Newsletter for the week of February 7

Culture and Climate Update - Black History Month

February 3-8 is National Black Lives Matter Week in Schools.  On Monday, advisory teachers shared information with our students about Black Lives Matter Week. Our Social Justice Club celebrated the week by sharing the 4 main tenets of this during daily announcements. These tenets include: ending zero tolerance policies, mandating black history studies, hiring more black teachers and increasing funding for counselors.  Our Student Voice committee will honor Black History Month by hosting an assembly where they will interview Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins with questions they’ve created.  Throughout the month we are honoring the accomplishments of African Americans in the United States by sharing them in our students through our daily announcements. Black History is American History and this month Julian is honored to recognize and represent that.

Students will also undertake learning experiences in the library for Black History Month in February. Teachers are able to sign up for "read-ins" with an open mic read-out at the end of the period. At the end of the month, the library will offer stations to teachers that will include a conversation with Social Justice club, a mini biography project, a mini book review project inspired by #1000BlackGirlBooks Marley Dias, and other activities.

 

8th Grade IB Community Project

A central part of being an IB student is learning to look at the world through multiple perspectives and appreciate all human experiences similar and different from your own. This type of learning culminates with the 8th Grade IB Community Project. Next week, we will be highlighting 6 student projects that include fundraising as their main goal. This event will take place on Thursday, February 13 during all lunch periods.

Information about the event and the individual projects will be shared in Advisory on Monday via PSA videos created by our 8th grade students. We encourage all students to participate in a way that not only gives them an opportunity to support their peers but also engages them in learning about these worthy causes. 

Students can bring a small amount of money to school on Thursday if they would like to support one of these IB Community Projects. Donations as small as quarters are welcomed! 

Organizations students will be fundraising for include: 

  • Alliance for Living Ocean
  • Animal Welfare Institute
  • Arbor Day Foundation
  • Prevent Child Abuse America
  • St. Francis Mission
  • Tanzania Education Corp.

Thank you for encouraging your child to support their peers and learn more about the work of these important organizations.

 

Mindful Middle Schoolers Program

 

The Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township, Oak Park Elementary School District 97, and DePaul University’s Community Counseling Center have partnered to deliver a vast array of educational and therapeutic services to staff, families, and youth. The “Mindful Middle-Schoolers Program” will offer staff training, parent workshops, groups and counseling for middle school students in Oak Park during the 2019-20 school year. To learn more about the program and upcoming talks for parents, please visit https://www.op97.org/news/1673321/mindful-middle-schoolers-community-talks-2020.

Below is a list of upcoming community talks for parents, students and staff.

  • Wednesday, Feb 26 (@ Brooks Middle School): Strategies to support executive functioning and self-regulation development based upon brain science http://bit.ly/37DtBqF
  • Thursday, Feb 27 (@ Brooks Middle School): Understanding depression in youth and strategies for treatment and support http://bit.ly/2S6Q5cT

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Parent Resource Site

The District 97 MTSS Team has created a D97 Parent Resource Site to further support instruction happening in the classroom. The site has been created to provide an overview of MTSS and support all students in the areas of reading, math and writing. Our team has selected resources that offer a free version to our families. If you have additional free websites or resources you would like to share, please reach out to MTSS Director Faith Cole at [email protected]. Thank you for your partnership!

 

Single Subject Acceleration Parent Session

Parent Information Session - Single Subject/Whole Grade Acceleration. For families who are seeking single subject or whole grade acceleration for the 2020-21 school year, the district will be hosting a Parent Information Session on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Lincoln Elementary School, 1111 S. Grove St. The session will include a presentation that outlines the process and requirements. 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

 

Support4U

Districts 97, 90 and 200 have partnered together to launch a mental health-related prevention and support resource for middle and high school students called Support4U. Students can use this text-based resource 24 hours a day to connect with licensed mental health clinicians who can provide them with assistance or guidance on a variety of issues that include, but are not limited to, anxiety, depression, substance use, suicidal ideation, eating disorders, bullying and abuse. Text 844-670-5838 for Support

 

5 Essentials Parent Survey - We Need Your Feedback!

We are administering the Illinois 5Essentials Survey again this year to certified staff and parents/guardians from all 10 of our schools, as well as students in grades four through eight. The parent/guardian survey is available now. 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, which can be accessed until Feb. 14, 2020.
We currently have 14% of our parents/guardians that have completed the survey. Please take about 10 minutes to provide us with feedback related to your experience with Julian Middle School.

 

Parent Workshop: "Developing Your Child's IEP"
The District 97 Student Services Department will host a parent workshop, "Developing Your Child's IEP," on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Holmes School, 508 N. Kenilworth Ave. Staff will provide a step-by-step guide to understanding the IEP process. Childcare will be available. Event flyer >

 

Upcoming Events:

Presidents Day - No School for Students / Monday, February 17

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Todd Fitzgerald

Principal, Julian Middle School