WHAT'S UP AT LINCOLN
Weekly Newsletter
A Message from Lincoln's Building Leaders
Thank you for your continued support of our Lincoln students and wonderful staff.
We understand that this time of change is concerning to you as parents. We would like you to know that the leadership of the school has had a seamless transition. The three of us are working closely together to make sure that the needs of the students and staff are being met. The important work of educating your children continues to be our top priority.
Please reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.
Cathy Hamilton
Sheila Carter
Paula Hughes
Introducing Sheila Carter and Cathy Hamilton
CATHY HAMILTON
I’ve been an educator for 35 years, 30 of those years in District 97. I taught 1st grade for four years before coming to Oak Park. After teaching one year at Mann Elementary School I moved to Lincoln School as a 4th grade teacher. I left the classroom to become the Assistant Principal at Lincoln. I served as the Principal of Lincoln School from 2002 to 2017. For the past two years I’ve worked as an HR administrator in District 97.
It is a pleasure to return to the school I call home and am excited to be a part of the UP AT LINCOLN family again!
SHEILA CARTER
It is an honor to be back at Lincoln school where I started my 38 year career in District 97. Over these years I have taught 2nd through 4th grade at Lincoln and Whittier, was the Assistant Principal at Lincoln School for 5 years and spent seventeen years as the Principal at William Hatch School until my retirement in 2015.
I have enjoyed getting to know the staff and students over these past months. I was especially thrilled to find out that Mrs. Zarsol (1st grade teacher) was in my very first class!
Calendar Events and Reminders
February 13 - Girls On The Run Registration Deadline (details below)
February 17 - NO SCHOOL for President's Day
February 19 - District 97 Town Hall Meeting (details below)
February 28 - End of Second Trimester
Save the date:
March 11 - Red Carper Recital (4th and 5th grade Band Students) 7:00 p.m.
March 12 - 12th Annual Hungry Minds Pasta Dinner
Lincoln Carnival
Thank you to all the parents and staff who volunteered their time and energy. Thank you families for your continued support of our school. A very special thank you to Shannon Burke, the chair of the Carnival Committee for all she did to make this event such a success.
District 97 Town Hall Meeting
Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey
As of today, Lincoln has a response rate of 25%. Last year we had a 33% parent participation rate. Our goal for this year is 40%. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey.
The parent survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. You may skip questions you do not wish to answer, but the survey must be completed in one sitting and cannot be retrieved once it is submitted. If you have more than one child enrolled in a building (i.e., two students who attend the same school), you have the option of completing multiple surveys for that building. In addition, if you have children enrolled in multiple schools (i.e., a District 97 elementary school and middle school), you may participate in the survey for each school. However, only one parent/guardian per household may fill out the survey.
Please complete the survey today! It can be accessed until Friday, February 14, 2020 by visiting http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/.
You can access general information about the Illinois 5Essentials Survey by visiting https://illinois.5-essentials.org/.
Girls on the Run
Registration for the 2020 Girls On The Run program is now open. You can register your daughter in grades 3rd-5th here. Girls must be registered by February 13th!
Our season runs from mid-March until the end of the school year 2x a week culminating in a 5k downtown in Grant Park! We will meet on Tuesdays & Thursdays at Lincoln from 3:00pm - 4:15pm.
Want to learn more about the Girls On The Run program? Click here to watch a video about the program and to see some current and former Lincoln Lions who participated in the program!
District 97 News and Upcoming Events
The District 97 Student Services Department will host a parent workshop, "Developing Your Child's IEP," on Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Holmes School, 508 N. Kenilworth Ave. Staff will provide a step-by-step guide to understanding the IEP process. Childcare will be available. Event flyer
Lake Street Improvement Project
After several years of planning and community input, the Lake Street Improvement Project is getting underway in 2020 with the goals of improving traffic circulation and capacity, enhancing pedestrian and bicycle linkage between retail districts, replacing aging roadway and utilities, and strengthening Lake Street's role as the community's central tourism and retail corridor. To stay informed please attend one of the community open houses below or visit https://www.betterlakestreet.com/ for the latest updates, project overview and communication regarding project timelines and street closures/detours.
- Tuesday, Feb. 11, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at OPRF Museum, 129 Lake St.
- Thursday, Feb. 13, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Nineteenth Century Club, 178 Forest Ave.
Parent Information Session - Single Subject/Whole Grade Acceleration
For families who are seeking single subject or whole grade acceleration for the 2020-21 school year, the district will be hosting a Parent Information Session on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Lincoln Elementary School, 1111 S. Grove St. The session will include a presentation that outlines the process and requirements. 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.
"Mindful Middle-Schoolers" Program for Grades 5 -8
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 2019-20 school year. To learn more about the program and upcoming talks for parents, please visit https://www.op97.org/news/1673321/mindful-middle-schoolers-community-talks-2020.
Below is a list of upcoming community talks for parents, students and staff.
- Wednesday, Feb 26 (Brooks): Strategies to support executive functioning and self-regulation development based upon brain science http://bit.ly/37DtBqF
- Thursday, Feb 27 (Brooks): Understanding depression in youth and strategies for treatment and support http://bit.ly/2S6Q5cT
"Food Free in Three"
During the 2019-20 school year, District 97 will be in Phase 2 of "Food Free in Three." This means that celebrations can include food from the following four categories: fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and packaged popcorn and pretzels that are nut safe. More information about this initiative can be found at https://www.op97.org/health-services/food-free-in-three.
About Us
Email: lincolnoffice@op97.org
Website: op97.org/lincoln
Location: 1111 South Grove Avenue, Oak Park, IL, USA
Phone: 708-524-3110