Middle Matters

Highlights from this week's Middle Matters:

• Important Upcoming Dates
• SY23-24 School Calendar
• SMART Hephzibah Spring Math Sessions available for 6th Graders
  
• Total Solar Eclipse on April 8, 2024
  
• Beyond Hunger Can Do Challenge (Service Club)
  
• 2024 Spring In-House Robotics Starting!!
  
• Returning Students: Register for 2024-25 by April 19!
  
• 5-Essential Survey Information
• BRAVO Beauty & the Beast Tickets on Sale!
• PTO Updates
• Illinois Science Assessment - 8th Grade Only
• Track & Field Practice Schedule
• “College for Kids” Spring Break Camp Opportunity for D97 Middle-Schoolers
• Save the Date: District Summer Programs
• BRAVO Summer Registrations
• OPEF BASE CAMP: SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIP
  
• OPEF STEM CAMP Information
• 2024 Good Life Race - Brooks Band Performing
• 8th Grade Graduation Picture - Proofs
• Fall School Picture Ordering Information
• Bus running late, what steps can a student or parent take?
• Cold Weather Updates
• Emergency Closings & E-Learning Days information
• Community Resource: Bilingual support for Migrant Families
• SAVE THE DATE: Middle School Math Enrichment 2024
• 8th Grade Graduation Date
• Recognizing Staff Who Make A Difference
• GBMS Yearbook Sales
• GBMS Library - Morning Protocol
• BRAVO Domino Pizza (BRAVO) - still taking orders
• Student Lunches - no outside deliveries permitted
• Middle Matters-Sports, Clubs & BRAVO Information & Student Announcement Link
• PTO News - don't miss out!
• Middle Matters Repeated Topics Link
• Middle Matters Community Partner News Link

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. Angel Banks, at abanks1@op97.org or (708) 524-7636.

Our Administrative Team

April Capuder, Principal (acapuder@op97.org)

Dr. Denise Gildon, Associate Principal for Teaching & Learning (dgildon@op97.org)

Roshaun Bowens, Associate Principal for School Culture, Climate and Sports/Clubs (rbowens@op97.org)

Student Success Coach Team:

6th Grade: Josh Rodgers - jrodgers@op97.org

7th Grade: Nichelle Stigger - nstigger@op97.org

8th Grade: Bernard Starks - bstarks@op97.org

• This Week: Monday,-A Day; Tuesday-B Day Wednesday-C Day, Thursday-A Day, Friday B Day

• 8th Grade Dance: Thursday, May 30th 6 to 8pm

• 8th Grade Great America Trip: Friday, May 31st

• 6th & 7th Grade End of School Year Celebrations: Friday, May 31st

• 8th Grade Graduation: Monday, June 3rd

• Last Day of School: Tuesday, June 4th

Today is the LAST DAY for SMART Hephzibah spring term registration.

Do you have a child who would benefit from additional math or reading help? SMART Hephzibah may be just the boost your child needs to reach their math and reading goals! SMART Hephzibah is an after-school enrichment program that offers supplemental learning sessions in math for 1st - 6th grade students with regular and advanced options and reading sessions for 2nd grade students. SMART Hephzibah is taught over Zoom by D97 teachers. Each 7-week session costs $84, and financial aid is available. For more information, visit our SMART Hephzibah page. You may also register with this link: SMART REGISTRATION.

Financial aid continues to be available, so the program is accessible to everyone.

Register at SMART Hephzibah registration.

On April 8, a total solar eclipse will be visible (weather permitting) in the Chicagoland area. The following is the expected timeline:

• 12:51 p.m. - Total Eclipse Begins

• 2:08 p.m. - Max Point of the Total Eclipse

• 3:22 pm - Total Eclipse Ends

Looking at the sun—even for a brief period of time—can be damaging to our eyes without the right eye protection. Because of this, I wanted to reach out to you to let you know our plan for April 8 to ensure the safety of our students and staff:

• We will supply each student and staff member with the proper protective eyewear should their class decide to go outside during the total eclipse timeframe.

• Students MUST wear protective eyewear in order to go outside during the total eclipse timeframe.

• We will speak to our students about how to responsibly experience the total eclipse and about the necessary safety precautions when going outside during a total eclipse.

• Your teacher will share more about specific plans for your student’s class.

• You will have an opportunity to opt your student out of the experience (see below). Should you decide to opt out, they will be provided with an alternate activity.

Opting Out

If you DO NOT want your child to participate in any solar eclipse activities while at school, please complete this form no later than Friday, April 5.

Eclipse Resources

The following are some resources should you want to learn more about the Total Solar Eclipse | 2024:

• National Science Teaching Association

• American Astronomical Society

• NASA - Total Solar Eclipse

• Adler Planetarium

Please let April Capuder know if you have any questions or concerns.

Our Service Club is excited to announce that Beyond Hunger's 2024 Can Do Challenge starts NOW and runs through April 30th! We are collecting donations to help our community, while competing against other schools in the area to donate the most. We are also still holding our own in-house competition to encourage participation. The SOAR class with the most points will win a pizza lunch in the garden, date TBA, but will take place in May.

Here's how to earn points:

**Money donations (each dollar = 10 points): use this link and please include your child's SOAR Teachers name

**Bring in food!

These items are worth 8 points each: Dry black-eyed peas (1-2lb bags), Canned salmon, Brown Rice

These items are worth 5 points each: Peanut Butter, Canned Chicken Soup, Cheerios’ Cereal, Canned Mixed Vegetables (low sodium), Tomato Paste, Bagged Rice (White or Brown), Refried and Dry Beans (Pinto and Black), Canned Pineapples, Canned peaches (in natural juice), Canned chicken (in water)

**Make a cooking video (each video = 500 points): Find a recipe on the Beyond Hunger website and make a cooking video of no longer than 2 minutes. (We will need parent/guardian permission for Beyond Hunger to use the video).

***This competition starts RIGHT NOW! Encourage your SOAR students to earn as many points as possible by Tuesday, April 30th.

As always, please contact Service Club Sponsors if you have any questions:

Susan Walsh (swalsh@op97.org) and Blanca Martínez (bmartinez@op97.org)

The Brooks Robotics Club & OPEF are happy to announce the return of Spring In-House Robotics. The Spring session is starting on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. In-house robotics is the less competitive robotics option at Brooks; it is geared toward students who are interested in exploring robotics without the pressure of the competitive robotics team. Students who may not have had any previous experience with building robots and coding will also be comfortable here. The students will work in teams to design, build and code a robot to complete a task, play a game or both!! Previous examples of which were robot soccer, road racing and obstacle courses. Space is limited to 20 students so sign up soon.

There will be a participation fee of $25 to cover the cost of consumable supplies and materials. The Spring Session is limited to the 20 students. If you’re interested, please pay for the session at Brooks Robotics In-House Registration (Spring) by Thursday, April 4, 2024. Upon confirmation of payment, a registration form will be emailed to your parents. Your parents will fill it out and you’ll be ready to go. We'll begin on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, after-school in D202 and will meet on Tuesdays and Fridays weekly from 3:30 - 5:00. Spring In-House will end on May 17, 2024. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Shinners at bshinners@op97.org.

Online registration for the 2024-25 school year in District 97 is now open for all students. Complete details about the process—including residency documents, timelines and other helpful resources—are available on the district website: www.op97.org/registration.

Returning Students

Registration for returning District 97 students will be open March 5 - April 19. Complete details can be found at https://www.op97.org/hr/returning-student-registration.

New Students and Kindergarteners

Registration for kindergarten and new students opened Feb. 22. Please click the links below to learn more about the registration process for kindergarteners and new students.

• Kindergarten Registration
• New Students

In order to register your student, you must be the custodial parent/guardian and currently reside in Oak Park. Students who are registering for kindergarten for the 2024-25 school year must be at least 5 years old and must be born on or before Sept. 1, 2019.

We appreciate your partnership in preparing for a successful 2024-25 school year!

Thank you to the families who completed the 10-minute 5-Essentials survey. We reached at least having 20% of our parent/guardians completing the survey!

GBMS percent of parent/guardian completion rate as of the close of the survey was: 22%.

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

The classic story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.

Performances:

May 3 and 10 at 7pm

May 4 and 11 at 2pm & 7pm

May 5 and 12 at 2pm

PURCHASE BEAUTY & THE BEAST TICKETS

And - please join us for our Be Our Guest Tea Party on Sunday, May 5! TICKETS ON SALE SOON!

Attention Parents!

Craving some delicious deep-dish pizza while supporting our school?Join us for our upcoming Dine Out Fundraiser at Lou Malnati's! Mark your calendars for Wednesday April 10th and bring the whole family for a night of cheesy goodness for a great cause! Remember to mention "BROOKS" and don't miss out on the chance to enjoy amazing food while giving back to our school community! See you there!

Hey Parents!
Want to make a real difference in your child's school experience? Join us as a PTO member for an exciting year ahead! Whether you're a seasoned pro or a newcomer, your ideas and energy are invaluable to our school community. Together, let's create memorable events, support our teachers, and foster a vibrant learning environment for our kids! Sign up now and be part of something amazing! Click here to join.

Calling all parents and caregivers!
Mark your calendars for our next PTO meeting on Monday, April 8th! Your presence and input are invaluable as we plan exciting events and initiatives for our school community. Let's come together to brainstorm ideas, address concerns, and make a positive impact on our children's educational journey! Don't miss out on this opportunity to be involved and stay informed. See you there! Zoom option available here.

Attention Parents of 8th Graders!
Get ready to celebrate a milestone with us at the 8th Grade Dance on Thursday, May 30th! We know this date might be a bit different, but it's the only one that could accommodate all our school activities. Plus, here's the upside – the next day is the epic Great America trip! Let's kick off the celebrations in style with music, dancing, and memories to last a lifetime! Don't miss out on this special evening for our graduating students! Sign up to volunteer now and let's make it a night to remember!

Your commitment to our school community is invaluable. By taking the Parent Pledge and contributing to the PTO, you're directly investing in the success and enrichment of our children's education. By embracing this new initiative, we can expand our capacity to serve even more effectively. Your support enables us to provide extra resources, programs, and activities that enhance their learning experience. Together, let's foster a thriving environment for our students to flourish. We aim to have 200 families make a $25 (or more) pledge. Join us in making a difference today by clicking this link!

8th Grade students will be participating in the Illinois Science Assessment in their Science classes starting April 4th through April 12th.

Practice Schedule

Our first practice will be Monday March 11th. We will follow the practice schedule below:

-No practice on the 18th or 19th

-No practice week of spring break

Practice schedule:

Monday- After school 3:30 - 4:45pm

Tuesday- After school 3:30 - 4:45pm

Wednesday- No practice-Practice on your own (coaches will provide workouts)

Thursday- After school 3:30 - 4:45pm

Friday- (Relays and Field Events only) Morning 7:45 - 8:45am

Triton College, in partnership with District 97 and Fellowship Community Services, is hosting a “College for Kids” Spring Break Youth Camp during spring break (March 25-28, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.).

The program offers students the opportunity to choose one major and one minor area of study to focus on throughout the week. They will receive direct instruction from content experts while participating in hands-on activities. Check out the program flyer (available in English and Spanish) for more details.

Please register today! Space in the program is limited; students will be registered on a first-come, first-served basis.

District 97 will be sharing its full slate of summer programming and registration details by mid-February, however we wanted to provide families with some key dates.

Programs Open to All Students

• Summer Robotics Camp: June 10-14, 2024
• Summer Music Camp: July 29 - August 2, 2024
• Middle School Math Enrichment: Bridge
  • Trimester 3: March 5 - June 4, 2024
  • Summer: June 10 - 28, 2024
• Middle School Math Enrichment: Review
  • June 10 - 28, 2024

Focused Student Programs

• Extended School Year: June 10 - July 3, 2024
• Multilingual Summer Boost: June 10 - July 3, 2024
• Middle School Explore! Program: June 10 -28, 2024

SUMMER INFORMATION & REGISTRATION

The Oak Park Education Foundation offers 2 full weeks (or four half days) of summer BASE Camp for FREE for students who receive free/reduced lunch or who are experiencing a financial hardship. The scholarship application opens tomorrow, Wednesday January 17th and the application can be found here: BASE Camp Scholarship Application 2024

More information can be found at our website at Scholarships - Oak Park Education Foundation (opef.org).

Early Registration

Campers receiving scholarships are able to register early for camp. The date/time for this early registration is Wednesday, January 31st. It opens at 12pm and closes at 5pm. If you miss this period, you can still register and still use your scholarship funds but the general registration period doesn't open again until Sunday, February 4th at 2pm. There are limited spots available for each camp during this early period and more spaces will become available during regular registration.

Please contact Tara Oetting, Programs Director at toetting@opef.org with questions or for more information.

Join us on Sunday, April 28th at Oak Park River Forest High School for the Oak Park Runners Club 41st annual Good Life Race! This family-friendly event includes a 5K, Youth Mile (ages 12 and under), and Junior Dash (ages 6 and under). In addition to the races, there will be entertainment from the Oak Park and River Forest High School drumline, Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School Band, and Jesse White Tumblers. The 2024 Good Life Race will sell out, so register early at goodliferace.com!

In a few weeks from the Graduation picture date of 2/5, you will receive proof form of your student's pictures for you to determine what you would like to order. The information for you to order electronically will be on the Proof form. If you would like your student to retake their picture, the Proof form must be returned with $10 on the day of retakes, which will be March 6th, 2024.

Forgot to Order Photos?

Visit our website at www.ordervgil.com, click on After Picture Day and enter the School/Ticket Code: 20055602.

Please contact Van Gogh Customer Service directly with questions: 847-382-2282 x7

Lakeview does their best to communicate with the schools in advance and then the school sends an email communication regarding the effected bus route. However, there may be times where the timing of the communication doesn't allow for this step. In this case, please call Lakeview directly to learn about the tardiness of the bus: 708.234.5555

In the future, the number for Lakeview can be found on our Bus Transportation webpage.

District 97 believes it is important for students to have opportunities for physical activity and play time during the day—even during the cold winter months. This winter, students will be permitted to go outside for recess when the temperature, with wind chill, is 15 degrees or higher. The district utilizes the Wind Chill Chart developed by the National Weather Service.

• It is important that students dress in warm layers when cold temperatures are expected. Students should remember to bring hats, gloves/mittens, scarves, coats, snow pants and boots. It is recommended that families label these items with their children’s names.
• Our staff will carefully monitor students while outside and take the necessary steps to ensure students are appropriately clothed/prepared for the cold weather, watching out for signs of frostbite and other cold-related issues.

District 97 always strives to have schools open. However, if heavy snow or extreme cold make it dangerous to travel, we may need to close schools. The district’s emergency closing procedures are outlined in this brief deck; full details are posted at https://www.op97.org/communications/emergency-closings.

In July 2021, the District 97 Board of Education approved an E-Learning Plan for students to receive instruction electronically in lieu of traditional emergency days (or inclement weather days). This means that instead of canceling school, the superintendent now has the option of calling an “E-Learning Day” where students and staff learn and work virtually at home. This provides a continuation of learning and prevents the loss of critical instructional days, particularly in our first and second trimesters.

If the superintendent decides to close buildings and hold an E-Learning Day, the information is shared through multiple channels, including email, the district website, our Facebook and X (Twitter) social media pages, and the Emergency Closings website. Staff and families are also encouraged to OPT IN to text messages from the district by texting YES to 79041 or 87569.

Brooks students will be graduating on Monday, June 3rd at 6:30 pm at Oak Park River Forest High School's Auditorium. We will hold rehearsals on Monday, June 3rd in the morning.

If you or your child would like to recognize any staff member (a teacher, a teacher assistant, social worker, librarian, front office staff, lunchroom staff, custodial staff or school administrator) please take a moment to complete this form. A Certificate to express your appreciation will be created and shared with the staff member.

Here is the link to the form: https://forms.gle/5MZSgYchCtFYR48TA

Go ahead. Check it off your to-do list.

Order link: https://www.treering.com/purchase?PassCode=1014096931934358

GBMS Passcode: 1014096931934358

You can also use your TreeRing account to share photos with our Yearbook Team throughout the year as well as design your very own custom pages (first two pages are free). If you have any questions regarding the yearbook, please contact Meaghan Pabellon at mpabellon@op97.org.

Starts Tuesday, September 5th

• The GBMS Library is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
• No pass needed
• To enter, wait in-between the Kenilworth doors (by the main office)
• An adult will escort groups to the library at 8:00, 8:15, and 8:30. For example, if you arrive at 8:10 you will have to wait until the 8:15 group heads up. If you arrive after the 8:30 group has been escorted, you may not enter the library that day
• You will sign-in and stay in the library until the 8:50am
• These times are for students to quietly read, do homework, or meet as a group to study or work on a project.

Domino's Pizza Lunch - (30) Fridays from September 15 - May 31

SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE IN FRIDAY PIZZA LUNCH

>> Students MUST have a Brooks Student ID EVERY FRIDAY to receive pizza <<

Parent/Guardians may drop off a lunch for their student and place it on our rack in the main office for their student to pick up on their way to lunch. We always have a sandwich or salad lunch option available for your student should they forget their lunch at home.

Please note, we can not accept deliveries for students from outside delivery services. Do not order food for your student to be delivered to the school.

To view, please use this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDF7k7NA5zU

Pizza Lunch Volunteers Needed!

Looking for a fun & easy volunteer opportunity at Brooks? Pizza Lunch is a great way to touch base with your child at lunch as well as get to know new families. We rely on volunteers to help distribute food and keep this program going, so please consider donating your time. We can't do it without you!!! Sign up to volunteer on Fridays: Please Sign Up to Volunteer

Join our upcoming PTO meeting on Monday April 8 @ 6p in the Brooks Media Center for an engaging and insightful session! Discover firsthand the exciting initiatives and events we have in store for our school community. Your participation is crucial as we discuss important decisions, share updates, and gather valuable input. Connect with fellow parents, teachers, and staff, and be an integral part of shaping the future of our school. Your presence and voice matter – together, let's make a positive impact on our children's education and school experience. Virtual option available here. See you there!

Calling parents and local businesses to donate gift cards of appreciation to our staff. Drop your contribution in the front office gift card box in the front office. We will be collecting cards all year long and they will be used to celebrate the Brooks staff.

Connect with PTO

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