Message from May 29, 2020

As we approach the last week of school, it feels especially bittersweet in this current situation.  It is difficult to say goodbye without the hugs and celebrations we normally experience.  While we would all love to have in person celebrations for the end of the year, all celebrations for this year will be virtual in following directives and guidelines from both the state of Illinois and the CDC, which includes no large gatherings and very strict social distancing.  Know that we are sending our love and are just as disappointed as our students in not being able to close out the year in person.  However, we recognize that by adhering to the recommendations of our scientists and experts, we are helping to keep our loved ones safe during this time.  Thank you for your support and patience as we come up with creative virtual ways to celebrate together this year!

 

We are currently working on a plan for coordinating pick up of student items and yearbooks (if ordered) as well as drop off of library books or other borrowed materials.  We hope to begin this process with classrooms on the 1st floor the week of June 8th depending on construction status and how limited our access to the building is.  A letter outlining specific procedures will go out next week.  Thank you for your patience as we work around the many moving parts!

 

District 97, in collaboration with the Oak Park Teachers' Association (OPTA), has decided to make Thursday, June 4, the last day of student attendance for the 2019-20 school year.  June 5, the date that was previously designated as the last attendance day, will instead be used as a teacher institute day.  This institute day will be used to provide support and professional development to staff in preparation for the 2020-21 school year.  Although the district has not made any decisions about the fall, we believe this extra time is critical as we continue to build our staffs’ capacity to provide high-quality instruction to all of our students—whether it’s remote or on-site.  For more details, please visit https://bit.ly/2ZJWa4M.

 

Free/Reduced Lunch Applications:  Given the economic impact of COVID-19, families may have experienced a financial change such as income reduction or job loss.  Even if it is temporary and regardless of other financial factors, a change of income may qualify your children for free or reduced lunch from now until October 1, including summer meals.  We encourage all families who have experienced a loss or reduction of income to take a few minutes to complete the National School Lunch application.  To learn more or access the application, please visit https://bit.ly/3c5gxvV.  Applications will also be available at our meal pick-up sites.

 

Registration Open for 2020-21 School Year in District 97

Returning Students - All current families received an email on May 6 from [email protected] to remotely register your child for the 20-21 school year.  We ask that all returning students complete registration as quickly as possible in order to accurately plan staffing, materials, devices, etc. for the upcoming school year.  Remember to upload any required documents to InfoSnap (PowerSchool Enrollment) before submitting.  Click here for the May 6 communication to families.  Detailed information about the returning registration process is available on the district website at https://www.op97.org/hr/student-registration.  If you have any additional questions, please email [email protected].

New Students and Kindergarteners - Please note that Kindergarten and New Student Registration will be open through June 6.  Families who wish to enroll a kindergartner or new student should start the registration process now by completing a Google survey form on our website.
 

District 97 is providing a variety of enrichment opportunities to support student learning over the summer.  More than 50 staff members collaborated to create our optional Summer Learning Plan for Grades 1-8, which includes suggested activities and online resources in the areas of reading, writing and math.  The document also includes a comprehensive list of virtual field trips for families to enjoy.  This list will be posted on our district and school websites, and we will continue to provide resources for families throughout the summer.  To access the optional Summer Learning Plan, please visit https://bit.ly/2X68WIN.

 

District 97 will continue to hold meal distributions every Monday, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Longfellow Elementary School (for Julian and feeder schools), 715 S. Highland Ave., and Brooks Middle School (for Brooks and feeder schools), 325 S. Kenilworth Ave.  Meals are available to any District 97 family in need.  Each student will receive breakfast and lunch items for five days.  These distributions will continue through Monday, June 29.  If you have any questions, please contact our food service coordinator, Carla Ellis, at [email protected].

 

Incoming 6th Grade families, please see the Brooks Information Night Zoom recordings and slides.

 

District 97 is partnering with BrightBytes again this year to learn more about the role technology plays in advancing the education of our students both in and out of the classroom.  We are asking you to please take a brief Technology and Learning questionnaire.  Your participation in this annual initiative will help us more accurately assess the correlation between technology use and student learning.  Please know that all of your responses will be kept anonymous to protect your privacy.

The window for completing the questionnaire will be from May 26 to June 5, 2020.  Below is the link to the questionnaire for your child’s school.  If you have multiple children at this school, you only need to fill out the questionnaire once.  Please complete the survey for Hatch.

If you have a child at another building (i.e., elementary and middle school), you will receive a similar email for that school that will include the link to its questionnaire.  We hope you will seriously consider filling out the questionnaires for both buildings so that we have a more complete picture of the experiences your children have had with technology here in the district.  Please email [email protected] if you have questions or need more information regarding this initiative.  In the meantime, thank you for your attention to this important matter, and for your continued support of our schools and the children we serve.  If you want/need more information about BrightBytes, please visit the organization’s website at https://www.brightbytes.net or check out this videoAccess the BrightBytes Clarity Platform.

 

Flu/COVID Information:  If you or a family member have a fever, cough, or and/or flu-like symptoms, please consult with your primary care provider BEFORE going to urgent care or the emergency department.  There are specific protocols in place for managing illness at this time that are designed to protect you and others.  Your primary doctor or health care provider can help keep you safe while managing your symptoms. 

If you have any questions, or would like to discuss any health care related issues further, Nurse Rossi is available and happy to help.  Please email her at [email protected].  In your message please indicate if you would prefer to email or talk via phone. 

As you know, the situation regarding COVID-19 is rapidly changing.  Please go to one of these links for the most current information:

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | CDC

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | IDPH

Continue to follow frequent handwashing, not touching your face, and physical distancing.  We will get through this together!

 

As we continue to learn and grow our practices in remote learning, we want to thank you again for your patience and support!

 

Sincerely,

 

Sarah Mendez

Hatch School Principal 

1000 N Ridgeland Ave

Oak Park, IL 60302

(708) 524-3095