

Jayhawk Weekly Communication
February 11, 2024
SAVE THE DATE
Portrait of Graduate Community Session - Tuesday, March 5!
On behalf of the District 97 Board of Education, superintendent and district team, you are invited to join us as we design our Portrait of an Oak Park 8th Grade Graduate!
Julian staff, families AND students are encouraged to attend a Portrait community session at our school on Tuesday, March 5, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. During the open house, staff and families will have the opportunity to walk around, learn about our draft Portrait, and provide feedback on definitions and learning experiences. We’ll also have some kid-friendly activities for students and pizza for everyone who attends.
Anyone who is unable to attend is welcome to join one of the district’s other scheduled events in February or March! Click the links to access the Portrait of a Graduate Engagement Calendar: English | Español
For more on Portrait of an Oak Park 8th Grade Graduate, including opportunities to participate and connect, visit www.op97.org/ourportrait.
¡Sesión de aportes para el retrato de un graduado en la escuela Julian - martes, 5 de marzo!
En nombre de la Junta de Educación del Distrito 97, el superintendente y el equipo del distrito, ¡está invitado a unirse a nosotros mientras diseñamos nuestro retrato de un graduado de octavo grado de Oak Park!
Se anima al personal, las familias y los estudiantes de Julian a asistir a una sesión comunitaria para el Retrato en nuestra escuela el martes 5 de marzo de 6:30 p.m. a 8 p.m. Durante la jornada de puertas abiertas, el personal y las familias tendrán la oportunidad de caminar, conocer nuestro borrador de retrato y brindar comentarios sobre definiciones y experiencias de aprendizaje. También tendremos algunas actividades para niños para estudiantes y pizza para todos los asistentes.
¡Cualquiera que no pueda asistir puede unirse a uno de los otros eventos programados por el distrito en febrero o marzo! Haga clic en los enlaces para acceder al calendario para el Retrato de un Graduado: Inglés | Español
Para obtener más información sobre Retrato de un graduado de octavo grado de Oak Park, incluidas oportunidades para participar y conectarse, visite www.op97.org/ourportrait.
Turf Field Safety
Parents/Guardians,
At Julian, the safety of our families, staff and students is a top priority. We are asking that you please remind your Julian student(s) that they are not allowed to be on the turf field if they are not participating in a supervised school activity (a practice, a warm-up, etc) or if an adult is not present. Impromptu games of football and soccer after dismissal are not allowed because students can not be on the turf field without adult supervision. Students are not allowed to play on the turf field without adult supervision at any time. Therefore, after dismissal, students should be heading directly to their scheduled after-school activity, club, sports practice, or leaving campus. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Dr. Whitfield.
Congratulations to the Math Team!
At the end of last month, the Julian Math team competed in the 24th annual Latin School of Chicago's competition: Math Near the Lakeshore in 2024. The event hosted 11 teams from schools in and around Chicago for students from 5th grade to 8th grade. Our Julian team included:
6th grader:
Finlay B.
7th graders:
Alexander C., Ruby G., Lily Z., Isaac H., Anna F.
8th Graders:
Zane S., Ben B., Dean B., Felix I.
Not to bury the lead but..... our teams/students did AMAZING!! Both 7th grade teams (y+x=success, We Have Pi) tied for 4th place out of 15 other teams. Finlay B., our sole 6th grader, took the 7th grade individual and team test!
Our 8th grade team (Sanhandatizers) placed 2nd out of 10 teams. And 8th grader Ben B. got FIRST PLACE in the individual competition. He scored a perfect score (as did the two students in 2nd place), but he answered more bonus questions correctly!!
We are super proud of our math team, if you know any of these students please pump them up for all of their hard work and dedication. They gave up their Saturday morning to go sit in a room and take a test. And all of this is done voluntarily!
If any students are interested in the Math club, we meet every Wednesday in Welchko's room (C205). Students can join the Math club solely or both the Math club and team.
Thanks,
Brooks & Welchko
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey is OPEN!
We Want to Hear from You!
Parents/Guardians,
All 10 of our schools are encouraged to take the Illinois 5Essentials Survey between January 30 through March 29, 2024: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/.
Thank you for participating in this important endeavor and for your continued support of our schools and the children we serve.
Black History Month - Percy L. Julian, scientist and trailblazer
JAYHAWK REMINDERS:
Please Support Special Olympics!
Hello, everyone!
For the first time ever, there is Special Olympics apparel available! There are SO MANY choices for colors, shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, and more! CLICK HERE to shop for spirit wear with our CUSTOM logo. Shout out to Hannah Connell, Whittier Elementary's art teacher, for the amazing design! You can pick between logo only and logo plus words ("Special Olympics").
****BONUS: 25% off your order, from now until 2/13 if you use code SPIRIT213.
TIPS: Use the tabs across the top of the site to choose the type of apparel you're interested in. When you click the picture of an item, more options will appear at the bottom of the screen. Free shipping over $60.
Thank you in advance!
Mr. McDonald
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Tim McDonald
Adapted Physical Education Teacher
Special Olympics Coach
Oak Park School District 97
Track season begins soon!
The Julian Track season is (almost) back! With this season officially beginning on Monday, March 4th, I am holding a parent meeting where I can answer any questions you may have. This meeting will take place on Monday, February 26th in the commons at 3:45 p.m.
In the meantime, please scan the QR code to fill out the document to get your child registered for the track team and to fill out the concussion form online. Thank you and please reach out to me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Coach Talarico
OPRFHS reminders for 8th Graders
8th Grade Cap & Gown Photo retakes
Cap & Gown picture proofs should be arriving this week from Van Gogh. Order information will be on the picture proof and distributed in advisory classes. In the meantime, if your student was absent last month for the 8th grade Cap & Gown picture day, please fill out this form to sign up for the retake day on 2/23.
Future Huskie Starter Packs by the OPRF Business Accelerator Class
Starting high school can be scary, but we are here to make the social side of that process a little bit easier. Our Future Huskie Starter Pack provides incoming freshmen students at OPRF the opportunity to show up to school on day 1 Reppin’ The Pack! As OPRF seniors, we know how hard it is to enter a school as big as ours for the first time freshman year, but we also know how exciting it can be to know you are a part of something great. We want to help every incoming freshman show their school spirit from the start, so we are providing students with gift baskets that contain all of the essential OPRF merchandise and accessory items. Shop for a Future Huskie Start Pack now!
Shop Here: Future Huskie Starter Pack
*with any questions please contact lucas.k.crossman@gmail.com*
OPRFHS 2024-25 Calendar update
Dear Incoming Freshman Families,
As you may have heard, the high school’s calendar committee had proposed revising the 2024-2025 calendar so that the first semester would end in January, rather than right before winter break. The goal was to even out the length of the semesters, as the second semester typically is significantly longer.
As discussions about the calendar have unfolded, we want to take more time to gather feedback and explore new options. It has simply become too late in the process to change next year’s calendar.
Therefore, the 2024-2025 school calendar will remain as already approved. We will work to maximize instructional time during first semester by making only internal adjustments, such as moving various assemblies to second semester.
To see the complete list of key dates for 2024-2025, click here. Notable dates for first semester are as follows:
* Aug. 12: Institute Day for faculty and staff
* Aug. 14: Huskie Kickoff Day for freshmen
* Aug. 15: First day of classes for all students
* Dec. 18-20: First semester final exams
We will continue our research and discussions before bringing forward the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 calendars for approval at a later date.
Sincerely,
Karin Sullivan
Executive Director of Communications and Community Relations
Oak Park and River Forest High School
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OPRF Reminders
Oak Park Youth Football and Cheer
We are excited to start another season of Oak Park Youth Football and Cheer.
Below we have registration links for Tackle Football, Cheer and Flag Football for the 2024 season
We almost doubled in size from 2022 to 2023 and we expect to have an even bigger 2024!!
Tackle Football
(8 years old to 14 years old*) fees are $525, plus a refundable equipment deposit of $100.
Tackle football is divided into levels of competition depending on age, weight and skills. OPRFYFC competes in the highly regarded, west suburban based Bill George Youth Football (BGYFL), which includes several of the state's finest programs.
https://oakparkyouthfootball.sportngin.com/register/form/393506672
Flag Football
Flag football ages 5-7 years old. 7-year-olds must be under 70 pounds to participate in Flag.
https://oakparkyouthfootball.sportngin.com/register/form/112363191
*Register today to take advantage of the payment plan option (payment plan option is only available for Tackle Football)
Limited scholarships available. Please contact info@oakparkyouthfootball.org for details.
Hope to have you join us for 2024!!!
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Coaches and Volunteers
Youth Football Coaches and Volunteers Needed for 2024 Season
Hello Huskie Nation, due to our growth over the past couple of seasons, we are in need of Coaches at both the Tackle and Flag levels to keep up with the increase of players registering. We also need volunteers to help with Game Day Operations, Concessions, Equipment handouts etc. No experience is necessary, just bring your enthusiasm and commitment to work with our youth football players. You can register at the link below. If you have any questions, please email us at info@oakparkyouthfootball.org. Thanks and Go HUSKIES!!
https://oakparkyouthfootball.sportngin.com/register/form/384383756
Tackle Football Registration Link
https://oakparkyouthfootball.sportngin.com/register/form/393506672
Flag Football Registration Link
https://oakparkyouthfootball.sportngin.com/register/form/112363191
Cheer Registration Link
https://oakparkyouthfootball.sportngin.com/register/form/560571212
District 97 reminders
District 97 Winter Preparedness
Emergency Closings and E-Learning Days
Please take a moment to review the information shared in the district’s Weekly Wrap-Up on Dec. 1 regarding winter preparedness. The district’s emergency closing and E-Learning procedures are outlined in this brief deck; full details are posted at https://www.op97.org/communications/emergency-closings.
Cold Weather Reminders for Families
District 97 believes it is important for students to have opportunities for physical activity and play time during the day—even during the cold winter months. This winter, students will be permitted to go outside for recess when the wind chill or temperature is 15 degrees or higher. The district utilizes the Wind Chill Chart developed by the National Weather Service.
It is important that students dress in warm layers when cold temperatures are expected. Students should remember to bring hats, gloves/mittens, scarves, coats, snow pants and boots. It is recommended that families label these items with their children’s names.
Our staff will carefully monitor students while outside and take the necessary steps to ensure students are appropriately clothed/prepared for the cold weather, watching out for signs of frostbite and other cold-related issues.
Keeping Our Schools Healthy
This season, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is encouraging individuals to be aware of respiratory viruses, including the flu, RSV and COVID-19. CLICK HERE to watch a brief video of everyday strategies to keep our schools healthy this winter >>SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS: Information about Student Illness
District 97 remains committed to maintaining safe and healthy schools. We continue to work in partnership with the Oak Park Department of Public Health, following guidance set by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).
When should a child remain home from school?
Staying home if you are ill is essential to keep infections—including the virus that causes COVID-19— out of schools and prevent spread to others. Please visit the District 97 Health Services page for more information about when to stay home. If you have specific questions, please contact your school nurse.
COVID-19 Guidelines for 2023-24
Following IDPH guidelines, individuals who test positive for COVID-19 must stay home for five days after the first day of symptoms or testing positive (Day 0). They may return to school on Day 6 if:
They are 24 hours fever free with no fever-reducing medication AND
No diarrhea or vomiting for 24 hours AND
Improvement of other symptoms.
Masks are strongly recommended around others for five days (through Day 10). Per local guidance, anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 should also complete Oak Park Department of Public Health's Positive at Home COVID 19 Test form.
For more information, please visit: COVID-19 Guidelines for D97 Students and Staff
ATTENDANCE LINE INFORMATION
*PLEASE GIVE THE REASON FOR YOUR STUDENT'S ABSENCE*
When calling the Julian attendance line at 708-665-3064 or leaving a message on the school office voicemail at 708-524-3040, please slowly state the following:
- Your Name
- Your Child’s First and Last Name
- Your Child’s Grade Level and Advisory Teacher
- Reason for the Absence
- Best phone number to reach you