• Monday, 5/5 A-Day, Tuesday, 5/6 B-Day, Wednesday, 5/7 A-Day, Thursday, 5/8 B-Day, and Friday, 5/9 A-Day.

• 8th Grade Graduation: Monday, June 2nd at 6:30pm at Oak Park River Forest High School

Are you interested in purchasing 2024-2025 Yearbook?

Order by May 7th to ensure you don't have to pay for shipping and the yearbook is sent to Brooks for distribution at the end of the school year. If your order after 5/7, the yearbooks will be delivered to your home and a shipping fee will be charged.

Purchase Link

and Passcode: 1014096931934358

Yearbook Distribution Schedule

May 28th and 29th: Yearbook distribution to 8th graders during PE/Health class who ordered their yearbook by 5/22

May 30th: Yearbook distribution to 6th and 7th graders who ordered their yearbook by 5/22

The Spring Book Fair will be taking place May 12th - 16th and we are looking for volunteers. Please take a look at your schedules and sign up here!

The PTO will be hosting our last appreciation lunch of the school year for the teachers and staff of Brooks on Friday, May 9th as a thank you for their hard work and dedication to our school community. The PTO is providing a catered lunch from a local restaurant of their choice. We are asking members of the Brooks community to donate drinks, desserts, and flowers for this lunch! Please sign up here!

https://oakpark.revtrak.net/Middle-Schools/BMS/brooks-class-of-2025-t-shirt/

https://oakpark.revtrak.net/Middle-Schools/BMS/brooks-8th-grade-activities/#/v/brooks-8th-grade-glow-crazy-dance-thursday-may-29-2025-6pm-8pm

We are looking for a few individuals to help with the planning and execution of the 8th grade Glow in the Dark Dance on May 29th! Please let us know if you are interested in joining the planning committee by signing up at this link.

End-of-year field trips, events and travel are a great privilege we love affording our students to celebrate their achievements. However, certain requirements must be met for a student to be considered eligible for participation in these excursions to ensure we are focused on our main priority and goal: a well-rounded and rigorous education.

• To ensure safety, students must be able to redirect behavior and follow adult directions or requests throughout the school day.

• To ensure student accountability, students should consistently demonstrate responsibility through regular class attendance and limited tardies throughout the school day.

• Student must be in good standing, in accordance to behavior expectations, as outlined in the Oak Park School District 97 Student/Family Handbook. Any student who does not adhere to the behavior expectations in the handbook may be removed from the end of year field trip, event and travel opportunity, even past the date of eligible refunds.

May 30th, 2025 End of Year Grade Level Trips

More information will be shared about the 6th and 7th grade trips by team leaders. The 8th grade Great America information is included in Middle Matters below.

6th Grade - Field Day

7th Grade - Oak Park City Chase

8th Grade - Great America

The eighth grade trip to Great America will take place on Friday, May 30, 2025 RAIN OR SHINE!!

Teacher chaperoned buses will leave GBMS at 9:15am. The buses will leave the park at

5:30pm, and return to GBMS at approximately 6:30pm. Parents/guardians are responsible

for transportation home from school at the end of the day.

For more information, please contact Ms. Colbert at 708-524-7514.

Join the PTO for the 2025-26 School Year!

Planning is underway for next year's PTO initiatives and events and we can't accomplish our goals without the enthusiastic support of you - our parent and guardian community!

There are many opportunities to share your time and talent and connect with families within our Brooks community. From board positions to event chairs to committee members - pick your passion and join us to make Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School the very best!

Take a look at the PTO Roles and Responsibilities and sign up today! Thanks in advance! Email us at gwendolynbrookspto@gmail.com with any questions.

Online registration for the 2025-26 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 is open Feb. 26 through April 30, 2025. 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. 19. Please click the links below to learn more about the registration process for kindergarteners and new students.

• Kindergarten Registration
• New Students

Get Ready to Register
Visit our District 97 Registration page for everything you need to know about the process, including residency documents, timelines, and helpful resources.

Need Help?
Our registration team is here for you! Reach out anytime through Let’s Talk. We look forward to supporting you through this process!

If your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), we highly encourage you to take the ISBE SPP Indicator 8 Survey to help guide our parent engagement efforts and provide the best possible service to our students.

Your responses through the survey play a vital role in shaping future initiatives and strengthening
family-school partnerships in special education.

The survey can be completed by mail or online using the unique seven-digit survey ID enclosed in a recent letter from Measurement Inc. If you did not receive a letter from Measurement Inc., or need your seven-digit survey ID, you may request it online here.

For assistance in English or Spanish, contact Measurement Inc. at ISBEParentSurvey@MeasInc.com or (877) 881-7077. You can also reach District 97 Senior Director of Student Services Donna Middleton at dmiddleton@op97.org.

The survey is open through June 30, 2025. We value your input and thank you for your participation!

District Transformation Goal 2: We Design for All

Subgoal 2B: Middle School Redesign

District 97 is excited to announce updates on the middle school schedule redesign, set to be implemented during the 2025-26 school year. Aligned with best practices and guided by student, staff and family feedback, the new schedule reflects our commitment to fostering engaging, equitable, and empowering learning environments at Brooks and Julian middle schools.

The D97 Middle School Redesign Team provided an overview of the schedule during Tuesday’s board meeting. Highlights are included below. You can view the full presentation by clicking the following links: Recording | Slides

Key Highlights of the New Schedule

• Increased Instructional Time for Core Subjects: English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, Science, and Social Science will each receive an additional hour of instructional time per week by shifting from an A/B rotation to daily instruction.
  
  

• Expanded Elective Opportunities: Students will now have access to a wider array of electives, including year-long and trimester-based courses, with options such as world language, band, art, design, and speech/drama/debate.
  
  

• Lunch, Enrichment and Social Time Enhancements: Lunch periods will be paired with “What I Need” (WIN), a dedicated block of time designed to support students' individual needs through targeted enrichment and intervention opportunities. This update replaces the previous SOAR model. Additionally, structured social time will be consistent across both middle schools, providing students with opportunities to connect and recharge during the school day.
  
  

• Unified Schedule Across Schools: Both middle schools will adopt the same bell schedule and course offerings, promoting equity and enhancing collaboration among staff.
  
  

• Focus on Supportive Transitions: The new schedule will provide smoother transitions for students entering middle school and preparing for high school.

Next Steps

As the middle school teams prepare to implement the new schedule, families should expect the following:

• April 2025 - Communication/Course Selection: Middle school families will receive information from schools regarding the course selection process, which will take place next month.
  
  

• Spring/Summer 2025 - Schedule Orientation for Students and Families: Middle schools will hold sessions for families and students to learn more about the new master schedule. Be on the lookout for future communication!
  
  

• August 2025 - Welcome Back/Middle School Connection: Both schools will hold welcome back events to kick off the new school year, and Middle School Connection will again be held for rising sixth-graders Aug. 12-14.

The redesigned middle school schedule reflects a collaborative effort shaped by input from students, families, and staff, ensuring it meets the diverse needs of our community. We are deeply grateful for the months of thoughtful partnership and engagement that brought us to this point. If you have any questions, please reach out to our team using Let’s Talk.

We need your help! Meet new Brooks parents! Get an inside glimpse of your middle schooler's day!

The PTO will need adult volunteers to assist with distributing Starship lunches to all grade levels each Tuesday.

Sign up to volunteer on Tuesdays here. You can sign up for just one date, or as many dates as you are available! Questions about volunteering? Email Marcella Douce at mmdouce@gmail.com.

Please note that to ensure the distribution process runs smoothly, we request that volunteers are able to stay for the duration of all 3 lunch periods from 11:00am - 1:30pm on any day you may sign up for.

PTO Volunteer Requirements

Per D97 policy, all volunteers must complete and pass a D97 Background Check which is a quick and easy process that can be scheduled through the D97 office and online here.

This is a great chance to get involved inside the school, see your kid(s), and meet other Brooks parents. Starship Lunch is an important school fundraiser supporting many of the PTO programs, initiatives, and events, and we'd love your help to ensure its continued success!

If you have further questions please contact our Starship coordinator, Amelia Topel at amelia.topel@gmail.com.

More information is available here.

Dear 8th Grade Families,

I hope this message finds you well! We have two important updates to share regarding your student's 8th-grade year:

8th Grade Graduation

The 8th grade graduation rehearsal will be on June 2nd. Students will be bused from Brooks to OPRFHS and bused back to Brooks after the rehearsal.

The commencement service for our 8th grade graduates will take place on June 2, 2025 from 6:30 - 8:00 pm at Oak Park River Forest High School Theatre.

Tickets Information
More information about graduation tickets will be shared at a later date.

We’re excited to celebrate these milestones with your students and help them prepare for their next chapter. Please stay tuned for more updates!

Thank you for your continued support,

GBMS Administrative Team
Ms. April Capuder & Dr. Denise Gildon

The D97 Special Education Parent Support Group is now meeting monthly, and we would love for you to join us! Meetings will take place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Community Room at Whittier Elementary School, 715 N. Harvey Ave., on the following dates:

• April 28, 2025
• May 12, 2025

Childcare will be provided. We hope to see you there!

Calling all parents! Please join us at our last PTO meeting of this school year on May 12th from 6-7:30p in-person in the media center and virtually.

If your family is need, please reach out to your student’s social worker to find out more!

6th Grade: Abby Berman, aberman@op97.org

7th Grade: Hannah Boudreau, hboudreau@op97.org

8th Grade: Jen Olsen, jolsen@op97.org

Our teachers are positively reinforcing student who are following our school-wide expectations through acknowledgement with a Brooks Buck. Students can then use their Brooks Bucks to "purchase" items from our Brooks Bucks School Store, which is open every other Wednesday during lunch. Our store will be open again on Wednesday, October 16th.

In order to continue to incentivize our students, we asked them to share wishlist items they would like to see in the school store. Here is the wishlist that was created.

We are asking your support in purchasing an item from the wishlist and have it shipped directly to Brooks Middle School. We will then be able to add the item to our Brooks Store. Below are the items we currently have available, which were generated by staff during the summer. We are really hoping to get items in the Brooks Bucks Store that students have indicated that they would love to have available in the store.

We appreciate your support!

CLUBS & SPORTS INFORMATION -Spring 2025

CLUB Information can be found in Student Announcements. This is updated weekly, as new clubs get organized and announce dates and times.

2025 Spring In-House Robotics Starting!!

The Brooks Robotics Club & OPEF are happy to announce the return of Spring In-House Robotics. The Spring session is starting on Monday, March 10, 2025. 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.

If you’re interested, sign up for the session at Spring 2025 Brooks Robotics In-House Registration by Friday, March 7, 2025. The form should be filled out by both the student and parent. Once you submit it, you’ll be ready to go. We'll begin on Monday, March 10, 2025, after-school in D202 and will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays weekly from 3:30 - 5:00. Spring In-House will end on April 16, 2025. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Shinners at bshinners@op97.org.

If you have questions about Track & Field, please email our coaches, Brooke Sefcik (bsefcik@op97.org) or Jennifer Shadoian (jshadoian@op97.org).

As you know, the BRAVO Performing Arts Program is a District 97 program at Brooks MS and relies entirely on fundraising dollars for programming. We’re gearing up for our Annual Spring Fundraiser, and we need your help to make it a smash hit! Our goal is to raise $6,000 to provide student scholarships for Bravo summer camp and support year-round programming.

How can you help? Donate an item or experience for our basket raffle! Whether it’s a fun day out, a special treat, or a unique experience, every contribution makes a difference.

Click here to fill out the donation form!

Questions? Contact:

Cynthia Alfaro - cynthia.alfaro1@gmail.com
Lynn Brown - lbrown@asnr.org

Thank you for being part of our Bravo community and helping us create another unforgettable year!

Parents - we need your help! Please Sign Up to Help Out with Pizza Lunch on Fridays - pick and choose which days you want to help throughout the year - 11:25am-1:30pm

This thrilling and heartwarming coming-of-age story follows the strong-willed Moana as she sets sail across the Pacific to save her village and discover the truth about her heritage. Moana and the legendary demigod Maui embark on an epic journey of self-discovery and camaraderie as both learn to harness the power that lies within. With empowering messages of bravery and selflessness, Moana, Jr. is sure to bring out the hero within each of us.

Get your tickets to this heartwarming show!

Performances:

May 2 & 9 at 7pm

May 3 & 10 at 2pm and 7pm

May 4 & 11 at 2pm

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR MOANA, JR.

Open to current 4th Graders through current 8th Graders!

3-Week Camp - High School Musical, Jr: June 9 - June 28

[Performances - June 27 & 28]

4-Week Camp - Mean Girls, Jr: June 9 - July 3

[Performances - July 2 & 3]

Stage Crew Camp - High School Musical, Jr and Mean Girls, Jr: June 16 - July 3

[Performances - June 27 & 28 and July 2 & 3]

For More Information and to Register: BRAVOPERFORMINGARTS.ORG

Donut Days Volunteers Needed

The PTO is in need of adult volunteers to assist with distributing donuts during lunch

periods (11a - 1:30p) on Donut Days.

Please review the available slots on our Sign Up page!

Starship Lunch Volunteers Needed

We need your help! Meet new Brooks parents! Get an inside glimpse of your

middle schooler's day! The PTO will need adult volunteers to assist with distributing Starship lunches to all grade levels each Tuesday. Sign up to volunteer on Tuesdays here. You can sign up

for just one date, or as many dates as you are available! Questions about

volunteering? Email Marcella Douce at mmdouce@gmail.com.

Please note that to ensure the distribution process runs smoothly, we request that

volunteers are able to stay for the duration of all 3 lunch periods from 11:00am -

1:30pm on any day you may sign up for.

PTO Volunteer Requirements

Per D97 policy, all volunteers must complete and pass a D97 Background Check

which is a quick and easy process that can be scheduled through the D97 office and

online here.

This is a great chance to get involved inside the school, see your kid(s), and meet

other Brooks parents. Starship Lunch is an important school fundraiser supporting

many of the PTO programs, initiatives, and events, and we'd love your help to ensure

its continued success!

If you have further questions please contact our Starship coordinator, Amelia Topel

at amelia.topel@gmail.com.

More information is available here.

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 each student’s 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!

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.

Connect with the PTO

Follow us on FaceBook at @gwendolynbrookspto. Watch for information in the Middle Matters Newsletter. Email us at gwendolynbrookspto@gmail.com.

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

Please take a moment to review the information shared in the district’s Weekly Wrap-Up on Dec. 1 regarding winter preparedness.

The district’s emergency closing and E-Learning procedures are outlined in this brief deck; full details are posted at https://www.op97.org/communications/emergency-closings.

Hot lunch will be available to students who wish to participate and have a funded or an approved lunch account, starting the first day of school. If you have questions regarding your student's lunch balance, you may contact the Lunch Manager, Shetrice Baker at Sbaker2@op97.org. To make payments on student lunch accounts please visit, https://www.mymealtime.com/signin.aspx

Breakfast and hot lunch menus and other information

Nuts and nut products are not allowed in any District 97 schools during the 2024-25 school year. This includes products that are labeled “processed in a facility that shares equipment with nut products.” Our schools have been nut-safe for the past two years—helping to create safer, more inclusive environments for all of our students.

Attendance will be taken every day for each class period by each of your child's teacher and it will be denoted in PowerSchool. 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

Please contact the Brooks Health Office and speak with Nurse Tracy Biggerstaff if you have questions or concerns regarding your student's health.

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

Office Phone Hours

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 at 708-665-3074 or you can email brooksattendance@op97.org. Our office staff will listen to voicemails left on the main line starting after 9:15am daily. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

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.

All visitors will be required to check in using a government-issued ID to checkin to the Raptor System. The Raptor system checks the visitor's name and date of birth for comparison with a national database of registered sex offenders. The registered sex offender database is the only official database checked by the Raptor system. No other data from the ID is gathered or recorded and the information is not shared with any outside agency.

We are confident that the Raptor Visitor Management System will significantly enhance our school's safety measures and create a more secure environment for our students and staff. We appreciate your support and cooperation in helping us implement this important system.

Click the following links to view a quick video tutorial on how to check in to your student’s school using the Raptor Visitor Management System: English | Spanish

To learn more about the Raptor Visitor Management System, please visit the Raptor Technologies website. If you have any questions, please contact your building principal or reach out to us via Let’s Talk.

Bell Schedule and A/B Rotation.

Teachers will record Behavior Information Records (BIRs) for unexpected behaviors that do not meet our school-wide expectations. If a student receives multiple BIRs, they will meet with a teacher for a remediation session to reflect on their unexpected behaviors and create a plan to meet expectations in the future. Teachers will share student reflections with parents/guardians after a remediation session is completed. This structure aims to focus on students learning social and emotional skills that will help them succeed in the future.

We have been teaching, supporting and reminding students of the School Wide Expectations.

Cell phones/Mobile Devices are not to be used during school hours. This includes calling parents/guardians due to illness, requesting items to be dropped off, etc.

• Students can ask a teacher to use the classroom phone or the phone in the main office, if needed.

Cell phones are to be turned off/on silent upon entering the school building, stored in the student’s locker, and not used until the dismissal bell rings.

Locker Checklist has been shared and posted in each student's locker during the first week of school to help them think through the items they need to take with them when they visit their locker at the start of the day, before and after lunch and at the end of the day.

If your child needs to purchase a lock at anytime during the school year, please do so online HERE. We've been working with your student's SOAR teacher to learn if your student is missing a lock and providing one to them.

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.

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. Please complete claim form if your student's chromebook is damaged or lost.

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.

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)

Student Success Coach Team:

6th Grade: Bernard Starks - bstarks@op97.org

7th Grade: Josh Rodgers - jrodgers@op97.org

8th Grade: Nichelle Stigger - nstigger@op97.org

Social Workers:

6th Grade: Abby Berman - aberman@op97.org

7th Grade: Hannah Boudreau - hboudreau@op97.org

8th Grade: Jennifer Olsen - jolsen@op97.org

Reporting Student Absences:

Email brooksattendance@op97.org or call 708-665-3074

School Nurse and CNA:

Tracy Biggerstaff: tbiggerstaff@op97.org

Melissa Godwin: mgodwin@op97.org

Send School Health form/physicals/dental forms to: brooksnurse@op97.org

Front Office:

PowerSchool login questions, Attendance or School Fee Questions-Vashti Carter: vcarter@op97.org

Canvas login questions, Receptionist- Minerva Colbert: mcolbert@op97.org

TECH Support:

Please email: helpdesk@op97.org

Please complete claim form if your student's chromebook is damaged or lost