Bobcat Blog

UPDATED: Sat. Nov. 2 - Including message from By Discovery

Notes and Reminders

Saturday, November 2 - Dia de los Muertos program - see below
Sunday, November 3 - Clocks Fall Back an Hour
Tuesday, November 5 - No School
Thursday, November 7 - Picture Retake Day
Thursday, November 7 - IAR test results come home
Tuesday, November 12 - Bobcat Den Day (Team Building/Kindness Focus)
Wednesday, November 13 - World Kindness Day
Friday, November 15 - End of Trimester One

Principal Message

I loved seeing so many of you at Math Night Tuesday! Congratulations to our 4th graders who won the highest percentage of attendance for the 2nd year in a row! Second grade also did well coming in 2nd place. Thank you to those of you who could come early and attend the PTO meeting where I shared the "State of Beye." See below for more information.

I hope many of you can come to Beye Saturday morning for Dia de los Muertos. Be sure to see the beautiful Ofrenda in the back of the building by 5E. See below because more volunteers are needed for this special celebration.

Request for Volunteers - Dia de los Muertos

Thank you in advance for signing up to help at tomorrow's Dia de los Muertos celebration at Beye if you can: https://www.konstella.com/cd/8mpHUO

School Improvement Plan

Thank you to those of you who were able to come to the brief, general PTO meeting just before Math Night. Here is the State of Beye deck I shared. Next week, I will share our full School Improvement Plan along with some more anecdotal details. In the State of Beye presentation, only a few of the action steps for example were shared.

Are you interested in joining our School Improvement Team?

Our Building Leadership Team has created a SY25 School Improvement Plan that all staff are now following. A few years back, we started a parent SIP group that I met with to discuss how we could work together to help all of our Bobcats. Please email me if you would be interested in joining a family School Improvement group. Once we have the folks who are interested, we can talk about when and how often we can meet. This is not a huge time commitment, but it is important to me that we partner in making plans to help our students all grow academically, socially, emotionally, etc.

Wojtonik Family Project - Optional but FUN

What would your kid do if they were President? Our hypothesis is it would probably be pretty amazing! Let's find out by asking as many kids as possible by taking this survey. The Wojtoniks loved hearing their children's responses. Join in the fun by using the survey below.

No personal information about you or your children will be gathered. This is a daddy daughter project and not affiliated with any political group and/or campaign. "

Link to Survey: https://forms.gle/2Xb7wYzQb4WD8Sdh9

FRED Support Group - Read Below to Learn More

FRED is a free and independent support group for parents of children, teens, and young adults with mental illness. The FRED Leadership Team, made up of trained parent volunteers, facilitates in-person and virtual gatherings.

Contact FRED at fredparents@gmail.com

or www.fredparentsupportgroup.com

Welcome new members! FRED meets in person Nov. 19

Join us for an in-person gathering from 12-1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at the River Forest Public Library, 735 Lathrop Ave., River Forest. Feel free to bring lunch and something to drink.

FRED Meetings are confidential. Meetings are intended for parents and caregivers who are members of the FRED Parent Support Group, and for parents who wish to join.

To learn more, contact the FRED Leadership Team at fredparents@gmail.com or check out resources on the FRED website at www.fredparentsupportgroup.com

Join the FRED Google Group

The FRED Google Group allows parents/caregivers to communicate directly at FREDps@googlegroups.com

Parents who join the Google group can ask a question or seek a recommendation from other Google group members. We can also reach out for support or lift others up with good news in between FRED meetings.These online conversations are visible only to members of the Google group, and the same confidentiality guidelines we honor in our meetings apply.

Parents and caregivers can request an invitation to join by emailing us at fredparents@gmail.com

Invitation from Jocelyn Adkins - By Discovery Director

Hello Beye Friends!

Here's a perfect opportunity for adults to indulge in some creative fun and for a great cause at "All in for Art" on Saturday, Nov 9 from 7-9pm. The event is in support of youth art programming for St Angela's School in Chicago's Austin neighborhood. Hosts are the Oak Park Art League (OPAL), By Discovery Creative Arts Studio and Friendly's Community in Berwyn. With a suggested donation of $50 (or whatever is comfortable) participants can choose one of 4 different art workshops led by passionate local artists, to attend on Nov 9th.

If you can't attend and would like to donate, please visit OPAL's donation page HERE and select the "ART for Underserved Youth Fund", indicate your donation amount, and under "Comments" please include "All in for Art".

To Attend, Registration Is Required:

Please see the location and workshop details below and REGISTER HERE. The workshops are designed for any experience level. For those who just need the space and materials to create - you've got it! For those who need "how to" guidance, you're in a safe and supportive creative space : ) You can learn more about the artists leading the workshops HERE on By Discovery's Team Page.

1. Oak Park Art League Studio: 720 W Chicago Ave

Fiber & Textile Art by Pamela Penney

2. Oak Park Art League Gallery: 720 W Chicago Ave

Color Field Mixed Media Paintings by Bruce Judson

3. By Discovery Creative Arts Studio: 44 Lake St, Oak Park

Gelli Printmaking by Jocelyne Adkins

4. Friendly's Community Room: 6729 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn

Mixed Media Collage by Catalina Gongora

"All in for Art" on Nov 9th is an evening to enjoy with friends, adult family, neighbors, colleagues. etc. For anyone who has been yearning to tap into their creative self - this will be your happy place! Should you enjoy adult beverages at the event, choose the Friendly's location to purchase drinks at Friendly's Tap! For OPAL and By Discovery, sparkling water and light snacks will be offered. Please remember to REGISTER HERE and of course, thank you in advance for supporting youth art programming for St Angela's : ) You are welcome to share widely: please see the attached flier.

Registration Questions:

Please email Bryan Northup, Executive Director, Oak Park Art League: director@oakparkartleague.org

Event Questions:

Please email Jocelyne Adkins, Founder & Lead Educator, By Discovery Creative Arts Studio: jocelyne@bydiscovery.org

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you there!

Jocelyne & Bryan

PTO News

Beye Yearbook

Yearbook building has commenced! This year, we have created an email address for photos to be submitted on a rolling basis:

Please send pictures of classroom parties, field trips, concerts, and more to: beyebobcatyearbook@gmail.com

It will help us tremendously if you include the Grade, Teacher, and Event in the subject line of the email. (Example: 1st-Folger-Halloween Party). That will make it easier to sort. If it's a group photo, multi-grade, etc...don't worry about that! We'll still take it.

We are starting to collect pictures now in the hopes of getting the yearbook in the hands of students prior to the end of the school year, so look forward to seeing pictures flow in!

Please reach out to Helen Bowman directly (helen.kearney@gmail.com) with any questions. Thank you!

District News

2024 State Report Card Released

On Wednesday, Oct. 30, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) released the 2024 School Report Card, which provides a detailed look at each school’s progress on academics, student success, school culture and climate, and financial investments. The report card for Beye Elementary School is found here: Report Card. Also, please see the Visual Summary Designation Summary here: Visual Summative Designation Summary.

Throughout the 2024-25 school year, District 97 will be using data from the Illinois Report Card to support updates on its Transformation Goals and school improvement plans. You can learn more about the four D97 Transformation Goals in the Oct. 8 Board Highlights. All District 97 report cards are linked at Visual Summative Designation Summary.

ISBE Report Card Resources

Panorama Survey Coming up Soon

October 2024

Dear Beye School Families,

Oak Park Elementary School District 97 is committed to creating positive learning environments that are equitable, inclusive, and focused on the whole child. An important part of this work is listening and learning from our students as to how they are experiencing the culture and climate at our schools.

District 97 is working with Panorama Education, a student survey platform, to support us in administering school culture and climate surveys to our students in grades K-8. The purpose of the survey is for students to share their perceptions on engagement, school climate, school safety, sense of belonging, and teacher-student relationships. Students will complete the online survey in school and it will take about 10 minutes to complete. Student responses are confidential.

Survey data is used to help District 97 and school teams with continuous improvement, adjusting programs and resources to meet the needs of students and to support inclusive and safe environments for everyone in the school community. Students take this survey in the fall and in the spring.

We hope to have all students participate in our fall survey that will take place between November 4-15th. While our goal is to have 100% participation, parents/guardians may choose to not have their child participate. If you prefer your child does not participate, please complete this opt out form by October 31 at 4 p.m. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Michele Capio, Director of UDL at mcapio@op97.org.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Sullivan

Beye Principal

Parent University Fall 2024: Nov. 19 @ OPRF

Oak Park and River Forest High School will host an in-person parent university session on Tuesday, Nov. 19, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The event will be focused on supporting adolescent and teen mental health.

Hosted by the D200 Mental Wellness Collaborative, keynote speaker Dr. Devorah Heitner will explore challenges adolescents and teens face in our digital age, and offer strategies to connect with your kids, recognize how to support them, and help them figure out who they are when everyone is watching. The evening will also offer sessions on enhancing communication with your adolescents and teens, and on helping them build effective executive functioning skills, along with a resource fair to connect families with local support. Access the flyer here, the program here, and register here. *Pre-registrants who attend will be eligible to win a free copy of one of the keynote speaker’s books! Questions? Contact Kris Johnson, OPRFHS Director of Student Services.

In Case You Missed It

Information about At La Casa Montessori After School Program

Looking for a safe and enriching after-school program for your child?
At La Casa Montessori School, we offer Spanish immersion and a
child-centered Montessori approach, all within a warm and welcoming
community where your child (and your whole family!) feels at home. Our
after-school care at the Adams/Scoville campus (514 Adams, Oak Park)
is designed for students aged 5-11 years old and includes engaging
enrichment classes like music, art, and yoga, along with quiet study
time, an afternoon snack, and plenty of outdoor play! As one happy
7-year-old put it, “The teachers are my favorite part!” Pickup is
available on foot for nearby schools or by van for select D97
elementary schools. For more information, please contact Christina
Harris at charris@lacasamontessori.org.

Student Leadership Team Announcement

Student Leadership Team is sponsoring a sock drive and calling it Socktober! We will be collecting brand new socks of all sizes for the organization New Moms all of October. We will have labeled boxes in the commons to place the donations. Please consider donating a package of new socks for the cause.

Thank you for your support,

Beye Student Leadership Team

Co-sponsors Ms. Fogg and Mrs. Adduci

Mr. Bulger's Enrichment Site

Please take a peek at Mr. Bulger's enrichment site: Here's the address: https://sites.google.com/op97.org/beye-school-enrichment

We are glad our Bobcats benefit from these opportunities!

Free Beye Dental Clinic - See consent forms below

See message from Nurse Shilpa:

We will be offering a free dental clinic open to all current Beye students on December 10th and December 11th. This is being offered at Beye School in partnership with the IWS Children's Clinic.

If you are interested in having your child/ren participate, please complete and return the attached consent form by Monday 11/25. A consent form was sent home with your students Friday September 27th.

Note: If you have a Kindergarten, First, Second, or Fifth grade student, participation in this dental clinic will satisfy dental exam requirements for KG, Second as well as Sixth grade.

Below are details from the IWS Children's Clinic:

"We provide dental exams to students through our in-school portable dental program. Our services extend to every child, pre-k to 12th grade, regardless of insurance status or eligibility. Children in kindergarten, second, sixth, and ninth grade are required to receive a dental exam – this program fulfills this requirement. Eligible children covered by Medicaid will also receive a dental cleaning and fluoride varnish if it has been 6 months or more since last cleaning/fluoride. Upon dental examination, Medicaid students will also be eligible for sealant placement. "

An extra step, if you want your child to participate, feel free to email me so I know to look out for your consent to come in at some point before the due date.

Thank You,

Shilpa

Beye Dental Consent - English
Beye Dental Consent - Spanish

D97 Hosts Meetings for Families Receiving Special Education Services

The D97 Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) will be meeting every other month this school year. This is an opportunity for families to learn together and act as an advisory committee to the D97 Core Instruction team.

Parents are also invited to the Special Education Parent Support Meetings (SEPSM) which will meet every other month. The support group will be led by two licensed clinical social workers and will act as a space for parents seeking support/connection. The meetings are held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Whittier Elementary School.

Special Education Meeting Schedule for 2024-25

November 25, 2024: SEPAC (Beye)

December 16, 2024: SEPSM (Whittier)

January 27, 2025: SEPAC (Beye)

February 24, 2025: SEPSM (Whittier)

March 17, 2025: SEPAC (Beye)

April 28, 2025: SEPSM (Whittier)

May 19, 2025: SEPAC (Beye)