The Jayhawk Weekly

Dear Julian Parents and Guardians,

As Trimester 1 comes to a close, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible progress and achievements of our students, staff, and school community. This has been a trimester filled with learning, growth, and moments of pride.

Highlights of Trimester 1

Academic Growth: Our students have demonstrated dedication to their studies, and it’s been wonderful to see their curiosity and effort shine.

Extracurricular Success: From sports teams to clubs and creative endeavors, our students have shown their talents and passions outside the classroom. Students participated in CAST productions, Cross Country, Girls Basketball, Robotics, Cheer, Art Club, Best Buddies, Black Student Union, Rainbow Tribe, Student Spirit Team, and many more!

Community Connections: Thank you for your involvement in events like our Halloween dance, volunteering, and supporting our school. Together, we are working to create a positive and supportive environment for all.

Looking Ahead

As we begin Trimester 2, we’ll continue to focus on fostering academic excellence, supporting social-emotional growth, and ensuring every student feels valued and included. Please stay engaged by continuing to have weekly conversations with your child/children about their progress. Reach out to teachers and coaches with questions to partner for solutions. We are here to help and support.

Gratitude and Encouragement

To our families: thank you for your partnership in your child’s education. Your support at home makes a significant difference. To our students: I am proud of your hard work, resilience, and dedication—keep it up! Together is how we succeed!

Let’s carry the momentum of Trimester 1 into an even stronger Trimester 2. As always, if you have questions, concerns, or ideas, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Jayhawks together,

Nick Filipowski

Principal, Percy Julian M.S.

Congratulations to the cast, crew, and staff of The Drowsy Chaperone! The hard work by all involved shone through in the amazing performances!

Remember,

On Tuesday morning, November 19th, we will practice a fire drill with the Oak Park Fire Dept. All visitors, guests, staff and students that are in the building at the time of the drill will participate. The front entry doors will be locked, therefore you will have to wait until the completion of the drill if you are coming to the school to pick up your child for an early dismissal. The drill should take approximately 10 - 12 minutes to complete.

New Trimester

Now that Trimester 1 has ended, it may be time to do a check-in with your student. If they changed electives for Trimester 2, make sure they have the school supplies they need for their design, modern african american studies, community service or soar class. Check the 2024-25 School supply list and get the needed supplies for the current trimester. You can also send an email to the elective teacher if you have any questions.

Student Preparedness

Please have your child prep for school the night before or "before they go out the door" the morning of, in order to make sure they have the items they need for the day. Several teachers have reported that students are showing up to class unprepared (uncharged chromebooks, no headphones for their chromebook, etc).

Here is a basic list of supplies that Julian students will need for all their classes on a daily basis:

• school ID
• fully charged chromebook
• headphones compatible with the chromebook (not earbuds for iPhones)
• pen, paper, notebook
• water bottle
• lunch/snack (food is available in the Julian lunchroom if your child doesn't or forgets to pack their lunch)

We appreciate your partnership.

• Orders are placed online only with Van Gogh School Photographers (payments are not collected at the school) at www.ordervgil.com. The Julian School Event Code is 20032801. If you have any questions regarding picture packages, you can contact Van Gogh's customer service dept directly at 847-382-2282 ext 7 or at vangoghphoto.com.

*If your child was absent on Picture Day, then please note that the student picture retake day is scheduled for Tuesday, December 3rd.

OPEN GYM:

• 8th Grade -Wed., Nov 20th 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm

TRYOUTS:

• 6th & 7th Grade -Mon., Dec 2nd 3:30 pm - 6:00 pm
• and Thurs., Dec 5th 3:30 pm - 6:00 pm (CALLBACKS ONLY)
• 8th Grade -Thurs., Dec 12th 3:30 pm - 6:00 pm

Contact Ms. Kiefer or Ms. Tucker if you have any questions

ekiefer@op97.org mtucker@op97.org

St. Edmund Center is hosting an in-person storytelling session on Wednesday, Nov. 20, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The event is geared toward newcomer students in 4th grade through 8th grade.

Hosted by St. Edmund Center and key speakers, Dominican students will share personal experiences as immigrants from the same walks of life. This event will offer a special experience in developing relationships and modeling perseverance. Access the flyer here. For questions about the program, reach out to msarango@my.dom.edu or immigrantministry@gmail.com.

We are looking for families to sign up for the next strengthening families program that will be starting in January 2025. Strengthening Families is a FREE communication skills building program for the entire family. The lessons are virtual on Tuesday nights. It is 11 weeks long. Dinner is delivered to the family's home. We also provide all of the supplies needed and incentives along the way to help keep families engaged such as gift cards, games, and other incentives. Please scan the QR code for more details.

Kindly,

Patricia Camarena, MA, LCPC

Manager of Centro de Salud Familiar

Procare Centers

1414 Main St.
Melrose Park, IL 60160

Direct Line: 708.786.8540

Intake Line: 708.410.0615

24/7 Crisis Line: 708.681.HELP (4357)

Want to send grandma a new sweater? Need a cool stocking stuffer? Want to update your wardrobe with some Julian pajama pants? Then order now and get it before Winter Break begins! 1st Place Spiritwear has launched a fantastic holiday sale! Choose from hundreds of designs, hats, jackets and more... all with home delivery guaranteed by December 23rd!

Enjoy a limited-time savings of 25% sitewide with great gifts for the entire family! In addition, all orders over $75 will receive FREE SHIPPING. Shop Now!

And best of all, a portion of the proceeds gets dontated to Julian M.S.!

REMINDER:

***Visitors will need to present a government-issued ID to check in, and a badge will be provided to wear while on school property.***District 97 implemented the Raptor Visitor Management System on Monday, September 16th. This system will streamline the check-in process and enhance security at all our schools.

For more details and video tutorials on the check-in process, please visit our website. If you have any questions, please contact Principal Filipowski.

Thank you for your support in keeping our schools safe!

Here are the game day expectations:

• All Julian students are required to wear their school ID in order to gain entry to games.
• Children under 18 years of age and teens that are not Julian students must be accompanied by an adult. All OPRFHS, Fenwick and Brooks students must be with a parent or guardian over the age of 18.
• Please do not bring food or drink into the gym. Outside food and beverages are not allowed. Water or water bottles are permitted. But we ask that you refrain from bring snacks and beverages into the school on game days.

Thank you for reminding your child of the game day expectations.

Parents and Guardians,

This is a friendly reminder about the Middle School Cell Phone policy. We are "Away for the Day" which means students should not use their cell phones from 9:00am - 3:30pm. If there is an emergency, students can call home from a teacher's classroom phone or the school office. If a student is feeling unwell, they can get a pass from their classroom teacher, and call home from the school nurse's office.

If a student is caught using their cell phone/electronic device during instruction time or caught using their device while school is in session for unrelated curriculum activities, then the following occurs:

• 1ST OFFENSE: The device is sent down to the school office by a staff member and the student must retrieve the device at the end of the school day.
• 2ND OFFENSE: The device is sent down to the school office by a staff member and parents/guardians are notified. The student will be able to retrieve the device at the end of the school day.

• 3RD OFFENSE: The device is sent down to the school office by a staff member and parents/guardians are notified. A parent/guardian/caregiver must then come to the school to pick up the device, it will not be released to the student. The parent/guardian/caregiver must also meet with an administrator or student success coach to decide one of two options:

OR

2) The student will leave the device at home and no longer bring the cell phone to school for the remainder of the trimester.

Thank you for your efforts to help us all make school a place of academics and social emotional learning.

Per district guidelines, all medications must have an accompanying Medication Authorization Form

• A Medication Authorization Form is required for all over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications
• A physician must complete the form for all prescriptions AND OTC medications (this includes VITAMINS / SUPPLEMENTS, COUGH DROPS, TYLENOL, MOTRIN, etc)
• All medications are to be brought to the health office by the parent / guardian in the original pharmacy prescription labeled container or an unopened / sealed as purchased OTC packaging.
• Medical Authorization Forms may be found HERE

Fees may be paid online at https://oakpark.revtrak.net/Middle-Schools/BMS/BMS-School-Fees/#/list

You may also pay fees in-person (with check, money order or cash only) at the Julian School Office during the week between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM.

• Safety Drill: Tuesday, November 19th
• Thanksgiving Break: Wed, Nov 27 - Fri, Nov 29 (No School)
• School Picture ReTakes: Tuesday, December 3rd
• Trimester 1 Report Card Day: Friday, December 13th

Come help Julian be an even more awesome place...all that's missing is YOU! Julian PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) meetings will be held every 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the Library Media Center:

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Wednesday, January 8, 2025

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

If you can't make it in person, log onto Zoom for the PTO meetings:

Every month on the Second Wed, until May 14, 2025, 9 occurrence(s)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZIqd-2grzwqH9xbM57ma8Z4koONenHwAstO/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGuqTsuEtWSsByPRpwAB4igLPzzmGZfgvpFnjKwVC1SOjmiPe1tHLdxOM_x&meetingMasterEventId=8BZCj1FGQtmhEqFKmR7G4w

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86704817058?pwd=sQ8438MQAlKe75JZ21eRBMFkOpJDza.1

Meeting ID: 867 0481 7058
Passcode: 325017

Oak Park, IL 60302

708-524-3040

www.op97.org/julian