The Hawk
Holmes Elementary School - Week Ending 10/11/2019
Schools Are Open Monday, Oct. 14, 2019
School Fees
Letter to District 97 Families about Halloween Costumes
Family Math Night
Please come join us for this family event where you will have fun while practicing your math skills.
Community Resources
Coffee and Conversation with Dr. Zelaya and Ms. Asgharzadeh
We are hoping to establish a regular routine of informal coffees to engage families in conversations around topics such as; our school improvement goals, equity initiatives at Holmes, or just come ask us questions you may have.
Oct. 15 Board Meeting - GTD Update
Families are invited to hear an update on recent changes to the district's GTD (Gifted, Talented and Differentiation) services to increase access to math enrichment for all students. The administration will also update the board on the implementation of the Illinois Accelerated Placement Act.
Attendance of Children at OPRF Sporting Events
Oak Park and River Forest High School welcomes the community to our athletic events. To ensure the safety of all attendees, we are implementing the following rule, effective immediately:
Children ages 11 and younger will not be allowed to attend OPRF High School athletic events unless they are accompanied by an adult age 18 or older.
We have had significant behavioral issues with unaccompanied children under the age of 12 at our first two football home games this season. In addition, many of these events end late in the evening, and we are concerned about unaccompanied children getting home safely. Thank you for your cooperation.
THANKSGIVING MEAL PROGRAM
IMPORTANT DATES/THINGS TO REMEMBER
- Kindergarten Field Trip - 10/14
- 5th Grade Outdoor Education - 10/15-10/16
- Movie Night - 10/18 - 6:00-8:15
- Parent-Teacher Conferences - Students dismissed at 11:00 - 10/24
- Parent-Teacher Conferences - Students dismissed at 11:00 - 10/25
- Coffee and Conversation with Dr. Zelaya and Ms. Asgharzadeh - 8:05 - 10/25
- Picture Day Re-takes - 10/28
- Family Math Night - 10/29 - 6:00-7:30
- Halloween Parade and classroom celebrations (details to follow) - 10/31
- No School - Teacher Institute Day - 11/1
Holmes Spirit Wear Store is Open!
Click here to order!
Celebrate Holmes Staff
Families, have you noticed a Holmes teacher or staff member who deserves a compliment or a thank you? Has this person made a difference for your child? Please share the reason in a brief email to me (czelaya@op97.org) so that we may recognize and thank them!
Community Hawk Nest
We need your help and feedback! The Holmes PTO worked with its board, parents, and teachers in the Spring of 2019 to update its 5-year-old by-laws to make the by-laws more inclusive of non-PTO executive board members, teachers, with a strong focus on equity. We made changes over the summer and are ready for more feedback! Please email christinawelter@gmail.com by October 21 if you're interested in joining a workgroup to review the revised by-laws for presentation and voting at the November 20 PTO Community Meeting. The PTO by-laws will be posted for everyone to review by November 13, 2019.
2. FUNDraise to FUNraise is our motto & $25,000 is our 19/20 goal. Donations support; FREE Fall Carnival, FREE Pancake Breakfast + scholarships for after school programs and more.
Here’s how we are doing so far and here are our remaining goals.
- Pre-packaged School Supplies - $1,500 Raised
- Popcorn Sales - $5,928 Raised
- November 1st, TriviAuction Night @ 19th Century Club - $15,000 Goal
- Direct Donation Drive - $7,500 Goal
- Spring Parent Night - $1,500 Goal
- Scrip Holiday Giftcards - $1,000 Goal
- BookFair - $4,000 Goal
Here’s how you can help right now!!!
1- PURCHASE TICKETS FOR THE HOLMES PTO HAUNTED TRIVIAUCTION, Friday, Nov 1st from 7-11P @ Nineteenth Century Club here https://dime.io/events/triviauction2019
What’s TriviAuction? Imagine an adult costume party + Fun Trivia + Silent Auction + Live Auction + Raffle ALL in ONE. Come solo or put together your team of 8. I promise you will have a great time.
2 - Auction Donations Needed
We need your help stocking our AUCTION. If you or a business you are associated with can contribute, we’d be very grateful. Suggested donations include; experiences (tickets, tickets, tickets), sports memorabilia, gift cards, themed packages (like Spa Day or Date Night or Family Picnic or Family Game Night or Fitness), Local Business services & expertise, or anything else your experience, ingenuity, and personal contacts have to offer.
Please complete this form.
3. DINE OUT TIME!!
Do you love our after school Edge program? So do we!! We need your help to continue this awesome program for the years to come. Interested in an Edge Board position on the PTO? Great!! Fill out this form and let us know! DO YOU LOVE THE BOOK FAIR? OR MAYBE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SOME OF OUR BOARD POSITIONS? IF you are and want to be a part of an awesome growing Holmes community please let us know. We would love to have you!! Please fill out this short form!! https://forms.gle/m18vFpnq89tskZhc8
PTO Meetings This Year
As a PTO, we recognize how difficult it is for parents to commit to attending monthly morning or evening meetings. This year we are excited to share that we will focus more on ways to engage our Community Nest in fun family-friendly events such as those listed below. We will also be adding a math and a literacy night to our lineup that is both educational and fun.
Based on our PTO by-laws, we will have two community/budget meetings this year. The first one is 11/20/19 and the second meeting will be in the Spring on 5/20/20. Be sure to mark your calendars!
Dr. Christine Zelaya
Email: czelaya@op97.org
Website: http://www.op97.org/holmes/
Location: 508 N Kenilworth Ave, Oak Park, IL, United States
Phone: 708-524-3100
Facebook: facebook.com/christine.zelaya.96
Twitter: @ChristineZelaya
Contact your PTO
Email: pto@holmespto.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolmesPTO/
Twitter: @HolmesPTO
A Note From Nurse G
It is time to start thinking and being vigilant about lice.
Adult head lice are gray insects about 1/8” long. They can be difficult to see since they avoid light. The nits or eggs are smaller, have an elongated bead or teardrop shape and are cemented on the hair shaft near the root. They resemble dandruff but cannot be flicked off the hair shaft. Nits can only be removed by pulling them off the full length of the hair strand manually. Itching of the head can be a common symptom; however, students are often unaware that head lice are present.
Head lice bugs are transferred from one person to another by direct contact with an infested person’s head or by contact with personal items such as hats, headgear, combs, brushes, bedding or upholstered items. Lice do not jump or fly...they crawl. Re-infestation occurs when there are nits left undetected that hatch, and a live bug is once again present.
If the school is notified that a student is found to have live lice, you will receive an email or letter with information on how to treat your child with a pesticide such as RID or Nix, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Additionally, combing of the hair to remove nits needs to be done with a special comb. Combing of the hair should take place daily to remove any leftover nits. Re-treatment with a pesticide is recommended in 7-10 days.
Please stress to your child not to share hats, combs, coats, or hair accessories. This will decrease the risk of transmission. Classroom head checks will not be performed as they are not recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
We ask that you notify the School Nurse if you suspect your child has lice. Additionally, the School Nurse can do head checks per parent/teacher request in the event of a suspected case of lice.
Be vigilant. Check your child’s head often. Click here for more information.