Christian's Weekly Communication
December 14, 2020
A Message from the Principal Christian
It is hard to believe, but we are already approaching the end of the year 2020. Trimester 1 grades were posted and finalized, yesterday, Friday, December 11th. Please be sure to check your students PowerSchool student portal to evaluate their academic progress. The learning curve for remote learning is not easy but maintaining communication between school and home continues to be vital for our students’ success.
Jeremy E. Christian, Principal
Zoom, Zoom, Zoom...
The Julian Administrative team and Staff is encouraging each parent/guardian to have collaborative conversations with your student regarding their active engagement with Zoom screens. We have noticed a large number of students with their screens “off” or “blank” which makes it virtually impossible for teachers to gauge student understanding, or lack thereof due to facial expression and/or body movement. We are encouraging the following:
Contact Teachers Directly about Student Video "On"
If you are a parent who wants their child's camera to be on during class, please take a moment to email your student's teachers directly to let them know. This will help teachers be aware which students have parents who want their cameras on and will give them some support for encouraging students to show their faces.
(Could you imagine teaching to an empty screen all day?) The district and school do not have a firm policy regarding having cameras on, allowing parents and students to decide what works best for their family. Teachers, staff, and Administration encourages parents to contact teachers directly to share their individual desires. The hope is that by helping increase student faces on the screen, it might in the end be better for all, students and teachers alike.
December 2020 Menus and Meal Distributions
Next Meal D97 Meal Distribution: Tuesday, Dec. 15
Meals will be provided free of cost this fall to any District 97 student in need. Each bag of food will contain five breakfasts and five lunches.
Meal distributions will be held every Tuesday, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Longfellow Elementary School (for Julian and feeder schools), 715 S. Highland Ave., and Brooks Middle School (for Brooks and feeder schools), 325 S. Kenilworth Ave.
Mental Health Wellness Appointments for Students
Continued Social-Emotional Wellness Check-Ins for Students
District 97 school psychologists and nurses have collaborated to offer access to virtual mental health wellness checks at each school this fall. Parents may sign up children for 25-minute Telehealth sessions where they can access an open ear for their sources of stress and learn self-care and coping strategies. Students may attend up to three sessions per trimester and may then be referred for other school-based supports if needed.
To sign up or learn more about these services, please visit https://bit.ly/3m3Xece.
If your child is experiencing an immediate mental health crisis, please do not use this service and instead call the Thrive 24-Hour Crisis Hotline at 708-383-7500. You may also refer to this local resource guide created by the Community Mental Health Board of the Oak Park Township.
Spoken Word! & Gradewide Poetry Slam!
Join us!
Mark your calendars for Thursday Dec. 17 at 5 pm for the first-ever virtual poetry slam--the culminating event for all 15 classrooms of Julian 7th graders who have all completed a week-long spoken word residency with guest poet, "Miss Mo" during their Language and Literature classes over the past few months. The program is sponsored by the Oak Park Education Foundation (OPEF) in partnership with District 97. The winners from every 7th grade class will perform online in front of an enthusiastic panel of judges, who will select a final group of winning poet performers.
To join this event, please click the link below on THURSDAY DEC. 17 at 5 PM
https://op97-org.zoom.us/j/87926084463?pwd=TmlOdExNVVBab3JEa3l3TzdxcExWZz09
Passcode: 126052
Or iPhone one-tap :
US: +13126266799,,87926084463#
Parent Information Session for Single Subject/Whole Grade Acceleration
Parent Information Session - Single Subject/Whole Grade Acceleration
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.
Positive Youth Development
PYD has two things coming up and the first is a Virtual Holiday Craft Hour with +PYD’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC).
All 6th-8th graders are invited to join next Tuesday @ 3:30pm on Zoom. We also have a limited number of craft kits
available for pick up at the Township office as well! This is an opportunity for middle schoolers to meet new people and do something fun!
Second, is a flier about our Community Conversation Playing cards. They are a regular deck of cards but also have conversation starters for parents to use to start difficult conversations with their teens. Topics include mental health, healthy relationships, and substance use. The cards are free and available for pick up at the Oak Park Township, 105 S. Oak Park Ave. We are hoping families will join in on the fun and post pictures on social media for an opportunity to win prizes! Game night with a twist!