The Mustang Memo

• Friday, February 28th - 2nd semester ends (Report Cards go home Friday, March 13th)
  

• Tuesday, March 17th - Institute Day

• March 23rd - March 27th - Spring Break (NO school)
  

**See the many district meetings open to parents this week - highlighted below

• Thank you to Martha Polly and Sara Enlow for planning a fabulous Kids' Choice Dance Night
• Thank you to all of the parents who volunteered and helped make it a great night for the kids
  

As part of the Mannapalooza fundraising dollars, we will be purchasing a buddy bench this spring. In addition to that, Student Council is working on their next service project. We want to collect 250 pounds of plastic caps/lids to donate a "Buddy Bench" to the school. A Buddy Bench is a special bench where students may sit down and others then join them. It promotes inclusion. Please see the flyer that explains what types of caps they are and are not collecting. Share with your neighbors. Caps/lids need to be clean and dry. Thank you for helping us earn a Buddy Bench.

(We will look to expand this program next summer when we can be back at Mann.)

The advanced math and reading courses (targeted for students between the 80th - 95th percentile on MAP) will run everyday for three weeks from Wednesday, June 10 to Tuesday, June 30 at Whittier (715 N Harvey Ave), because Mann will be undergoing Media Center renovations this summer.

The cost will be $380.00 per course for all three weeks. Students who are doing both the morning and afternoon courses may stay for a supervised lunch, at no extra charge. See schedule below.

Registration is now open for Mann ONLY students from January 29th thru February 12. Register now on ClassTrack Mann families will have two weeks to enroll, and then we will open it up to the other D97 families.

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--Math: 9:00am – 11:30am (Pick up at 11:30am, if student is not attending the afternoon reading course.

--Lunch and Recess Break: 11:30am – 12:00pm (Please bring a peanut-free lunch and water bottle.

--Reading: 12:00pm – 2:30pm (Drop off at 11:55pm, if student is not attending the morning course.)

New Chicago Tribune Article

Show your support for Reese and his family. A new fundraising goal of $75,000 will provide the best possible care for our third grade Mustang. 100% of the funds are designated for the costs of Reese’s therapies and long term recovery.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/rsiler

The T-shirt campaign has been re-opened per popular demand. Please know that in order to go to print, 31 shirts need to be sold. The shirts will be available for purchase until Feb. 14th and will be delivered 10 days after that, so around 2/24.

Click here to support Anthony Siler for Reese Siler's Cancer Treatment and Rehabilitation

The Strengthening Families Program is a free, evidence-based prevention program for families with children ages 7 to 17. The 11-week program will teach effective parenting skills, healthy communication, stress management skills, conflict resolution and more. The program will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Tuesday from Feb. 25, 2020, through May 12, 2020, at the River Forest Community Center. Click here to view the program flyer.

From ISBE: "A school’s participation rate on state assessments impacts its rate of proficiency and its annual designation. ESSA requires states to calculate proficiency by dividing the number of students who met or exceeded standards by either the number of students who tested or 95% of the number of students who should have tested, whichever is greater. Schools with less than 95% participation in state assessments are ineligible to receive the Exemplary designation. Schools with any student group that has a participation rate below 95% for three consecutive years will develop and implement a Work Plan for School Improvement. English Learners must take all portions of the IAR to meet federal requirements, even those in their first year in the U.S. Their results in that first year provide a baseline for growth but do not count for accountability."

"Mindful Middle-Schoolers" Program
The Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township, Oak Park Elementary School District 97, and DePaul University’s Community Counseling Center have partnered to deliver a vast array of educational and therapeutic services to staff, families, and youth. The “Mindful Middle-Schoolers Program” will offer staff training, parent workshops, groups and counseling for middle school students in Oak Park during the 2019-20 school year. To learn more about the program and upcoming talks for parents, please visit https://www.op97.org/news/1673321/mindful-middle-schoolers-community-talks-2020.

Below is a list of upcoming community talks for parents, students and staff.

• Wednesday, Feb 26 (Brooks): Strategies to support executive functioning and self-regulation development based upon brain science http://bit.ly/37DtBqF
• Thursday, Feb 27 (Brooks): Understanding depression in youth and strategies for treatment and support http://bit.ly/2S6Q5cT

The District 97 Student Services Department will host a parent workshop, "Developing Your Child's IEP," on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Holmes School, 508 N. Kenilworth Ave. Staff will provide a step-by-step guide to understanding the IEP process. Childcare will be available. Event flyer >

Parent Information Session - Single Subject/Whole Grade Acceleration
For families who are seeking single subject or whole grade acceleration for the 2020-21 school year, the district will be hosting a Parent Information Session on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Lincoln Elementary School, 1111 S. Grove St. The session will include a presentation that outlines the process and requirements. Click here to view the event flyer >

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

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Parent Resource Site
The District 97 MTSS Team has created a D97 Parent Resource Site to further support instruction happening in the classroom. The site has been created to provide an overview of MTSS and support all students in the areas of reading, math and writing. Our team has selected resources that offer a free version to our families. If you have additional free websites or resources you would like to share, please reach out to MTSS Director Faith Cole at fcole@op97.org. Thank you for your partnership!