Christian's Weekly Communication

Parents/Guardians,

Please review this brief presentation with your Julian Jayhawk student. Reviewing the expectations will help us to "give it our best, and then some" this school year!!

MAP testing for all students will begin this week. Please ensure that your students get the proper rest in preparation for MAP testing. The MAP test measures how your child is performing in Math, Language Usage, and Reading. These tests are typically given three times a year and the results help teachers understand your child’s current instructional level, and how much your child has been learning and growing academically over time (for instance, from fall to spring). Teachers use the information from these tests to develop instruction that specifically addresses things your child is ready to learn or needs some extra help with. Please ensure that you speak with your student about the importance of MAP testing and how the skills assessed will help ensure proper facilitation of instruction and learning. MAP testing will take place in all Language & Literature and Math classes.

If you have any questions about MAP, please contact Assistant Principal William Lee (wlee@op97.org) or Assistant Principal Chemaine Carr (ccarr@op97.org).

Parents and guardians, we will host our Curriculum Night on Thursday, September 15 from 5:30pm - 8pm. You will have a chance to walk your student's class schedule and meet members of our staff. AND THIS EVENT IS JUST FOR YOU, feel free to leave the children with a sitter, because this night is designed with parents & guardians in mind!

District 97 Masking Protocols for Gatherings

• Only District 97 students and staff are present

  • Guideline: Masks are strongly recommended

  • Examples: During the school day, after-school programs
    

• Gatherings that include individuals who are not students and staff

  • Guideline: Masks are required

  • Examples:

    • Concerts, performances and ceremonies;

    • Large school events (e.g., back-to-school, open house, curriculum night);

    • Any portion of field trips spent indoors including on buses, if students are transported to field trips via bus.

Thank you for supporting us by taking this precautionary measure to ensure and maintain the safety and health of our school communities!

Jayhawk - ”Away for the Day, even in the Hallway!”

Parents/Guardians, please encourage your student to ensure that their phone is-AWAY FOR THE DAY, EVEN IN THE HALLWAY! This includes earbuds, airpods, applewatches, etc. As a reminder, Board Policy 7:190 Student Behavior addresses this topic. Please refer to #5 under "Prohibited Student Conduct" for the specific language regarding electronic devices. The language is also listed below for your reference."5. Using or possessing an electronic paging device. Using a cellular telephone, video recording device, personal digital assistant (PDA), or other electronic devices in any manner that disrupts the educational environment or violates the rights of others, including using the device to take photographs in locker rooms or bathrooms, cheat, or otherwise violate student conduct rules. Prohibited conduct specifically includes, without limitation, creating, sending, sharing, viewing, receiving, or possessing an indecent visual depiction of oneself or another person through the use of a computer, electronic communication device, or cellular phone. Unless otherwise banned under this policy or by the Building Principal, all electronic devices must be kept powered off or silenced during the regular school day unless: (a) the supervising teacher grants permission; (b) use of the device is provided in a student’s individualized education program (IEP) or 504 Plan; (c) it is used during the student’s lunch period, or (d) it is needed in an emergency that threatens the safety of students, staff, or other individuals."

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the September picture date with the photography vendor had to be moved. We will have student pictures taken on Wednesday, November 9. If the picture date can be moved up, we will notify parents asap. At this time, please mark your calendars for 11/9. Thank you.

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)

During the first week of school, all Julian students participated in "Welcome Week" activities to learn the specific expectations in different areas across the school. Our school-wide expectations are: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe. Throughout the year, teachers will be reinforcing students' positive behavior with Jaybucks (this year we have paper tickets AND a digital version!), which can be spent at the school store.

Heritage Month Celebrations - HELP NEEDED!

The Culture & Climate team is looking for help planning our Heritage Month Celebrations. Last year we partnered with the Julian PTO, the DuSable Museum, the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, Oak Parker Dima Ali, the Oak Park Village Board, and the Oak Park Public Library to put together 6 educational and memorable assemblies. This year, we'd love to have a more representative group of Julian students, staff and parents to join in the planning. Click here to indicate your interest.

DePaul Community Coordinator

Could your family use some extra support in housing & rent assistance, coordinating medical and mental healthcare, insurance and benefits applications, after-school programs and tutoring, or support groups and parent coaching? Reach out to our DePaul Care Coordinator at jbroadn2@depaul.edu.

Care Coordinator Flyer

DePaul "Mindful Middle-Schoolers" Groups

DePaul University, in partnership with the Oak Park Township Community Mental Health Board and D97, offers school-based group mindfulness-based services for students. If you would like your child to be considered for participation in a mindfulness-based small group, please complete this Request for Assistance Form.

--

Katie Trathen, LCSW

(she/her/hers) - Hear my name

Culture & Climate Coach

Percy Julian Middle School

416 Ridgeland Ave, Oak Park, IL

1st Place SpiritWear has loads of school gear available for purchase. Hats, hoodies, sweatshirts and much more. They will donate a percentage of the sale of your purchase to Julian Middle School. If you're interested, check out their website here.

The Julian Library is now open to independent student use.

Students will need to get a digital pass before coming to the library.

• Use the Library Pass bookmark on your Chromebook or scan a QR code on a poster at school.
• Look for the slot appropriate to you (before school or 6th, 7th, or 8th grade recess).
• Enter your ID number (this can be found on the Grades & Attendance page of Power School). Write this number down in a safe place for easy access.
• When you get to the Library, scan your ID or enter your ID number on the self-check computer.

****Before school, the Julian Library is open M, T, Th, and F only from 8:00-8:50 AM. We are closed on Wednesdays for teacher meetings. Students must arrive before 8:30 AM.****

During the recess part of lunch, the Julian Library is open on A & B days (and closed on J days because the periods are so short).

Students are welcome to read, work independently or collaboratively, or do other quiet activities in the Library. Library supervisors or Ms. Winchell and Ms. Jones will be available to support students with their needs.

There is a limit of 60 students per slot (before school or 6th, 7th, or 8th grade lunch).

Please reach out to Ms. Jamie Winchell with any questions or concerns. jwinchell@op97.org

For your planning purposes, here is a copy of the bell schedule for A, B and J Days. As well as the calendar for the 2022-23 school year. New this school year, A days are Red, B days are Black and Jayhawk Unity days are on Wednesdays. The Julian bell schedules and monthly A/B/J calendars can also be found on the Julian website at www.op97.org/julian.

Nuts and nut products are not allowed in any District 97 schools during the 2022-23 school year. This includes products that are labeled “processed in a facility that shares equipment with nut products.”

District 97 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/3AyGPpI 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!

***The USDA free meal waiver is now expired and will not be extended for the upcoming school year. **

Oak Park Elementary District 97
2022-23 School Meal Information REMINDER:

Below is important school meal information to help you prepare for the upcoming year. Breakfast and Lunch Menus for the 2022-23 school year are now available on the district website and school websites.

“Free School Meals for All” Ends

For the past two years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has made it possible for school districts to serve all students free breakfast and lunch through waivers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The USDA free meal waiver is now expired and will not be extended for the upcoming school year. During the 2022-23 school year, all students will be required to pay for their breakfast and lunch meals unless they are directly approved by the State of Illinois or approved after completing the 2022-23 Free and Reduced Lunch Application (see below for instructions).

Free or Reduced Meal Eligibility

Students may receive meals at a free or reduced cost either by being directly approved by the State of Illinois OR being approved after completing the 2022-23 Free and Reduced Lunch Application. In the coming weeks, all families who are directly approved by the state will receive an approval letter by email. If you receive a letter, there is NO NEED to complete an application.

If you feel your student may qualify for free or reduced priced meals but do not receive an approval letter, please complete the 2022-23 Free and Reduced Lunch Application as soon as possible. There are several options for completing and submitting your application (see below).

• Apply Online - We recommend families to complete the 2022-23 Free and Reduced Lunch application online. Click here for step-by-step instructions on how to easily set up a secure Mealtime account and complete the application online.

• Download, Print and Submit Application - For families who prefer not to use the online system, paper applications in English and Spanish are available to download from the district website or your student’s school website. Completed applications can be dropped off at your student’s school or the district office (260 Madison St.), or emailed to the district's food service coordinator, Carla Ellis, at cellis@op97.org. You can also fax the application to 708-524-3019.

Managing Student Meal Accounts

During the 2022-23 school year, payment for school meals can be made through an online portal at www.MyMealtime.com. Families can also make payments to their meal accounts by submitting a check payable to District 97, money orders or cash.

If you plan to use Mealtime, prior to the school year starting please take a look at your student’s account. There, you can see if your student will need funds added for the upcoming school year or if they have a meal balance that needs to be paid prior to school starting. If you do not have an account, you can easily create one by following step-by-step instructions on the MyMealtime website.

We look forward to serving your family this year! If you have any questions about the District 97 food service program, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at cellis@op97.org.

Sincerely,

Carla Ellis

District 97 Food Service Coordinator

As a reminder, we have created a central location for important back-to-school updates and documents: https://www.op97.org/back-to-school.

The district’s COVID-19 Health Safety Plan is linked below and can also be found, along with other COVID-19 resources and information, by going to https://www.op97.org/updatecenter.

• Summary of District 97's COVID-19 Mitigations

• 2022-23 COVID-19 Health and Safety Plan

• COVID-19 Positive Case Notification Form

The district uses the email notification system BrightArrow to communicate with families via email and phone calls. We encourage you to add 855-994-4242 to the contacts on your phone. This is the number that will appear on your caller ID when either the schools or district make calls using BrightArrow.

Please support our school nurse by LEAVING A REASON when you call your child in sick from school. Our nurse follows up on every absence call when a specific reason is not provided. If your child is staying home due to reasons unrelated to COVID-19, sharing that information in the message helps the nurse determine whether a call is necessary.

When calling the Julian attendance line at 708-665-3064 or leaving a message on the school office voicemail at 708-524-3040, please slowly state the following:

1. Your Name
2. Your Child’s First and Last Name
3. Your Child’s Grade Level and Advisory Teacher
4. Reason for the Absence
5. Best phone number to reach you

We appreciate your assistance with this process!

In 2020, Principal Christian implemented the theme of "over-communicate" amid the flexibility of the COVID19 virus and how information might change at a moment's notice. Last year, our theme was "growing together". And now in 2022-23, we'd like to continue with our new theme of "Stronger, Together". Here are the ways in which Principal Christian and the Jayhawk staff communicates:

• Our Official Percy Julian Facebook Page (click here)
• Christian's Weekly Communication (every week)
• PowerSchool Daily Bulletin Alerts
• Text Messages (Jayhawk Text Messages District 97 uses the notification system BrightArrow to communicate with families via email and phone calls. This year, we have started using periodic text messages to send reminders directly to parents' cell phones. In order to receive text messages, parents must opt-in by texting YES to 87569. Once you have subscribed, you will receive a text confirmation.)

416 S. Ridgeland Ave.

Oak Park, IL 60302

708-524-3040

www.op97.org/julian