WHAT'S UP AT LINCOLN
Weekly Newsletter and Announcements
A Message from Principal Gordon
Dear Lincoln Families,
Happy Tuesday and week 7! While this week may come with some other concerns, it is my greatest hope that you are starting this week off with positive vibes, great remote learning and in good spirits.
As you may all know by now, the district has released the survey for the learning models, remote or hybrid. I have gotten numerous emails and I have heard many concerns. I think it is important for us to come together as a Lincoln community and converse around this topic of moving into a different learning model for trimester 2. You will find below our date and times for our Coffee and Conversation. I am still working to respond to each email but will make sure to get back to all that have contacted me. I also want to note that we are working very hard behind the scenes to try and ensure the least amount of disruption happens during this transition, acknowledging that any disruption can hinder what we are all trying to create during this time which is stability, comfort and learning. We are still in the data collection phase so some things are unknown until we have clear metrics for who will be staying fully remote and who will be in the hybrid cohorts.
While there are so many thoughts around our learning options and anxiety surrounding our choices, I want you to know that we are Lincoln strong and will work through this as a community. Thank you for your feedback, kindness and support as we move through this uncharted territory together!
Take care,
Ms. Gordon
Important Dates
October 14
The Certificate of Child Health Examination records and records of all required immunizations for all new students must be provided before October 15, 2020 to avoid exclusion from school.
October 15 - Supply Pick up:
Grades K-1 at 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Grades 2-3 at 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Grades 4-5 at 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Oct 16 - PBIS All School Celebration at 2:30 p.m. (see flyer below)
Oct 16 - Coffee and Conversation with Ms. Gordon
9:00 a.m. -10:00 a.m.
5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
*Zoom links will be sent on Thursday*
Oct 20 - Deadline to complete D97 Learning Selection Form
Oct 22-23 - Parent-teacher Conferences; student dismissal at 11:00 a.m.
Spotlight On - Little Lion's Read
A big thank you to Jennifer Zarosl and Megan Goodman for their vision and hard work preparing these books.
D97 Framework for Reopening Schools
On Friday we shared the District 97 Framework for Reopening Schools, which includes information about our remote and hybrid learning models, as well as the procedures that will be implemented to protect the health and safety of our students and staff. A shorter overview of our plans can be accessed here.
There are two upcoming opportunities for the community to learn more about the district’s planning work for Trimester 2 before completing their Learning Selection Form, which is due Oct. 20:- D97 Board of Education Meeting: Tuesday, Oct. 13 - 7 p.m.
The District 97 administrative team will provide an update on return-to-school planning during the Oct. 13 board of education meeting. Community questions will be addressed during the town hall Oct. 19 (see below).
The meeting will be held virtually, via Zoom, and will be streamed live on the district’s YouTube channel. (Click here for meeting information.)
- Virtual Town Hall: Monday, Oct. 19 - 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
District 97 will hold a virtual town hall for the community on Monday, Oct. 19. We will spend the majority of the time answering questions submitted by parents and community members. The event will be streamed live on the district's YouTube channel.
CLICK HERE to submit your questions about the district’s Trimester 2 plans by 12 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14. An outside facilitator will select questions to be answered by panelists from District 97. There will also be an opportunity to submit questions during the town hall.
District 97 Information
Next Meal D97 Meal Distribution: Tuesday, Oct. 13
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.
D97 Breakfast/Lunch Menus - October 2020
Stamped' Family and Community Discussions
District 97 students, families and community members are invited to participate in a three-session discussion on the book Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Dr. Ibram X. Kendi. Attendees will join together for a presentation followed by discussions in separate breakout rooms.
In conjunction with Brooks and Julian middle schools' fall curriculum read, the sessions will follow along with the chapters being read by students and staff. Breakout sessions will be led by students from Dominican University, who will follow a peace circle format and draw on the Stamped Educator's Guide.
Events will be held:
- Tuesday, Oct. 20 - 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (click here to register)
- Tuesday, Nov. 17 - 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (click here to register)
- Tuesday, Dec. 1 - 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. (click here to register)
These sessions are made possible with the support of: District 97 staff; Oak Park and River Forest School District 200; the Oak Park Public Library; the E-Team of Oak Park; and Dominican University’s Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) group.
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.
Halloween Information for District 97 Families
Our goal in District 97 is to create a positive learning environment where all students, staff and families feel a sense of belonging. In that spirit, we have put together information and resources for regarding culturally-sensitive Halloween costumes. We appreciate families being proactive with their children in making thoughtful costume choices. Click here for more information >
Village of Oak Park: Hours for Trick-or-Treating
Official trick-or-treating hours will be 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. this year in Oak Park as public health officials offer guidelines and recommendations on how to celebrate as safely as possible with COVID-19 still present in the community. Guidelines issued by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention share a common theme - reducing close contact with those outside of a person's household, which officials say is essential to reducing the risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19. Local officials also are urging trick-or-treaters to respect the properties of those who do not wish to participate in the traditional ritual of handing out candy. More information is at www.oak-park.us/halloween.
"Mindful Middle-Schoolers" Community Talks
The Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township, Oak Park Elementary School District 97, and DePaul University’s Community Counseling Center have partnered to deliver a vast array of educational and therapeutic services to staff, families, and youth. The “Mindful Middle-Schoolers Program” will offer staff training, parent workshops, groups and counseling for middle school students in Oak Park during the 2020-21 school year. To learn more about the program and upcoming virtual talks for parents, please visit https://bit.ly/2SK0xIo.
Below is a list of upcoming community talks for parents, students and staff.
- Wednesday, October 21: Mindfully Coping: Strategies for Children and Families During a Pandemic https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mindfully-coping-strategies-for-children-and-families-during-a-pandemic-tickets-124150095277
- Thursday, October 29: Strategies to Support Executive Functioning and Self-Regulation https://www.eventbrite.com/e/strategies-to-support-executive-functioning-and-self-regulation-in-youth-tickets-124164006887
- Wednesday, November 4: Mindfulness-Based Strategies and Their Applications in Academic and HJome Environments https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mindfulness-based-strategies-in-academic-and-home-settings-tickets-124164791233
- Thursday, November 12: Technology and Mental Health: Strategies to Promote Mindful Digital Citizenship https://www.eventbrite.com/e/technology-and-mental-health-strategies-to-promote-mindful-tech-use-tickets-124165523423
Staff Shout Outs
My twins are in Mrs. Spillane’s fourth grade class and she shows such compassion and patience for the class on a daily basis. It is exhausting for the students and teachers to sit on ZOOMs all day and my twins tell me weekly how nice she is. I hear her in the breakout rooms helping with math and am thankful for her guidance and positive energy during this time. She is a treasure to have at LIncoln. Thank you Mrs. Spillane from me and my daughters!
- Lee-Ann Reinfurth
Ms. Rudin has been absolutely amazing this year. Her ability to manage her classroom, even in this new format, is so impressive and we are continuously impressed by her willingness to try new things and evolve in a way to best serve all her students. She is funny and kind and so engaging to the kids, and we are so thankful for all her hard work this year. She has been wonderful!
- Julia Jenkins
Ms. Wheatley has been so enthusiastic and brings such positive energy to the class environment during these crazy times.
- Susan Fox
My daughter has made significant progress in reading and math in the last few weeks. Ms. Cooper has instilled a growth mindset, learning is a process and mistakes are part of the learning process, this has helped my daughter take pressure off herself and focus on having fun learning! Thank you so much Ms. Cooper!
- Erin Fitzgerald
Teaching is definitely a passion and a calling. Thank you Mrs. Chase Vivas for always being so supportive and approachable. Your style of teaching and caring is remarkable. Thank you.
- Middel Family
I am so grateful that my son has Mr. Roh as a teacher this year. He is patient and understanding while at the same time setting clear and reasonable expectations for the students. His weekly newsletter includes personalized feedback on the past week and actionable items moving forward. This level of communication and thoughtfulness has alleviated a lot of stress in our household and ensures we are staying on track in this new learning environment. Thank you Mr. Roh!
- Jessica Songer
Ms. Coughlin is an awesome addition to our team of incredible teachers at Lincoln! She has quickly shown her dedication, passion and expertise. She is keeping students engaged and adjusting content/schedules as needed based on her students' needs. My son is happy to have Ms. Coughlin as his teacher, and I'm grateful she is here (virtually) at Lincoln!
- Ms. Johnson
A big shout out to Mrs. Zarosl. She is able to keep kids engaged through zoom, constantly tries new methods and pivots and corrects as needed to make them work for her students. She is patient and assertive when necessary.
- Yazil Santoyo
Ms. Jenkins has been able to create such an engaging classroom environment this fall. We have been really impressed at how organized, patient and thorough she has been over the past few weeks. She also makes time to build community and have fun in the classroom. We are so appreciative of her!
- Susan Tsan
Kudos to Sra. Nagano! She is amazing at keeping a Zoom full of 6 year olds engaged, on track and learning -- and in Spanish! We are very appreciative of all the work she has put into the school year so far. Thank you for all you do!
- Susan Tsan
Shout out to all the specials teachers! I am amazed at the creativity in their lesson plans and how they've been able to adapt their classes to Zoom. P.E., music, art and FLES are favorite subjects in our house. It has been fun to watch the kids engage and learn with these amazing teachers!
- Susan Tsan
Mrs. Weber, thank you so much for all your care and attention! We are so grateful.
- Sara Feer
We are new to the school, and Mr. Childress gave virtual tours from inside Lincoln to both of my kids' classes. They loved seeing the inside of the school for the first time, and it made them feel much more connected. Mr. C also did a Zoom call with my first grader which was really meaningful for him, and has reached out to check in with our family. We have really appreciated the extra support.
- Sara Baum
Mrs. Barker is SO PATIENT with the first graders in her class. I really appreciate her kindness and compassion with the kids during this time. Also she has been really willing to listen and has given us great suggestions for improving the remote school experience. Very grateful.
- Sara Baun
We moved to Oak Park in August, and Mrs. Roskopf was really helpful and reassuring to us before our move, as we worked on getting our kids registered at Lincoln. She has helped me with a few other questions since then and is always responsive, knowledgeable, kind, and effective at helping me do get things done!
- Sara Baum
My daughter loves being in Ms. Coughlin’s class. She finds her supportive, patient and calm. I appreciate how she gives opportunities for students to interact with each other and forms a classroom community.
- Milinovich Family
"My son is completely invested in school this year and that mostly due to Mrs. Weber! She has been able to establish a strong sense of community with her students and my son never wants to miss a moment of the school! Thank you Ms Weber, you are a truly a super hero! "
- Jessica Roberts
Our son woke up early this morning to share with us the songs he's created on Garage Band in Mr. Tangorra's music class! He is loving this! What a cool way to use technology to inspire kids! Thank you!
- Lisa Peloguin
Sra Smith makes it look so easy. Her comfort with technology makes the day run smooth. Her empathy and encouragement have made this situation bearable. Thank you for giving your students the courage and love of learning.
- Maureen Mellios
Staff Shout Out
Please click here to let us know and we will feature them in the next newsletter.
If you email the classroom teacher regarding an absence, please add lincolnattendance@op97.org to the mail.
Attendance calls will be made for all absence that are not verified.
About Us
Email: lincolnoffice@op97.org
Website: op97.org/lincoln
Location: 1111 South Grove Avenue, Oak Park, IL, USA
Phone: 708-524-3110
Twitter: @UpAtLincolnOP