Jayhawk Weekly Communication

There is no school for students on Tuesday, March 19. Therefore, students should remember to take home all belongings (including their chromebooks, instruments, jackets, etc) on tomorrow, Monday afternoon. The school will not be open for students to pick up anything out of their lockers on Tuesday, as all staff and teachers will be in professional development meetings and trainings on 3/19.

• The school office closes at 4pm on Monday, March 18.
• Institute Day is Tuesday, March 19 (No School for students).
• Wednesday, March 20th is a J day.
• The final day of school before Spring Break begins is on Friday, March 22nd and it is a full day of classes.
• The building will be closed during Spring Break (3/25 - 3/29).

On Wednesday March 20, 2024, the District office will be having another evening background check event. Parents and Guardians can sign up through sign up genius by using the link below. There are still quite a few slots available. Thanks!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c48aaa628aaf8c43-background#/

What an amazing time we had earlier this month. I just wanted to take a moment to let all the cast and crew of Court Martial at Fort Devens know that this production was very special. The topics and themes addressed in the play perfectly blended Black History Month and Women's History Month! Special shout out to District 97 Superintendent Dr. Shah, Julian teacher Mr. Beck, Julian alum Taylor Morris, long-time CAST collaborator Ty Perry, long-time CAST costume designer Rex Booth, CAST Program Manager Cory Marshall, and CAST Program Director Bill McGlynn for all their hard work. Having a "day job" and coming to work with our Julian students in the evening was a joy and labor of love! And to the Julian students who brought the story to life...I am still amazed by how you embraced your characters, and made the words of playwright Jeffrey Sweet, come alive during each performance. I am beyond proud and especially grateful to have been a part of shining a light on such a timely story of courage. Thank you to Mr. Lee, all the famiies, and all the Julian & D97 staff that came out to support the production. Can't wait to see what's next!!

#JayhawkStrong

--

Ms. Echelon Jackson

Julian M.S. Executive Coordinator

CAST co-director of Court Martial at Fort Devens

During the first week of March, Julian students took a trip to the Illinois Math and Science Academy for a Math contest! Overall Julian placed 2nd and 8th grader Ben B. placed first in the individual round! Additionally, The Sand Hanitizers (Ben B., Felix I. and Dean B.) placed first in the team round!

Congratulations to the team members who worked super hard on their tests: Jack C., Xander C., Anna F., Finlay B., Char M., Ruby G., Esther L., Alex K., Lily Z., Ascención V., Isaac H., Chitra B., Ben B., Felix I. and Dean B. Go Jayhawks!!!

--

Christina Welchko, NBCT
she/her/hers

Team 7.1 Math
Percy Julian Middle School

The Julian Choirs put on THRILLING performances at the IGSMA Festival earlier this month. Julian sent 75 students, including Jukebox and the combined 7th and 8th grade choirs. They represented Julian and Oak Park at the highest level of professionalism and performance!

Each of the students showed up to school by 7:15am on a Saturday morning, traveled an hour to the host school, performed and received VERY HIGH marks!

The 7/8 Grade Choir received a "1" Rating from all three judges with only a few points taken off of the total score. This was the first IGSMA festival where Julian brought the curricular choirs and they ROCKED their performance!

Jukebox also received a "1" Rating and received PERFECT SCORES from two judges and only one point away from PERFECT from the final judge. The clinician who worked with them after their performance described them as "a very good high school choir". They're only in 7th and 8th grade!!??!! Jukebox will now begin preparation for the IGSMA State Festival in April.

--

Andrew Seymour, NBCT

Choral Director

Percy Julian Middle School

2020 - 2023 NAMM Best Communities for Music Education

Online registration for the 2024-25 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 web site: www.op97.org/registration.

Returning Students

Registration for returning District 97 students will be open March 5 - April 19. 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. 22. Please click the links below to learn more about the registration process for kindergarteners and new students.

• Kindergarten Registration

• New Students

In order to register your student, you must be the custodial parent/guardian and currently reside in Oak Park. Students who are registering for kindergarten for the 2024-25 school year must be at least 5 years old and must be born on or before Sept. 1, 2019.

We appreciate your partnership in preparing for a successful 2024-25 school year!

On Wednesday, April 3, District 97 will begin accepting applications for the early childhood blended classrooms at Whittier Elementary School for the 2024-25 school year. There will be a limited number of spaces available. Click here to view the 2024-25 D97 Blended Preschool flyer >>

District 97 is seeking students who:

• are non-IEP students who will be between the ages of 3 and 4 years by Sept. 1, 2024;

• demonstrate age-appropriate language and social skills;

• are Oak Park residents;

• are not enrolled in a preschool program.

The registration window will be open April 3, 2024, through May 24, 2024. For more information about the Early Childhood Blended Program or to apply beginning April 3, please visit https://www.op97.org/teach-learn/ecblended.

1st Place Spiritwear has a big Spring sale on Julian gear! From now until March 26th, get 25% off your order. And get FREE shipping on orders over $60. Get new spring and summer gear today! Scan the QR code or click here to go directly to the website. 1st Place Spiritwear donates a percentage of the Julian sales directly to Percy Julian M.S. Thank you in advance.

2023-24 Julian School Calendar

We encourage you to take the Illinois 5Essentials Survey between now and March 29, 2024: 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.

Many Muslims who observe Ramadan will be fasting from approximately sunrise on Sunday, March 10 to sunset on Tuesday, April 9. As a result of fasting, students may have decreased levels of energy and in-class participation, and/or may need to be excused from extracurricular activities at sundown in order to observe evening prayers and/or break the fast. Parents/Guardians whose families will be observing it, should complete This Form. We can then communicate to your child's teachers if any accommodations need to be made during this time. Thank you.

IAR Makeups and ISA Testing

IAR Makeup testing will take place on 4/4 for all grade level students that missed their ELA or Math testing last week. Also, for 8th graders, they will take their ISA testing on 3/21 and 3/22. If you have any questions regarding makeups or ISA testing, please contact Ms. Butler at tbutler@op97.org. Students should be bringing fully charged chromebooks to school each day.

IAR and ISA Communications Toolkit 2024
This is a reminder that we are continuing with testing this week at Julian with IAR Make ups. Students should bring earbuds or headphones that compatible with their chromebooks (air pods do not work with the chromebooks and students will not be able to utilize their cell phones during the testing sessions).

• District-wide communication that the Communications Department sent to all families grades 3 to 8 on Friday, Feb. 16.
• 5 Things You Need to Know About IAR (one-page Info sheet for families)

• IAR Webpage
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Impact of Participation in State Assessments - IAR (ISBE)

Each Spring, all District 97 students in Grades 3 to 8 take federally-required assessments to help us understand how they are growing academically. Since 2019, the state has utilized the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) to assess students’ knowledge and skills in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics, as well as their progress toward the long-term goal of college and career readiness. Students in grades 5 and 8 will be taking the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) as well.

Contact Ms. Butler at tbutler@op97.org if you have any questions.

Triton College, in partnership with District 97 and Fellowship Community Services, is hosting a “College for Kids” Spring Break Youth Camp during spring break (March 25-28, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.).

The program offers students the opportunity to choose one major and one minor area of study to focus on throughout the week. They will receive direct instruction from content experts while participating in hands-on activities. Check out the program flyer (available in English and Spanish) for more details.

Please register today! Space in the program is limited; students will be registered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Acceleration Opportunities in District 97

District 97's Single Subject and Whole Grade Level Acceleration process for students for the 2024-25 school year opens on March 1st!

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:

• Single subject acceleration

• Whole grade acceleration

In accordance with the Illinois Accelerated Placement Act, District 97 has continued to refine procedures to ensure equitable access to acceleration opportunities for all students. Continuing this year: all students who are grade eligible to take the Illinois Assessment for Readiness (IAR) must participate in the assessment in order to be deemed eligible for acceleration. The IAR is a critically important measure in determining the mastery of grade level standards and must be considered by the school team along with other sources of data.

Applications for single-subject and whole-grade acceleration will be accepted from March 1 to May 15 of each school year. The general process is outlined HERE.

Information about the District 97 Accelerated Placement Program, including definitions and timelines, can be found at http://www.op97.org/acceleration.

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

*PLEASE GIVE THE REASON FOR YOUR STUDENT'S ABSENCE*

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:

1. Your Name
2. Your Child’s First and Last Name
3. Your Child’s Grade Level and Advisory Teacher
4. Reason for the Absence
5. Best phone number to reach you

Oak Park, IL 60302

708-524-3040

www.op97.org/julian