Bobcat Blog

• Monday, January 15: No School in Observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Thursday, January 18: Spelling Bee (4th and 5th)
• Monday, January 22: Spelling Bee (2nd and 3rd)
• Monday, January 22 - Friday, January 26: MAP testing
• Saturday, January 27: Beye Pancake Breakfast (see details below) and general PTO meeting

What a first week back! During the early part of the week, I witnessed teachers taking time with the students to review expectations in the various spaces such as the lunchroom, hallway, playground, etc. to set students up for success. Everyone was getting back into the routine and then of course, we have our first E-Learning day in over a year. Thank you all for your flexibility and support. I have been sorry to hear of how many people lost power earlier today. I hope it is restored soon and additional households are not affected. Please be safe this weekend. I am proud of our teachers for once again switching up how things are done. For those of you who are new Beye families, we didn't have any E-Learning days last year and this year the district switched from Zoom to Google Meets. Our 3rd - 5th graders are accustomed to working with google, but our K-2 Bobcats are not. Like with all things, we will assess what worked today and where there are opportunities for improvement. While I hope this is our last E-Learning day, just a friendly reminder that if we do have another one and there are problems see these guidelines from the district:

• Questions? Please email any questions about the E-Learning activities and schedule to your student’s principal or assistant principal. For questions about specific classroom assignments, please email your student’s teachers. Inquiries or issues about district devices or other technology concerns, please send a request to the Help Desk at helpdesk@op97.org.

Thank you for reading below. There are many great opportunities to help in the coming weeks. Thanks in advance for considering.

Registration starts this coming Sunday, January 14 at 4:00PM

Oak Park Ed Foundation is teaming up with Beye teachers and staff to offer some amazingly fun classes after school that will keep your kids engaged during these long, cold afternoons. The classes take place right after school so there is no extra work on your part to get your kids to another location to try something new. How great is that?!

Classes are for all Beye students, K-5th grade, and offer a variety of options including Drill Team, Multi-Sport Madness (Spanish-Immersive), Spheros Robotics (free for kids on free/reduced lunch!), Dungeons and Dragons/Table-Top Gaming and Chess. Classes run February 12th through May 10th.

Dear Parent/Guardian of 3rd and 4th grade students,

District 97 has partnered again with Lurie Children’s Hospital in order to implement Bounce Back, a skill-building resiliency program for elementary age students who have been exposed to significant stressful events/ trauma. These events might include, but are not limited to, things such as; parental separation, witnessing violence, being a victim of violence, a natural or man-made disaster, house fire or accident , being physically harmed or injured, and/or seeing someone being physically harmed. Bounce Back has been shown to be effective at reducing children’s symptoms of anxiety.

Beye’s Social Workers and School Psychologist will be facilitating this program Spring 2024 for 3rd and 4th grade students. Please call or email Lori Janu-Chossek ljanu-chossek@op97.org 708-524-3072 to learn more about this program and discuss possible screening* for your child.

*not every child who is screened will meet the criteria for participation.

A more detailed description of the program is as follows:

Description

Who

What

Essential Components:

The Beye Spelling Bees will take place during the school day at the following times:

4th and 5th Grades: Thursday, January 18 (4th = 12:45 pm; 5th = 1:45 pm)

2nd and 3rd Grades: Monday, January 22 (2nd = 12:45 pm; 3rd = 1:45 pm)

If your child would like to participate, please sign up using the link below. Homeroom teachers are sending home the lists to practice, and I included them in today's updated email.

Here is the sign-up link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfKccP1xCozZRfyn5B2LFeZw_H2eYFK519DOsubeoXaXaD_wA/viewform

AYSO Spring Soccer Registration is open until January 31st!

• Practice 1-2 times per week on week nights starting in March
• Weekly Saturday games starting April 6th (eight in total, excluding Memorial Day weekend)
• Grade level divisions, starting with kindergarten through 8th grade (some grades may be combined depending on participation)
• Uniforms provided | shin guards required | cleats recommended

Register here: https://www.ayso697.org/

Questions: info@oakparkayso.org

We are so excited that the pancake breakfast is back. We hope you can join us. Please consider signing up to help below.

Sign Up link for Pancake Breakfast volunteers

Come for the Pancakes, Stay for the PTO meeting: January 27, 10:30-11 am

“We are bringing it back! The Beye School PTO is happy to announce the three-on-three basketball tournament will be returning! We are currently looking for volunteers to help plan the event. If you’re interested in sharing your ideas, please email Michele at michelejurewicz@gmail.com“

On February 4th, the Beye PTO is hosting a Lunar New Year Celebration in the Commons from 3pm-5pm. There will be themed craft stations, story time, food, and a dragon dance! Please bring your families and join the fun! We also need your help to make this event wonderful - if you would like to volunteer for the event, please go to this sign-up form.

There are still a handful of spots available for early childhood blended classrooms at Whittier Elementary School for the 2023-24 school year!

District 97 is seeking students who:

• Are non-IEP students who will be between the ages of 3 and 4 years by Sept. 1, 2023;

• Demonstrate age-appropriate language and social skills;

• Are Oak Park residents;

• Are not enrolled in a preschool program.

Click here to apply to the 2023-24 Early Childhood Blended Program>>

For more information about the Early Childhood Blended Program, including please visit https://www.op97.org/teach-learn/ecblended.

If you have any questions, please contact the district's early childhood coordinator, Michele Suedbeck, at 708-524-3134.

Emergency Closings and E-Learning Days

Please take a moment to review the information shared in the district’s Weekly Wrap-Up on Dec. 1 regarding winter preparedness.

The district’s emergency closing and E-Learning procedures are outlined in this brief deck; full details are posted at https://www.op97.org/communications/emergency-closings.

Cold Weather Reminders for Families
District 97 believes it is important for students to have opportunities for physical activity and play time during the day—even during the cold winter months. This winter, students will be permitted to go outside for recess when the temperature, with wind chill, is 15 degrees or higher. The district utilizes the Wind Chill Chart developed by the National Weather Service.

• It is important that students dress in warm layers when cold temperatures are expected. Students should remember to bring hats, gloves/mittens, scarves, coats, snow pants and boots. It is recommended that families label these items with their children’s names.

• Our staff will carefully monitor students while outside and take the necessary steps to ensure students are appropriately clothed/prepared for the cold weather, watching out for signs of frostbite and other cold-related issues.

Keeping Our Schools Healthy

This season, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is encouraging individuals to be aware of respiratory viruses, including the flu, RSV and COVID-19. CLICK HERE to watch a brief video of everyday strategies to keep our schools healthy this winter >>

Register at www.opybs.org. Early bird rates are available through January 8, 2024.

· T-Ball Leagues: $155 early bird rate ($200 regular rate)

· All Other Leagues: $200 early bird rate ($250 regular rate)

OPYBS has moved from TeamSnap to Crossbar for registration and team management. Birth certificates are needed for new and existing players.

Aftercare on-site at Beye School, M-F through 6pm, with By Discovery:

By Discovery Art Enrichment Program currently has full and part time openings, M-F. We also have limited need-based scholarships available, offering a 50% reduction in the program fee. Jocelyne Adkins, Program Director & Lead Art Educator, is a former Beye parent who founded By Discovery in 2011 (formerly Beye Discovery). Students enjoy outdoor play everyday, weather permitting. Projects include painting, illustration, sculpture, clay, fiber/textile art, collage and printmaking. Follow us on Instagram at by_discovery_llc to see what our students are creating with us. To register, please visit https://forms.gle/YDLD31eMuELySwZg9 or visit https://www.bydiscovery.org/ For questions, please contact Jocelyne at jocelyne@bydiscovery.org Thank you!

You do not need to be a Green Team member to volunteer. There are lots of options for one time or recurring volunteering shifts.

Lunchroom sorting sign up here

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10C0E49ADA92CA4FBC70-lunchroom

Student Green Team, Earth Month Events, First Grade Garden, Shoe Drive, and Food Recovery sign up here

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10C0E49ADA92CA4FBC70-45667625-beye

The breakfast and lunch menus for our elementary and middle schools are available at http://www.op97.org/business-office/food-service. During the 2023-24 school year, students may:

• Bring a nut-free lunch from home.
• Order school lunch.

Free and Reduced Lunch Application
Students may receive meals at a free or reduced cost either by being directly approved by the State of Illinois OR being approved after completing the 2023-24 Free and Reduced Lunch Application (English/Spanish). All families who are directly approved by the state will receive an approval letter by email. If you feel your student may qualify for free or reduced priced meals but are not directly approved, we encourage you to complete the application as soon as possible Please visit https://www.op97.org/business-office/food-service for more information.

Cheryl Sullivan

Beye Principal

csullivan@op97.org

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