The Mustang Memo

• On Friday, April 24th at 6:00pm get ready to watch the 2020 Mann Variety Show from your couch!

  Kindergarten and 1st - https://flipgrid.com/82325f85 password - Mann2020

  2nd and 3rd - https://flipgrid.com/b1111e19 password - Mann2020

  4th and 5th - https://flipgrid.com/1ac19070 password - Mann2020

  For Questions or Concerns contact:

  Meg Espinoza

  Aneta Balliet

  Ms. Baylian
  
• Friday, May 8th - Remote Learning Planning Day
  
• Friday, May 15th - Remote Learning Planning Day
• Friday, May 22nd - Remote Learning Planning Day
• Each Sunday you can find the updated weekly plans on the Mann Website in addition to getting them daily from the teachers
  

Announcements

Birthdays will be included as well as weekly PBIS winners!

Incoming Kindergarten Questionnaire Fall 2020

The PBIS team created Remote Learning expectations based on the Mustang Motto and made a video to introduce them to the students.

PBIS remote learning support for students and families

I would like to invite you to begin uploading your candid photos for potential inclusion into the Mann Yearbook. Follow this link:

http://interstate.pixami.com/ISSMaster/home3/Public.jsp

Click on "Photo Post" and select IL, Oak Park, and Horace Mann

Create an account if this is your first time logging in, or get logged in if you're a repeat helper. I promise not to spam you with anything after you're done uploading photos. (If you had an account last year, it was likely disabled and you'll need to create a new one.)

Follow the prompts to upload your photos.

Select the folder or create a New Folder (name it) --> Upload --> Add files --> select the photos from your computer --> repeat as needed

You can upload photos to the existing folders, or create a new folder. When naming a folder, please use a title that reflects the event. Please see the list at the bottom of this email for ideas of what we're looking for. I will be updating this list and may send out more requests as I start filling in specific pages. You do no need to put the names of the students in the photos, but please somehow include the teacher name the student(s) are in if a picture doesn't fit into one of the specific categories below.

***If you'd like to help with building the yearbook or if you have problems or questions about uploading, please contact me at beth@stormbirds.org The deadline is ever-changing, but we don't want this year to go by without a yearbook. This will be one to look back on for sure!!!

I could use some extra hands to build some of the pages.

Thank you so much for your help!

Beth Siegel

Examples of photos needed: (you can email me your ideas and I'll add folders)

Candid of your student or a group of students -- upload to the specific teacher's folder

Kids in their class t-shirt -- put in the correct folder

K-5 special projects -- put in the correct folder labeled "Special Projects" (separated by grade) Ex: 5th grade 'TED talks', 4th Grade Innovators .. if it happened? -- etc

Band - Orchestra - Chorus

Student council

Field trips -- identified by the teacher

Safety Patrol

Reading Olympics

School store

Destination Imagination

MannPower

Halloween Party / Parade / Trick-or-Treating (please include Mann students and staff/teachers ONLY)

Variety Show -- practicing/performing/or a viewing party

International fun fest

Kids Choice

Distance Learning from home

your learning space

themed days

making musical-- Ex: instruments from home objects

art projects for art class

PE from home

Spanish from home

Library projects

Kids/families helping out during this time at home (making masks, making thank you signs for essential workers, etc)

Beyond Hunger (formerly the OPRF Food Pantry) is once again doing the Can-Do Community Challenge where we compete virtually against other Oak Park and River Forest schools during the remainder of April. The Mann School community has always been very supportive of this event and we have been able to claim the trophy several times over the past years. Please consider making a donation at the link below and reach out Mr. Hayward at jhayward@op97.org with any questions. Thank you in advance! Here is the link to our Mann Donation Page.

District 97 will hold meal distributions every Monday, 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. Meals are available to any District 97 family in need. Each student will receive breakfast and lunch items for five days.

If you have any questions, please contact our food service coordinator, Carla Ellis, at cellis@op97.org.

Given the economic impact of COVID-19, families may have experienced a financial change such as income reduction or job loss. Even if it is temporary and regardless of other financial factors, a change of income may qualify your children for free or reduced lunch from now until October 1, including summer meals. We encourage all families who have experienced a loss or reduction of income to take a few minutes to complete the National School Lunch application. To learn more or access the application, please visit https://bit.ly/3c5gxvV. Applications will also be available at our meal pick-up sites.

We are always looking for talented, dedicated individuals to join the District 97 team! We know that some of our best teachers and staff members have come to District 97 based on a referral. If you know somebody who you believe would be a good fit for our district, please fill out the D97 Staff Referral Form. If you have any questions, please email the human resources department at hr@op97.org.

Oak Park and River Forest High School has announced that all camps for youth through eighth-grade, including Huskie Swim Lessons Camp, have been canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to read the letter from the OPRF Athletics Department >

Technical support will be available from school and district technology staff by accessing the Help Desk through email, helpdesk@op97.org. When an email is submitted, a Help Desk ticket is created and assigned to technology staff, who will be working throughout the day to address technology concerns. Our technology team can support District 97 devices and student online programs.

"District 97 Spring Scavenger Hunt"
Join District 97 students and staff in a Spring Scavenger Hunt! Click here to view complete details >

To participate, just put something in your front-facing window each week to go with that week's theme. It should be large enough to see from the road and can be handmade or anything around the house! Kids can spot them from the road and can still practice social distancing. Let's show our community we are #D97Strong! (Tag the district's social media accounts using @oakpark97 and #MyD97.)

District 97 social worker Abby Berman and school psychologist Rike Neubert put together a video with tips and self-care ideas to help students and families cope during our school closure. Click here to view the video >families that they really wanted a way to connect with each other.

It's now been four full weeks that students have been learning from home. And we know the COVID-19 pandemic can wear on every resource—from food and shelter to our emotional bandwidth and mental health. Fortunately, the Illinois Department of Human Services has launched a support line called Call4Calm that is reachable via text. Individuals who want to speak with a mental health professional can text the word “TALK” or “HABLAR” (for Spanish speakers) to 552-020. Within 24 hours, that individual will receive a call from a mental health professional employed by a local community health center.

People can also text other terms, like “unemployment” or “food” or “shelter” to the same number to receive information on how to navigate and access supports and services. Call4Calm is free, and individuals who use it can remain anonymous. We encourage you to share this resource with your students, families, and staff.

Community Resources/ Public Health updates:

CDC - Center for Disease Control informational website

Village of OP (resources specifically for OP)

Sign up for Village emergency notifications

How to talk with your child about COVID-19 and talking points from CDC

https://healthconnectionhub.org/ (Community Mental Health Board resources)

Helpful information:

Comcast will provide low-income residents with 2 months of free internet to help them work from home: https://www.internetessentials.com/

Free/Reduced Lunch Supports for D97 students

Beyond Hunger- Oak Park

(OP Food Pantry) - will relax requirements for families to access food. There will be no questions asked for anyone who requests food.

Walgreens is also waiving delivery fees for all eligible prescriptions, beginning Friday, March 13th

Mindfulness Strategies: These are ways to help manage stress and maintain well being. There are many different activities online, these are two suggestions.

Leaves on a stream (mindfulness/meditation)

MindYeti: https://www.mindyeti.com/v2/s/get-started-all-ages

Email: csullivan@op97.org
Location: 921 N Kenilworth Ave. Oak Park, IL
Phone: 708-524-3084
Twitter: @MrsSullivand97