The Jayhawk Weekly

Dear Julian Parents and Guardians,

What a great way to start the year! Our first 3 days of school were filled with energy, excitement, learning, and kindness! It was awesome to see our new and returning students in our halls and getting to know their way around! In our first weeks of school, we are focusing on ensuring all students understand and have learned our school-wide expectations. Teachers are taking the time to teach them to every student because clear is kind! Students not only learn the expectations, but also have the opportunity to talk about the WHY behind them. Our expectations are linked in the 'Student Expectations' section below. Your partnership in reviewing those at home as well is greatly appreciated!

One school-wide expectation that we need your strong partnership for success is our Away for the Day policy. New this year: cell phones are now banned from classrooms across the state of Illinois. This state law recognizes the distracting effect cell phones can have on the learning environment. As strong partners, please do not call or text your student(s) during the school day, and remind and encourage them to leave their cell phone in their locker (if you are concerned that a locker is not secure, please complete our Locker Challenge Form). If you need to send a message to your student(s) during the day, please call the school office, and we can deliver it to them. Thank you in advance for this important partnership to ensure we are following our policy and state law.

If you have questions about the school year, please don’t hesitate to contact our Admin team at:

nfilipowski@op97.org, acourt@op97.org, dfountain@op97.org

Jayhawks together,

Nick Filipowski, Principal

Adrienne Court, Associate Principal

DaWanda Fountain-Dotson, Associate Principal

We will have our first lockdown and fire drills on Tuesday, September 1st at 9:15 a.m. Oak Park Fire Dept. and Oak Park Police Dept. personnel will attend to observe our response time for each drill. Students will practice evacuations and protocols in WIN prior to this date so everyone knows what to do in the case of an emergency.

For more information on D97's Emergency Preparedness, please visit this page of our district website or click here to learn more about the I Love You Guys Foundation Standard Response Protocols.

District 97 has partnered with Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200, River Forest District 90, Forest Park District 91, and local police and fire departments to establish a new, coordinated process for safely reuniting students with their families following an emergency. The districts also share the same Standard Response Protocol, which uses consistent actions and language—Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter—across our schools and communities.

Read this joint message from our superintendents to learn how the reunification process would work and what families can do now to help prepare, including reviewing their contact information and authorized emergency contacts.

Students are welcome to use the library for studying, reading, or relaxing this school year!

Before school: 8-8:50 AM Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (not Wednesday!)

Students can enter the front door starting at 7:57 AM & will be dismissed to their lockers.

After school: 3:30-4:30 PM Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (not Friday!)

Library supervision will begin Monday, August 31, 2026.

Renaissance Star assessment is a computerized adaptive test given to students in grades K-8 that measures a child's academic growth from season to season and year to year in the areas of mathematics, reading, and language usage. In the Star system, the difficulty of the test is adjusted to the student's performance. The difficulty of each question is based on how well the student has answered all of the questions up to that point. As the student answers correctly, the questions become more difficult. If the student answers incorrectly, the questions become easier.

In grades 6 through 8, STAR assessments shift away from foundational skill checks and focus heavily on complex comprehension, multi-step problem solving, and preparation for high school coursework.

What Middle Schoolers Take

• STAR Reading: Focuses on literary analysis, understanding complex informational texts, evaluating arguments, determining author bias, and advanced vocabulary in context.

• STAR Math: Focuses on middle school standards such as ratios, proportions, pre-algebra concepts, basic geometry, data analysis, and multi-step word problems.

***PLEASE NOTE: students or parents/guardians may NOT have food delivered to the school through any food delivery service (i.e. DoorDash, UberEats, GrubHub, etc). DELIVERIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED DURING THE SCHOOL DAY. Please plan to have your child pack a lunch or purchase a school lunch with their student ID (it will be charged to their MealTime account) each day.***

***With over 950 students at Julian, it can quickly get overwhelming if parents/guardians wish to purchase a special lunch for their students' birthdays, sporting event championships, A+ on a test, etc. We hope you will consider celebrating with food after school and not during the school day. We thank you in advance for your consideration and your understanding.***

There's FREE shipping on orders $85 or more!

Check out 1stPlace SpiritWear for yourself and your Jayhawk! They've got a great sale that you don't want to miss with special prices for this weekend only! Plus, get up to 35% off sitewide on all 1/4 zips, hoodies, tees, totes, hats and much more! Orders over $85 have FREE shipping.

And remember, a percentage of your purchase gets donated directly to the school!

District 97 remains committed to keeping our students, staff, and community safe. In recognition of SMART Week (Aug. 24-28), we are partnering with the Village of Oak Park and the Oak Park Public Health Department to highlight the critical role of secure firearm storage in preventing gun violence and accidental injuries.

Developed by the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, SMART stands for:

• Secure all guns in your home and vehicles

• Model responsible behavior around guns

• Ask about the presence of unsecured guns in other homes

• Recognize the role of guns in suicide

• Tell your peers to Be SMART

Community members can obtain free gun locks, access tips for starting conversations with neighbors, and learn more by visiting the Village of Oak Park Safe Firearm Storage Page.

For additional tools and family guidance, visit Be SMART for Kids or contact the Oak Park Public Health Department at health@oak-park.us or 708-358-5480.

Students are welcome to use the library for studying, reading, or relaxing this school year!

Before school: 8-8:50 AM Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (not Wednesday!)

Students can enter the front door starting at 7:57 AM & will be dismissed to their lockers.

After school: 3:30-4:30 PM Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (not Friday!)

Library supervision will begin Monday, August 31, 2026.

Join the revamped and fired up Julian Jayhawk Spirit Team! We will lead heritage month celebrations, rep our school at annual events and so much more! See Coach Mundine for more info or email him at pmundine@op97.org for more details.

Do you like fashion, music and the arts in general? Well there's a new club in town (starting in the fall) and it might just be for you! Contact Ms. Marie at mjones@op97.org for more club details.

The club will have two sessions, with a student showcase at the end of each session:

Session 1: September–December 2026 (Start Date: Monday, September 14, 2026)

Session 2: March–May 2027

The club will meet consistently on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:45–5:15 p.m. in Room B202.

CALL FOR MAGAZINES: We are looking for new or gently used magazines related to fashion, design, photography, spoken word, art, music, and culture. Magazines and other appropriate creative materials can be dropped off in the front office and labeled:

Marie Jones – Sound 2 Style Design Club

Who Can Participate in the Pre-Season Cross Country Camp?

Any incoming or returning Julian student can join, regardless of whether they plan to join Cross Country during the school year. It's open to all students interested in exploring the sport, improving fitness, or enjoying outdoor activities with peers.

Additional details: While daily attendance is not mandatory, we highly encourage participation as it will help students prepare for the upcoming Cross Country season. Whether your child is new to the sport or a seasoned athlete, this camp offers a fantastic opportunity to enhance skills, build endurance, and foster teamwork.

Official Season Kickoff - JULIAN

Regular Practice Schedule:

● After-school practices: Monday & Tuesday (3:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.)

● Morning practices: Thursday & Friday (7:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.)

● NO PRACTICE ON WEDNESDAYS

All practices start on the Julian turf field/back field. Athletes should come prepared to run and remember to bring water for every practice!

Forms Required:

Ensure your child has the following ready:

● Up-to-date IESA Sports Physical form or the IL Physical Exam form (with the interscholastic sports box checked; see more details on our Cross Country Website.)

● 2026 Athlete Survey (survey coming in August!)

Contact Information:

*For any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to Coach Tysse at ktysse@op97.org or Coach Talarico at mtalarico@op97.org.

Looking forward to an awesome season ahead!

The VEX Robotics program at Julian is a collaboration with D97 and the Oak Park Education Network (OPEN). For the 2026-27 school year we will be offering the following programs:

INTEREST MEETING: Thursday, Sept 3rd, 3:30-4:00. Come and learn how the robotics program will work this year.

FALL HOUSE LEAGUE:

This program is designed to give students an opportunity to "try out" robotics and see if it is for them. Students will work with a kit of materials in small groups and build a "clawbot" and test out coding techniques to play the game "OverDrive."

Both new and experienced students can participate.

Fall House League Runs from Sept 10th-Oct 8th. Meetings will be on Monday & Thursday from 3:30-5pm.

COMPETITIVE ROBOTICS TEAM:

For students who enjoyed the "House League" experience and crave more, we offer the Competitive Robotics Teams which will travel to compete against other schools in the area.

Participation will be selective. Teams will be set by the coaches based on what they observed during the house league sessions. We are looking for key traits: grit; approach to task; cooperative and collaborative teaming, consistent attendance and stewardship of the supplies.

All interested students need to

Click here to apply. (Application due by Oct 6st)

Meetings will be on:

Mondays: 3:30-5pm

Thursdays: 3:30-5pm

Fridays: 7:45-8:55am

+ Saturday competitions & extra meetings as needed.

Students are expected to attend 2 of the 3 practices each week. (See calendar for exact dates)

The competitive season runs from the end of October till the beginning of March.

SPRING HOUSE LEAGUE

If the fall schedule does not work for you, we will be running the House League program again right after spring break. The meeting days and times will be posted in March.

Students who are interested in being on the competitive team for 2026-27 next year should use this program to gain experience.

Hot lunch will be available to students who wish to participate and have a funded or 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, Cornelia Mack at cmack@op97.org. To make payments on student lunch accounts please visit, https://www.mymealtime.com/signin.aspx

Breakfast and Lunch Menus

Menus for our elementary and middle schools are available on our Food Services webpage. During the 2026-27 school year, students may:

• Bring a nut-free lunch from home

• Order school lunch
  

My MealTime

Breakfast and lunch payments are processed electronically through your student's My MealTime account. To set up an account and add funds, visit My MealTime. You may elect to sign up for scheduled deposits and/or low-balance alerts. You may also view transaction reports. Please note you will need your student's ID number for registration.

Free and Reduced Lunch Application

All students are required to pay for their breakfast and lunch meals unless they are directly approved by the State of Illinois or approved after completing the 2026-27 Free and Reduced Lunch Application (English/Spanish). We encourage all families who currently qualify to complete the application as soon as possible. Please visit our Food Services webpage for more information.

Food Allergies/Nut-Safe Schools

Nuts and nut products are not allowed in any District 97 schools. This includes products 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.

Please visit https://bit.ly/4xFtS83 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. We appreciate your support of this important initiative!

Our school-wide expectations reflect our commitment to positive, evidence-based practices that support students’ academic, social, emotional and behavioral success. Administrators, teachers and staff play a crucial role in this supportive process, and we believe that clear and consistent adult practices will create a middle school learning environment where every student can succeed.

Key Links:

• School-Wide Behavior Expectations (one-page overview in English and Spanish)

• Frequently Asked Questions - Created by the middle school team with the goal of being clear about expectations and answering some common questions before the school year starts.

Supporting Our Students:

We’ll introduce the expectations to sixth-graders during District 97 Middle School Connection and to seventh- and eighth-graders (and any sixth-graders who are unable to attend District 97 Middle School Connection) at our middle school welcome nights. In the first two weeks of school, and again at the start of Trimesters 2 and 3, teachers will review these expectations during advisory. We'll celebrate when students meet expectations and provide reminders and extra support to foster independence to ensure everyone feels confident and successful.

When students do not meet expectations, a staff member may record a Behavior Incident Report (BIR). A BIR is simply a record of the unmet expectation. As outlined in our student handbook, level 1 or 2 behaviors may be recorded as a minor BIR. When a student has 2 minor BIRs, a teacher will meet with them for a remediation session to reflect on their behavior, relearn expectations, and make a plan for future success. The teacher will share this with the parents/guardians after the remediation session. Each trimester is a fresh start for our students!

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.

• Nuts and nut products are not allowed in any of our schools. This includes products that are labeled “processed in a facility that shares equipment with nut products.”

• There is NO food sharing between students at any time during school.
  

• There is NO eating or drinking on school buses.

How to identify safer foods for your children to eat:

1. Please read all packaging to ensure the item is not produced on equipment shared with nuts

2. Additional safe options may be viewed at: www.snacksafely.com

We appreciate your partnership in promoting the health and safety of our children.

We strive to improve the attendance of all of our students. Each minute of each school day provides opportunities for learning and it’s noticeable when students miss time. Absences, even if they are excused, can add up to academic trouble. Please be sure students are arriving daily by 8:50 am. Students arriving after 8:57 am will receive a tardy for the day.

Missing only 2 days a month (excused or unexcused), means your child misses 10% of the school year. If your child is going to be absent, please notify the office prior to 9:00 a.m. by calling (708) 665-3064 or emailing julianinfo@op97.org. When we do not receive a call or email from a parent/guardian, school regulations require that parents/guardians are contacted to verify the child's absence.

Should you need resources to support your child’s attendance please visit this link or reach out to your child’s Student Success Coach.

• 6th grade - Sergio Torres (storres@op97.org)

• 7th Grade - Becca Murray (rmurray@op97.org)

• 8th grade - Kasey Fleming (kfleming@op97.org)

The trip will be May 5-8th. Please visit the website www.oakpark4dc.org for more information about this trip and to contact the organizers. Those interested should please complete this survey.

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 service(s) is sanctioned, sponsored or endorsed by the district, the Board of Education or the superintendent.

Please use our Julian School Supply List to get the needed supplies for the upcoming school year. For your convenience, school supplies are listed by grade level and course subject.

THE ONLINE OPTION IS NOW AVAILABLE!

Fees may be paid online at https://oakpark.revtrak.net/Middle-Schools/JMS/julian-school-fees/

You may pay fees in person at the Julian school office during the week between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Debit/credit card payments can only be processed online or at the district office (at 260 Madison Street), not in the Julian school office. The school office can only accept cash (exact change please) or check (made payable to District 97) payments.

• • Lockdown and Fire Safety Drills: Tuesday, September 1st from 9:15am (1st period)
  • Labor Day: Monday, September 7th (District 97 Closed)
  • Curriculum Night: Wednesday, September 9th from 5:30pm to 8:00pm
  • No School: Monday, September 21st (District 97 Closed)
  • Indigenous Peoples Day/No School: Monday, October 12th (District 97 Closed)
  • Student-Family Conferences: Thursday, October 22nd through Friday, October 23rd

***(Full day of classes on 10/22/No school for students on 10/23)***

• • End of Trimester 1: Friday, November 20th

Oak Park, IL 60302

708-524-3040

www.op97.org/julian