Middle Matters
Week of March 11th, 2024
In This Issue
Highlights from this week's Middle Matters:
- Important Upcoming Dates
- SY23-24 School Calendar
- PTO Updates
- 5-Essential Survey Information
- Illinois Science Assessment - 8th Grade Only
- Wrestling Season Success
- Track & Field Practice Schedule
- “College for Kids” Spring Break Camp Opportunity for D97 Middle-Schoolers
- Save the Date: District Summer Programs
- BRAVO Summer Registrations - Mark your calendars for February 5th
- OPEF BASE CAMP: SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIP
- OPEF STEM CAMP Information
- 2024 Good Life Race - Brooks Band Performing
- 8th Grade Graduation Picture - Proofs
- Fall School Picture Ordering Information
- Bus running late, what steps can a student or parent take?
- Cold Weather Updates
- Emergency Closings & E-Learning Days information
- Community Resource: Bilingual support for Migrant Families
- SAVE THE DATE: Middle School Math Enrichment 2024
- 8th Grade Graduation Date
- Recognizing Staff Who Make A Difference
- GBMS Yearbook Sales
- GBMS Library - Morning Protocol
- BRAVO Domino Pizza (BRAVO) - still taking orders
- Student Lunches - no outside deliveries permitted
- Middle Matters-Sports, Clubs & BRAVO Information & Student Announcement Link
- PTO News for the MONTH of February - don't miss out!
- Middle Matters Repeated Topics Link
- Middle Matters Community Partner News Link
If you have questions about the upcoming school year, please don’t hesitate to contact me at acapuder@op97.org. You can also contact my Executive Coordinator, Ms. Angel Banks, at abanks1@op97.org or (708) 524-7636.
Our Administrative Team
April Capuder, Principal (acapuder@op97.org)
Dr. Denise Gildon, Associate Principal for Teaching & Learning (dgildon@op97.org)
Roshaun Bowens, Associate Principal for School Culture, Climate and Sports/Clubs (rbowens@op97.org)
Student Success Coach Team:
6th Grade: Josh Rodgers - jrodgers@op97.org
7th Grade: Nichelle Stigger - nstigger@op97.org
8th Grade: Bernard Starks - bstarks@op97.org
IMPORTANT DATES
This Week: Monday,-A Day; Tuesday-B day; Wednesday-C Day, Thursday-A Day, Friday B Day
End of Trimester 2: Tuesday, March 5, 2024
PTO Updates
Meet Up at the Next Mental Health Workshop - 3/12
If you missed the previous Mental Health Workshop - watch the recorded version here.
Take the Brooks PTO Parent/Guardian Pledge
5-Essentials Student and Parent/Guardian Survey
In Case You Missed It...
Illinois 5Essentials Survey is Open!
Parents/guardians all 10 of our schools are encouraged to take the Illinois 5Essentials Survey now through March 31, 2024: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/
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. Only one parent/guardian per household may fill out the Brooks survey.
GBMS current percent of parent/guardian completion as of 3/11 is: 9%.
School-level reports will only be generated if at least 20 percent of our parents/guardians complete the survey.
Thank you for participating in this important endeavor and for your continued support of our schools and the children we serve.
Illinois Science Assessment - 8th Grade Only
8th Grade students will be participating in the Illinois Science Assessment in their Science classes starting April 4th through April 12th.
Wrestling Season Success
In two years, the Wrestling team went from nonexistent to supporting 40 wrestlers. They achieved back to back conference championships.
This year we had 7 wrestlers win regionals and qualify for sectionals:
- Harrison S. (Brooks)
- Diego N. (Brooks)
- Isaiah M. (Brooks)
- Sam K. (Julian)
- Walt O. (Julian)
- Reece C. (Julian)
- Tyler S. (Brooks)
Walt O, Tyler S, Landon C, and Sam K. wrestled several hard matches during sectionals! Harrison S finished 2nd place and qualified for State.
STATE: Harrison S. wrestled 5 hard matches this weekend. He lost his last 2 against 8th graders. Harrison was 1 of 3 wrestlers in 7th grade with 13 opponents in 8th grade!
Thank you for your support of our student athletes. Congratulations!
Track & Field Practice Schedule
Practice Schedule
Our first practice will be Monday March 11th. We will follow the practice schedule below:
-No practice on the 18th or 19th
-No practice week of spring break
Practice schedule:
Monday- After school 3:30 - 4:45pm
Tuesday- After school 3:30 - 4:45pm
Wednesday- No practice-Practice on your own (coaches will provide workouts)
Thursday- After school 3:30 - 4:45pm
Friday- (Relays and Field Events only) Morning 7:45 - 8:45am
Summer Programs
“College for Kids” Spring Break Camp Opportunity for D97 Middle-Schoolers
Triton College, in partnership with District 97 and Fellowship Community Services, is hosting a “College for Kids” Spring Break Youth Camp during spring break (March 25-28, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.).
The program offers students the opportunity to choose one major and one minor area of study to focus on throughout the week. They will receive direct instruction from content experts while participating in hands-on activities. Check out the program flyer (available in English and Spanish) for more details.
Please register today! Space in the program is limited; students will be registered on a first-come, first-served basis.
SAVE THE DATE: District 97 Summer Programs
District 97 will be sharing its full slate of summer programming and registration details by mid-February, however we wanted to provide families with some key dates.
Programs Open to All Students
- Summer Robotics Camp: June 10-14, 2024
- Summer Music Camp: July 29 - August 2, 2024
- Middle School Math Enrichment: Bridge
- Trimester 3: March 5 - June 4, 2024
- Summer: June 10 - 28, 2024
- Middle School Math Enrichment: Review
- June 10 - 28, 2024
Focused Student Programs
- Extended School Year: June 10 - July 3, 2024
- Multilingual Summer Boost: June 10 - July 3, 2024
- Middle School Explore! Program: June 10 -28, 2024
OPEF BASE CAMP: SUMMER CAMP SCHOLARSHIP
The Oak Park Education Foundation offers 2 full weeks (or four half days) of summer BASE Camp for FREE for students who receive free/reduced lunch or who are experiencing a financial hardship. The scholarship application opens tomorrow, Wednesday January 17th and the application can be found here: BASE Camp Scholarship Application 2024
More information can be found at our website at Scholarships - Oak Park Education Foundation (opef.org).
Early Registration
Campers receiving scholarships are able to register early for camp. The date/time for this early registration is Wednesday, January 31st. It opens at 12pm and closes at 5pm. If you miss this period, you can still register and still use your scholarship funds but the general registration period doesn't open again until Sunday, February 4th at 2pm. There are limited spots available for each camp during this early period and more spaces will become available during regular registration.
Please contact Tara Oetting, Programs Director at toetting@opef.org with questions or for more information.
2024 Good Life Race - Brooks Band Performing
Join us on Sunday, April 28th at Oak Park River Forest High School for the Oak Park Runners Club 41st annual Good Life Race! This family-friendly event includes a 5K, Youth Mile (ages 12 and under), and Junior Dash (ages 6 and under). In addition to the races, there will be entertainment from the Oak Park and River Forest High School drumline, Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School Band, and Jesse White Tumblers. The 2024 Good Life Race will sell out, so register early at goodliferace.com!
8th Grade Graduation Picture Proofs - will arrive in a few weeks
In a few weeks from the Graduation picture date of 2/5, you will receive proof form of your student's pictures for you to determine what you would like to order. The information for you to order electronically will be on the Proof form. If you would like your student to retake their picture, the Proof form must be returned with $10 on the day of retakes, which will be March 6th, 2024.
Forgot to Order School Photos taken in the Fall
Forgot to Order Photos?
Visit our website at www.ordervgil.com, click on After Picture Day and enter the School/Ticket Code: 20055602.
Please contact Van Gogh Customer Service directly with questions: 847-382-2282 x7
Bus running late, what steps can you take?
Lakeview does their best to communicate with the schools in advance and then the school sends an email communication regarding the effected bus route. However, there may be times where the timing of the communication doesn't allow for this step. In this case, please call Lakeview directly to learn about the tardiness of the bus: 708.234.5555
In the future, the number for Lakeview can be found on our Bus Transportation webpage.
Cold Weather Reminders
District 97 believes it is important for students to have opportunities for physical activity and play time during the day—even during the cold winter months. This winter, students will be permitted to go outside for recess when the temperature, with wind chill, is 15 degrees or higher. The district utilizes the Wind Chill Chart developed by the National Weather Service.
- It is important that students dress in warm layers when cold temperatures are expected. Students should remember to bring hats, gloves/mittens, scarves, coats, snow pants and boots. It is recommended that families label these items with their children’s names.
- Our staff will carefully monitor students while outside and take the necessary steps to ensure students are appropriately clothed/prepared for the cold weather, watching out for signs of frostbite and other cold-related issues.
Emergency Closings and E-Learning Days
District 97 always strives to have schools open. However, if heavy snow or extreme cold make it dangerous to travel, we may need to close schools. The district’s emergency closing procedures are outlined in this brief deck; full details are posted at https://www.op97.org/communications/emergency-closings.
In July 2021, the District 97 Board of Education approved an E-Learning Plan for students to receive instruction electronically in lieu of traditional emergency days (or inclement weather days). This means that instead of canceling school, the superintendent now has the option of calling an “E-Learning Day” where students and staff learn and work virtually at home. This provides a continuation of learning and prevents the loss of critical instructional days, particularly in our first and second trimesters.
If the superintendent decides to close buildings and hold an E-Learning Day, the information is shared through multiple channels, including email, the district website, our Facebook and X (Twitter) social media pages, and the Emergency Closings website. Staff and families are also encouraged to OPT IN to text messages from the district by texting YES to 79041 or 87569.
8th Grade Graduation Date - Mark Your Calendars
Recognizing Staff Who Make A Difference
Here is the link to the form: https://forms.gle/5MZSgYchCtFYR48TA
Yearbook Sales
Order link: https://www.treering.com/purchase?PassCode=1014096931934358
GBMS Passcode: 1014096931934358
You can also use your TreeRing account to share photos with our Yearbook Team throughout the year as well as design your very own custom pages (first two pages are free). If you have any questions regarding the yearbook, please contact Meaghan Pabellon at mpabellon@op97.org.
GBMS Library-Morning Protocol
Starts Tuesday, September 5th
- The GBMS Library is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
- No pass needed
- To enter, wait in-between the Kenilworth doors (by the main office)
- An adult will escort groups to the library at 8:00, 8:15, and 8:30. For example, if you arrive at 8:10 you will have to wait until the 8:15 group heads up. If you arrive after the 8:30 group has been escorted, you may not enter the library that day
- You will sign-in and stay in the library until the 8:50am
- These times are for students to quietly read, do homework, or meet as a group to study or work on a project.
BRAVO Pizza Lunch - still taking orders
Domino's Pizza Lunch - (30) Fridays from September 15 - May 31
SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE IN FRIDAY PIZZA LUNCH
>> Students MUST have a Brooks Student ID EVERY FRIDAY to receive pizza <<
Student Lunch - No Outside Deliveries
Please note, we can not accept deliveries for students from outside delivery services. Do not order food for your student to be delivered to the school.
Clubs & Sports Information - Winter 2024
Livestream Sporting Events in GBMS Gym
To view, please use this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDF7k7NA5zU
Volunteer Opportunities
FRIDAYS - BRAVO DOMINIOS PIZZA
Pizza Lunch Volunteers Needed!
Looking for a fun & easy volunteer opportunity at Brooks? Pizza Lunch is a great way to touch base with your child at lunch as well as get to know new families. We rely on volunteers to help distribute food and keep this program going, so please consider donating your time. We can't do it without you!!! Sign up to volunteer on Fridays: Please Sign Up to Volunteer
PTO News
Come to the April PTO Meeting
Join our upcoming PTO meeting on Monday April 8 @ 6p in the Brooks Media Center for an engaging and insightful session! Discover firsthand the exciting initiatives and events we have in store for our school community. Your participation is crucial as we discuss important decisions, share updates, and gather valuable input. Connect with fellow parents, teachers, and staff, and be an integral part of shaping the future of our school. Your presence and voice matter – together, let's make a positive impact on our children's education and school experience. Virtual option available here. See you there!
Gift Cards of Appreciation!
Connect with the Brook’s PTO
Connect with PTO
Follow us on FaceBook at @gwendolynbrookspto, or email us at gwendolynbrookspto@gmail.com.