Bobcat Blog

• Thursday, February 3: 1/2 Day for students; 11:00 Dismissal - Conference Day
• Friday, February 4: 1/2 Day for students; 11:00 Dismissal
• Friday, February 11: Virtual Chat with Cheryl 8:15am-9:00am (Zoom link coming)

***Please label your child's belongings (lunch box, sweatshirts, etc.) There are many items in the Lost and Found so encourage your child to look for any missing things in the Commons.

Thank you so much to the PTO for the following recent things:

• Providing coffee for staff last week
• Starting the Composting Program in the lunchroom
• Organizing the Be SMART Presentation

• Our teachers are looking forward to meeting you via Zoom next week for conferences. Please reach out if you do not know your conference time. The teachers will do their best to adhere to the tight schedule. Please do your best as well to be on time as the conferences are often back to back.
• Please use this document to sign up for conferences with any of our special area teachers:

Specials Conferences

In honor of Black History Month, the Beye PTO programs working group is co-sponsoring virtual workshops. This presenter facilitated programs at Beye last year and it was very thought-provoking and engaging. Please encourage signing your children up for these great workshops!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cobUIoKoHwJz44wQOhmB-zlS8_2MKS5Zvgr4nRbuusY/edit

For those of you who missed the Be SMART Presentation and are interested in learning more, Jenna Jacobson, has shared some links to different aspects of the Be Smart Program. We shared with her our hope of having her back next year in person to present this great information.

Be SMART Brochure

Be SMART video - a really compelling introduction to the campaign

Keeping your Home Safe with Secure Storage

Asking about Secure Storage

Talking to your Children about Guns

Facts and Resources about Child Firearm Suicide

Guide to Secure Storage Devices

Secure Storage Fact Sheet

Be SMART game night PSA

Check out these adorable socks that highlight the importance of loving one another for our differences.

54% of our goal reached; let's keep that climbing!!!

• https://palssocks.rallyup.com/beye
  
• 50% of each sale will be coming right back to the Beye School PTO!
  
• Fundraiser begins now and ends on January 31st
• Purchased items will arrive in time for Valentine's Day!

Parents/guardians from all 10 of our schools are encouraged to take the Illinois 5 Essentials Survey between now and March 11, 2022. Please click here to learn how parents/guardians can participate in this important endeavor and click here to access the parent/guardian version of the survey.

***Beye is striving for a very high student, staff and parent completion rate. Thanks for helping us!!

4th - 12th graders are invited to take the survey at school. Please let us know by February 1 if you do NOT want your child to take the survey. Thank you.

5Essentials Survey letter.

A few years ago, Lurie Children's Hospital partnered with D97 to train the Social Work and Psychologist departments on Bounce Back & CBITS, which are 2 Cognitive Behavioral programs geared toward teaching resilience. These programs are for students who have experienced a trauma or significant stressful life event. Please click on the links to learn more about Bounce Back which is the program for elementary students. We will be launching this program at Beye School soon. Contact Lori Janu-Chossek: LJanu-Chossek@op97.org if you’d like to learn more or inquire about your child being potentially screened.

Please have your child sign up here if interested:

Spelling Bee Registration

Deadline for signing up is February 4.

(posted previously) The Beye School Spelling Bee for Grades 2-5 will be held during the week of February 7. (Schedule below) New for 2022: it will be held during the school day! Participants will compete together in the auditorium, and the audience will Zoom in.

• Mon, Feb 7 1:30 pm GRADE 4
• Tues, Feb 8 10 am GRADE 2
• Thurs, Feb 10 12:15 pm GRADE 3
• Thurs, Feb 10 1:30 pm GRADE 5

Please take a look at the information and the accompanying word lists to decide if your student will compete. Registration will follow in the next week or so.

Grade 2 Spelling Bee List

Grade 3 Spelling Bee List

Grade 4 Spelling Bee List

Grade 5 Spelling Bee List

Looking ahead to the spring, District 97 is preparing to implement the Single Subject and Whole Grade Level Acceleration process for students eligible for acceleration in the 2022-23 school year.

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. New 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.

Referrals 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. We will send additional communication to families as we near the opening of our referral and application windows next year. Additionally, Family Acceleration Night will be held Wednesday, February 7, 2022, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This information session will provide an avenue for families to share questions as well as receive information about the acceleration process. Please find additional information in the information session flyer.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us by visiting our Let’s Talk page (bit.ly/D97LetsTalk) and clicking the button labeled “Acceleration.”

COVID-19 Symptom Checklist and Instructions for Symptomatic Students
In October, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Illinois State Board of Education released updated guidance and an updated exclusion decision tree. As a result, we have updated some of our protocols and required documents for symptomatic students. CLICK HERE for a one-page summary of the required steps and testing for students who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.

District 97 Now Hiring!
District 97 is currently hiring for key positions to support in-person learning during the 2021-22 school year!

Certified Nursing Assistants
District 97 is seeking part-time certified nursing assistants (CNAs) to support the nursing staff in our schools. Applicants must have completed or graduated from an Illinois approved accredited school of nursing, college, or CNA/Patient Care Tech program, and hold a current CNA or Patient Care Tech certification in Illinois. CLICK HERE to apply!

Permanent Substitutes
District 97 has immediate openings for permanent substitute teachers. If you know anyone who is looking to work with children, earn competitive pay and give back to the community, please encourage them to apply today at: https://www.op97.org/hr/employment.

Lunch/Recess Supervisors
To support our students and staff during the school day, we are still seeking more parents and community members to serve as lunchroom/recess supervisors during the 2021-22 school year. It's easy to apply, and your time would have a direct impact on our schools. CLICK HERE to apply!

Cheryl Sullivan and Sheila Carter

Co-Interim Beye Principals

csullivan@op97.org

scarter@op97.org

Location: 230 North Cuyler Avenue, Oak Park, IL, USA
Phone: 708- 524-3070
Twitter: @MrsSullivand97