Whittier Wildcat Word!
Friday, September 23, 2022
A Message from Principal Robinson
Greetings, Whittier Wildcats,
A huge thank you to the Whittier PTO and Community for the new basketball courts that have been added to our blacktop. Our scholars and staff have had some exciting experiences already during recess and other times during the day. Thank you to everyone that was part of the process!
Another great week of school and a three-day weekend to look forward to with family and friends! Please enjoy the first weekend of the fall season!
Don't hesitate to contact us (708-524-3080) if you have any questions. If you need to schedule a meeting with Mrs. McComb-Williams or me, please contact Ms. McGee (amcgee@op97.org) or Mrs. Alexander (ljohnson1@op97.org) at 708-524-3080 to schedule an appointment.
I hope you and our Scholars have a fantastic weekend.
Sincerely,
Patrick CL Robinson
Whittier School Principal
Whittier School - Where I Belong!
WHITTIER WILDCAT WORD STAFF SPOTLIGHT
JOHANNA COUSIN: 2ND GRADE TEACHER
Hello! My Name is... Johanna Cousin.
I am…a Whittier 2nd Grade Teacher. This is my fourth year at Whittier and my fifth year teaching in District 97. I have been teaching 13 years in total.
My favorite color is…Neon Pink.
What I like most about Whittier is...how Whittier is not only a school but it is a learning environment that provides a family atmosphere and supportive community. This includes the teachers, administration, staff, and parents.
If I had a SuperPower it would be… Why? The power of Speed like the superhero Flash. There is never enough time in a day to do all the amazing and not so amazing things on your to do list professionally and personally.
If I was an animal I would be a/an… because…I would be a dolphin. Dolphins are beautiful and intelligent creatures. They are known to be protective, gentle, compassionate, chatty, and very social. All great qualities in my opinion ;). I also love to swim.
What advice would you give the scholars of Whittier? Never be afraid or ashamed to be you. No one is perfect. Mistakes helps us grow and Differences are what makes us Special.
Upcoming Dates
September 2022:
Sep 26th
- No School - Rosh Hashanah
October 2022
Oct 5th
- No School - Yom Kippur
Oct 10th
- No School - Indigenous People day
Oct 12th
- PTO Fun Run
Oct 21st
- Picture Day
October 24th - 28th
- Book Fair
Let's Celebrate Hispanic/Latinx Heritage at Whittier!!!
1- Share which country your child/children's heritage is from.
2- Write something from their heritage they would like to highlight.
3- Email me a picture & names of your child and other family members. Please include who is your child/children's homeroom teacher(s).
At school, we will celebrate our annual Hispanic/Latinx Heritage week in October. Details coming soon!
Muchas gracias,
Sra. Aguirre
SECOND STEP: SEL CURRICULUM SUMMARY FOR THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 19TH!
Lesson 4
We’re well into teaching our social emotional learning curriculum, Second Step! Our Kindergarten and 1st grade students are continuing to focus on important foundational skills to help them learn. This past week they learned to apply their self talk to stay focused despite distractions. Ask your student to show you their attentoscopes, another cool strategy they learned to help keep their attention on what’s important! Our 2nd graders learned the importance of using an assertive voice instead of a passive or aggressive voice to get their needs met. They practiced how to express needing help or losing an item. Our 3rd graders learned how to make a plan when they forget something or need help at school. They practiced making a simple, doable, and organized plan. Our 4th graders learned about respecting differences and our 5th graders learned about predicting feelings. Both are important skills for getting along with one another! Here are our home links for the skills they learned this week so you can make connections at home. Not every grade level has a home link each week:
Kindergarten: Self Talk for Staying on Task
First Grade: Self Talk for Learning
Fourth Grade: Respecting Similarities and Differences
Fifth Grade: Predicting Feelings
WHITTIER ADVOCACY FUND- FAMILY SUPPORT SURVEY
At Whittier, we want to support each student as best we can during these challenging times. Our PTO received financial funds from an anonymous donor that we can use to support our students and families in need.
If your scholar(s) is in need of school supplies or Whittier Wear, please take a few minutes to help us better understand how we can support your family's current needs by filling out the google form below. Someone from our school will be in touch with you within the week. Please fill this out for EACH child in your family. Thank you in advance.
https://forms.gle/zZx4YwLk3ejxQ31W9
Please note - ALL these responses will be kept confidential and can only be accessed by school social workers, the assistant principal, and the principal.
Fun Run
Whittier PTO's annual Fun Run Fundraiser went Live September 12! Join us in our annual fundraiser with a variety of prizes(We need a Prize Sourcing Volunteers!) and on October 12th the kids run, take on the obstacle course with music and fun. Learn More and register today!
Grade Level PlayDates Are Here!
New this year, each Sunday through October the PTO Liaisons will be hosting a meetup at Field Park. More details to come:
September 18th - Kindergarten
September 25th - 1st Grade
October 2nd - 2nd Grade
October 9th - 3rd Grade
October 16th - 4th Grade
October 30th - 5th Grade
WISE Registration is still open!
SMART Math Tutoring
Looking for extra math practice or enrichment? SMART will be offering a 6-week fall program to give current 2nd through 5th graders an extra boost in math, in the early evenings starting the week of October 10th. New this year based on feedback from parents and teachers: SMART will have both “regular” and “advanced” math classes this fall. The “regular” classes will practice and reinforce grade-level material and the advanced classes will go beyond grade-level material. Sessions will be taught by D97 teachers over Zoom. For more information and to register by Friday, September 23, visit www.smart-oakpark.org.
Whittier’s first Golf Scramble
September 25th
Whittier’s first Golf Scramble! Grab 3 friends or have us mix it up for you with an easy 9 hole scramble. Simply play the best ball down the course and have fun along the way! Learn More[https://whittierpto.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/206553] and sign up today!
Team Owen’s Virtual 5K October 1
Horace Mann Elementary student Owen Petrzelka lost his DIPG battle in October 2020. Since
2020, his family has organized a virtual run in conjunction with the ChadTough Foundation to
raise funds for DIPG and childhood brain cancer research. This year’s 3rd annual virtual run is
scheduled for Saturday, October 1. Participants may run/walk/bike/swim-you name it!
We want to make this day a big community event that lives up to one of Owen’s mottos of
“making someone happy is our job”. To that end, Owen’s parents, Amanda and Adam, have
plans to turn their street into a community fun zone the day of the event where community
members, whether they are running or not, can stop by throughout the day for some fun kids
activities (free), food, and live music.
- Sign-up to run: https://www.teamowen.org/RaceGroups/92431/Groups/1138487
- Donate to your school’s
team: https://www.teamowen.org/Race/92431/Donate/z5MoZKIuCl5NpO2R
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
Looking for ideas of how to celebrate with your family? Learn about Latinx culture at the first annual Convivencia: Hispanic Heritage Month Festival, Saturday, Sept. 17, 12-4 p.m., Taylor Park, 400 Division St., Oak Park. This free event is hosted by the Oak Park Regional Housing Center in partnership with the Oak Park Public Library, Park District of Oak Park and the Village of Oak Park. Enjoy Latin American foods, live music in Spanish, cultural dance, face painting, loteria, a resource fair, and more. Visit oprhc.org/convivencia/ to learn more.
District 97 Halloween Letter 2022
Dear District 97 Families,
For those of our families who celebrate Halloween, many of you are starting to discuss costume choices with your child. Although students are not required to wear costumes, we recognize that they are a fun and creative part of our schools' Halloween activities.
Our goal is to create a positive learning environment where all students, staff and families feel a sense of belonging. In that spirit, we ask that you take care to ensure that your child’s costume choice does not portray a stereotypical image of any group of people or culture, or be offensive to any one racial, ethinic or religious group. We appreciate you being proactive with your child in making thoughtful costume choices.
To support you in your conversation with your child and to build your understanding around this topic, we have compiled links to resources that you may find helpful:
- "I Am Not a Costume" (information about Laurier Students' Public Interest Research Group campaign): http://www.lspirg.org/costumes/
- “We’re a Culture, Not a Costume” (article about Ohio University campaign): https://www.cnn.com/2011/10/26/living/halloween-ethnic-costumes/index.html
- "Teaching Tolerance: Teach About Blackface and Other Racist Halloween Choices" (written for educators, but provides useful prompts for discussions at home): https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/teach-about-blackface-and-other-racist-halloween-choices
Thank you for your continued support of our students and schools.
Oak Park Elementary School District 97
School Lunches - Milk Only Charge
As a reminder, if your student takes milk only during lunch, there is a cost of $.45 per carton, regardless of your family's school meal eligibility status. If you have not already done so, please add funds into your student’s meal account to accommodate the milk only charge. If your student takes the full school meal, milk is included. Thank you!
School Fees
IGOV
Learn about green transportation, lowering energy bills, planting native gardens and more. Click for more details >> https://bit.ly/3DnGM1u.
Imagine OPRF Project 1 Tours and IGOV Meeting
Strengthening Families Program
Places and Faces Event: People You Should Know to Help Our Community Grow
Community Voices Report
- Saturday, Sept. 17, 9-11 a.m. @ Proviso East High School
- Saturday, Sept. 24, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. @ Oak Park Public Library Main Branch
- Tuesday, Sept. 27, 6-8 p.m. online
NEW Combined Student and Family Handbook for 2022-23
This year, the district worked to merge the Effective Student Behavior Handbook and Family Handbook into one comprehensive resource, the Student-Family Handbook, in order to streamline information for families and staff. The new handbook contains important information regarding school policies, procedures, student rights and responsibilities, and important notifications required by state and federal law.
The purpose of this handbook is to outline the expectations for building an educational community where everyone feels safe, included and able to learn. Having shared expectations, procedures and policies helps us respect all members of the school community in which we learn and work every day. Please take the time to read through the handbook and review it with your child.
Technology Update
*NEW* Process for Reporting Positive COVID-19 Cases to D97 Schools
If a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19, they must complete the following steps:
1) To notify the school nurse and receive a return-to-school date, families/staff must complete the confidential COVID-19 Positive Case Notification Form as soon as possible following the positive test. Information provided will also be shared with the Oak Park Department of Public Health.2) Families must continue to report student absences via the school attendance line, and staff must enter their absences in Frontline.
To see the rules for isolation and quarantine, click here. Additional resources are linked below.
As always, thank you for your continued collaboration and support. Enjoy your weekend!
John Greenleaf Whittier Elementary
Where You Belong!
Principal
Twitter: @PCLRobinson
Chasity McComb-Williams
Assistant Principal
Twitter: @mccombwilliams
Website: og97.org
Location: 715 North Harvey Avenue, Oak Park, IL, USA
Phone: 708-524-3080