Happy New Year! While the new year has begun in a much more troubling way than we all would have wanted with the horrific attacks in the Capitol Building, we hope you were able to enjoy some rest and relaxation as a family over the holiday break. Our first week back has been busy as we welcome students and get them back into the learning routines as well as begin our winter assessments and prepare for conferences. We had support staff on hand for any students who were having trouble with the current events and difficult issues facing our society. If you feel your child needs support in any way, please do not hesitate to reach out to our social worker, Ms. Bates. We are here to help!
In addition to us getting back into the swing of things, we have also been busy preparing for some of our students to join us on site in a hybrid learning model while other students will remain remote during this time. I know there are many questions about what this will look like for all of our children. Please know that we are putting the safety of students and staff at the forefront of our planning and processes. If you are interested in learning more about our safety plans and what this new model will look like, please join us for our January PTO meeting next Tuesday at 7pm where I will share updates on what this will look like and how you can support and prepare your child for this transition. If you have specific questions, please submit them in advance to [email protected] by 8 a.m. on Tuesday. (See zoom link below.) If you are unable to join at that time, we will share the presentation on our website after the meeting.
Our next materials pick up will begin next week. Due to the cold weather and high COVID-19 positivity rates, we will be running this pick up a little differently. We will have your child’s materials prepared in a bag labeled with their name, teacher’s name and grade level set up outside our main doors on the designated day between the hours of 8am-4pm. At any time during those hours, you or a designee may come to retrieve your child’s bag of materials. Please wear a mask and adhere to social distancing guidelines during pick up. Following procedures to mitigate the spread will be critical to keeping schools open. Thank you for partnering with us to support the learning at Hatch! Our schedule for pick up is as follows:
Materials Pick Up- independently retrieve your child’s bag between 8am-4pm!
Thursday, January 21 (Kindergarten and 5th grade)
Friday, January 22 (1st and 2nd grades)
Monday, January 25 (3rd and 4th grades)
Hatch Library Book Checkout: Students have the opportunity to check out Hatch Library books! For all the information please click here. If you have already requested books you are more than welcome to request books again. The next book checkout will be Monday, January 25th.
Art Update From Ms. Klemp: Next week we will begin our Collage Unit in Art. You will need to come to art class prepared with scissors, stick glue, collage materials like wrapping paper scraps, old cards/envelopes, magazines that have already been read, and any colorful materials that might otherwise end up in recycling. Thank you!
Please see the invitation in the link below to register for a free info session on COVID-19 Vaccination: It Matters in Saving Black Lives Virtual Town Hall. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZlZck1WJQV-g3mwFBlHDvg?fbclid=IwAR2ZkDbqmv_-9ZpiS_5NUeb1RF5bbrMk9v7nU4OOnLlgEbyvPp3OtShNRpc
Just a reminder: NO SCHOOL for students this Monday, January 18th, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Sarah Mendez
Hatch School Principal
1000 N Ridgeland Ave
Oak Park, IL 60302
(708) 524-3095
PTO Reminders
Please join the January PTO General Meeting on Tuesday, January 19 at 7 p.m.
In addition to general PTO business and updates, Mrs. Mendez will provide an update on hybrid learning plans for the remainder of trimester 2 and answer questions. Please submit your questions in advance to [email protected] by 8 a.m. on Tuesday.
Join the meeting via Zoom.
https://op97-org.zoom.us/j/82137435682?pwd=THdmZC9Qd1hMeGRCVEpqNnZLclFzUT09
Meeting ID: 821 3743 5682
Passcode: tigers
Submissions for the 2021 Love Hatch t-shirt contest are due today.
If your t-shirt design is chosen, you’ll receive a free shirt. The winning design and other spirit wear will be available for purchase in January/February.
Entry Guidelines:
-Open to any Hatch student
-Must include the word “Hatch”
-Must include the school year (2021)
-Final t-shirt will be a maximum of 3 ink colors, including black
-T-shirt fabric can be almost any color so consider that in your design
-Design for front of t-shirt only
Email your entry to [email protected]
D97 Updates/Reminders
Next Meal D97 Meal Distribution: Tuesday, Jan. 19: Meals will be provided free of cost this fall to any District 97 student in need. Each bag of food will contain five breakfasts and five lunches. Meal distributions will be held every Tuesday, 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.
D97 Breakfast/Lunch Menus - January 2021
Continued Social-Emotional Wellness Check-Ins for Students: District 97 school psychologists and nurses have collaborated to offer access to virtual mental health wellness checks at each school this fall. Parents may sign up children for 25-minute Telehealth sessions where they can access an open ear for their sources of stress and learn self-care and coping strategies. Students may attend up to three sessions per trimester and may then be referred for other school-based supports if needed.
To sign up or learn more about these services, please visit https://bit.ly/3m3Xece.
If your child is experiencing an immediate mental health crisis, please do not use this service and instead call the Thrive 24-Hour Crisis Hotline at 708-383-7500. You may also refer to this local resource guide created by the Community Mental Health Board of the Oak Park Township.
Parent Information Session - Single Subject/Whole Grade Acceleration: For families who are seeking single subject or whole grade acceleration for the 2021-22 school year, the district will be hosting a Virtual Parent Information Session on Wednesday, January 20, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The session will include a presentation that outlines the process and requirements. Click here for the family letter about acceleration opportunities for the 2021-22 school year. >
Click here to view the event flyer.
Information about the District 97 Accelerated Placement Program, including definitions and timelines, can be found at http://www.op97.org/acceleration.