9/9/2022
What a great week! Not only did we enjoy some beautiful weather, but it was wonderful to see students all dressed up for picture day!
Throughout the school year, we form small social skills groups that focus on helping children develop social skills that are called upon in everyday situations with parent consent or per a student’s IEP. The topics include but are not limited to sharing, citizenship, good sportsmanship, cooperation, conflict resolution, and friendship. The students engage in age-appropriate interactive games and activities to facilitate positive social exchanges. Please click here for more information! Peer social groups
Volunteer Opportunity! We would love more help during our lunch hour. Here is a link for a Sign-Up Genius. You can contact Ms. Winfield at [email protected] if you have any questions.
Second Step is the curriculum we use across our entire district to teach important social-emotional learning skills. This past week students were taught lesson 2, which helped them learn important skills for learning, such as focusing attention, using self-talk, and listening with attention. Below are “Home Links” that provide some information about what your student learned and some possible ways you can extend that learning to your own home. Not every grade level will have a home link each week!
Kindergarten: Focusing Attention
First Grade: Focusing Attention
Fourth Grade: Listening with Attention
The Well-Read Tigers, a Hatch Tiger Bookclub: Do you have a 3rd-5th grader that loves to read? We are starting our first ever Hatch book club, The Well Read Tigers! Ms. Stringham will host a monthly book club (during lunch/recess) for 3rd-5th graders starting in October. Click here for all the information and a list of the books, and parents/guardians can sign up here by September 30th.
Reading Olympics: 5th graders this week had an opportunity to learn about the Fall/Winter Reading Olympics! 5th graders may create groups of 2 or 3 to get all nine books to read on time. The Hatch Reading Olympics will take place on Friday, November 18th, and the all-district Reading Olympics will occur on Tuesday, December 6th. Hard copies of the contract with the list of books can be found in the Hatch Library. More information to follow! Email [email protected] with any questions.
Updates/Reminders:
Student and Family Handbook
This year, the district worked to merge the Effective Student Behavior Handbook and Family Handbook into one comprehensive resource, the Student and Family Handbook, to streamline information for families and staff. The new handbook contains important information regarding school policies, procedures, student rights and responsibilities, and important notifications required by state and federal law.
The purpose of this handbook is to outline the expectations for building an educational community where everyone feels safe, included, and able to learn. Having shared expectations, procedures and policies help us respect all members of the school community in which we learn and work daily. Please take the time to read through the handbook and review it with your child.
Meal Information for the 2022-23 School Year
Our elementary and middle schools' breakfast and lunch menus are available at http://www.op97.org/business-office/food-service. During the 2022-23 school year, students may:
- Bring a nut-free lunch from home.
- Order school lunch.
PLEASE NOTE: 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 Meal Application.
Nut Safe Schools
Nuts and nut products are not allowed in any District 97 schools during the 2022-23 school year. 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 our students. Please visit https://bit.ly/3AyGPpI to access information about the district’s food allergy management program and tips and options for identifying food that is safe for snacks and field trips. We appreciate your support of this important initiative!
School Fees
The district is accepting fee payments for the 2022-23 school year. Full payment is due by September 30, 2022. You can access the fee information by visiting https://www.op97.org/business-office/fees.
Hatch Needs Room Parents!
Please consider signing up to be a room parent. Each class needs three parent volunteers who will work together to plan class parties, gather funds, and purchase gifts for the teacher. This role requires a minimal time commitment and is a great way to get more involved at Hatch. There will be a brief orientation for all room parents in September, date TBD. Please send questions to [email protected]
If you want to be a room parent, please sign up with the PTO below!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805084da4ab2fa3f94-2223
Process for Reporting Positive COVID-19 Cases to D97 Schools
If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, they must complete the following steps:
1) To notify the school nurse and receive a return-to-school date, families/staff must complete the confidential COVID-19 Positive Case Notification Form as soon as possible following the positive test. Information will also be shared with the Oak Park Department of Public Health.
2) Families must continue to report student absences via the school attendance line, and staff must enter their absences in Frontline.
To see the rules for isolation and quarantine, click here. Additional resources are linked below.
School Lunches - Milk Only Charge
As a reminder, if your student takes milk only during lunch, there is a cost of $.45 per carton, regardless of your family's school meal eligibility status. If you have not already done so, please add funds into your student’s meal account to accommodate the milk-only charge. If your student takes the full school meal, milk is included. Thank you!
Imagine OPRF Project 1 Tours and IGOV Meeting: Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 is hosting another round of Imagine OPRF Project 1 tours on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The tours will follow the iGOV meeting, which will take place that same morning at the high school. Similar to our Open House last May, the tours will be self-guided, and visitors can see the new Student Resource Center, new classrooms, and the revamped South Cafeteria, Student Commons, and Welcome Center. Click here to view the event flyer >>