Jayhawk Weekly Communication

-There were insightful conversations and student-led assemblies last month in celebration of Black History Month. In addition, Chicago native, motivational speaker and singer/songwriter B.Lilly visited the school.

-JV Girls Volleyball came in 2nd place (12-3)and Varsity came in 1st place (15-0) for their season! Outstanding sportmanship and team work, Jayhawks!

-The Julian Robotics Team competed in the “Battle of the Bots". Of the 39 teams in the league, all 8 of the Julian teams were selected to compete in the finals. They came home with an impressive collection of hardware.

-Last month, the District 97 Middle School Speech Team earned first place at the West 40 Speech and Drama Festival hosted at Elmwood Park High School. The speech team had earned a first place trophy for 10 consecutive years prior to the pandemic, and their streak continues with two consecutive post-pandemic wins.

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.

IAR and ISA Communications Toolkit 2024
This is a reminder that we will begin testing this week at Julian. 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.

Stop by the Oak Park Public Library before March 4th, to see an incredible collection of artifacts assembled to honor Percy Julian!! The Julian Legacy Museum honors the inventor, civil rights leader and scientist, and this temporary exhibit ends tomorrow! So be sure to drop in today to the OPPL's main branch on Lake St to view this wonderful collection! Contact the library at 708-383-8200 or www.oppl.org for the exhibit hours and for more information.

We have a minor change to the bell schedule for 3/20. There is no school for students due to a teacher/staff Institute Day on March 19th. However, instead of Wednesday, March 20th being a B day, it is now going to be a J day. Please mark your calendar.

Portrait of Graduate Community Session - Tuesday, March 5th!

On behalf of the District 97 Board of Education, superintendent and district team, you are invited to join us as we design our Portrait of an Oak Park 8th Grade Graduate!

Julian staff, families AND students are encouraged to attend a Portrait community session at our school on Tuesday, March 5, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. During the open house, staff and families will have the opportunity to walk around, learn about our draft Portrait, and provide feedback on definitions and learning experiences. We’ll also have some kid-friendly activities for students and pizza for everyone who attends.

Anyone who is unable to attend is welcome to join one of the district’s other scheduled events in February or March! Click the links to access the Portrait of a Graduate Engagement Calendar: English | Español

For more on Portrait of an Oak Park 8th Grade Graduate, including opportunities to participate and connect, visit www.op97.org/ourportrait.

¡Sesión de aportes para el retrato de un graduado en la escuela Julian - martes, 5 de marzo!

En nombre de la Junta de Educación del Distrito 97, el superintendente y el equipo del distrito, ¡está invitado a unirse a nosotros mientras diseñamos nuestro retrato de un graduado de octavo grado de Oak Park!

Se anima al personal, las familias y los estudiantes de Julian a asistir a una sesión comunitaria para el Retrato en nuestra escuela el martes 5 de marzo de 6:30 p.m. a 8 p.m. Durante la jornada de puertas abiertas, el personal y las familias tendrán la oportunidad de caminar, conocer nuestro borrador de retrato y brindar comentarios sobre definiciones y experiencias de aprendizaje. También tendremos algunas actividades para niños para estudiantes y pizza para todos los asistentes.

¡Cualquiera que no pueda asistir puede unirse a uno de los otros eventos programados por el distrito en febrero o marzo! Haga clic en los enlaces para acceder al calendario para el Retrato de un Graduado: Inglés | Español

Para obtener más información sobre Retrato de un graduado de octavo grado de Oak Park, incluidas oportunidades para participar y conectarse, visite www.op97.org/ourportrait.

2023-24 Julian School Calendar

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