The Jayhawk Weekly

Dear Julian Parents and Guardians,

I want to extend a huge thank you to all who attended our Black History Month celebration on Saturday! It was an incredible event filled with student talents, fantastic guest artists, and time to break bread together as a community and connect! A special thanks to our Black Student Union (Ms. Kerr, Ms. Marie and Mr. Reardon) for all they have done to organize these events and activities! A special shout out to Dr. Lofton, Ms. Jackson, Ms. Euring, Mr. Dortch, the Julian PTO, and the Julian Spirit Team for supporting behind the scenes!

This month, we will be celebrating Women's History Month and Best Buddies Month! See below for some great theme days coming up from our Best Buddies! Our 5 Essentials Survey is also open and ready for you to participate! Your voice matters and we want to hear from you! Please click the link and take a few minutes to complete this important feedback:

http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/.

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.

• Institute Day: Monday, March 3rd (No School for students)
• Spring Break: Mon., March 24th - Fri., March 28th (NO SCHOOL)
• Institute Day: Tuesday, April 1st (No School for students)
• District closed: Friday, April 18th (NO SCHOOL)

• 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)

The Julian PTO is hosting a FREE Sneaker Ball on Friday. Please have your Julian student sign up during their lunch period between Tuesday - Thursday this week. All students must bring their Julian school ID in order to be admitted (no Brooks, Fenwick or OPRFHS students may attend).

PJMS Jazz Ensemble earned another Division 1 rating at the Jazz in the Meadows Festival on Saturday, March 1st. They had the earliest performance time of the day at 8 AM (we had to leave the school at 6 AM!) but still had tons of focus and sounded great!

It’s no easy feat to do this as jazz parts are 1 kid on each part, meaning there is a lot of responsibility and individual work. Mr. Kanwischer and our staff are super proud of the kids and appreciate the support from Julian's parent community for our performing musicians. Congrats to these fine musicians!

Students in our Community Service class have made a remarkable impact in the Oak Park Community. Students fundraised, then packaged 40 BrrBags which were delivered to The Good Shepherd Center in Oak Park on the coldest day of the year. The gratitude of the volunteers at the center could not be overstated. We have 3 more projects in process, including an emergency supply center for teachers, and a fundraising event for the Animal Care League -- who also received a huge delivery of homemade dog treats, baked by Jocelyn Morgan. It's easy to get down at this time of year, but witnessing the gratitude our students have inspired in our hometown has kept the sunlight closer than the cold.

Our club celebrated Valentine's Day at the theater, where we enjoyed a wonderful community, language and social experience. We had such an amazing time!

8th grade artists in applied arts are finishing their ceramic lamps!

The 6th grade, Art Foundations, Artists worked hard to create a collaborative art piece inspired by the indigenous Huichol Culture! We created a great display of all the work in the D-wing hallway. Thanks for following along!

On Wednesday in our Social Science class we spend a little time on a topic that we would not cover normally in 6th grade. The students pick the topic and then I prepare a mini lesson about it for them. Gwen Smith and Camryn Daly decided that they wanted to create their own What the What Wednesday presentation all about the history behind the musical SIX. Gwen and Camryn worked on their presentation on their own time, created an activity for their classmates to engage in the learning and presented to their Social Science class.

6th Grade Design Class: Skimmer Car Champions!

Hannah H, Leo G, Natalie B, & Kathryn M.

Robotics Carnival! For their final project, the 8th grade Design students build robotic game contraptions and hosted a carnival for the 6th graders.

Five brave and creative scientists from Percy Julian, with several friends from Brooks Middle School participated in the WSCAE Science Fair at Brookfield Zoo. They mastered understanding of their topics and taught passersby about the phenomena they studied. The work they did was on a wide range of topics: coral instability, using the energy of our footsteps to power buildings, and the expansion of the universe.

***8th grade Parents/Guardians: please get your happy ads in this week for your 8th grader. We need your info asap so the vendor can start work on the 2025 Yearbook. The Happy Ad deadline has been extended to March 7th. THANK YOU!

CELEBRATE YOUR 8TH GRADER

With a Message & Baby/Toddler Picture in the yearbook!

• Message - one message per graduate, from family

• Baby or Toddler Picture preferred

• Strict MAX of 300 characters (40-45 words) -we have limited space

• Submit your form here: SUBMIT HAPPY AD HERE

• ***DUE DATE: EXTENDED TO 3/7/25 PLEASE GET YOURS IN NOW***

Mrs. Guarino

Team 6-2 Math Teacher

NBCT

Percy Julian Middle School

Van Gogh should be sending the retake proofs soon. Please remember that we do not collect funds at the school office for pictures. Payments and orders are placed online through the vendor. Here is their contact info if you have any questions about when the proofs will be ready or if there is a $10 fee for your child's retake proofs:

• Parents/Guardians can place orders online only with Van Gogh School Photographers (payments are not collected at the school) at www.ordervgil.com. The Julian School Event Code is 20032801. If you have any questions regarding picture packages, you can contact Van Gogh's customer service dept directly at 847-382-2282 ext 7 or at vangoghphoto.com.

There are 11 individual wrestlers (2 Julian, 9 Brooks) headed to state and as a District 97 team, we placed 3rd!

Congratulations to Landon C., Parker C., Ms. Marie, and Coach Michael Colucci!

Parents/guardians all 10 of our schools are encouraged to take the Illinois 5Essentials Survey between February 18 through March 28: 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.

Dear Parent or Guardian,

We are writing to inform you about a student survey that will be administered at your child’s school for 4th-8th graders called the Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This is the 12th year the Illinois State Board of Education will implement this survey across the state. This survey is based on 30 years of research at the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. It asks students about their experiences in school, giving school leaders critical student input to help develop school improvement plans.

Student participants will be required to log-in using their state student ID and birth date in order to complete the survey. Students’ identities will be completely confidential. Teachers or administrators will never see individual responses to survey questions and will only receive aggregated information, such as the total percentage of students who agree homework assignments help them learn the course material.

Please be aware that under the Protection of Pupil Rights Act. 20 U.S.C. Section 1232(c) (1) (A), you have the right to review a copy of the questions asked of your student(s). Survey questions can be found on the UChicago Impact Support Center (https://impactsurveyshelp.force.com/s/article/illinois-5essentials-survey-questions).

If you do not want your child to participate, fill out the information below (click the button to be taken to the google doc to print) and ask your child to return this sheet to his or her teacher by February 28, 2025.

Thank you for your cooperation,

D97 5essentials Team

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.

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.

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!

The D97 Special Education Parent Support Group is now meeting monthly, and we would love for you to join us! Meetings will take place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Community Room at Whittier Elementary School, 715 N. Harvey Ave., on the following dates:

• April 28, 2025

• May 12, 2025

Childcare will be provided. We hope to see you there!

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.

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 Lunch Manager, Venus Jones at vjones@op97.org. To make payments on student lunch accounts please visit, https://www.mymealtime.com/signin.aspx

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.***

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, March 12, 2025

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