The Jayhawk Weekly
Dear Julian Parents and Guardians,
On this special day, we wish a very happy Mother's Day to all the moms and mother figures in our Jayhawk Community. Your unwavering support, love, and dedication play a vital role in shaping the hearts and minds of our students. At school, we witness every day the impact of your care — in the encouragement you give, the sacrifices you make, and the values you instill. Thank you for being our partners in education and for the countless ways you help our children thrive.
Last week, we celebrated national Staff Appreciation Week with the Julian teachers and staff. We had a wonderful time honoring our awesome educators. And we'd like to give a special thank you to our Julian PTO for making it a special week indeed. From bringing in a "help yourself" treat cart to closing out the week with a robust breakfast, we are grateful to have such caring parents and guardians supporting us and the work we do here. The final PTO meeting of the school year will be on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in the media center (see the bottom section below with the zoom link if you can't make it in-person).
This week also brings the beginnings of looking toward the 25-26 school year! Jayhawk Ambassadors will be traveling to our elementary feeder schools this week to talk with our rising 6th graders about middle school. We will also have our first 8th-grade event on Friday! We have a crew of staff ready for the dunk tank, including myself, and lots of other fun activities planned! If you are able to volunteer (all parents welcome, not just 8th grade), then please see the sign-up below!
As always, if you have questions, concerns, or ideas, please don’t hesitate to contact our team (emails below). Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students' growth and success.
Jayhawks together,
Nick Filipowski
Principal, Percy Julian M.S.
Mrs. Court, Associate Principal
Mr. Filipowski, Principal
Mrs. Fountain-Dotson, Associate Principal
- Memorial Day: Monday, May 26th (NO SCHOOL)
- Julian Olympic Day: Thursday, May 29th
- Career Exploration Day: Friday, May 30th
- School Office hours: Monday, June 2nd - Wednesday, June 4th (Office closes at 4:00 p.m.)
- 8th Grade Graduation: Tuesday, June 3rd (6:30 p.m. @ Oak Park and River Forest H.S.)
- Last Day of School: Wednesday, June 4th (Report Card Day)
VOLUNTEER WITH THE PTO ON 5/16
**PARENT VOLUNTEERS FROM ANY GRADE LEVEL NEEDED**
A MESSAGE FROM THE JULIAN PTO....
NEW FOR 2025 - 8TH GRADE FEST!
Why a Fest?
For our previous dances this year - we’ve had a challenge as a PTO. Out of our 8th grade class of almost 320 students, only 40 or about 12% attended. For a dedicated 8th grade celebration, we wanted to see as many students as possible. So we asked!
Almost 60% of our students responded they would prefer a field day style event over a dance as something just for 8th graders!
Here’s where you come in! We’re building a planning committee to kick off this new PJMS tradition. Interested? - email us at ptojulian@gmail.com
Want to be there for the fun? You can be a six, seven or eight grade parent/guardian. Sign up to help us decorate, chaperone fun stations with games and crafts, and enjoy an afternoon celebrating our graduating Jayhawks!
Link for Signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D48AFAB28A6FF2-56333151-8thgrade#/
PLEASE ORDER YOUR STUDENT A 2024-2025 JULIAN YEARBOOK NOW!
Dear Parents & Guardians,
Yearbooks are on sale now.
They are $30 and have 100 pages of color photographs!
Pre-orders can be made via the Julian webstore.
Other orders - bring $30 cash or a check (payable to District 97) to Mrs. Guarino, C104.
Yearbooks will be delivered later in May and will be distributed after Memorial Day.
Get your Julian summer gear now!
Have an incoming 6th grader? Does your 7th grader need a wardrobe refresher? Then check out 1st Place Spiritwear. They have a 20% summer sale on now, so it's your chance to save big!
A portion of the proceeds are donated to Julian Middle School.
Dear Families,
We want to make you aware of a concerning social media trend that has been circulating on platforms like TikTok and is beginning to surface in schools across the country. The trend encourages students to insert paper clips, pushpins, or other metal objects into the charging ports of Chromebooks in an attempt to cause sparks or a reaction. This is not only extremely dangerous, but it also causes permanent damage to the device and creates a serious safety hazard for students and staff.
Thankfully, we have not had any reported incidents at Julian Middle School, but we feel it is important to be proactive. Please take a moment to talk with your child about the dangers of participating in or sharing these types of challenges. Misuse of school-issued technology is taken seriously and can result in disciplinary action, as well as financial responsibility for any damages caused.
Our priority is always the safety and well-being of our students. We appreciate your partnership in helping reinforce responsible technology use and good decision-making.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Team News
Team 7.2 wrapped up our Spoken Word Poetry residency this week with performances from our students. During the unit, students explored and honed their poetry skills by using extended metaphors and allusions. Public speaking can be daunting, but so many students found the courage and self- belief to perform in front of their peers. We are so proud of all of their hard work and courage!
Celebrating Rex Booth, Mariana and all the many costume workers who have supported the program over the years
Over the weekend, the CAST Theater program of Julian Middle School celebrated their rich history of amazing costumes during the final musical workshop performance of Masquerade. It was a wonderful celebration of Rex, long-time Costume Designer, complete with video tributes from CAST alum, Julian staff members and CAST crew. As well as musical tributes from some of CAST's most popular shows in recent years, such as Shrek, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Into the Woods, Seussical, the Drowsy Chaperone, the Wizard of Oz, Aladdin and more! This "greatest hits" show was truly magical, creative and entertaining!
Congratulations to all our student performers and crew members. Well done, CAST!
Toy guns and water guns are not allowed on campus
Under no circumstances are students allowed to bring water guns to school. Weapons of any type or kind, including toy guns or water guns, are strictly prohibited. And should not be brought to school or be used anywhere on school property, including the turf field. Students found using or bringing anything resembling a weapon to school, including toy or water guns, will have immediate consequences, up to or including detention and suspension.
We ask that families discuss this important safety practice with their Julian student(s). Administrators will contact parents/guardians and issue appropriate consequences for behavior infractions.
Dear Julian Families,
This year, our school participated in a pilot of two social science resources: HMH Social Studies and Discovery Education. These resources were evaluated and selected by social science teachers during the resource review process to create a more inclusive and culturally-responsive learning environment that fosters deeper student engagement, understanding, and application of social science concepts. An overview of the pilot timeline is provided in the table below.
Social Science Pilot Resource
Pilot Timeline
HMH Social Studies
March 4 - April 11
Discovery Education
April 14 - May 16
We value your partnership and want to hear from you! As we approach the conclusion of the pilot process, we invite you to complete a short survey to share your thoughts about HMH Social Studies and Discovery Education. While you may not be familiar with the specific details of each program, your perspective on how your student interacted with these resources at home and in the classroom is incredibly helpful. If you had more than one student participating, we ask that you complete a survey for each student.
The survey opens on Monday, May 12 and closes on Friday, May 16. Click here to participate in the survey.
Thank you for helping us shape the future of our social science program. Your input truly makes a difference!
Sincerely,
Nick Filipowski
The Julian Ultimate Team competed at the Spring Fling Ultimate Tournament in Hyde Park this past Sunday, April 27. Julian brought four teams to the event and our top team (Alpha) placed 3rd in the tournament, while another mixed Julian team (Delta) received the Spirit Prize - demonstrating the highest level of competition, sportsmanship, and fun at the event.
Congrats to the following athletes on Delta:
Rowan Castonguay
Edwin Bogzevitz
Alex Korpics
Frank Majka
Josef Brown
Jude Lobring
Joshua Price
Cale Wilk
Miles Zimmer
Graham Keneklis
Malcolm Nielsen
Owen Sjoblom
Patrick Nowicki
The Julian Ultimate Team will next compete at the Neuqua Knockout (May 10) in Rockford, IL, which draws high school and middle school teams from across the country. They will compete against teams from Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio. Go Jayhawks!!
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/travel opportunity, even past the date of eligible refunds.
Please complete the google form for 8th grade teachers:
For planning purposes, please let us know if your child will have an early dismissal after the graduation rehearsal on Tuesday, June 3rd. Or if you will not attend the graduation ceremony. Please click here and complete the google form by Friday, May 16th. Thank you.
8th Grade Activity Dates:
- 8th Grade Student Fest: Friday, May 16th (1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.)
- 8th Grade Springfield/St. Louis Class Trip: Sunday, May 25 - Tuesday, May 27th
- 8th Grade Device Return: Thurs., May 29th - Fri., May 30th (students turn in their chromebooks and chargers during PE/Health classes)
- 8th Grade Graduation Materials Distribution: Friday, May 30th at the end of the Career Exploration Day - graduation materials will not be handed out early on 5/30 (distribution between 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. of the graduation tickets and, if ordered, class t-shirt and cap & gown orders)
- 8th Grade Great America field trip: Monday, June 2rd (9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.)
- 8th Grade Graduation Rehearsal: Tuesday, June 3rd (10:00 a.m.)
- 8th Grade Graduation Ceremony: Tuesday, June 3rd (6:30 p.m. @ Oak Park and River Forest H.S. main auditorium - MUST HAVE TICKET FOR ENTRY)
As you make travel plans for summer vacation and arrangements for out of town graduation guests:
Please let your family and friends know that the graduation ceremony for Julian will be held on Tuesday, June 3rd at 6:30pm in Oak Park and River Forest High School's auditorium:
- Each Julian student that is graduating will receive 4 tickets for the ceremony.
- The school does not have a ticket wait list or ticket exchange.
- Every person over the age of 2 years old must have a ticket to obtain entry to the OPRFHS auditorium.
- A live stream of the ceremony will be available for those that do not have tickets and/or can not attend in-person.
Dear Parents and Guardians,
In September 2024, District 97 introduced the VisitorSafe™ Visitor Management System(formerly known as the Raptor Visitor Management System) to streamline the visitor check-in process, ensuring that all visitors are properly identified and authorized before entering our schools.
As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance school safety, visitors may sign in using the Raptor Safe mobile app.
The Raptor Safe app offers a secure and convenient way for visitors to verify their identity before arriving at school. With the Raptor Passport feature, visitors can pre-verify their identity, which ensures a faster and smoother sign-in process when they arrive.
When arriving at a school, visitors can use the secure QR code generated by the app to expedite the check-in process. These QR codes regenerate every 5 minutes to maintain security and prevent misuse.
Please note, that using the Raptor Safe app to pre-verify your identity is optional. Visitors may still check in upon arrival using a government-issued ID.
The Raptor Safe app is available for all visitors across the district. To download the app, please refer to the Raptor Safe FAQ Sheet or go to https://raptortech.com/raptorsafe-app/.
If you have any questions, please contact your building principal or contact us via Let’s Talk.
Sincerely,
D97 Safety Team
ISBE State Performance Plan Indicator 8 Survey Now Open!
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!
Registration for 2025-26 School Year Open for All Students
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.
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!
A Healthy Learning Environment for All
Health Reminders
We are so happy when your child can be at school on time and well enough for learning. However, keeping your child home when sick is essential to keep illness out of our schools and prevent spread to others.
*Families must report any absences due to illness or for any other reasons by calling or emailing the school attendance line (708-665-3064 or julianinfo@op97.org).
Please keep your child home if they are exhibiting signs of illness:
- Temperature of 100.0 degrees F° (37 C°)
- Your child should be fever free without medication for 24 hours before returning to school.
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Your child must stay home for a full 24 hours after their last episode of vomiting/diarrhea before returning to school
- Strep throat:
- Your child must be on an antibiotic for 24 hours before returning to school and fever free for 24 hours without medication if a fever is present.
- Swollen, red eyes that itch and are draining (possible pink-eye)
- Your child must be on an antibiotic for 24 hours before returning to school for bacterial conjunctivitis and drainage free and/or a note from the doctor.
- Uncontrolled coughing or constant “runny” nose – especially with yellow or green mucus
- However, for a mild runny/stuffy nose and mild cough it is alright to send your child to school.
- An unusual rash, a blistery rash, or a rash associated with a fever
- Your child should remain at home until you have discussed the rash with your physician and your child is not contagious (a note from your doctor may be required)
- COVID? Please see and follow the info in the link: https://www.op97.org/health-services/covid-19-guidelines
- Has symptoms that prevent them from learning:
- Very tired or lack of appetite
- Headache, body aches or earache
- Sore Throat—a minor sore throat is ok for school, but a severe sore throat could be strep throat, even if there is no fever. Other symptoms of strep throat in children are headache, stomach upset, or rash. Call your doctor if your child has these symptoms.
Food Allergies/Food Safety
Approximately 10% - 15% of students have a food allergy. The most common allergen item is nuts of any kind. Every food-allergic reaction has the possibility of developing into a life-threatening reaction within minutes. Some individuals may react to merely touching the substance, while for others, consumption of a tiny amount of that food can cause a reaction which could be fatal.
We strongly encourage packing nut-free products in your student's lunches
We strongly encourage sending nut-free products on field trips
There is NO food sharing between students at any time during school
How to identify safer foods for your children to eat:
Please read all packaging to ensure the item is not produced on equipment shared with nuts
Additional safe options may be viewed at: www.snacksafely.com
We appreciate your partnership in promoting the health and safety of our children.
FOOD DELIVERY POLICY
***District 97 employees will not sign for food deliveries for students.*** Julian students or parents/guardians should NOT have food delivered to the school through any food delivery service (i.e. DoorDash, UberEats, GrubHub, etc). Food deliveries will not be accepted during the school day. Please plan to pack a lunch or purchase a school lunch each day.***
LUNCH
Hot lunch is available to students who wish to participate and have a funded or approved lunch account. If you have questions regarding your student's lunch balance, you may contact the Lunchroom Manager, Ms. Venus Jones at vjones@op97.org. To make payments on student lunch accounts please visit, https://www.mymealtime.com/signin.aspx
SCHOOL FEES
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.
Join the fun!
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:
Final meeting of the 2024-25 school year:
Wednesday, May 14
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
Report an absence
- Please call the attendance line at 708-665-3064 to leave a voicemail regarding your child's absence.
- Email julianinfo@op97.org if you have any questions for the school office.
- Dial 708-524-3040 to reach the Julian school office. And remember, if you plan to get your child for an early dismissal, give the school office a call 10-15 minutes prior to your arrival. This will give them time to locate your student and for your student to gather their belongings. Please, whenever possible, have your pick up done prior to 3:00 pm. Thank you for your understanding.
