Middle Matters

Highlights from this week's Middle Matters:

• Important Upcoming Dates
• SY23-24 School Calendar
• February Black History Month
• Student-Led Family Conferences - Thursday, February 8th
• PTO News for This week
• Parent Education Mental Health Workshop Series: Rescheduled to January 30th from 6:15pm to 7:15pm - PTO and DePaul collaboration
• Brooks Thrift Store - sponsored by our B.E.A.T club
• Calling Lincoln Elementary School Alumni - volunteer at Lincoln Carnival on Saturday, 2/3
• Accelerated Learning - Family Information Session on Feb. 7
• BRAVO Spring Musical Auditions Information
• BRAVO Summer Registrations - Mark your calendars for February 5th
• OPEF BASE CAMP: SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIP
  
• OPEF STEM CAMP Information
• 8th Grade Graduation Pictures - February 5th
• Access Testing Information
• School Picture Ordering Information
• Cold Weather Updates
• Emergency Closings & E-Learning Days information
• Community Resource: Bilingual support for Migrant Families
• SAVE THE DATE: Middle School Math Enrichment 2024
• 8th Grade Graduation Date
• Recognizing Staff Who Make A Difference
• GBMS Yearbook Sales
• GBMS Library - Morning Protocol
• BRAVO Domino Pizza (BRAVO) - still taking orders
• Student Lunches - no outside deliveries permitted
• Middle Matters-Sports, Clubs & BRAVO Information & Student Announcement Link
• PTO News for the MONTH of January - don't miss out!
• Middle Matters Repeated Topics Link
• Middle Matters Community Partner News Link

If you have questions about the upcoming school year, please don’t hesitate to contact me at acapuder@op97.org. You can also contact my Executive Coordinator, Ms. Angel Banks, at abanks1@op97.org or (708) 524-7636.

Our Administrative Team

April Capuder, Principal (acapuder@op97.org)

Dr. Denise Gildon, Associate Principal for Teaching & Learning (dgildon@op97.org)

Roshaun Bowens, Associate Principal for School Culture, Climate and Sports/Clubs (rbowens@op97.org)

Student Success Coach Team:

6th Grade: Josh Rodgers - jrodgers@op97.org

7th Grade: Nichelle Stigger - nstigger@op97.org

8th Grade: Bernard Starks - bstarks@op97.org

• This Week: Monday,-A Day; Tuesday-B day; Wednesday-C Day, Thursday-A Day and Friday B Day

• ACCESS Testing Window for our Multi-lingual students: January 17th through March 5th

• Family Conferences: Thursday, February 8th from 12:45 to 8:00pm

• Presidents Day-No School: Monday, February 19th

• End of Trimester 2: Tuesday, March 5, 2024

We are excited to celebrate Black History Month by hosting a variety of events and celebrations. Here is a quick run down of the events for the entire month:

Feb 5: At the start of 1st period, Choir singing the Black National Anthem (Lift Every Voice) during 1st period. Teachers were provided a presentation about the origins of the song to be shared with students.

Feb 8: Student movement workshops after school from 3:45 to 5:45pm, will include Hip Hop Dancing and Drumming. Families please sign-up here for your student to participate.

Feb 12: Movie Screenings after school from 5:30 to 8:00pm. Men will view “Beyond Beats and Rhymes and Women will view “In Our Mother’s Garden”. Guided discussion will be led by Roshaun Bowens LPC and Tamika Jackson LCPC. No sign-up required.

Feb 12: Students, come Clean your kicks with Blake Brown from 3:45 to 4:45 in C309! Bring your athletic shoes and learn to clean them to prepare for customization. Families please sign-up here for your student to participate.

Feb 13 & 14: After school “Shoe Design Workshop” led by Mr. Ivory from 3:45 to 4:45 in C309. Families please sign-up here for your student to participate.

Feb 16: Come out and celebrate our first GBMS Sneaker Ball! There will be food to purchase at the event from 5:30 to 8:00pm. Revtrak payments will be accepted through February 15th at 11:55 pm. No cash payments will be accepted on the day of the event or at the door. Purchasing a ticket serves as the permission slip for your child to attend. Students whose families have purchased a ticket must have their ID with them to be admitted to the event. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Mr. Bowens (rbowens@op97.org)

Revtrak Payment Link

Feb 21: Musical History presentation during SOAR titled “The Blues: Sweet Home Chicago” presented by Chicago West Community Music Center

Feb 26: Boxing self defense workshop after school from 3:45 to 5:45pm. Families please sign-up here for your student to participate.

Feb 29: Student Led Assembly during SOAR class.

Feb 29: Soul Food Dinner and movie review of “High on a Hog” in the commons from 5:30 to 8:30pm. Families please sign-up here for you and your student to participate.

Please come out to all or as many events as you can. If you have any questions please contact Ms. Robinzine(lrobinzine@op97.org) or Mr. Bowens (rbowens@op97.org)

On Thursday, February 8th from 12:45pm to 8:00pm, Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School will hold student-led conferences. Students will share a presentation containing samples of their work from all of their classes. It is critical that your child is present to lead their conference. We believe that student involvement in their conference provides opportunities for students to self-reflect and evaluate their performance and encourages students to accept responsibility for their learning.

Our goal is to effectively share your child’s progress while involving students in reflection and accountability related to their work. We hope each family will be able to attend conferences as a way to foster learning and a partnership between home and school. Please help to meet our goal of 100 percent participation for our upcoming conferences.

You should have already received directly to your email from your child's assigned conference teacher a sign-up genius link to select a 15 minute time slot. Please contact your child's team leader or Special Education teacher, if you did not receive this email.

Team 6.1 - Mr. Joe Casanovas (jcasanovas@op97.org)

Team 6.2 - Ms. Christine Harrington (charrington@op97.org)

Team 6.3 - Ms. Pam Gaffney (pgaffney@op97.org)

Team 7.1 - Ms. Nichelle Stigger (nstigger@op97.org)

Team 7.2 - Ms. Kim Beader (kbeader@op97.org)

Team 7.3 - Ms. Carin McKinney (cmckinney@op97.org)

Team 8.1 - Mr. Edgar Roman (eroman@op97.org)

Team 8.2 - Ms. Quinn Ebert (qebert@op97.org)

Team 8.3 - Ms. Caroline Delia (cdelia@op97.org)

Additionally, if you would like to meet with your child’s elective teachers, please select a conference time slot contained in that teacher’s sign-up found in this document.

Sign Up for Staff Appreciation Sign Up for Thursday, February 8th

The PTO will be hosting an appreciation dinner for the teachers and staff of Brooks on Thursday February 8 as a thank you for their hard work and dedication to our community. The PTO is providing a catered dinner from a local restaurant of their choice. We are asking members of the Brooks community to donate drinks, desserts, and flowers for this dinner! Sign up HERE.

Come to the February PTO Meeting

Join our upcoming PTO meeting on Monday February 12 @ 6p in the Brooks Media Center for an engaging and insightful session! Discover firsthand the exciting initiatives and events we have in store for our school community. Your participation is crucial as we discuss important decisions, share updates, and gather valuable input. Connect with fellow parents, teachers, and staff, and be an integral part of shaping the future of our school. Your presence and voice matter – together, let's make a positive impact on our children's education and school experience. Virtual option available here. See you there!

Lincoln Elementary School is having their 74th Annual Carnival on Saturday, February 3. They are seeking current Brooks Students who are Alumni of Lincoln to volunteer at the event. Volunteers will run games for their shift. This involves collecting tickets, showing the kids how to do the game, and giving out prizes. It is easy and fun way to give back to your community!

Here are the details:

Saturday, February 3

Shift 1: 10:45-1pm

Shift 2: 12:45-3pm

Here is the sign-up genius for the event: Lincoln Elementary PTO: 2024 Lincoln Carnival Volunteers - Brooks & Boy Scouts (signupgenius.com)

Join District 97 for an Accelerated Learning Family Information Night on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Brooks Middle School. The session will include a presentation that outlines the process and requirements for:

• Single-subject and whole-grade acceleration (Grades K-8)

• Middle School Math Enrichment Program (Grades 5-7)

• Summer Math Review (Grades 5-7)

Click here to view the event flyer >>

For more information about the process for single subject and whole grade acceleration, please visit https://www.op97.org/teach-learn/acceleration.

Calling ALL 6th, 7th and 8th Graders!

All School Spring Musical Auditions are January 29 - 31

Shows Being Considered: Hairspray, Jr. and Beauty & the Beast, Jr.

SIGN UP TO AUDITION

The Oak Park Education Foundation offers 2 full weeks (or four half days) of summer BASE Camp for FREE for students who receive free/reduced lunch or who are experiencing a financial hardship. The scholarship application opens tomorrow, Wednesday January 17th and the application can be found here: BASE Camp Scholarship Application 2024

More information can be found at our website at Scholarships - Oak Park Education Foundation (opef.org).

Early Registration

Campers receiving scholarships are able to register early for camp. The date/time for this early registration is Wednesday, January 31st. It opens at 12pm and closes at 5pm. If you miss this period, you can still register and still use your scholarship funds but the general registration period doesn't open again until Sunday, February 4th at 2pm. There are limited spots available for each camp during this early period and more spaces will become available during regular registration.

Please contact Tara Oetting, Programs Director at toetting@opef.org with questions or for more information.

The graduation pictures will be taken during the school day. Van Gogh will be providing Caps and Gowns to students to use to take their Cap/Gown photo.

Illinois requires that all students in kindergarten through 12th grade who have been identified as English Learners take the state’s English language proficiency test each year.

ML students participate in the state-mandated Assessment for English Language Acquisition (ACCESS) test annually. This test measures the student's ability to communicate in English for academic and social purposes within the school setting. Students are tested on their reading, writing, speaking and listening proficiencies. Families and staff members receive a yearly report on the student’s overall score for each language domain.

Students who score an overall composite score of 4.8 qualify to exit the ML program.

Forgot to Order Photos?

Visit our website at www.ordervgil.com, click on After Picture Day and enter the School/Ticket Code: 20055602.

Please contact Van Gogh Customer Service directly with questions: 847-382-2282 x7

District 97 believes it is important for students to have opportunities for physical activity and play time during the day—even during the cold winter months. This winter, students will be permitted to go outside for recess when the temperature, with wind chill, is 15 degrees or higher. The district utilizes the Wind Chill Chart developed by the National Weather Service.

• It is important that students dress in warm layers when cold temperatures are expected. Students should remember to bring hats, gloves/mittens, scarves, coats, snow pants and boots. It is recommended that families label these items with their children’s names.
• Our staff will carefully monitor students while outside and take the necessary steps to ensure students are appropriately clothed/prepared for the cold weather, watching out for signs of frostbite and other cold-related issues.

District 97 always strives to have schools open. However, if heavy snow or extreme cold make it dangerous to travel, we may need to close schools. The district’s emergency closing procedures are outlined in this brief deck; full details are posted at https://www.op97.org/communications/emergency-closings.

In July 2021, the District 97 Board of Education approved an E-Learning Plan for students to receive instruction electronically in lieu of traditional emergency days (or inclement weather days). This means that instead of canceling school, the superintendent now has the option of calling an “E-Learning Day” where students and staff learn and work virtually at home. This provides a continuation of learning and prevents the loss of critical instructional days, particularly in our first and second trimesters.

If the superintendent decides to close buildings and hold an E-Learning Day, the information is shared through multiple channels, including email, the district website, our Facebook and X (Twitter) social media pages, and the Emergency Closings website. Staff and families are also encouraged to OPT IN to text messages from the district by texting YES to 79041 or 87569.

In 2024, District 97 will be offering Math Enrichment Bridge Courses for Acceleration and Summer Math Review Courses for students in grades 5 through 7. Families should SAVE the DATE if their student is interested in participating in these courses (CLICK HERE to view the program flyer>>).

Details below included in the flyer:

Summer Math Review Course Information to Save the Dates: Students in grades 5-7 will review grade level Illinois Learning Standards in mathematics and engage in challenging performance tasks.

Summer Session: June 10 - June 28 (M-F)

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM or 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

NO CLASSES ON JUNE 19.

Math Enrichment Bridge Course Information to Save the Dates for Acceleration: Students* in grades 5-7 will receive the opportunity to learn course content and skills to advance to the next level of math instruction.

Trimester 3 Session: March 6 - June 4 during the school day for Middle School Students (SOAR)

AND CONTINUES

Summer Session: June 10 - June 28 (M-F)

8:00 AM - 10:00 AM or 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

NO CLASSES ON JUNE 19.

*The Middle School Math Enrichment Program, which includes Summer Math Review

Courses and Bridge Courses for Acceleration is offered to students who are currently in

their grade level math course. Students who have already been accelerated in math must

go through the Single Subject Acceleration process to accelerate for a second or third time.

Registration information and additional details about the Middle School Math Enrichment program will be shared with families in January.

Brooks students will be graduating on Monday, June 3rd at 6:30 pm at Oak Park River Forest High School's Auditorium. We will hold rehearsals on Monday, June 3rd in the morning.

If you or your child would like to recognize any staff member (a teacher, a teacher assistant, social worker, librarian, front office staff, lunchroom staff, custodial staff or school administrator) please take a moment to complete this form. A Certificate to express your appreciation will be created and shared with the staff member.

Here is the link to the form: https://forms.gle/5MZSgYchCtFYR48TA

Go ahead. Check it off your to-do list.

Order link: https://www.treering.com/purchase?PassCode=1014096931934358

GBMS Passcode: 1014096931934358

You can also use your TreeRing account to share photos with our Yearbook Team throughout the year as well as design your very own custom pages (first two pages are free). If you have any questions regarding the yearbook, please contact Meaghan Pabellon at mpabellon@op97.org.

Starts Tuesday, September 5th

• The GBMS Library is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
• No pass needed
• To enter, wait in-between the Kenilworth doors (by the main office)
• An adult will escort groups to the library at 8:00, 8:15, and 8:30. For example, if you arrive at 8:10 you will have to wait until the 8:15 group heads up. If you arrive after the 8:30 group has been escorted, you may not enter the library that day
• You will sign-in and stay in the library until the 8:50am
• These times are for students to quietly read, do homework, or meet as a group to study or work on a project.

Domino's Pizza Lunch - (30) Fridays from September 15 - May 31

SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE IN FRIDAY PIZZA LUNCH

>> Students MUST have a Brooks Student ID EVERY FRIDAY to receive pizza <<

Parent/Guardians may drop off a lunch for their student and place it on our rack in the main office for their student to pick up on their way to lunch. We always have a sandwich or salad lunch option available for your student should they forget their lunch at home.

Please note, we can not accept deliveries for students from outside delivery services. Do not order food for your student to be delivered to the school.

To view, please use this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDF7k7NA5zU

Pizza Lunch Volunteers Needed!

Looking for a fun & easy volunteer opportunity at Brooks? Pizza Lunch is a great way to touch base with your child at lunch as well as get to know new families. We rely on volunteers to help distribute food and keep this program going, so please consider donating your time. We can't do it without you!!! Sign up to volunteer on Fridays: Please Sign Up to Volunteer

Calling parents and local businesses to donate gift cards of appreciation to our staff. Drop your contribution in the front office gift card box in the front office. We will be collecting cards all year long and they will be used to celebrate the Brooks staff.

Connect with PTO

Follow us on FaceBook at @gwendolynbrookspto, or email us at gwendolynbrookspto@gmail.com.