The Jayhawk Weekly
Dear Julian Parents and Guardians,
Last week, Jayhawk Ambassadors traveled to Beye, Irving, Longfellow and Mann to meet with our rising 6th graders and discuss the middle school experience. It was wonderful to see our students share their knowledge and answer the questions of our soon-to-be Jayhawks.
This past Friday, we kicked off the first of many special events for our 8th graders! The students, teachers, and parent volunteers had a blast at our 8th grade FEST! It was such a joy to see our school community come together in such a joyous way! A huge thank you to all the parent volunteers and teachers that made this celebration possible. An extra special hand goes to our PTO executive board who put in countless hours of planning and work that paid off in a big way! 8th grade parents/guardians, we are in a busy season with many activities and celebrations planned. Please be sure to read the 8th Grade section of this newsletter (see below) for new and updated information that you need to know.
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)
🐠🐬🐢🐙
What a time was had by the classes of Ms. Flynn and Ms. Casselle last week! Students taking the MTSS math and reading courses were able to enjoy a fun day at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. Many of the students had read Odder by Katherine Applegate, as part of the One Book, One District initiative. Students were able to see otters, turtles and other marine life. Some even experienced them up close and personal, by touching a starfish, a sturgeon and even a stingray! There was even a lively and enjoyable dolphin show! Our young scholars also learned more about how species are affected by climate change and how it alters things like the reef forests, plankton and the water temperature of the rivers & oceans all over the planet.
A message from Ms. O'Keefe
Garden Club would like to highlight 8th grader Reese Siler for his dedication to Garden Club over the past 3 years, as well as his creativity! After our hose nozzle broke, Reese designed a new one and printed it on the 3D printer in Design class. It fit perfectly! He also invented a nozzle that turns a water bottle into a watering can that is safe for baby seedlings! We are grateful for Reese's hard work and ingenuity!
Chromebook Social Media Alert
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.
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.
On Friday, May 9th, seven Julian students from our Multilingual Classroom visited Mrs. Perry's Kindergarten Class at Longfellow... with baby chicks! The students spent three weeks incubating chicken eggs while learning about embryology and how to prepare and care for chicks once they've hatched. Our Julian students gave presentations to the delighted kindergardeners, and then they helped the them gently hold or pet the chicks. It was a very wonderful experience for all the students, and our Julian ML students really shined with their display of leadership and public speaking.
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.
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
8th Grade MealTime lunch account balances
Your graduate's lunch account balance can be refunded after the last day of the school year. A positive lunch balance over $10 can be issued in one of 4 ways (provided that there are no past due or lost library books, no lost textbooks, and/or no outstanding school fees owed):
- Add any remaining lunch funds to my student's new OPRFHS lunch account
- Send me a check refund
- Transfer the money to my child at an elementary school or a sibling at Julian
- Donate the funds to the lunch account of a needy Julian student
If the balance is less than $10, we can issue the refund at the school office between June 5 - June 12 between 8:30am-3:30pm. If your child has missing textbooks, library books or unpaid school fees, the lunch balance can instead be applied to the outstanding balance(s) owed to the school.
Please indicate on this google form how you would like to have your student's positive lunch account balance refunded this summer. PLEASE INDICATE YOUR LUNCH REFUND PREFERENCE BY MONDAY, JUNE 2. Also note: if you elect to have the Julian lunch account balance transferred to the OPRFHS lunch account, the new account will be credited after the high school's staff returns from summer break in August '25 (since their current school year will have already ended by June 2nd).
Information needed!
Last call for info
INFO NEEDED FOR OUR 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 complete the google form by Wednesday, May 21st.
8th Grade Activity Dates:
- 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)
The big day is almost here!
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.
Principal Filipowski's email from 5/16:
Dear 8th Grade Families,
We are looking forward to seeing Julian families for the eighth-grade graduation ceremony on Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at Oak Park and River Forest high school. To ensure that all end of the year events run as smoothly and safely as possible, we are asking all attendees to carefully review the reminders shared below.
JULIAN GRADUATION MATERIALS and FIELD TRIP INFORMATION
● Distribution: Friday, May 30, at 3:15 p.m.; graduates will be given the graduation ceremony tickets, and if ordered, their cap, gown, tassel and Class of 2025 t-shirt. We will NOT distribute items prior to 5/30 nor before 3:15 p.m. If your child is absent or has an early dismissal on the distribution day, then they will be able to get their graduation materials from their advisory teacher on Monday morning.
● Cap and Gowns: For families that transferred late in the school year or did not order a cap and gown for their 8th grader, the school office will have a limited number of new or gently used cap and gowns available for sale. The cost is $25 for the set or $10 for a 2025 tassel. Purchases can be made between 8am – 4pm on school days, beginning Wednesday, May 28. If you did not remember to order a 2025 tassel, they are $10 each. Students should bring exact change (there is no online or check payment option for graduation materials). Remember, if you are using a sibling’s old cap and gown, please check the fit and condition now. The school office will close promptly at 4pm on graduation day, as Julian staff go over to the high school to set up for the ceremony on June 3.
● Ticket Envelopes: The graduation materials bag will contain a ticket envelope for each graduate attending the ceremony. Julian graduates will get 4 tickets. Lost or misplaced tickets will not be replaced.
● Six Flags Great America Field Trip on Monday, June 2:
○ For those students that are attending the field trip (purchased the Mega Deal or Season Pass Holders’ Deal): Students will line up OUTSIDE of Julian at 9:00 am on 6/2 and board buses by Team. 8th grade teachers will have the students’ bus assignments according to team.
○ Students must wear their new Class of 2025 t-shirt. If they forget to wear the t-shirt, then they will be given an old Julian IAR or PE gym uniform shirt to wear on the field trip. We must be able to easily identify our Julian students at the amusement park. Students need to remember to wear the Class of 2025 t-shirt for the Great America field trip on 6/2.
○ Six Flags Great America admission/lunch/snack vouchers will be given out at the amusement park. The admission tickets and vouchers will NOT be distributed on 5/30.
JULIAN GRADUATION DAY DETAILS and OPRFHS INFORMATION
● School day: On Tuesday, June 3, school starts as normal at 9:00 a.m. Students will wait inside, until their teams line up to be taken by bus over to the high school for graduation rehearsal. At approximately noon, students will board the buses and return to Julian. STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO BE DISMISSED FROM OPRFHS. If you plan to pick up your child for an early dismissal, you must pick them up from the Julian school office. If you are going to pick up your child after the graduation rehearsal or if you plan to give your child permission to be released early to walk or ride home with a peer, please fill out this google form
● Graduation Ceremony:
○ When: Tuesday, June 3 at 6:30 p.m.; Graduates should arrive by 6:00 p.m. to line up.
○ Where: Oak Park and River Forest High School Auditorium, 201 Scoville Ave., Oak Park, IL.
○ Graduates must enter through Door 5.
○ Families/Guests will use Door 4 (Main Entrance/Visitors Entry); for ADA accessibility, use Door 4 as well. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m.
● Live Streaming: The ceremony will be live streamed on the District 97 YouTube channel beginning at 6:30 p.m. We will share the exact link with families later this month.
● Tickets: Each graduate will receive four tickets for guests/family members. Each guest/family member, over the age of 2 years old, must have a ticket to enter the ceremony/auditorium. Lost or misplaced tickets will not be replaced.
GENERAL CEREMONY GUIDELINES
● Graduate Attire: If purchased, red cap and gown; otherwise, dress attire.
● Noise/Celebratory Items: Balloons, streamers and noisemakers are not allowed in the building. The OPRFHS security team will not permit anyone to enter the high school with balloons. Please leave all flowers and balloons at home or inside your vehicle.
● Food: No outside food or beverages are allowed into the OPRFHS auditorium.
● Photography: Please refrain from using flash photography during the graduation ceremony, as it can be blinding to the students and the speakers on stage. Family photos and/or video recordings should be taken outside, before or after the graduation ceremony.
● Parking: There is construction work being done on the OPRFHS campus. Please allow yourself ample time to get to the high school and to find parking. If you can walk or carpool to the ceremony, that is recommended. If not, the high school recommends using their parking garage near Lake St. We will request a parking waiver for street parking however, that may be limited (due the neighbors and due to the construction).
Thank you for your support, and we look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, June 3!
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.
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.
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. Julian currently only has 81% of our families registered. Please complete your registration as soon as possible to ensure you are ready to start the new year in August!
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.
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.
