Jan. 17, 2020
IRVING-RELATED: NEW
NEW: UPCOMING ART EVENTS AT IRVING
- March is Youth Art Month and we will have our Annual D97 Student Art Show at the Oak Park Main Library (2 Irving artists from each grade level will have art in the show, I will send special invites to those families)
- April 1st - Youth Art Month Closing Reception at the Oak Park Main Library, 4-5 pm
- April 25 - West Suburban Consortium for Academic Excellence Student Art Expo at the Cheney Mansion in Oak Park, 10 am - 4 pm (about 11 Irving students will be featured in the expo, I will send special invites to those families)
- May 14th - Irving Art Fest featuring artwork by ALL Irving Students, 6-8:30pm
NEW: DISTRICT 97 COMMUNITY MEMBERS INVITE TO LEARN ABOUT SUMMER IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
District 97 families, staff and community members are invited to attend a facilities advisory committee/special board meeting, where we will provide an overview of the capital improvement projects that will be completed during Summer 2020 at Brooks, Hatch, Irving, Mann and Julian. The meeting will be held Monday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m. at the District 97 Administration Building, 260 Madison St.
The work currently scheduled for Irving includes:
- Life Safety, educational, and accessibility improvements
- Replace damaged doors and door hardware
- Masonry repairs at exterior walls
- Replace emergency lighting and exit signage
- Provide new exhaust fans
- Provide plumbing upgrades to meet current code requirements
- Replace third floor unit ventilators (to provide heating and cooling)
- Renovate media center to 21st Century Library Learning Commons
- Provide STEAM learning lab
- Convert storage rooms at 1st floor to office space
This work is part of the facilities referendum passed by Oak Park voters in 2017, which has enabled the district to:
- Perform maintenance and repairs that support the safety, functionality and sustainability of our buildings;
- Improve building accessibility;
- Invest in the modernization of classrooms.During the meeting, the administration will share an overview of the summer projects, and the community will have the opportunity to ask questions and share feedback.
NEW: SERVICE PROJECT
During the month of January, 5th-grade SLAM students will be participating in a community service project. If they did not make it to your classroom this morning with a collection envelope and announcement, you can expect to see them tomorrow. Students are very excited to be helping a local organization, Pacific Garden Mission, with fundraising to help provide brown bag lunches for community members in need.
The goal is to have every student donate $1 (or more) in the next two weeks. Please help encourage your students and their families by including this information in your newsletters or on your blogs.
We appreciate your support! Please email me if you have any questions.
NEW: VALENTINE’S DAY CELEBRATIONS
Valentine's Day is soon approaching. Valentine's day is a fun and enjoyable time for all, however, it can be a time of worry for children with food allergies and their families. In order to provide a safe celebration environment for all students at Irving, ALL classroom celebrations will be free of candy. Please DO NOT send candy into the classroom to pass out with Valentines. Candy that is brought into school will be returned.
NEW: POLAR PLUNGE
On February 23rd, several staff from Oak Park will be taking part in the Polar Plunge into Lake Michigan to raise money for Special Olympics! Please click on the links below if you would be interested in donating money to help support this great cause and our Irving staff who are taking the plunge.
In addition, please check out the this video made for this Polar Plunge with a student at Whittier and a senior at OPRF and former Irving student. OPRF High School and District 97 Schools are teaming up to fundraise and plunge together in attempt to be the top fundraising group.
IRVING RELATED: PBIS, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL, & SECOND STEP
NEW: PBIS
After taking a break from our Second Step lessons last week, we were back on track this week. Our kindergarten students are on lesson 11 which focuses on caring and helping. Our first grade students learned what an accident is and how to handle when there is an accident. Our second graders worked on predicting feelings, while the third graders worked on the skills necessary for making friends. The fourth grade students were introduced to the second unit in Second Step, which is called emotional management. The students learned a three step process for handling strong emotions, which is stop, name your felling, calm down. The fifth grade students focused on strategies for calming down in the emotional management process. This week there are homelinks for kindergarten, 4th grade, and 5th grade students.
In addition to these emails, you can find information regarding PBIS and Second Step on our Irving Webpage through the PBIS & Second Step link on the left.
As always, if you have any questions or comments don't hesitate to reach out.
|
GRADE |
ACTIVATION CODE |
HOME LINK INFORMATION |
|---|---|---|
|
Kindergarten |
SSPK FAMI LY70 |
|
|
Grade 1 |
SSP1 FAMI LY71 |
None this week |
|
Grade 2 |
SSP2 FAMI LY72 |
None this week |
|
Grade 3 |
SSP3 FAMI LY73 |
None this week |
|
Grade 4 |
SSP4 FAMI LY74 |
|
|
Grade 5 |
SSP5 FAMI LY75 |
EAGLES NEST
Last Friday our students met with their Eagle's Nest and participated in kindness lessons and activites. Everyone read the book A Little Spot of Kindness and completed an art activity. Each student also received a dot to put on their hand to wear on their hand as a reminder of doing something kind. Ask your child has been done to be kind throughout their week.
IRVING RELATED: REMINDERS
COMMUNITY CAFE: TUESDAY JANUARY 21ST (8:00-8:30am)
Mr. Hodge will be holding a CommUNITY Coffee on Tuesday January 21st from 8-8:30am with coffee and pastries. This will be an informal opportunity for parents & guardians to hear an update regarding happenings at Irving, get to know one another, and provide feedback.
SPECIAL DOLLARS
Our special area teachers started a fun incentive program this week. When students are caught following the Eagle Essentials they can earn “Special Dollars.” Students then save these dollars to spend the week of Art Fest at school and at the Art Fest Night. These “Special Dollars” are similar to Eagle Slips but can only be earned during special area classes and can be spent on items.
WARM CLOTHING DONATIONS FOR LUNCH & CLASS RECESS
If you have any extra hats, gloves, scarves, snow pants, or coats at home that your child has outgrown, please consider donating them to our Irving students to use during lunch and class recess. Drop off any donations in the office. We will set up a donation area for students when they are in need of items or have misplaced items and need an item to keep them warm and safe.
ESSENTIALS SURVEY GENERAL INFORMATION
Reminder – Parents/guardians from all 10 of our schools are encouraged to take the Illinois 5Essentials Survey between now and Feb. 14, 2020. Please click here to learn how parents/guardians can participate in this important endeavor and click here to access the parent/guardian version of the survey. Please note that school-level reports will only be generated if at least 20 percent of our parents/guardians complete the survey.
NEWS FROM THE PTO
NEW: Latest PTO News
PTO MEETING: FEBRUARY 6TH AT 7PM
Our next PTO meeting will be held on February 6th at 7pm in the Irving Auditorium.
NEW: DIVINC MEETING: FEBRUARY 11TH AT 7PM
Our next DivInc meeting will be February 11th at 7-8:30pm in the cafeteria/lunchroom.
NEW: SAVE THE DATE: LOVED ONES DANCE (FEBRUARY 14TH 7pm)
NEW: EVERYBODY PLAYS INCLUSIVE PLAYDATES (JAN. 26TH @ 1PM)
Everybody Plays Inclusive Playdate Flyer
DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
NEW: MULTI-TIER SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT RESOURCES FOR FAMILIES
Our schools have been hard at work to develop a site that can allow for easy access to the resources we use to support instruction. Click link below to see resource selected for students that are free of charge and will help to support instruction in the classroom.
Parent MTSS Resource Site K-8th grade
NEW: PARENT LEADERSHIP TRAINING HOSTED BY THE COLLABORATION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD
The Collaboration for Early Childhood is hosting a parent leadership training series starting Saturday, Feb. 1. The trainings represent an effort to give parents, grandparents, and caregivers the skills and tools to help them be their child's first and most important caregiver. All events will include child care, food and transportation (upon request). To register or ask questions, please contact Jennifer Little at 708-613-6122 or email [email protected]. Click here to view the event flyer >
OAK PARK CODE FEST
Please join the D97 Librarians, Oak Park Public Library and the Oak Park Education Foundation at this year's Code Fest! Spend a night playing with, and learning about, fun coding activities available to our students and families. Code Fest is January 22, 2020 from 6:00-7:30pm at the main branch of the Oak Park Public Library. Open house style with hands on stations! Questions? Contact Ms. Noonan: [email protected].
PARENT INFORMATION SESSION-EARLY ADMISSION TO KINDERGARTEN/FIRST GRADE
For families who are seeking early admission to kindergarten or first grade, the district will be hosting a Parent Information Session on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the District 97 Administration Building. The session will include a presentation that outlines the process and requirements, as on-site support for parents. 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/
BASE CAMP 2020
Mark your calendars because registration for OPEF's BASE Camp 2020 will open Feb. 5, 2020, at noon. BASE Camp 2020 will run four weeks, from June 15 to July 10, and is open to all students in first through eighth grade as of Fall 2020. OPEF also offers more than 100 scholarship spots for eligible families, but those spots are usually taken within the first few days, so please register early.
Choose from a wide selection of over 60 engaging, hands-on camps. One-week and two-week morning, afternoon, and full-day camp sessions are available. Early drop-off and extended Camp are available for busy families, and free lunchtime supervision is provided for families choosing a full day of camp. More details will be posted as the registration date approaches.
BASE CAMP PARTIAL SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
The Oak Park Education Foundation (OPEF) is piloting a new partial scholarship program for summer BASE Camp. It is open to District 97 families who earn too much to qualify for the Free and Reduced Lunch Program, but still struggle to pay for extra enrichment activities such as summer camp.
What is BASE Camp?
OPEF’s summer BASE Camp offers a wide variety of fun, educational programs including topics like: science, art, LEGOs, engineering, animation and computer coding. In 2020 the camps will run from June 15 – July 10, with half day, full day, extended day and lunch options available. BASE Camp will be held at a centrally located Oak Park elementary school for 1st-6th graders, and Brooks Middle School for 7th-8th graders. You register for camps based on your child’s grade in Fall 2020.
The schedule and camp descriptions for 2020 will be released in mid January. To get an idea of our typical offerings, please visit opef.org/base-camp to view last year’s schedule and camp descriptions.
How Much is the Scholarship Award?
District 97 families who qualify can receive a 50% camp scholarship to BASE Camp, with a maximum award of $310 (for grades 1-6) or $350 (for grades 7-8) per child, with no maximum per household. Scholarships for each child are limited to four camps: two weeks of full-day camp or four weeks of half-day camp, or any equivalent. Additional camps, charges, and extended day costs will be charged at full price.
How Do I Apply?
Families must be pre-approved for a partial scholarship prior to camp registration. Families who apply by the priority deadline of January 17 will be notified of acceptance via email by January 31, with instructions for how to proceed with the registration process. Registration opens on Wednesday, February 5 at 12 noon, and approved families will have from then until February 19 to enroll. An initial deposit of $25 per camp is required at the time of enrollment to reserve your child(ren)’s spot(s), then final payments can be made in two or more installments.
To apply, please fill out the Partial Scholarship Application online. No fees are required at the time of application. BASE Camp partial scholarships will be awarded based on greatest need, and you will need to indicate your annual income on the application, so please have that information ready. Annual income is your total household income from all sources before adjustments. This could be the amount on Line 6 from 2018 IRS Form 1040. If you didn't file taxes last year or your income recently changed, you can estimate your annual income as needed. See more scholarship details, including a qualifying income chart.
Questions?
BASE Camp Co-Director, Amy Struckmeyer, is happy to assist with the application or additional questions regarding this new partial scholarship opportunity. Email her at [email protected] or call 312-282-0139.
SAVE THE DATE: DISTRICT 97 SUMMER LAUNCH 2020
District 97 is excited to announce the dates for the upcoming 2020 Summer Launch Program. Summer Launch will be held June 15 through July 10, 2020 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon). The program for Grades K-4 will be held at Holmes Elementary School, and Grades 5-8 will be held at Brooks Middle School.
Summer Launch is a summer program designed for students in kindergarten to seventh grade who are identified as needing intervention support in reading and/or mathematics during the school year and fall below the 11th percentile in reading and/or math.
Our Summer Launch Program will include Reading/Writing Workshop and Math support, in which students will be able to build upon the reading and writing strategies they have learned during the regular school year, as well as participate in math activities.
The Summer Launch program is designed to support students:
In continuing to build their skills towards becoming strong, confident readers and writers.By allowing them personalized instruction in reading, writing and math.By supporting them in sharing their voices and helping to feel valued.By supporting them in building meaningful connections with their teacher and peers.Participation in the Summer Launch program is by invitation only; letters will be sent to eligible families via email in late January. Click here to view the Save the Date flyer >
PARENT SURVEY REGARDING EQUITY
In District 97, we aim to provide a learning environment that is equitable and inclusive of ALL children. To do so, we need your continued partnership by supporting schools and students, monitoring your own child’s progress and giving us feedback along the way.
Please take a moment to complete this survey, which will assist us in further improvements as we prepare for the remainder of the school year. Thank you in advance for your response, and for your continued support of our schools and the students we serve.
RETHINKING DISCIPLINE IN DISTRICT 97
The word discipline in connection with schools has such a negative connotation. The long history of shame, punishment and racism has interfered with the very purpose of schools – to help young people learn and grow. District 97 is reclaiming and redefining discipline to better align with our mission and vision of what it means to be educators of students. We are making systemic shifts away from punishment to a mindset of preemption and restoration. Read and learn more - Around the District with Dr. Kelley - http://bit.ly/34JiR84
SOCIAL MEDIA AMBASSADORS
District 97 is seeking social media ambassadors who are willing to share news and information about our efforts to support all students. Whether you are sharing posts from our Facebook or Twitter pages or shouting out a teacher or student, being a social media ambassador is great way to be part of the "MyD97" campaign and support District 97 schools! If you are interested in being an ambassador for the 2019-20 school year, please complete our online form. If you have any questions, please email the district's director of communications, Amanda Siegfried, at [email protected].
FREE MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS
The Oak Park Public Library, in partnership with Rush University Medical Center, is offering free mental health assessments (through pre-scheduled appointments) for children and adults on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Main Library. A Rush psychologist will conduct the onsite assessment.
For more information, please visit https://www.oppl.org/news-
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
January 20th No School
January 22nd Oak Park Code Fest
January 26th Everybody Plays-Inclusive Playdate (1-2pm)
January 30th 11am Dismissal (P/T conferences)
January 31st 11am Dismissal
February 6th PTO Meeting (7pm)
February 11th DivInc Meeting (7-8:30PM)
February 14th Loved Ones Dance (7-9PM)
February 22nd Irving Fun Fair and Online Silent Auction
February 23rd Everybody Plays! Inclusive Playdates (1-2pm)
February 28th African American History Month Assembly