The Jayhawk Weekly

Dear Julian Parents and Guardians,

Please don't forget to click here and take the 5 Essentials Survey! Your voice matters and we really want to hear from you! Currently, we only have 10% response rate from parents and we need at least 20% participation! Please click the link and take a few minutes to complete this important feedback: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/. Our students took the survey in Advisory classes last week. If you could complete the survey by Friday, March 21st, we'd greatly appreciate it!

We will need all returning families (current 6th and 7th graders) to complete the 2025-2026 school year registration. Registrations help us with planning for the new school year, so please don't wait. Be sure to let us know that your Jayhawk will be joining us again in the fall by clicking here: https://www.op97.org/hr/returning-student-registration. Thank you so much for your attention and participation.

As we lead into Spring Break, we will continue our celebrations or Best Buddies Month and Women's History Month. Please see the calendar below for Best Buddies theme days (tomorrow, we will actually be wearing green for Cerebral Palsy, and on Tuesday, we will wear blue for Autism). On Thursday, our Spirit Team will be putting up our Women's History Month assembly during Advisory time. Our next newsletter will be shared with families on 3/30, so please enjoy your Spring Break!

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or ideas, please don’t hesitate to contact our team (emails below). Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting our students' growth and success.

Jayhawks together,

Nick Filipowski

Principal, Percy Julian M.S.

• 8th Grade Class Trip: Sunday, May 25 - Tuesday, May 27th
• Memorial Day: Monday, May 26th (NO SCHOOL)

• 8th Grade Graduation: Tuesday, June 3rd (6:30pm @ OPRFHS)
• Last Day of School: Wednesday, June 4th (Trimester 3 Report Card Day)

School is closed March 24 thru March 28 (as well as April 1)

• Spring Break is Monday, Mar 24th - Friday, Mar 28th.
• Students return to school on Mon., 3/31 (and are off again on Tuesday, April 1st).
• It will be a B day when Jayhawks return from the spring break. Students will attend 6th period - 10th period classes on 3/31.

The building will be closed 3/22/25 - 3/30/25 (spring break/weekend) & on 4/1/25 (Institute Day).

⛺ College for Kids Spring Break Youth Camp

Join Triton College for a career-exploration-focused camp designed for middle-school-aged students! Campers will choose one major area of study to focus on throughout the week, culminating in a Campers Showcase on the final day where they can present what they ve learned to their families and friends. Along with gaining hands-on experience in high-tech labs and learning from experts in the field, campers will also enjoy engaging recreation activities and daily lunches as part of the program.

To learn more about College for Kids and other camps being offered, or to sign up, scan the QR code on the flyer. Or click here: https://www.triton.edu/cfkspring/. The camp is Monday, March 24th thru Thursday, March 27th.

If you have any questions, please call Triton’s School of Continuing Education at (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3500, email AskCE@triton.edu, or contact Friday Night Place at (708) 657-1790 or (708) 704-3789, or email fnplace25@gmail.com.

Hosted by Triton College in partnership with Oak Park Elementary School District 97, Fellowship Community Services, Inc. and Friday Night Place.

If your child comes early to school to read or study in the library media center before school, please know that it will be closed on the morning of March 17th and March 19th this week. Teachers and staff members have meetings at 8am on both dates this week, so the library will not be open before school on Monday or Wednesday morning before school.

Please remind your child if it is their habit to use the library before school. Thank you.

Each Spring, all District 97 students in Grades 3 to 8 take federally-required assessments to help us understand how they are growing academically. Since 2019, the state has utilized the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) to assess students’ knowledge and skills in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics, as well as their progress toward the long-term goal of college and career readiness. Students in grades 5 and 8 will be taking the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) as well.

This year, the IAR will be administered to Julian students between April 7th and 11th. 8th grade students will complete the ISA on April 22nd and 23rd. Here is a link to the bell schedule for the testing days.

Check out our “5 Things to Know About IAR” document to learn more about this year’s assessment!

The Julian Choirs put on THRILLING performances at the IGSMA Festival earlier this month. Julian sent 70 students, including Jukebox and the combined 7th and 8th grade choirs. They represented Julian and Oak Park at the highest level of professionalism and performance!

The 7/8 Grade Choir received a "1" Rating and PERFECT SCORES from the judges minus only one point from one judge. They achieved the highest ratings of any choir besides Jukebox!

Jukebox also received a "1" Rating and received PERFECT SCORES from all three judges. The clinician who worked with them after their performance was blown away by their confidence, expressive singing, and attention to detail. Jukebox will now begin preparation for the IGSMA State Festival on Saturday, April 26.

Click HERE to listen to the performances

--

Andrew Seymour, NBCT

Choral Director

Percy Julian Middle School

2020 - 2024 NAMM Best Communities for Music Education

On March 1st, the Percy Julian Middle School Jazz Ensemble received a Division 1 rating at the Jazz in the Meadows Festival in Rolling Meadows. This group of students has worked so hard this year and had their best performance yet.

The next D97 Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 17, 2025. We meet in the Media Center at Beye Elementary School (230 N. Cuyler) from 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Please join us!

A blank copy will be provided; however, we encourage you to bring your child's service page in the IEP to customize your learning.

If your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), we highly encourage you to take the ISBE SPP Indicator 8 Survey to help guide our parent engagement efforts and provide the best possible service to our students.

Your responses through the survey play a vital role in shaping future initiatives and strengthening family-school partnerships in special education.

The survey can be completed by mail or online using the unique seven-digit survey ID enclosed in a recent letter from Measurement Inc. If you did not receive a letter from Measurement Inc., or need your seven-digit survey ID, you may request it online here.

For assistance in English or Spanish, contact Measurement Inc. at ISBEParentSurvey@MeasInc.com or (877) 881-7077. You can also reach District 97 Senior Director of Student Services Donna Middleton at dmiddleton@op97.org.

The survey is open through June 30, 2025. We value your input and thank you for your participation!

Any staff member of D97 is eligible for this OPEF award! You are welcome to nominate any individual who you feel has made a positive impact at Julian or within District 97: it could be a custodian, a teacher, a social worker, an office worker, a TA, or an administrator.

Please scan the QR code or go to the Oak Park Education Foundation's website for more details.

Are you a volleyball mom? Are you a track dad? Want a new short sleeved hoodie? Need a birthday gift for your incoming 6th grader? Or are you just looking to freshen up your spring wardrobe for yourself or your Jayhawk? Then check out 1st Place SpiritWear. They have a spring sale going now until April 1st. Up to 20% off on select items. So get your deal today!

Remember, any purchase you make, Julian M.S. will receive a small portion of the proceeds.

Friday 3/14 and Monday 3/17 French 3 students enjoyed a presentation by former D97 parent Anne France, who shared about her experiences as a Peace Corps volunteer in the francophone country of Togo. She explained some Togolese customs and culture, described her work helping eradicate the guinea worm as a French-speaking health educator, and brought clothes and artifacts for students to interact with. Her presentation helps students see how their developing language skills can open up future opportunities and also help others.

FOOD DELIVERY POLICY

***District 97 employees will not sign for food deliveries for students.*** Julian students or parents/guardians should NOT have food delivered to the school through any food delivery service (i.e. DoorDash, UberEats, GrubHub, etc). Food deliveries will not be accepted during the school day. Please plan to pack a lunch or purchase a school lunch each day.***

LUNCH

Hot lunch is available to students who wish to participate and have a funded or approved lunch account. If you have questions regarding your student's lunch balance, you may contact the Lunchroom Manager, Ms. Venus Jones at vjones@op97.org. To make payments on student lunch accounts please visit, https://www.mymealtime.com/signin.aspx

Please remember that the school office does not collect funds or take picture orders. All picture payments and orders are placed online directly with the vendor:

• Parents/Guardians can place orders online only with Van Gogh School Photographers at www.ordervgil.com. If you have any questions regarding picture packages or proofs, you can contact Van Gogh's customer service dept directly at 847-382-2282 ext 7 or at vangoghphoto.com.

Please let your family and friends know that the graduation ceremony for Julian will be held on Tuesday, June 3rd at 6:30pm in Oak Park and River Forest High School's auditorium:

• Each Julian student that is graduating will receive 4 tickets for the ceremony.
• The school does not have a ticket wait list or ticket exchange.
• Every person over the age of 2 years old must have a ticket to obtain entry to the OPRFHS auditorium.
• A live stream of the ceremony will be available for those that do not have tickets and/or can not attend in-person.

More details regarding the graduation ceremony will be shared after spring break.

Online registration for the 2025-26 school year in District 97 is now open for all students. Complete details about the process—including residency documents, timelines and other helpful resources—are available on the district website: www.op97.org/registration.

Returning Students

Registration for returning District 97 students is open Feb. 26 through April 30, 2025. Complete details can be found at https://www.op97.org/hr/returning-student-registration.

New Students and Kindergarteners

Registration for kindergarten and new students opened Feb. 19. Please click the links below to learn more about the registration process for kindergarteners and new students.

• Kindergarten Registration

• New Students

Get Ready to Register

Visit our District 97 Registration page for everything you need to know about the process, including residency documents, timelines, and helpful resources.

Need Help? Our registration team is here for you! Reach out anytime through Let’s Talk. We look forward to supporting you through this process!

District 97's Single Subject and Whole Grade Level Acceleration process for students for the 2024-25 school year opens March 1!

District 97 believes that all students should be challenged and supported to develop to their maximum potential. For students who demonstrate they may benefit from accelerated placement, we provide opportunities to participate in an instructional setting that is usually reserved for students who are older or in higher grades than the child. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Early entrance to kindergarten or first grade

• Single subject acceleration

• Whole grade acceleration

The application/referral windows are:

• Feb. 1 through April 1 for early entrance

• March 1 through April 25 for acceleration

Information about the District 97 Accelerated Placement Program can be found at http://www.op97.org/acceleration.

The Park District of Oak Park, Oak Park Public Library, Oak Park Elementary School District 97, and Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 are excited to host a Multicultural Fest on Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Scoville Park. This event will celebrate and showcase the incredible diversity that makes Oak Park such a vibrant community.

We’re looking for organizations to join the celebration by hosting a table, organizing activities that highlight a specific culture or region, performing on stage, or leading an art workshop. If your organization represents a culture and would like to participate, please complete our interest form. We’ll be in touch with more details in early 2025!

Health Reminders

We are so happy when your child can be at school on time and well enough for learning. However, keeping your child home when sick is essential to keep illness out of our schools and prevent spread to others.

*Families must report any absences due to illness or for any other reasons by calling or emailing the school attendance line (708-665-3064 or julianinfo@op97.org).

Please keep your child home if they are exhibiting signs of illness:

• Temperature of 100.0 degrees F° (37 C°)
• Your child should be fever free without medication for 24 hours before returning to school.
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Your child must stay home for a full 24 hours after their last episode of vomiting/diarrhea before returning to school
• Strep throat:
• Your child must be on an antibiotic for 24 hours before returning to school and fever free for 24 hours without medication if a fever is present.
• Swollen, red eyes that itch and are draining (possible pink-eye)
• Your child must be on an antibiotic for 24 hours before returning to school for bacterial conjunctivitis and drainage free and/or a note from the doctor.
• Uncontrolled coughing or constant “runny” nose – especially with yellow or green mucus
• However, for a mild runny/stuffy nose and mild cough it is alright to send your child to school.
• An unusual rash, a blistery rash, or a rash associated with a fever
• Your child should remain at home until you have discussed the rash with your physician and your child is not contagious (a note from your doctor may be required)
• COVID? Please see and follow the info in the link: https://www.op97.org/health-services/covid-19-guidelines
• Has symptoms that prevent them from learning:
• Very tired or lack of appetite
• Headache, body aches or earache
• Sore Throat—a minor sore throat is ok for school, but a severe sore throat could be strep throat, even if there is no fever. Other symptoms of strep throat in children are headache, stomach upset, or rash. Call your doctor if your child has these symptoms.

Approximately 10% - 15% of students have a food allergy. The most common allergen item is nuts of any kind. Every food-allergic reaction has the possibility of developing into a life-threatening reaction within minutes. Some individuals may react to merely touching the substance, while for others, consumption of a tiny amount of that food can cause a reaction which could be fatal.

• We strongly encourage packing nut-free products in your student's lunches

• We strongly encourage sending nut-free products on field trips

• There is NO food sharing between students at any time during school

How to identify safer foods for your children to eat:

1. Please read all packaging to ensure the item is not produced on equipment shared with nuts

2. Additional safe options may be viewed at: www.snacksafely.com

We appreciate your partnership in promoting the health and safety of our children.

Fees may be paid online at https://oakpark.revtrak.net/Middle-Schools/BMS/BMS-School-Fees/#/list

You may also pay fees in-person (with check, money order or cash only) at the Julian School Office during the week between the hours of 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM.

Come help Julian be an even more awesome place...all that's missing is YOU! Julian PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization) meetings will be held every 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. in the Library Media Center:

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

If you can't make it in person, log onto Zoom for the PTO meetings:

Every month on the Second Wed, until May 14, 2025, 9 occurrence(s)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZIqd-2grzwqH9xbM57ma8Z4koONenHwAstO/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGuqTsuEtWSsByPRpwAB4igLPzzmGZfgvpFnjKwVC1SOjmiPe1tHLdxOM_x&meetingMasterEventId=8BZCj1FGQtmhEqFKmR7G4w

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86704817058?pwd=sQ8438MQAlKe75JZ21eRBMFkOpJDza.1

Meeting ID: 867 0481 7058
Passcode: 325017

• Please call the attendance line at 708-665-3064 to leave a voicemail regarding your child's absence.
• Email julianinfo@op97.org if you have any questions for the school office.
• Dial 708-524-3040 to reach the Julian school office. And remember, if you plan to get your child for an early dismissal, give the school office a call 10-15 minutes prior to your arrival. This will give them time to locate your student and for your student to gather their belongings. Please, whenever possible, have your pick up done prior to 3:00 pm. Thank you for your understanding.

Oak Park, IL 60302

708-524-3040

www.op97.org/julian