Whittier Wildcat Word!

A Message from Principal Robinson

Greetings, Whittier Wildcats,

It was great seeing all of our families on Thursday, September 15th, for Curriculum Night. We hope everyone had a wonderful time, and we look forward to many more opportunities for our families to gather in the building throughout the school year.

Please click on the links below to view Whittier's Leadership Welcome and the Special Areas' Curriculum Night Presentations.

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!

CHRISTINE JAMROSZ: SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST

Hello! My Name is Christine Jamrosz
I am a Speech Language Pathologist and this is my fifth school year at Whittier.
My favorite color is blue
What I like most about Whittier is I laugh everyday. The staff and students are such a fun bunch.
If I had a SuperPower it would be teleportation. You can go wherever you want to go, and I love to travel.
If I was an animal I would be a dog because dogs are loyal and gentle creatures to those around them.
What advice would you give the scholars of Whittier? Be kind to yourself, self-compassion is a key component of success.

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!

Rock The Rims celebration and dedication

September 17th

Rock The Rims celebration and dedication! We Rai$ed The Rims and now they are here, so let's Rock them! Join us September 17th @ 12pm for music, food, drinks as we change out the nets and cut the ribbon with Principal Robinson. Let's play 3 on 3 and really Rock The Rims pick up games! BYOB( bring your own ball)

All Whittier families and the surrounding Whittier community are welcome

WISE Registration is still open!

Jewelry Making, Yoga and more still have open slots. Review the courses here and register here.

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.

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

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!

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and our teachers, staff and community have begun to celebrate and pay tribute to the contributions and history of Hispanic Americans. We'd love to hear how you are honoring the unique achievements, contributions and histories of Hispanic Americans this month! Tweet us (@OakPark97, using the hashtags #MyD97 and #D97Joy) to share stories and photos or email us at d97feedback@op97.org.

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.

IGOV

The Intergovernmental Committee of Oak Park (IGOV) is hosting an informational workshop called "Plug into the Climate Action Going On in Oak Park" in the cafeteria of Oak Park and River Forest High School, 201 Scoville Ave, on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome!

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

Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 is hosting another round of Imagine OPRF Project 1 tours on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The tours will follow the iGOV meeting which will take place that same morning at the high school. Similar to our Open House last May, the tours will be self-guided, and visitors can see the new Student Resource Center, new classrooms, and the revamped South Cafeteria, Student Commons, and Welcome Center. Click here to view the event flyer >>

Strengthening Families Program

The Strengthening Families Program is a free, evidence-based prevention program for families with children ages 7 to 17. The 12-week program will teach effective parenting skills, healthy communication, stress management skills, conflict resolution and more. The program will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Tuesday from Oct. 4, 2022, through Dec. 13, 2022. Click here to view the program flyer >>

Places and Faces Event: People You Should Know to Help Our Community Grow

The OPRF Office of Equity and Student Success is pleased to invite you to "Places and Faces: People You Should Know to Help our Community Grow" at Oak Park and River Forest High School on Sept. 27, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Meet teachers, administrators, support staff, and student leaders of color. Learn more about activities and resources for students. Take a student-led tour of recent facility updates and more! Light refreshments will be served. If special accommodations are needed, please contact tgarland@oprfhs.org by Sept. 20. (The event is geared toward parents, but anyone in the community may attend.) Click here to view the event flyer >>

Community Voices Report

Families, students and neighbors are invited to Community Voices, a series of free, public events driven by and for the community to pursue lasting change. The Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation will be sharing our community needs assessment, which reveals the most pressing needs in our area, what the data tells us, and how the power of our community will guide our future to a racially just society.

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

More information is at https://www.oprfcf.org/community-voices.

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.

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.

John Greenleaf Whittier Elementary

Where You Belong!

Patrick CL Robinson

Principal

probinson@op97.org

Twitter: @PCLRobinson

Chasity McComb-Williams

Assistant Principal

cmccomb-williams@op97.org

Twitter: @mccombwilliams

715 North Harvey Avenue, Oak Park, IL, USA 708-524-3080 og97.org

Accessibility

Lakresha Johnson

Whittier Wildcat Word!

Friday, September 16, 2022

Whittier Wildcat Word!

Friday, September 16, 2022

A Message from Principal Robinson