If your child will be participating in Halloween activities, PLEASE carefully review this District 97 message regarding allowable costumes on October 31st. For Halloween, our goal is to create a positive and safe environment where all Julian students and staff feel a sense of belonging. In that spirit, if you choose to allow your child to dress up in a costume, please make sure that the costume choice does not portray a stereotypical image of any group of people or culture, or be offensive to any racial, ethnic or religious group. We appreciate you being proactive in making thoughtful costume choices.
School Picture Day is this week!
This is a friendly reminder that students will take their school pictures on Wednesday, November 1. Please be sure that students do not wear green tops or green hair accessories, as that may interfere with the picture quality. If you wish to pre-pay online or have any questions about picture orders, please contact Van Gogh School Photographers directly at ordervgil.com or at 847-382-2282 ext 7. The Julian School Event Code is 20032801.
Middle School Student Lunch Policy - Effective Monday, November 6
Over the past few years, the expansion of easy-to-order food delivery services have risen in popularity among our middle schoolers, with as many as 30 deliveries being made for students every day during lunchtime alone. Students are also ordering food outside of lunchtime, beginning in the morning.
Outside food delivery requires the school to give entrance access to delivery drivers, adds to the workload to our front office staff who need to accept deliveries and reroute them to students, and can result in disrupted learning when deliveries are late.
To ensure the security of the school as well as to minimize disruptions to the school day, beginning on November 6, Julian Middle School will no longer accept deliveries for students from outside food delivery services.
As a reminder, parents/guardians may drop off a lunch at the main office for their student to pick up. Please know that we always have a sandwich or salad lunch option available for your student should they forget their lunch at home. As a reminder, students should eat their lunches during lunch time and not during class to maximize learning.
Thank you in advance for your support!
Conference Survey
We want the family-teacher conferences to be a beneficial time for you and your student, as well as a productive time in which teachers have an opportunity to connect with YOU. Please take a moment to fill out this brief survey about your fall conference experience last week. Thank you in advance for your feedback.
STUDENT LOCKS FOR LOCKERS AND PE LOCKERS
Please double check with your Julian student to see if they need a lock for their school locker. You can still purchase a lock online. Or they can bring $7 cash or check to the school office anytime between 8am - 4pm. If they need to store their belongings during their PE class, they can purchase a PE lock online as well. Students are not allowed to bring bookbags and back packs to the cafeteria/commons during their lunch/recess periods. Please contact Dr. Whitfield at mwhitfield@op97,org if you have any questions regarding the lunchroom policy.
All students are encouraged to utilize the lockers to store their belongings. Students are permitted to go to their lockers before school, during passing periods and after school.
GAME DAY EXPECTATIONS
- JULIAN STUDENTS MUST WEAR THEIR SCHOOL IDs, in order to attend the home athletic games (for basketball or volleyball). Julian students without their school IDs and all non-Julian students without parental supervision will NOT be allowed to attend the games. All non-Julian students without an adult to supervise them will be asked to leave school grounds.
- FOOD AND BEVERAGES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE GYM. Students, family members, and visitors can have water or water bottles.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding safety protocols, please contact Associate Principal, Dr. Mekita Whitfield, at mwhitfield@op97.org.
SPORTS PHYSICALS
The state of Illinois, Office of Education, requires that any student who wishes to participate in interscholastic sports must have an Athletic Physical Examination, dated no less than one year prior to the first day of the current school year. It is mandatory that your child has their physical form completed before they will be eligible to tryout or participate in any interscholastic activity.
Julian Sports LIVESTREAM
Do you know you can watch Julian games from the comfort of your home? You can catch the sports home games (for basketball and volleyball) in-person or you can watch online via YouTube!
Go Jayhawks!
Effective November 6 - FOOD DELIVERIES ARE NOT PERMITTED FOR STUDENTS
In recent weeks, we have observed a number of students missing instructional time to come down to the first floor to meet delivery drivers at the front entrance or at the commons' doors. No child should be meeting a stranger at the door of the school or during their lunch/recess time outside. This is a major safety and security concern. Parents and Guardians are welcome to drop off forgotten lunches to their children. Also, sandwiches and salads are available for purchase from the lunchroom if a student forgets their lunch at home (it can be billed to their lunch account, they do not need cash to purchase a lunch in the lunchroom).
Effective Monday, November 6, Julian Middle School will no longer accept food/beverage deliveries for students from outside food delivery services, and students are not permitted to order GrubHub, DoorDash, UberEats, etc for lunches, snacks or beverages. Parents/Guardians are welcome to drop off forgotten lunches to their children. However, students are not permitted to place orders via their chromebooks or cellphones. We appreciate your cooperation and we thank you in advance for helping to remind your student of the safety & security protocols. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact a Julian administrator (Ms. Butler, Dr. Whitfield and Mr. Lee).
SAFE AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS: Information about Student Illness
District 97 remains committed to maintaining safe and healthy schools. We continue to work in partnership with the Oak Park Department of Public Health, following guidance set by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).
When should a child remain home from school?
Staying home if you are ill is essential to keep infections—including the virus that causes COVID-19— out of schools and prevent spread to others. Please visit the District 97 Health Services page for more information about when to stay home. If you have specific questions, please contact your school nurse.
COVID-19 Guidelines for 2023-24
Following IDPH guidelines, individuals who test positive for COVID-19 must stay home for five days after the first day of symptoms or testing positive (Day 0). They may return to school on Day 6 if:
They are 24 hours fever free with no fever-reducing medication AND
No diarrhea or vomiting for 24 hours AND
Improvement of other symptoms.
Masks are strongly recommended around others for five days (through Day 10). Per local guidance, anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 should also complete Oak Park Department of Public Health's Positive at Home COVID 19 Test form.
For more information, please visit: COVID-19 Guidelines for D97 Students and Staff
CALLING YOUR CHILD IN SICK
Please support our school nurse by LEAVING A REASON when you call your child in sick from school. Our nurse follows up on every absence call when a specific reason is not provided. If your child is staying home due to reasons unrelated to COVID-19, sharing that information in the message helps the nurse determine whether a call is necessary.
When calling the Julian attendance line at 708-665-3064 or leaving a message on the school office voicemail at 708-524-3040, please slowly state the following:
- Your Name
- Your Child’s First and Last Name
- Your Child’s Grade Level and Advisory Teacher
- Reason for the Absence
- Best phone number to reach you
