Pirate's Cove
October 1st through October 8th
Traduzca este boletín al Español
National Hispanic Heritage Month - September 15th through October 15th
Hispanic Heritage Month is the celebration of Hispanic Americans. September 15 is the independence day of several Spanish-speaking countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Additionally, on September 16, Mexico celebrates its independence, and on September 18, Chile celebrates its independence. Hispanic people come from 20 different Spanish-speaking countries. Some are born in the United States and learn Spanish as their first language, while others simultaneously learn English and Spanish. There is no single history of people of Hispanic or Latino heritage coming from other countries to the United States because each story is different. Therefore, from September 15 through October 15, we celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of those whose ancestors came from Mexico, Spain, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
Plank Junior High would like to recognize the accomplishments of four American women of Hispanic and Latina descent. These women's achievements are in science, social activism, literature, law, and the arts.
Sonia Maria Sotomayor is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was nominated by President Barack Obama on May 26, 2009, and has served since August 8, 2009. Justice Sotomayor is the first Hispanic and Latina member of the Court.
Ellen Ochoa is an engineer, a former astronaut, and the Johnson Space Center's former director. In 1993 Ellen Ochoa became the first Hispanic woman to go to space. She served on a nine-day mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery.
Rosa María Perez was born in Brooklyn, New York, and is of Puerto Rican descent. She is an actress, community activist, talk show host, author, dancer, and choreographer, and her film breakthrough performance was her portrayal of Tina in Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing."
Sandra Cisneros is a poet, short story writer, novelist, essayist, performer, and artist whose work explores the working-class's lives. She was born in Chicago, IL, and attended Loyola University of Chicago (B.A. English, 1976) and the University of Iowa (M.F.A. Creative Writing, 1978). Sandra Cisneros is a dual citizen of the United States and Mexico. Her classic, coming-of-age novel, The House on Mango Street, has sold over six million copies, has been translated into over twenty languages, and is required reading in high school and universities across the nation.
Principal's Message
Pirate Families!
October 1st marks the beginning of Bullying Prevention Month. At Plank, we take teasing, name calling, and bullying very seriously. Below, you will find an anonymous reporting tool that students and families can used to report incidents to Plank administration. We are notified any time that this form is submitted with the report. We encourage all of our students to say something when they see something. Lately, we have had many students reporting incidents to the office regarding our bathroom vandalism. We greatly appreciate the reports that students complete to help keep our school safe and clean. We work hard at trying to be able to resolve the problem, and put measures in place that prevent the continuation of bullying activity. However, we will always need the help of parents. Please stress the importance of being kind, treating others with respect, and the significant social impact of those that are bullied. We ask that all students be part of the solution, to not be a bystander, and to stand up and report bullying when they see or hear it.
Apparently, there is an internet meme circulating that establishes a schedule for Tik Tok challenges like the "Deviant Lick" challenge that vandalized and damaged school bathrooms around the country. Unfortunately, the challenges that are encouraged on this meme encourage criminal activity. We are aware of the reported October challenge, which calls for students to inappropriately touch a staff member. We want to remind all parents and students that this type of behavior will not be tolerated, consequences will be issued, and students may face criminal assault charges. Please talk with your children about the potential dangers of social media, peer pressure, and appropriate behavior at school. Our students are good students, and we do not want them to find themselves making a terrible decision for social media "likes."
Plank is also hiring! We are in need of several positions throughout Plank, such as Teaching Assistants, Long Term Substitute Teachers, A Dean's Assistant, ad Crossing Guards. Please visit our Employment opportunities page to view all opportunities and/or complete an online application!
Continue to review the expectations on our What to Expect at Plank presentation with your child. We are going through these expectations with students during our first weeks of school as well. Continual reinforcement of our expectations for students is important to get back into the routine of school. You can find our presentation here>>>. LINK
The staff at Plank Junior High is committed to serving the students and parents of the surrounding community. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, and we can work together to find solutions. I can be reached at 630-551-9400 and thaymond@sd308.org. We look forward to partnering with you and your child throughout the year.
Always in partnership,
Tyler Haymond
Principal
Plank Junior High School
Plank Anonymous Reporting
Plank has a system for reporting anonymously. Click the link below to fill out an incident report to let the Principal and Assistant Principals know what happened.
Important upcoming dates
9/15 through 10/15 - Hispanic Heritage and History Month
10/4 -10/13 Kendall County Community Food Drive
10/5 - Plank Restorative Practice Title I Night
10/7 - Plank Band Concert
10/8 - School Improvement Day: 3.5 hour Students Attendance - 11:40 dismissal
10/11 - NO STUDENT ATTENDANCE - Indigenous People's Day
10/22 - Picture Retake Day
10/28 - High School Credit Opt out forms are due
11/11 - 5 - hour Student Attendence (Parent-teacher conferences)
11/12 - NO STUDENT ATTENDANCE - (Parent-teacher conferences)
11/24, 25, 26 - NO STUDENT ATTENDANCE - Thanksgiving Break
Plank Title I Parent Night - October 5
Plank Junior High School - Oct. 7, 2021
Plank bands are performing the evening of October 7th. Please see the times for the performances below. Come out to support our talented students and wonderful band program.
Band Concert- 6th Grade
5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Band Concert- 7th and 8th Grade
7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
BELL SCHEDULE FOR SIP DAY (10/8)
School Improvement Day Bell Schedule (3.5 hour day)
Crew Time 8:10-8:29 (19)
1st Period 8:29-8:46 (17)
2nd Period 8:50-9:07 (17)
3rd Period 9:11-9:28 (17)
4th Period 9:32-9:49 (17)
5th Period 9:53-10:10 (17)
6th Period 10:14-10:31 (17)
7th Period 10:35-10:52 (17)
8th Period 10:56-11:13 (17)
9th Period 11:17-11:40 (23)
Home and School Meetings
Home and School Volunteer Opportunities
Peer Buddies Program
The Peer Buddies program is currently looking for volunteers!!!
What is Peer Buddies?
Peer Buddies is an opportunity for Plank Students who like to help others to volunteer in the Life Skills Program classrooms to have positive peer interactions with students who have disabilities / special needs.
Volunteers will spend time helping students complete whole class projects, reading with students, playing games, or helping with classwork / activities.
Your child would volunteer once per week and it is dependent upon their class schedule and the schedule of the LSP classrooms. Ms. Alonzo will review your child’s schedule to find the best time for them to volunteer that will not interfere with their academic classes.
Think your child would be interested in being a Peer Buddy?
Please have them come to Student Services to get a permission slip.
Any questions, please email Ms. Alonzo at ralonzo@sd308.org
Plank Announcements
TEMPORARY DISTANCE LEARNING AND ABSENCES
Remember, Temporary Distance Learning is not available for students who are absent from school for various reasons. Temporary Distance Learning only applies to students who are put on quarantine by the school/district. If your child is absent from school, they still have access to Google Classroom to obtain assignments, however, they are not able to log into the Google Meet for live instruction.
Counseling Groups Offered at Plank
Plank Junior High will be offering Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) groups for each grade level. Groups are designed to meet students’ needs through fun activities, such as games, art, teambuilding, etc. Groups will meet once a week during lunch and will be facilitated by school counselors, social workers, school psychologist and/or school speech pathologist. If you are interested in having your child participate in a group please complete and sign the attached permission slip. Permission slips are due to student services by Friday, September 24, 2021. If you have any questions, contact your student's school counselor.
2021-22 Counseling Groups:
Connections - building positive relationships with your peers.
Student Empowerment – for students who are feeling sad, depressed, stressed or anxious and need help processing their feelings and learning coping skills
Grief Group - for students who are experiencing grief from the loss of a significant person through death
Family Group - for students who are experiencing family struggles, such as divorce and separation of parents.
Mindful/Yoga Group - students will learn and practice mindfulness strategies and yoga to help reduce stress.
- Academic Success Group - students will learn skills to improve academic performance such as organization, study skills, and time management skills.
Click on the permission slip below to download the PDF form. Turn in permission slips to our Student Services Team!
OEHS and OHS Home Football Games
Future Wolves and Panthers,
OEHS and OHS football seasons has started! If you are heading out to the games, don't forget...all junior high students must be accompanied by a guardian, who is also attending the game. Junior high students wont be able to enter without a parent or guardian.
Plank Spiritwear Orders
Chromebook Insurance
ALICE PARENT/GUARDIAN LETTER
Parents/Guardians- Please read the SD308 ALICE Parent Letter linked below for information regarding ALICE and safety drills this year.
FASTBRIDGE
Access to FASTBridge Scores Via TylerSIS
FASTBridge Parent/Guardian Assessment Score Information-English
FASTBridge Parent/Guardian Assessment Score Information-Spanish
FASTBridge Benchmarking Assessment Parent/Guardian Letter
FASTBridge Parent/Guardian Letter-English
FASTBridge Parent/Guardian Letter-Spanish
Understanding Your Student's FASTBridge Scores
KENDALL COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY FOOD DRIVE 2021
Our Food Drive runs from 10/04-10/13! Winners of the Food Drive will be announced during the halftime show of the Crosstown Challenge game!
Last year, Plank was the Junior High Leader in our Fill the Bus Food Drive. Way to go, Plank families!
Information for the start of the school year
Please view the What to Expect at Plank 2021-2022 Presentation for additional information for the upcoming year!
Lea la presentación en español aquí Qué esperar en Plank - Estudiantes y padres Español 2021-2022
PE Uniforms/Lockers: Students will receive their locks and assigned a locker in PE during the first week of school. Information about this will come through PE.
Lunch: We will serve lunch during the school day this year. We have made some adjustments to our cafeteria seating to allow for social distancing seating for all students. If we need to use additional spaces in the building for lunch, we will accommodate the best we can and keep you informed.
Outside/Vendor Food - Outside vendor foods are not permitted in the lunchrooms this year. We cannot accept a delivery from a vendor (store or delivery such as Grub Hub) on behalf of a student. If a parent delivers outside food, the student will be able to receive their lunch, however, will need to eat in the Main Office and then return to lunch. Thank you.
Lockers: Students are using lockers this year (locker and combination located on the schedule email that was sent out earlier this week). We will encourage students to limit their locker usage to only a few times a day. We encourage students to take a look at their schedule and make a plan as to when the most appropriate time to go to their locker would be. (Example: before school/after school and before/after lunch, or, before school to pack for the first part of the day and then once in the middle of the day, and then at the end of the school day).
Backpacks: Students will be able to carry backpacks during the school day. Students are encouraged to ONLY bring the most important items they will need to participate in class and leave other non-essential items in their lockers.
Cell Phones: Just a reminder...a change in policy occurred last year regarding cell phones. Cell phones must be off and out of sight during the school day, from 8:10 to 3:10. If students need to contact home, they are able to use a school phone, with permission from a Plank staff member.
Buses: To find bus routes, click here for the transportation page on the district website. From there, click on Bus Routes on the left side of the page, then find Plank under the Junior High Arrival section. From there, look for your subdivision/area you live and find the closest stop to your home, which will also include your pick-up time. Please be at your bus stop 5 minutes prior to your pick-up time. Under the Junior High-Dismissal section for Plank, you will find the bus routes with the drop-off location and time.
Due to the many changes, larger student counts, the need for seating charts, and contact tracing, we will NOT be allowing students to ride buses other than their assigned one.
Chromebooks: Any incoming 6th grader, or new or returning student to Plank who has not received their Chromebook, will receive it during the first couple weeks of school. We have been distributing chromebooks to new students during lunches. If your child still needs a Chromebook, please reach out to thaymond@sd308.org.
Chromebooks that are damaged or not working will need to be turned into the Plank LRC. A loaner will be issued from the LRC until a replacement arrives or the device is repaired. See Dr. Meyer in the LRC.
Temporary Distance Learning: Students placed on Temporary Distance Learning will receive an email from one of the health office staff at Plank or from the district with the quarantine and TDL information attached. Once that is provided, then the classroom teacher will be able to allow a student into the classroom Meet Link for Temporary Distance Learning. Please understand that this could take a day or two while the health office staff is handling daily health procedures, routines, and concerns, but also information pertaining to quarantining students. While you are waiting for a member of the health office staff to contact you, the absence of the student is still considered excused.
STUDENT SERVICES INFORMATION
High School Courses: Credit Opt-Out Process
If you have a student enrolled in Algebra I, Honors English I, or Spanish I and do not want your student to receive high school credit for the class (Algebra I or Honors English I only) or wish to drop the course, please click the “Opt-Out Form” link below for further information. Opt-out forms must be completed and returned to your student’s counselor by Thursday, October 28th, 2021.
SORA APP - link on our LRC site
Pirate families and students,
Here is a direct link to the Sora app. We can no longer access Sora from the waffle.
ATTENTION ALL 6TH GRADE STUDENTS
Students entering 6th grade had their passwords reset over the summer. To reset your password, you would log into your Chromebook using your email and one of the following password options: 1) your locker combination (no dashes), 1) your birthday (6 digits, no dashes), or 3) 123456. From there, open a new window and go to mypassword.sd308.org. Enter your ID number as your username and the default password you used to log onto your computer. From there, you should be brought to a screen to complete security questions to reset your password.
Helpful Password Changing Hint: If you are also setting up your TylerSIS account, it may be wise to make both passwords the same.
Here are some directions on how to complete the password change.
* * * * * Your Input Matters to Us * * * * * *
Please take the opportunity to share your comments about our firsts weeks of school. We'd love to hear from you! Click here to tell us.
Helpful Online Safety Information for Parents
Technology has changed the way we live, work, play, learn, and interact. It is hard to keep up with all the new apps, online trends, etc. our students and children are using. Below are helpful resources for parents to learn helpful tips about online safety, how to talk to your children about online safety, and information on current apps our students and children are using.
Online Safety Information for Parents:
Stay Safe Online - National Cyber Security Alliance
Guide to Potentially Dangerous Apps for Kids
Social Media Red Flags Parents Should Know About
What Parents Should Know About Social Media and Anxiety
Social Media Guide - Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency
Parent Resources
Follow the links to access the parent resources that we have available.
- A Parent's Guide to Google Classroom - A step-by-step guide to help parents that are unfamiliar with accessing Google Classroom.
- Google Classroom Cheat Sheet for students - Shake Up Learning
- Google Suite Tutorials - A collection of Google tutorials that students will be using with their teachers during remote learning. There are dozens of resources here that cover almost anything you need to know about using Google Suite.
- Parent's Guide to Student Portal - Tyler 360 document that outlines Student Portal access and features.
- Parent's Guide to Google Suite Applications - From Google Docs to Google Meets, this is a guide for parents to use as a reference for all of the available Google Suite Applications.
Set up a time to meet with the Plank Counselors!
Our Plank counseling team is using a new scheduling tool this year. It allows students and parents to directly book a meeting with us. Follow the links below to access the editable schedule to meet with one of our counselors. They also created and released the Counselors Corner Newsletter. If you have questions, reach out to our counseling team below!
Mrs. Gannon (students with last names A-L) cgannon-sd308.youcanbook.me/
Mrs. Hlavacs (students with last names M-Z) khlavacs-sd308.youcanbook.me/
Mrs. Modaff (students with last names M-Z) jmodaff-sd308.youcanbook.me/
21-22 School Yearbook
Don't Delay, Plank Pirates! It's time to order your YEARBOOK for the 21-22 school year. The online store will be open August 9. Order now, so you don't forget and get your $5 DISCOUNT. (From December 1st, cost increases to $30. Final order deadline is January 28, 2022.)
*Optional personalization for an extra fee.
If you have any yearbook questions, please email Ms. Thill at dthill@sd308.org.
21-22 Plank Yearbook QR Code
Plank Attendance Guidelines
Call Asusana Montes-Mijares
630-551-9401
Please leave a message on the Attendance Line noting the reason for the absence. Include all symptoms or the reason for the absence if it is not illness related. Students need to be called in if they will miss a partial day. Please note the class/classes that will be missed in addition to the reason for the absences.
Teachers are keeping attendance through class period If you have questions, please reach out to the individual teachers about these procedures.
Important People to Know
Administration:
Principal
Tyler Haymond 630-551-9410 thaymond@sd308.org
Assistant Principal
Bailey Campbell 630-551-9412 bcampbell@sd308.org
Assistant Principal
Mrs. Katie Jones 630-551-9411 kjones@sd308.org
Student Support Lead Teachers
Lead Special Education Teacher
Carrie Quinn 630-551-9497 cquinn@sd308.org
EL Coordinator
Guadalupe Gallardo Escobedo 630-551-9466 ggallardoescobedo@sd308.org
Secretaries:
Principal Secretary
Laurie Williams 630-551-9409 lwilliams@sd308.org
Registrar/Discipline Secretary
Camille Simmons 630-551-9418 csimmons@sd308.org
Attendance Secretary
Asusana (Susie) Montes-Mijarez 630-551-9408 amontesmijarez@sd308.org
Student Services:
Counselors:
Caitlin Gannon 630-551-9414 cgannon@sd308.org
Students with last names A-L
Kelly Hlavacs and Jen Modaff 630-551-9415 khlavacs@sd308.org, jmodaff@sd308.org
Students with last names L-Z
Melanie Reicher 630-551-9483 mreicher@sd308.org
Restorative Practice Counselor
Social Workers:
Regena Alonzo 630-551-9405 ralonzo@sd308.org
Marguerite Slinger 630-551-9416 mslinger@sd308.org
Building Nurse:
Denise Salisbury 630-551-9402 dsalisbury@sd308.org
Important Resources
Transportation: 630-636-2999
Tyler Parent Portal login/access questions: tylerhelp@sd308.org
Waiver of Fee questions: Kaitlyn Dolenak 630-636-3662
Free/Reduced Lunch Application Status: Paola Lares Luna: 630-636-3663
Plank Junior High School
Email: thaymond@sd308.org
Website: https://www.sd308.org/plank
Location: Plank Jr. High, Secretariat Lane, Oswego, IL, USA
Phone: 6305519400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/plank308/?scrlybrkr=2abf877d
Twitter: @Plank308