victoria Doobay, Ph.D

MEP Exploration is an extension of YEMBA. This program is geared toward more recreation learning activities that will include: STEM activities, Arts & Craft, Basketball workshops, Dance workshops, outdoor and field sports, guest speakers and more. This program is open to all students. Snacks will be provided and the program will run from 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm.

Due to the shortened week,

• all students will SHIELD Test on Thursday, 3/17 (A Day) during PE/Arts/SDD/Music class.

• Pilot Home Kit samples should be turned in to Ms. Colbert in the Main Office upon arrival to school on Thursday, 3/17 (A Day).

Masks will continue to be required in two areas in school buildings effective March 17th:

• Nurses' offices: Masks will continue to be required in school nurses' offices, which are considered healthcare settings. Disposable masks will be available if needed.
• SHIELD testing areas: SHIELD Illinois will continue to require masks in testing areas, since collection sites are technically considered healthcare facilities. This means that all students participating in weekly SHIELD testing will be required to wear masks in the collection area. The district will have disposable masks available, however, we encourage families to make sure that their students bring their own masks on their designated testing days.

Students should not eat at least 60 minutes prior to providing their saliva sample. Please keep in mind these times may be adjusted if needed.

Only Families who student tested positive for COVID-19 will receive notification within 24 to 48 hours of the testing day.

Additional information about SHIELD testing is included below.

• About SHIELD Illinois

• District 97-SHIELD Illinois Program Notice

• Frequently Asked Questions

Please support our school nurse by LEAVING A REASON when you call your child in sick from school.

• Our nurse follows up on every absence call when a specific reason is not provided. If your child is staying home due to reasons unrelated to COVID-19, sharing that information in the message helps the nurse determine whether a call is necessary.

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 school, please call the attendance number 708-665-3074 or email brooksattendance@op97.org

When calling please slowly state or when emailing include:

1. Your Name
2. Your Child’s Name
3. Your Child’s Grade
4. Reason for the Absence
5. Best phone number to reach you

We appreciate your assistance with this process!

Please contact the Brooks Health Office and speak with Nurse Nancy Radogno if you have questions or concerns regarding COVID-19 and any listed symptoms.

(708) 524- 3058 or nradogno@op97.org

Masks will continue to be required in two areas in school buildings effective March 17th:

• Nurses' offices: Masks will continue to be required in school nurses' offices, which are considered healthcare settings. Disposable masks will be available if needed.
• SHIELD testing areas: SHIELD Illinois will continue to require masks in testing areas, since collection sites are technically considered healthcare facilities. This means that all students participating in weekly SHIELD testing will be required to wear masks in the collection area. The district will have disposable masks available, however, we encourage families to make sure that their students bring their own masks on their designated testing days.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and state/local health officials, fully vaccinated individuals do not have to quarantine due to potential COVID-19 exposure as long as they are asymptomatic. Additionally, achieving a high rate of vaccination will strengthen our overall safety plan and will put the district in the best possible position to reconsider other mitigations as conditions improve in our community.

To help us reduce any unnecessary quarantines and accurately track our student vaccination rate, District 97 requests that families submit proof of vaccination for their students as soon as they have received their second dose. There are two options:

• IF YOU HAVE A GOOGLE ACCOUNT: Fill out a brief Google Form and upload a copy of the student’s vaccination card. CLICK HERE to access the Brooks vaccine form.

• IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A GOOGLE ACCOUNT: Email a copy of your student’s vaccination card to Nurse Nancy Radogno (brooksnurse@op97.org). Please include the child’s full name and grade.

Students Who Participated in Clinics at District 97 Schools
If your student completed their vaccine series at one of the school-based clinics, a staff member should have taken a photo of their vaccination card following the second dose.

• If your child's card was documented, no further action is needed.

• If your child's card was not scanned or photographed, or if your child did not receive their second dose at a school clinic, please email a copy of the card to your school nurse.

If you have any questions, please contact Nurse Radogno. Thank you for your support and partnership in keeping our schools safe!

• Visit THIS SITE to purchase books and support our PTO & school
• Check out Anderson’s FLYER!

Please have books you purchase sent to your home, and books purchased for teachers sent to the school.

Thanks for your support!

21/22 GBMS Yearbook will be developed by our Yearbook Club and printed using TreeRing.com. Interested in buying a yearbook? Use this link to get started (if needed passcode: 1014096931934358). Some other things that are great about TreeRing is that you can do the following:

• upload and share photos with the Yearbook Club Editors and the school community
• design custom pages for your own yearbook
• send and request digital signatures
• add memories to your custom pages

Questions about the yearbook? Contact Mrs. Pabellon at mpabellon@op97.org or TreeRing directly at (877) 755-TREE. Here's to another great year!

Lunch Color Eating First: YELLOW (3/14-3/18).

Social Justice Club/Rubix Cube Club: Social Justice Club meets Thursdays from 3:30-4:30p. Rubix Cube Club meets Fridays from 3:30-4:15p. For more information, contact Mrs. Stigger in room C405, or email nstigger@op97.org.

The VEX Competitive teams:

We are very proud of all 6 teams this season as they worked in building and coding their robots. Every single team made great progress throughout the season.

-Mr. Shinners and Mrs. Rodriguez

Track and Field

March 14th first official practice: ALL PAPERWORK DUE TO PARTICIPATE

Location: Fitness Room

Time:3:40-4:45 p.m.

Track and Field Families please make sure you use this calendar for information on practice days and times. This calendar will be updated with any changes. If you have not done, so please fill out the google form to be added to the family parent email list. Email Ms. Dajani with any questions at rdajani@op97.org

Intramural Basketball: We are making the switch to BASKETBALL for our intramural activity. We will be improving skills in fun game play activities with our fellow students each day. This is open to anyone on Mondays and Thursdays at 3:30-4:30p.
Schedule Link

Best Buddies: We will meet on Wednesday, March 16th after school until 4:30 (located in Mr. Colucci's room B105). Come join us. Also, here is an update schedule for our meetings.

Rainbow Revolution (FORMERLY Rainbow Tribe): We meet Mondays from 3:30-4:30pm in the library. Rainbow Revolution brings together Brooks students who are members of the LGBTQ+ community AND their Allies!! EVERYONE is welcome! Contact Ms. Berman (aberman@op97.org) if you have any questions!

SPOKEN WORD CLUB Wants YOU!

We create

We share

We perform

Please complete the linked form to register for the Oak Park Education Foundation's Spoken Word Club, hosted at the Oak Park Art League located at 720 Chicago Ave)! Club will meet there in person every Tuesday, from 4 pm to 5:30 pm and will be led by our poet-artist Mo Santiago and at least one other OPEF staff member or D97 teacher/Spoken Word Coach (Miles Lee / John Colucci). Please fill out this registration or scan the Spoken Word Club QR Code in your Language & Literature classroom

(Please note: Spoken Word Club will be meeting virtually until further notice. Please check your Google Classroom announcement from Ms. Mo for the link!)

Math Team: We meet every Monday from 3:30-4:40 in room B409. All mathletes welcome! Email Ms. Smith with any questions at esmith3@op97.org.

BEAT: (no meeting this week due to no school) We meet on Tuesdays from 3:30-4:30 in room C202. Please email Ms. Stamp (lstamp@op97.org) with any questions.

CHESS CLUB / Game Club: is open to all levels of experience, from first-time players to competitive players. Attendance each week is highly recommended but not required. There are no tryouts! Chess/Game Club has expanded to allow students to share and build 3D board games, play video games, play traditional board games, and of course, Chess. I am open to video game tourneys as well as the "old fashion" Chess tourney. Checkmate!!!!!!!!!! I am looking forward to seeing you at "The Club!" Our next meeting is Tuesday, March 15th from 3:30-5:00P. We meet in C-108. Be well! Please see Mr. Hausfeld or email mhausfeld@op97.org with questions.

Yearbook: All are welcome! If you love photography, graphic design, books, writing, or attending special events then the yearbook is for you! How do you sign up? Just come to one of our meetings. Members, please remember to bring any permission slips and a charged chromebook. We meet on Thursdays from 3:30-4:30 in room D304. See you there. Direct questions to Mrs. Pabellon at mpabellon@op97.org or Ms. Suerth at ssuerth@op97.org. Yearbook club meeting calendar.

Crochet Club: We meet on Wednesdays at 3:30 -4:45p in room B202. Bring your current project or I have ideas for new projects. Newbies are welcome (I have supplies to share or bring your own)! We are all here to help each other out on projects! Knitters are welcome too! For questions, please see Mrs. Rodriguez or email, trodriguez@op97.org

Service Club: Service Club meets on Fridays at 8:00am in room B208. Bring your ID! Our next project will be Beyond Hunger’s Can Do Challenge. Everyone is welcome! Please email Ms. Martinez (bmartinez@op97.org) or Ms. Walsh (swalsh@op97.org) if you have questions. If there are any cancellations for Service Club we will notify you through Canvas.

Extra-Curricular Choirs: ***If you would like to audition after winter break, contact Mr. Blackman in D105 or email him at fblackman@op97.org ****

• Downbeat (7th and 8th graders) meets Tuesdays and Fridays at 8am
  
• Fledgelings (all grades) meets Thursdays at 8am.
  

• If you’re curious about what we do/sing, check out our concert!

• Fledgeling Performance

• Downbeat Performance

• Famous former members of these groups* :Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Emma Watson, Denzel Washington, Gerald Ford, Prince, 3 of the Beatles (we don’t like to brag about which ones), LeBron James, etc. *no evidence has been collected proving these people were members of the groups but we’re, like, pretty sure they were in the groups at some point

Speech Team: Get ready for the fall! Any questions? Please email Ms. Perros at sperros@op97.org!!!

Art Club: This week, “Bisa AND Warhol” meet Thursday at 3:30-4:30. Check your Canvas Art Club course for the schedule and groups. Students in club should all have a Canvas Art Club course. Contact Mrs. Murray with any questions in D301 or kmurray@op97.org

SkillShare Club: Have a skill to share with other students? Can you help them in another subject area? Join SkillShare club! Students can come here to help other students, and if you need help, definitely attend! We meet on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30p in room B205. See Ms. McKinney with questions, or email cmckinney@op97.org

For more information regarding the:

Brooks 2021 - 2022 Clubs

Register for Bravo Summer Camp TODAY!

3-Week Sessions for Actors: June 13 - July 2 AND July 5 - July 23

2-Week Sessions for Crew: June 20 - July 2 AND July 11 - July 23

**Open to Current 4th Graders - 8th Graders

Registration Deadline - March 12

Students can find announcements in each Student's Lunch (Green) or Lunch (Yellow) course in Canvas as well as on a button along the left side of our Brooks homepage.

GBMS Lunchtime Book Club

• Who: Any interested student
  
• What: Book Club (group will choose the book together)
  
• Where: Library
  
• Why: For Fun!
  
• When: Fridays during Lunch Social Time on March 18; April 8, 22, 29; May 2, 20, 27
  
• Please sign-up using THIS FORM by Wednesday, March 16th
  
• More details will be shared with students who signed-up on Thursday, March 17th.
  
• Questions? See Ms. Nelson in the library!

Weekly Featured Novels

• Radium Girls by Kate Moore. Click on the link below to read more about the book & watch a trailer: https://www.kate-moore.com/the-radium-girls

Virtual Author Visits

• Through Anderson's Bookshop.
• Whether or not your teacher signs up your class to attend the virtual author visit, you can order an autographed book!
  
• Learn more about the authors visiting & their books HERE.
  
• LINK to purchase an autographed book by Lincoln Peirce
  

How place a hold on a library book

• Log in to your Destiny catalog account
  
• Use your district username & password WITHOUT the @stu.op97.org
  
• Find the book you want, click on the title, and click on “HOLD”
  
• VIDEO: HOW DO I PLACE A LIBRARY HOLD?

Oak Park Public Library Opportunities:

Teen Events Calendar: Coming up in March:

• Thursday, March 17 @4:00p (Virtual): Middle School Book Group: "Sailor Moon" (Grades 5-8). Click here to register.
• Sunday, March 20 @1:00p LETAB Teen Environmental Club. Main Library. (Grades 6-12). Click here to register.

Women’s History Month

• Click on the image below to learn about Rosalind Franklin, a DNA scientist.

As the calendar year draws to a close, please consider making a donation to the Brooks PTO. Since March 2020, we have been unable to raise money to support our mission through our primary fundraiser, the weekly Starship Restaurant lunch program, because of D97 Covid-related protocols. As a result, we have had to either scale back or eliminate funding of need-based scholarships, teacher grants, and other enrichment activities.

While we continue to look for other ways to raise much-needed funds until we are able to resume the Starship lunch program, we would be appreciative of any donations in the meantime. Donations may be made on our website. Please note that the Brooks PTO is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and a donation receipt for tax or matching purposes will be provided. Thank you!

Connect with PTO

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

Support the PTO, a local black-owned business, and get awesome Brooks Spirit wear all at the same time! Brooks Spirit wear can be ordered at any time visiting the Brooks section of the Shabby Fly website. Order will be shipped to your home!

D97 Academic Acceleration (Repeat)

Similar to last year, the referral window for families seeking single subject or whole grade acceleration opens on March 1 and closes on May 15.

Please visit our D97 website for more information.

2021-22 District 97 Family Handbook (Repeat)
Click here for the updated 2021-22 District 97 Family Handbook, which contains general information about the district and its procedures. Please note that some of this information may be subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please email d97feedback@op97.org if you have any questions.

Additionally, if you would like to request a hard copy of the handbook, please contact the school office.

School Year 21-22 Meal Information (Repeat)

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved key waivers that allow school districts to continue serving free meals to all children. This means that all District 97 students are eligible to receive breakfast and lunch free of charge for the entire 2021-22 school year!

NOTE: Families DO NOT need to complete the Free/Reduced Meal Application in order for their students to receive free meals. However, families seeking to qualify for school fee waivers or other state programs MUST complete the application. We encourage all families who currently qualify to take a few minutes to complete the application as soon as possible.

More information on the D97 food service program, including breakfast and lunch menus for our elementary and middle schools, is available here.

Please note that Breakfast will not be served before school. However, if a student arrives to school without breakfast, they can let their 1st period teacher know. The teacher will contact our school nurse and she will arrange for them to come to the commons to get something to eat. Students will miss some class time.

2021-22 Frequently Asked Questions for Back to School Plan (Repeat)
District 97 has created a 2021-22 FAQ page based on the top questions we have received over the past few weeks. Topics include ventilation, remote learning, vaccination and travel.

Our back-to-school plan is linked below and can also be found, along with other COVID-19 resources and information, by going to https://www.op97.org/back-to-school.

• District 97 Back-to-School Plan for 2021-22
• COVID-19 Safety Mitigation Highlights

District 97 has developed a comprehensive back-to-school plan to keep our students and staff healthy and safe while they learn in person five days a week. Our approach implements data-informed response measures that are aligned with the most up-to-date scientific research and best practices for K-12 schools. The plan also reflects rising concerns about the transmissibility of the Delta variant, the resurgence of COVID-19 cases, and the fact that the majority of our students (Pre-K through sixth grade) are not yet eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Below is a brief overview of some, not all, of the safety mitigations that will be in place for the beginning of the 2021-22 school year. New procedures are starred (*).

• Full-Day, In-Person Instruction for All Students: Per state guidance, remote learning will only be provided only if a student is placed in quarantine by the health department or if students qualify as medically fragile.
• Masking Optional: Masks will be optional for all students and staff, regardless of vaccination status starting Thursday, May 17th.
• Weekly Screening Testing: District 97 will partner with SHIELD Illinois to provide weekly testing to all students in Pre-K through eighth grade. This is a non-invasive saliva test that will be conducted on site during the school day. Testing is optional but strongly recommended. No action is necessary to participate. CLICK HERE to learn more about SHIELD testing. CLICK HERE for FAQ related to SHIELD Illinois.
• Updated Quarantine and Contact Tracing Procedures: At the direction of the Oak Park Department of Public Health, unvaccinated individuals who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, or who test positive for COVID-19, must quarantine/isolate from school for a period of 10-14 school days. Students and staff may return after following the protocols outlined in our plan. As of today, quarantining is no longer required for vaccinated individuals unless they are symptomatic. The CDC and IDPH have also updated their close contact definition for classroom students, which we hope will minimize disruptions to in-person learning this year.
• Physical Distancing: We will make every effort to maintain as much distance as possible between students—at least 3 feet—in classrooms and during lunch.
• Cleaning and Disinfecting: Staff will perform regular school cleaning and disinfect all high-touch surfaces daily. The full classroom disinfection process will occur weekly.

Wanting to confirm information you've heard regarding our schools? (Repeat)

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.

Text Messages from District 97 (Repeat)

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 (Repeat)

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.

Our school does not tolerate bullying and takes all reports of bullying seriously. Consistent with Oak Park Elementary School District Board policies; bullying, intimidation, and harassment diminish a student’s ability to learn and a school’s ability to educate. Preventing individuals from engaging in these disruptive behaviors and providing all students equal access to a safe, non-hostile learning environment are important District goals. Bullying of any type should be reported immediately.

Report Form Link

PLEASE NOTE: District 97 extends a special thank you to former Brooks Middle School student Shawn C. for building the foundation for the bullying form. We would also like to thank our middle school students and administration team for their valuable feedback.

All of our student athletic events and music performances will be live streamed on our YouTube Channel: GBMS YouTube Live Streaming Channel

For more information regarding live streaming, please click here.

A limited number of GBMS students can now attend home sporting events! We have limited student admission (19 tickets per grade) due to social distancing guidelines but we will try our best to rotate who attends games if there are a number of students interested.

In order for a GBMS student to attend a game, one of the APs will be in the ticket booth stationed outside the lunch room.

• Students must pick up a ticket on the day of the game during lunch
  
• We will take down the student's name and give you a ticket to present for admission to the game.
• Student seats are marked with a blue dot on the bleachers closets to the entrance in the gym.

After reviewing best practices, discussing our safety plans with our local health department and considering student needs, we have decided to allow spectators at the following:

• Athletic games (e.g., basketball)

• BRAVO performances

• Band, orchestra and choir performances (coming in December)

All of these events will follow strict safety guidelines, including:

Athletic Events

• Student spectators (6, 7 & 8th graders) may attend indoor athletic events at Brooks, vaccinated or not, if social distancing can be maintained
• If social distancing cannot be maintained, student spectators will be required to show either proof of full vaccination or a time-stamped negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test within 48 hours of the scheduled school event.
• Masks must be worn at all times for any and all indoor activities

Performing Arts Events (BRAVO, Choral and Instrumental Concerts)

• Student and adult spectators will need to show either proof of full vaccination or a time-stamped negative COVID-19 PCR or antigen test within 48 hours of the scheduled school event.

• Regardless of the event, masks must be worn at all times for any and all indoor activities.

Additionally, several extracurricular activities have been given clearance to operate onsite, including YEMBA, Vex Robotics (including mentors from OPRF) and PING (including mentors from OPRF).

We are grateful for the cooperation of our students and families, who have been doing a great job with all of our safety protocols this year. We hope to continue revisiting our mitigations as conditions improve and more of our community becomes eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. We will keep you updated on those discussions moving forward.

Tetyana Krutsik, Care Coordinator, is working with Brooks Middle School to support our families. See the below flyer to learn more about the the various ways she can support our families. You can connect with her directly via email tkrutsik@depaul.edu.

We ask that if possible to please send your student to school with a filled water bottle. There are no drinking fountains open, but we have water bottle filling stations in the school for our students to refill their water bottles when needed.

Below are the emails of our Social Work team. Please email them if you want to learn more about how your student can connect with them.

• Abby Berman supports our 6th graders (aberman@op97.org)
• Hannah Boudreau supports our 7th graders (hboudreau@op97.org)
• Jen Olsen supports our 8th graders (jolsen@op97.org)

Office Phones

Please note that our office staff sets the phone to go to voicemail from 8:30am to 9:15am daily. Please leave a message of your student's absence or you can email brooksattendance@op97.org. Our office staff will listen to voicemails to call back or direct calls as needed after 9:15am daily. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Please check out our GBMS Learning SY21-22 Information page, as your question is likely answered there.

Dropping off Items at Brooks for your Student

You may drop off forgotten items for your student in the main office. Please note that we will not call into your student's classroom, as it is a disruption to the learning for other students and the teacher in the classroom. Your student should plan to stop by the main office on their way to lunch or between passing periods, if they think you may have dropped off the forgotten item for them to retrieve. We appreciate your understanding.

Please visit https://bit.ly/3j0KGTB to access information about the district’s food allergy management program, as well as tips and options for identifying food that is safe for snacks and field trips.

Nuts and nut products are not allowed in any District 97 schools during the 2021-22 school year. This includes products that are labeled “processed in a facility that shares equipment with nut products.” The shift to include lunch was necessary as many students may be eating their lunch in spaces other than the lunchroom due to COVID-19 protocols.

We appreciate your help in adhering to this preventative measure.

Incoming 6th-grade students and/or any new students who have transferred into District 97, MUST have a wellness physical and dental exam dated no less than one year prior to August 25th, 2021. Your child's physical must have been performed after August 25th, 2020 . Your child may not be admitted to school without these documents. Please submit the documents by mail or in person no later than August 25, 2021 to the following:

Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School

Attn: Health Office, Nurse Nancy Radogno

325 S. Kenilworth Ave

Oak Park, IL 60302

SPORTS PHYSICALS – The State of Illinois Office of Education requires that any student who wishes to participate in interscholastic sports MUST have an Athletic Physical Examination, dated no less than one year prior to the first day of the current school year, anytime after August 25, 2020. It is MANDATORY that your child have this physical before they will be eligible to try out or participate in any interscholastic activity.

To access student health forms please visit http://www.op97.org/hr/health-requirements

**For any family having difficulty securing an appointment to get the physical completed, please email our School Nurse, Nancy Radogno, nradogno@op97.org.

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.

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.

(First United Church – 848 Lake Street, Oak Park)

Wednesdays from 3:00pm to 5:00pm

Saturdays from 9:00am to 11:00am

Enter through the west narthex door.

Come to the Kids’ Kloset to get great

cold-weather clothing

at the lowest prices possible!

Loads of winter coats!

Contact “susanzaruba@gmail.com”

If you need an alternative appointment.

SUPPORT4U is a mental health resource for our students to anonymously text licensed mental health clinicians any time of the day for assistance or guidance. Students can text for any issue; typical reasons might include social issues, anxiety, depression, substance use, suicidal ideation, eating disorders, bullying, abuse, or any other mental health-related topic. The clinician’s goal is to steer the student to available resources in the school and community. To use, students just need to go to Support4U.live on their phone, click on the Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School logo and hit send. Help is just a text away.

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.