The Hawk
Holmes Elementary School - Welcome Back Edition 8/1/2019
IMPORTANT DATES/THINGS TO REMEMBER
- Meet-n-Greet Popsicles in the Park - August 22 - 5:00pm
- Emails sent with classroom teacher - August 23 - afternoon
- Supply Drop-off and meet your teacher 8/26/19 5:30-6:30
- First Day of School 8/28/19 8:00-2:30
- PTO Welcome Reception – 8/28/19 – 8:00am – grades 1-5 / 8:30am kindergarten families
- Labor Day - No School - 9/2/19
- Curriculum Night - 9/3/19 - (Details to follow)
- Hearing Screenings - 9/13/19
Welcome Back
Welcome back! Our kids have certainly been missed and we can't wait to welcome them back to school on Wednesday, August 28. Please be reminded, Wednesday is our early release day and students go home at 2:30.
We're working on a couple of exciting projects to beautify Holmes. We had a mosaic installed on the exterior of the building. Ms. Jones and Ms. Ruff worked with all Holmes students to ensure they had an opportunity to impart their own unique style within the design.
Our gym is having a mural painted that depicts our diversity and commitment to developing leadership skills within our students. I'll send photos once it is completed.
We fully recognize that students (and parents) are anxiously awaiting the news of who their classroom teacher will be this year. An email will be sent in the afternoon of August 23, 2019 with this information. Please make sure we have your most recent email address. You can make updates in Infosnap.
We are excited to host our first supply drop off on Monday, August 26 between 5:30 and 6:30 pm. Class lists will be posted outside of each classroom and students and families will have an opportunity to visit your classroom, drop off supplies, and say a quick hello to your teacher. Please come by even if you don't have supplies to drop off. Because not all families are able to purchase supplies for school, we will have boxes located outside the office to collect any school supplies you would like to donate to support another Holmes student.
Enjoy the last couple weeks of summer - we'll see you soon!
Best,
Christine Zelaya
SCHOOL SUPPLY LISTS
Here is the link to the supply lists so they are handy for you.
“WHAT I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL”
TIPS FOR PARENTS
- The first thing you need to know is where to go to line up the first day of school. At Holmes, we line up on the blacktop across from the school. We will have grade level flags to indicate where different grade levels line up. On the first day of school, teachers will be outside a little earlier than normal (7:45 am) and will be standing at their line. We will also have other staff members out by each flag with class lists to help direct you if you are unsure.
- Our teachers and I value children arriving on time for school. This helps eveyone's day get off to a good start by minimizing disruptions as the day begins. There is a line-up bell that rings at 7:57. Teachers will greet students at 7:57 at their line and walk students in the school. The regular entry doors are locked after the last class enters and your child needs to enter through the main office door, which is monitored by staff. All students arriving before the morning bell should line up with their class as opposed to entering the building through the office. All students who arrive after 8:00 are considered tardy, even those that are just a few minutes late.
- Many children walk to school, some are dropped off by car, and some ride the bus. The streets around the school are filled with cars, buses, and children just before 8:00. If you drive to school, our drop off area is on Chicago Avenue. We will have staff members out in our drop off area. We ask that you pull all the way forward so other cars may pull in behind you. Do not drop off children in the middle of Chicago Avenue even if you happen to be stopped at the light. This can earn you a ticket from the Oak Park Police Department. We need all parents to cooperate so all of our students are safe. Chicago Avenue can be very busy in the morning so please be aware of your surroundings.
- There is no student drop off on Kenilworth Avenue in front of the school. We place a barricade at Iowa Street each morning. If you arrive from the north, you will either have to park on Kenilworth or Iowa and walk down to the school. Please remember to be courteous to our neighbors and not block their driveways.
- When it rains or is unusually cold, the children are let in the school early and the regular entrance doors are not open. The students will wait for the bell in the following locations:
Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade – auditorium
3rd, 4th, and 5th grade - Hawk Cafe (lunchroom)
- Wednesday is a shorter day. On Wednesdays, school is dismissed at 2:30 due to staff development sessions. Make sure you pick up your child promptly at 2:30.
- When you receive anything from the school that says "Return this form to the office", including lunch money, you can give it to your child to take to his or her teacher and the teacher will collect everything and make sure it gets to the office.
- All students have a 55-minute break that includes lunch and recess. When a teacher takes attendance in the morning, he or she will ask each student if they are eating a cold lunch (lunch from home) or a hot school lunch for that day. To take part in the hot lunch program you must pay in advance. Please refer to the District 97 Elementary School Fee Form (http://www.op97.org/business-office/food-service) or contact the lunchroom supervisor for further details. Children who bring lunch can bring insulated lunch bags or boxes that are deposited in a basket and brought down to the lunchroom and then returned to the classroom after lunch. There is no place to refrigerate lunches that children bring from home or to heat items from home.
- If you have computer access, email is a good way to get in touch with your child’s teacher or any school employee. You may also want to check out the District website at www.op97.org, which has links to the school sites and other helpful information, such as the school calendar.
- The Holmes principal sends home weekly messages with important dates. This comes home every Friday. It also includes information from the Holmes PTO.
- Label everything a child does not have attached to their body (and even some things that are attached): coats, shoes, backpacks, lunch boxes, hats, gloves, etc. If all else fails, there is a lost and found bin located in the multi-purpose room.
Below, you will find a handy trifold with important information.
If you have any tips to add to this list, please email me. czelaya@op97.org
Snack Procedures at Holmes
- Students will keep their zippered lunch boxes in our lunch bin outside of the classroom.
- Students may eat a snack of fresh fruit or fresh vegetables in the classroom mid-morning.
- Students will wash hands at the beginning of the day, after snack, and after lunch to help minimize traces of allergens in our classrooms.
- Students should not share food at any time.
No other food items will be permitted in the classroom.
We realize this is different from past years. We are grateful to you and your students for understanding the need for these precautions. Our teachers and entire Holmes staff appreciate your help in keeping our children safe!
2019-2020 STUDENT FEES
Student fees may be paid beginning July 1 and are due by September 30, 2019
· Elementary Grades K – 2 $160
· Elementary Grades 3 – 5 $180
Student fee payments can be paid online at http://www.op97.org by selecting WebStore under Payments tab. You can also pay directly via https://oakpark.revtrak.net/. The preferred method of payment is online but you may also pay by check or cash attached to the appropriate fee form. Fee forms are available at op97.org, at the schools, and at the District Office. For more information regarding student fees, please contact the Business Office at (708) 524-7625.
Please note that students qualifying for free or reduced lunch may be considered for a school fee reduction or waiver based on economic hardship. If you are applying for free or reduced-price meals, then it is important to complete the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Application and submit to your student’s school or to the Business Office as soon as possible to ensure timely processing. These applications must be filled out on an annual basis and are available online at http://www.op97.org/business-office/food-service, at the individual schools, and at District 97 Administrative Office located at 260 Madison. For additional information regarding the foodservice program or the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Application, please call (708) 524-7629.
If you have applied for a fee waiver, please wait for approval before paying fees.
BE READY FOR LUNCH ON THE 1ST DAY OF SCHOOL
VOLUNTEERING AT HOLMES
Our Volunteer Mission:
To proactively transform the school community so that staff, parents, and students:
are empowered to do their personal best
inspire the best in others
contribute to the success of the entire school
We love our volunteers! Parents are an important part of the school community and instrumental in helping us achieve our goals. The following are ways you can volunteer and support the Holmes School Community:
PTO board members will be available with more information and ready with general sign-ups starting with these events in August:
Back to School Coffee on Aug 28th after drop-off
Curriculum Night on September 3rd
*Need to know more now - just email us at pto@holmespto.org
NEW STAFF AT HOLMES
4th Grade: Amanda Voigts
Travel Music: Dana Brown
.5 Special Education Resource: Sonali Bagri
STAFF SWITCHING ROLES AT HOLMES
Raven McGill - Kindergarten
Elizabeth Conway - 1st Grade
Megan Freeman - 1st Grade
Mike Dolan - 2nd Grade
Carmelita Nicks - 2nd Grade
Johanna Cousin - 3rd Grade
Grace Fourman - 4th Grade
Marissa Pettenuzzo - 5th Grade
Patrick Schulte - 5th Grade
STAFF WHO HAVE LEFT HOLMES
Salome Yigzaw - 2nd Grade
Sarah Altshuler - Travel Music
Meejin Lee - 5th Grade
Celebrate Holmes Staff
Families, have you noticed a Holmes teacher or staff member who deserves a compliment or a thank you? Has this person made a difference for your child? Please share the reason in a brief email to me (czelaya@op97.org) so that we may recognize and thank them!
Community Hawk Nest
Dr. Christine Zelaya
Email: czelaya@op97.org
Website: http://www.op97.org/holmes/
Location: 508 N Kenilworth Ave, Oak Park, IL, United States
Phone: 708-524-3100
Facebook: facebook.com/christine.zelaya.96
Twitter: @ChristineZelaya
Contact your PTO
Email: pto@holmespto.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolmesPTO/
Twitter: @HolmesPTO