Bobcat Blog

• Monday, October 14 - No School: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
• Thursday, October 24- Conferences 3:00 - 7:00 pm (full day of school for students)
• Friday, October 25 - No Student Attendance; Conferences - 8:00 - Noon
• Tuesday, October 29 - PTO Brief General Meeting followed by Beye Math Night
• Thursday, October 31 - Halloween Parties and Parade (more details to come)

Thank you to PTO leader Fran Knechel and PE teacher Mr. Simatic for organizing last week's successful International Walk to School Day! Thank you also to Brad Meyer, Kimball and Melissa Ingram and Simon Vos for helping to pass out stickers to students. It was great seeing so many students and families walk to school Wednesday.

Please be sure to have signed up for a fall conference for each of your Beye Bobcats. We want 100% attendance as the teacher/family relationship is so important. Also, you are encouraged to please sign up to help at the Book Fair that coincides with conferences. There are many slots still open. This can't happen without your wonderful help.

Recently, we held both our MTSS A (academic) and MTSS B (behavior/social emotional) meetings for each grade level. You may find that your child is going to be pulled for Tier 3 support in ELA or receive Tier 2 support in the classroom. These groups are closely monitored and can change throughout the year. Likewise, you may soon find out that your child is recommended for a Tier 2 intervention for behavior/social emotion support. These groups are also monitored and will change throughout the year.

The first Paw Pass store was held in the classrooms Friday. Your child may have earned a class or school reward. Students will continue to receive Paw Passes that can be used at future stores. Additionally, your child may come home with a Proud Paw pass that they would likely love to see on the refrigerator or somewhere to spotlight their success.

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

More details will be coming, but we want to let you know that we will be celebrating Halloween on October 31 in the afternoon. Please let the homeroom teacher and me know if you would prefer your child not participate.

• 11:40 - 12:35 Regular Recess and Lunch Time (Students can be picked up to go home for lunch and change into their costumes) **Survey indicating your preference coming next week.

• 1:10 - 1:40 Halloween Parade around the school campus block

• 1:40 - 2:40 Halloween parties in the classrooms (no food or drink)

• 3:00 Regular Dismissal

Thank you Jacqueline Gelman for organizing our Fall Book Fair coming during conferences on Thursday, October 24 and 25. Thanks in advance for signing up to help.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805044CABAF2CA2F49-51802205-fall

Please save October 29 on your calendar. More details will be coming soon, but we hope you can come for an important, brief PTO meeting to learn about this year's School Improvement Plan. A fun Math Night hour will follow.

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month! An estimated 20% of our population has dyslexia, an unexpected difficulty in learning to read, write, and spell despite being intelligent and often uniquely creative. This simulation provides a lively, thought-provoking activity for teachers, parents, or anyone interested in better understanding the lives of individuals with dyslexia. Participants rotate among learning stations that simulate language-related tasks that may be encountered in the classroom and workplace.

OPPL Event Link: https://oakpark.librarycalendar.com/event/dyslexia-simulation-83495

SMART Hephzibah provides supplemental math and reading instruction for students in 2nd - 6th grade, and financial aid is available to all who request it. Our goal has been to make this accessible to every student who could benefit. SMART Hephzibah offers both “regular” and “advanced” classes. The regular classes will focus on strengthening knowledge of grade-level material and the advanced classes will go beyond the grade-level curriculum.

Find your perfect volunteer role!

We are looking for volunteers to fill some essential roles:

• There are many ways to get involved at Beye, from leading a working group, to helping run an event, to volunteering a few hours at an event or in the front office. Here is a list of volunteer opportunities to explore. Have awesome ideas for fun new fundraisers? Join the fundraising working group! Passionate about promoting healthy, delicious eating and exercise habits? Learn more about Fitness and Nutrition! Like meeting new people and building community? Parental Involvement is the place for you! Want to make sure that PTO events are welcoming, inclusive, and relevant for our whole community? Join the DEI committee. Do you have website design experience and a few hours to give? The Technology working group is looking for you. Want a one time commitment that supports our hardworking faculty and staff? Consider helping organize the meals for teachers during Parent Teacher Conferences.

The D97 Core Instruction Team is excited to share that our K-5 English Language Arts (ELA) pilot is officially underway in several elementary schools!

Three programs are being tested this year at Beye, Hatch, Irving and Whittier—as well as select classrooms at Holmes, Lincoln, Longfellow, and Mann—with the goal of recommending the best resources for district-wide adoption during the 2025-26 school year. Teachers and students are actively engaging with these programs to ensure they align with our district’s goals of fostering strong reading, writing, and comprehension skills. Stay tuned for updates as we gather feedback from staff and families throughout the school year. Check out the following links for more details:

• K-5 Literacy Update - Fall 2024

• FAQ: K-5 ELA Pilot

Parent Workshop at OPRF: "Accommodations in Higher Ed"

District 97 families are invited to attend a parent workshop on Oct. 8, 2024, titled, "Accommodations in Higher Ed." The presentation will be held from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Oak Park and River Forest High School, and will provide an overview on accessing and using accommodations at higher education institutions.

Click on this link for more information.

Special Olympics is back! CLICK HERE for our website, which includes a sign-up link, dates, locations and sports offered for the whole year. It's broken down between K-2, 3-5 and 6-8 grades.

There are still a handful of afternoon session spots available for early childhood blended classrooms at Whittier Elementary School for the 2024-25 school year! District 97 is seeks students who:

• Are non-IEP students who will be between the ages of 3 and 4 years by Sept. 1, 2024;

• Demonstrate age-appropriate language and social skills;

• Are Oak Park residents;

• Are not enrolled in a preschool program.

For more information about the Early Childhood Blended Program, including the link to apply, please visit https://www.op97.org/teach-learn/ecblended. If you have any questions, please contact the district's early childhood coordinator, Michele Suedbeck, at 708-524-3134.

Beye Fall 2 classes are now LIVE on our site. See link below for more information.

https://www.slowfireceramics.com/beyeelementaryschool

Join our preferred PTO communication platform here: www.konstella.com/cd/O9AINQ

The PTO and your classroom leads (room parents) will use this program, Konstella, to organize class wide or schoolwide events for your children and you! It will also be a space to find out about volunteer opportunities or community gatherings.

We hope all students’ households will be represented with at least one adult on Konstella by October 1st. Here’s the registration link again: www.konstella.com/cd/O9AINQ

Please email communications@beyeschoolpto.org with questions.

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

October 28, 2024: SEPSM (Whittier)

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)

Beye Bobcat Yoga Club is open to any Beye Student at any grade level.

We will meet every Thursday in the gym during lunch recess.

Kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th graders will meet from 12:05 - 12:35.

1st, 3rd, and 5th graders will meet from 11:40 - 12:00.

Yoga club will not only try yoga poses and move our bodies, but also work on calming our minds.

Our first meeting will be Thursday 10/10 in the gym. Students should wear comfortable clothes. They can bring a yoga mat if they like, however we have some to share.

Sign Up: Yoga Club Permission Slip

Thank you Ms. Baker!!

Mx. Suhs and Lori Janu-Chossek are facilitating Kaleidoscope this year. Please see THIS flier. This club will take place every Friday from 11:40 am - 12:15 pm, during the students lunch block. Interested 4th and 5th graders will bring their home or hot lunch and eat during group at 11:40 and still engage in recess at 12:15. The club will begin on Friday October 11th, and continue through April 25th. The goal of this club is to create a space that is safe and inclusive for LGBTQ+, non-binary students and allies while working to identify ways to make our school a more inclusive place for everyone, specifically LGBTQ+ students and allies. Students will have the opportunity to share, listen to, and discuss personal experiences in a judgment free zone.

Parents can provide permission 1 of 3 ways, they can email Lori Janu-Chossek (ljanuchossek@op97.org), return the signed flier or complete the Google Form Permission linked on flier.

Please consider signing up to help maintain our Beye community pantry! Thanks in advance.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/409084FAEA82EA0FC1-beye1#/

Background Check Sign Up

Beye entrances/exits

D97 2024-2025 School Calendar

Health Letter from Nurse Shilpa

“My Mealtime” online portal, (If you need to add money to your child's account)

Student-Family Handbook for 2024-25

Join the 'Beye School Families' Facebook Group to connect with other Beye families and stay in the know about upcoming PTO events/programs

Cheryl Sullivan

Beye Principal

csullivan@op97.org

Location: 230 North Cuyler Avenue, Oak Park, IL, USA
Phone: 708- 524-3070
Twitter: @MrsSullivand97