The Mustang Memo

• Monday, December 23rd - Friday, January 2nd - Winter Break
  
• Monday, January 13th - January 24th: 2nd - 5th grade MAP testing window
  
• Monday, January 20th - NO SCHOOL - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
  
• Week of January 27th - Conferences - most occurring on Thursday, January 30th
  
• Thursday, January 30th and Friday, January 31st - 1/2 days for students
  

Thank you to:

• All the families that helped with the classroom winter parties

For families who are seeking early admission to kindergarten or first grade, the district will be hosting a Parent Information Session on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2020, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the District 97 Administration Building. The session will include a presentation that outlines the process and requirements, as on-site support for parents. Click here to view the event flyer >

We are excited to announce the start of a new leadership team at Mann School- The Play Brigade. This is an opportunity for our 4th and 5th-grade student leaders to help K-2 students play fairly, take turns & participate in organized games. Overall our goal is to improve the happiness & safety of lunch recess for all students.

In October, I shared the "State of Mann" presentation which took a look at how we did last year, how that led to our School Improvement Plan, and what action steps we will be taking.

Please see our End of First Trimester SIP Update

It is that time of year when many of us will make New Year's Resolutions. I am asking that together as a Mann Community we make a resolution (one that will be kept) to help get our students here on time. Students should be lined up with their class in the morning when the bell rings at 7:57. By the second bell, at 8:00 students should be walking in with their homeroom teachers. We have too many students coming late. We have been giving tardy passes to students who come in at 8:05 or after but we need to consistently be giving them out starting just after 8:00 if they come in without their class.

In early January, we want to celebrate an important moment in one of our very own Mustang's lives. Reese, a 3rd grader, has been undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments over the last year and a half, and his last treatment is on January 2nd!!! In honor of this, we wanted to celebrate with him by wearing the colors of the rainbow on the day that he returns back to school after his last treatment because he LOVES rainbows! On this day, kindergarten will wear RED, 1st grade will wear ORANGE, 2nd grade will wear YELLOW, 3rd grade will wear GREEN, 4th grade will wear BLUE, and 5th grade will wear PURPLE. We will have a rainbow parade for Reese when he walks in the building. Please start thinking of the perfect shirt to wear on this day! We will let you know the exact date as soon as possible!!

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

As part of the district's Communication and Community and Engagement Plan for FY20, we are administering surveys for families and staff to gauge participation and awareness of our equity work. This is a follow-up to the research that was done by KQ Communication prior to the start of the school year.

Parents: "In District 97, we aim to provide a learning environment that is equitable and inclusive of ALL children. To do so, we need your continued partnership by supporting schools and students, monitoring your own child’s progress and giving us feedback along the way.

Before you and your child(ren) begin the season of rest, rejuvenation and precious time with friends and family, please take a moment to complete THIS SURVEY. Your responses will assist us in further improvements as we prepare for the remainder of the school year.

The survey will close on Dec. 27, 2019, at 5 p.m. Thank you in advance for your response, and for your continued support of our schools and the students we serve."

The word discipline in connection with schools has such a negative connotation. The long history of shame, punishment and racism has interfered with the very purpose of schools – to help young people learn and grow. District 97 is reclaiming and redefining discipline to better align with our mission and vision of what it means to be educators of students. We are making systemic shifts away from punishment to a mindset of preemption and restoration. Read and learn more - Around the District with Dr. Kelley - http://bit.ly/34JiR84

We are administering the Illinois 5Essentials Survey again this year to certified staff and parents/guardians from all 10 of our schools, as well as students in grades four through eight.

The parent/guardian survey is available now. Please click here to access the parent/guardian version of the survey. Please note that school-level reports will only be generated if at least 20 percent of our parents/guardians complete the survey

Email: csullivan@op97.org
Phone: 708-524-3085