January 22
Brooks News to Know
Friday, January 26 is a District Institute day. There is no student attendance on that day.
Parent-Teacher Conference on Thursday, February 8th, 2018
Families, you can anticipate receiving an email communication from the Team Leader of your student's team by the end of the day Wednesday, January 24th outlining the details of our upcoming Parent-Teacher conferences on Thursday, February 8th. If you do not receive this communication, please contact the main office. They will be able to put you in touch with the appropriate team leader to answer any of your questions about the upcoming p/t conferences.
8th Grade Graduation & Graduation Photos
The class of 2018 will graduate on Thursday, May 31 at 7:30pm at Oak Park River Forest High School. This will be a regular school attendance day for our 8th graders. Additional information will be shared with parents in the upcoming months regarding this event.
8th Grade Graduation Photos will take place on Friday, February 9th. Please see the documents below for more information.
- Graduation Picture Flyer: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5kXBeF0QX-xdUpLWUdxdFJZS2hZeE5aS2xseXVZRWJTX1ZV/view?usp=sharing
#BeBrooks97 Celebration Assembly on Thursday, January 25th
DIVCO Event
Collecting Old T-Shirts to turn them into REUSABLE Shopping Bags!
Parent 5 Essential Survey
Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey
The 2018 Illinois Parent Survey opened on Dec. 5, 2017. The survey window will close on Jan. 31, 2018. Please click on the link below and complete the survey so that we can get feedback from our Brooks stakeholders. We currently have 14% of our families that have completed the survey.
Link for parents to take the survey: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/
Oak Park Library Hosting Transgender Day of Visibility Event
The Oak Park Library visited our Rainbow Tribe club last week. They shared some information about the following opportunity with the students:
- On March 28th, the Library is hosting Transgender Day of Visibility Event - an Open Mic & Youth Art showcase. Poetry, music, performance, visual art, and other forms of expression are welcome! For more information, contact Hal Patnott at hpatnott@oppl.org
Family Education Advocacy
Family Education and Advocacy series available for family members and professionals. Please share this flyer with your contacts!
To register please visit our website: https://namimetsub.org/family-programs/family-advocacy
Recognizing Staff who Make a Difference
Thank you to those who have completed this form to recognize a GBMS staff member. All individuals receive a printed certificate highlighting your appreciation for their contributions!
Please be sure your background check has been completed if you'd like to volunteer to chaperone Field Trips
Breakfast and Lunch Menus for January
Sports and Club Information
Service Club - Book Donation Drive
Cupcake Wars is a fundraiser for EcoEagles.
SPORTING EVENTS
Girls Volleyball:
Monday, January 22nd, 2018
PRACTICE - 7:45am
AWAY GAME AT IRVING
Tuesday, January 23rd, 2018
PRACTICE - 7:45am
AWAY GAME AT UNITY
Thursday, January 25th, 2018
HOME GAME vs HERITAGE Summit
JV plays FIRST at 4pm, V plays at 5pm
OPEF VEX ROBITICS
The In-House League meets Tuesdayafternoons from 1/09-3/13 at 3:30-5 pm in Design Room D202. Drop ins are welcome at first meeting or contact Ms. Tasia Pena-Rodriguez, rm. B302.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5kXBeF0QX-xN0gtTXc2NlpOTF9EVXpzYkVjeEZSM04xNWtN/view?usp=sharing
CLUB OPPORTUNITIES (can join anytime)
Each club meets weekly, unless otherwise notated below.
- ORFF Ensemble from 8:00am to 8:50am in D104 (first meeting was on 9/18). Participation is open to all students - no audition required, but enrollment is limited to 40 students. Interested students can sign-up and pick up permission slips outside of the music room (D104). For additional information contact Mr. Carrillo - fcarrillo@op97.org. Still opportunity to join.
- Ultimate Frisbee We will only meet on Mondays for the second trimester. Still 3:30-4:40 and meeting in the third floor gym. We plan on playing different types of frisbee activities in the third floor gym or the main gym when available. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Dajani at rdajani@op97.org or Mr. Gillespie at mgillespie@op97.org. (Weather Permitting)
- Math Team from 3:30-4:30 in room B204 . The club will meet each week. Students of all interest levels are welcome. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Kahn at skahn@op97.org.
- Spoken Word from 3:30pm to 5:30 pm in room B205. If you have any questions, please email Mr. Lee at mlee@op97.org
Tuesdays
- EcoEagles from 3:30pm to 4:30pm in room C302. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Stamp at lstamp@op97.org.
- Chess Club from 3:30 to 4:45 in room B305. If you have any questions, please email Mr. Hausfeld at mhausfeld@op97.org.
- Vex Robotics In-House League from 3:30 to 5 pm in room B302, 1/9/18 to 3/13/18 with Robot Rumble on 3/10/18. You can learn more by viewing flyer or OPEF VexRobotics website. or if you have any questions, please email Ms. Pena at tpena@op97.org
- Rainbow Tribe after school until 4:30 in 2nd floor conference room next to PE classroom. Permission slip found here. Here are the dates club will meet: January: 23, February: 6, 20, March: 6, 13, April: 10,24 and May: 8, 22, 29
If you have any questions, please email Ms. Olsen at jolsen@op97.org
Wednesdays
Best Buddies If you have any questions, please email Ms. Beauprez or Ms. Touchette. Here is calendar of dates for all Best Buddies meetings.
Thursdays
- Art Club meeting from 3:30pm to 4:45pm in room D301. NO need to sign up, just show up and make art. Running now through Mid February. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Murray at kmurray@op97.org.
- Spanish Club from 3:30 to 4:30pm in room B308. Here are all the Spanish club meeting dates for the year: 1/25, 2/8, 2/22, 3/8, 3/22, 4/12, 4/26, 5/10, 5/24. If you have any questions please contact Mr. Lagioia at vlagioia@op97.org or Ms. Villalobos at cvillalobos@op97.org.
- Yearbook Club meeting from 3:30 to 4:30pm in room B202. Here are the meeting dates for remainder of the year: 1/25, 2/8 , 2/23, 3/8, 3/22 , 4/12 If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Marsha Turner-Reid at mturnerreid@op97.org or Ms. Meaghan Pabellon at mpabellon@op97.org
Fridays
- Service Club from 8am to 8:45am in room B209. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Walsh at swalsh@op97.org or Ms. Martinez at bmartiez@op97.org .
BRAVO News
BRAVO Opportunities
Guitar Club & Dance Studio are ongoing - registration forms are due to the BRAVO Office (D103). Open to ALL Brooks Students and is FREE to join! For more info visit: bravoperformingarts.org
Spring Musical Auditions: February 5-8. Check website for further details starting in January
inSPirED Workshop: February 10th. Keep an eye out for signup details!
NEEDED: Pizza lunch volunteers on Fridays from 10:55am-1:15pm. E-mail bravo@op97.org if you are available and interested!
BRAVO EARNS HIGHEST HONORS AT THE JUNIOR THEATER FESTIVAL! BRAVO celebrated their 10th consecutive year at JTF, 9 years of showcasing and 9 years of receiving the coveted Top Honor at the national theater festival ! Out of 119 groups from around the world BRAVO was honored with Outstanding Premiere Performance - the new top tier!
BRAVO performed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on the Main Stage for 6000 screaming, supportive, amazing fans! 54 students represented our amazing program, GBMS, Oak Park and the state of Illinois!!!
Aidan Green was awarded Technical Theater All Star and seven students, Rachel Czuba, Gabe Jackson, Gabe Huang, Ruby Nelson, Ava Moder, Samantha Greene, and Maya Klippel were selected to perform in NYC this summer in the filming of a Choreography DVD.
Congratulations BRAVO students, staff Tina Reynolds and Randi Orlin and the creative team including Lisa Morrow, Kaylin Horgan, Cameron Burgess and Lisa Green and the amazing and awesome seven chaperones that attended, worked tireless and cheered loud. Bravo represented 109 at the Festival and we couldn’t be more proud.
Congratulations BRAVO for all of the festival accomplishments!
Get connected to PTO
PTO Information
Earn money for the Brooks PTO: When you shop at Amazon, begin your shopping through the link here and our PTO will earn 0.5% of your total sale, at no expense to you. First time Amazon Smile shoppers will find our organization by typing Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School Parent-Teacher Organization. Thank you for your continued support.
Subscribe to PTO Bulletin:
- The link to subscribe for families is http://eepurl.com/cgOObT
Next DIVCO Meeting is Tuesday, January 30th from 7pm to 8pm in the Brooks Commons- If you missed the last Brooks Diversity meeting, but still want to be involved in leading and shaping this new initiative, the next meeting is on Tuesday January 30, 2018 at 7:00p.m-8:00p.m in Brooks Commons. You may reach out to the committee Chair, Renee Dixon and RSVP via email at sheritaj75@gmail.com. Your voice is important, encouraged, welcomed, and essential for Brooks success.
Next Community meeting is Monday, February 5th, 2018 at 7pm in the media center.
Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School
Email: acapuder@op97.org
Website: op97.org/brooks
Location: 325 S Kenilworth Ave, Oak Park, IL, United States
Phone: (708) 524-3050
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/108994473138309/
Twitter: @brooksop97