Longfellow Log

Week Ending 10/9

Important Dates/Reminders and Notes

Monday, October 12th - Indigenous People's Day (No School)
Tuesday, October 13th - School Board Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
Thursday 10/22 and Friday 10/23 - Student 1/2 Days (School ends at 11:00)
Friday, October 30th - Halloween festivities TBD

Important about Attendance Procedures

Attendance is taken during remote learning as well. If your child is not going to be in attendance, please be sure to call the Attendance # 708-665-3068 OR email: longfellowattendance@op97.org

Spirit Week - October 13th - 16th

Our Tier 1 PBIS team is excited to bring you our virtual spirit week beginning on Tuesday (10/13)

Please see the schedule of events linked HERE. We hope you will join the fun!

Longfellow PTO Fall Book Fair

The fall book fair runs until October 15 at abcfairs.com. This is a great opportunity to shop ahead for the holidays or stock up on reads for screen-free indoor time. You can also help teachers and families with their libraries by shopping wish lists (https://bit.ly/33L55EJ). Here are some recommendations if you're looking for...

...a fun read for Halloween: How to Scare a Ghost by Jean Reagan (https://bit.ly/30HjWOb)

...a book to read as a family: I Am One by Susan Verde (https://bit.ly/3lrcgaV)

...a graphic novel reimagining of a classic: The Witches by Roald Dahl (https://bit.ly/3iNU2ik)

...a book to put you in the holiday spirit: Happy Narwhalidays by Ben Clanton (https://bit.ly/3d7kyls)

We'd also like to spotlight Bear's Scare (https://bit.ly/2GFoHRN), a picture book by Longfellow parent Jacob Grant! Want recommendations by grade level? We have you covered --> https://bit.ly/2GHAYop

Remember to enter LONGFELLOW ELEMENTARY/OAK PARK and your student's grade/teacher so your order counts toward our fundraiser. If you select "Pick-Up At School" at checkout, shipping is free and the book fair committee will deliver your books to your home in late October.

Contact bookfair@longfellowpto.org with any questions. Happy reading!

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Longfellow's 2020 Virtual Pumpkin Festival

Show off your pumpkin decorating skills and share the

spirit of the season!

POST PUMPKIN PHOTOS ON

THE PADLET HERE!

Padlet is open all month!

Looking for Families to help with the Daily Pledge and Announcements

The Longfellow staff has enjoyed recording videos for the pledge and announcement and we wanted to invite families to join the fun! If you are interested, please sign up for a date and record a short video clip (1 minute) saying the pledge, birthdays, and announcements. Once you have signed up, Ms. Taylor will email you a copy of the announcement template and birthdays. Videos must be submitted by 3 PM on the day prior. Be sure to change the sharing settings so that all can view then share with Ms. Taylor (dtaylor@op97.org) Sign up below:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0d44afa82ea5f49-longfellow

Social-Emotional Wellness Check-Ins for Students

We are continuing to provide social-emotional wellness check-ins this fall. The District 97 school psychologists and school nurses collaborated to offer access to virtual mental health wellness checks at each school. Parents may sign up children for 25-minute Telehealth sessions where they can access an open ear for their sources of stress and learn self-care and coping strategies. Students may attend up to three sessions per trimester and may then be referred for other school-based supports if needed. If your child is experiencing an immediate mental health crisis, please do not use this service and instead call the Thrive 24hr Crisis Hotline at 708-383-7500. You may also refer to this local resource guide provided by the Community Mental Health Board of the Oak Park Township.

How can my child access this service?

The virtual sessions will occur during school hours.
Use this Longfellow Wellness Sign-Up Link to book open slots. The appointment page will open within your own calendar. (If you do not have a Gmail account, you may contact aguerrier@op97.org & rneubert@op97.org). Prior to the appointment, you will receive a link for the video call or other access information.
During these unusual times, we need to partner with you to ensure your child arrives at the correct video link during their scheduled time and returns to their classroom Zoom after the appointment. Please remember to coordinate with your daycare providers if applicable.
We will inform your child’s teacher, so your child will be excused from class.
Please book appointments by the night before the appointment (at the latest) and not on the day of the appointment.

School Physicals and Immunizations

Although District 97 is starting the 2020-2021 school year with remote learning, the State of Illinois is still requiring the following:

All students entering preschool (PKP), kindergarten, 6th grade, and any students new to District 97 to turn in a current school physical before October 15, 2020 (Certificate of Child Health Examination and Immunization record) with up-to-date immunizations (requirements for the State of Illinois can be found here).
All kindergarten students and any students entering an Illinois school for the first time, are required to submit a professional eye examination or waiver (forms: Eye Examination Form or Waiver) before October 15, 2020.
Dental examinations or waivers for kindergarten and 2nd grade students must be submitted before May 15, 2021 (forms: Dental Examination Form or Waiver).

If you have not already provided this information when you registered your child or if you are contacted by our School Nurse, please email your childs' records directly to our School Nurse Anne Guerrier (Nurse G) at aguerrier@op97.org.

District News Below

'Stamped' Family and Community Discussions

District 97 students, families and community members are invited to participate in a three-session discussion on the book Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. Attendees will join together for a presentation followed by discussions in separate breakout rooms.

In conjunction with Brooks and Julian middle schools' fall curriculum read, the sessions will follow along with the chapters being read by students and staff. Breakout sessions will be led by students from Dominican University, who will follow a peace circle format and draw on the Stamped Educator's Guide.

Events will be held:

Tuesday, Oct. 20 - 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (click here to register)
Tuesday, Nov. 17 - 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (click here to register)
Tuesday, Dec. 1 - 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (click here to register)

These sessions are made possible with the support of: District 97 staff; Oak Park and River Forest School District 200; the Oak Park Public Library; the E-Team of Oak Park; and Dominican University’s Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) group.

District 97 to Continue Providing Free Meals to All Students

Next Meal D97 Meal Distribution: Tuesday, Oct. 13th

Meals will be provided free of cost this fall to any District 97 student in need. Each bag of food will contain five breakfasts and five lunches.

Meal distributions will be held every Tuesday, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Longfellow Elementary School (for Julian and feeder schools), 715 S. Highland Ave., and Brooks Middle School (for Brooks and feeder schools), 325 S. Kenilworth Ave.

D97 Breakfast/Lunch Menus - October 2020