Whittier Wildcat Word!
Friday, September 9, 2022
A Message from Principal Robinson
Greetings, Whittier Wildcats,
We look forward to seeing all of our families on Thursday, September 15th, for Curriculum Night. Please see the schedule under the "Upcoming Dates." This is an opportunity to meet your scholar's(s') teachers, see the learning environment, and hear about all the activities, projects, and other learnings teachers have planned this year.
We will have teacher assistants supervising the playground so that adults can attend the classroom 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-Willaims 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!
WHITTIER WILDCAT WORD STAFF SPOTLIGHT
One of our goals this year is to strengthen the relationship between home and school. In particular, findings ways for the Whittier community to know the staff at Whittier. Therefore, each week, we will randomly pick a staff member from an envelope to spotlight.
GEORGINA SWANSON: THIRD GRADE TEACHER
- Hello! My name is Georgina Swanson
- I am a 3rd grade teacher and I've worked at Whittier for 19 years.
- My favorite color is blue, but I do like all the colors of the rainbow.
- What I like most about Whittier is our sense of community for both kids and adults.
- If I had a SuperPower it would be to make time slow down!
- If I was an animal I would be a giraffe. I love that they can graze on trees high in the air.
- What advice would you give the students of Whittier? Being kind is really important! You can help people feel better through kind acts every day!
Whittier's Student Council Introduction Meeting
We are so excited to bring Student Council back to Whittier this year. Student Council is open to all 4th and 5th grade students. We will meet on September 14th from 2:30-3:00 p.m. Please click on the link below to stay after school for the introductory meeting.
PERMISSION SLIP FOR STUDENT COUNCIL INFORMATION MEETING LINK
Upcoming Dates
September 2022:
Sep 5th
Sep 15th
- First Day of Hispanic Heritage Month
- Curriculum Night (Mask Required)
- Whittier, Where I Belong: Leadership Presentation (Auditorurim): 5:30 -6:15 pm
- K-2 Curriculum Night - 6:30 - 7:00 pm
- Special Area Curriculum Night (Library Learning Center) - 7:00 - 7:30 pm
- 3-5 Curriculum Night - 7:30 - 8:00 pm
Sep 26th
- No School - Rosh Hashanah
October 2022
Oct 5th
Oct 10th
- No School - Indigenous People day
Oct 12th
Oct 21st
October 24th - 28th
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.
Mask Requirements at Indoor Events (Curriculum Night)
To support community safety, District 97 currently has differentiated masking requirements based on the type of gathering. This information is outlined in the table below. Please note that we will be following the highlighted requirements for Whittier Elementary School.
District 97 Masking Protocols for Gatherings
Thank you for supporting us by taking this precautionary measure to ensure and maintain the safety and health of our school communities.
Fun Run
Whittier PTO's annual Fun Run Fundraiser Goes 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!
Hump Day Cafe is back!
Hump Day Cafe is back! On September 14th Join our co-President Ames Rondes after drop off with coffee and conversation on the blacktop.
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
Grade Level PlayDates Are Here!
New this year, each Sunday through October the PTO Liaisons will be hosting a meetup at Field Park. More details to come:
September 18th - Kindergarten
September 25th - 1st Grade
October 2nd - 2nd Grade
October 9th - 3rd Grade
October 16th - 4th Grade
October 30th - 5th Grade
WISE Registration is still open!
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.
Whittier’s first Golf Scramble
September 25th
Whittier’s first Golf Scramble! Grab 3 friends or have us mix it up for you with an easy 9 hole scramble. Simply play the best ball down the course and have fun along the way! Learn More[https://whittierpto.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/206553] and sign up today!
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.
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!
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 >> 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.
School Fees
The district is currently accepting fee payments for the 2022-23 school year. Full payment is due by September 30, 2022. You can access the fee information by visiting
https://www.op97.org/business-office/fees.
Technology Update
Please visit
https://bit.ly/3pxoN0I for information from the district’s technology department about the deployment of student devices, online filtering at home, the district’s acceptable use policy, and the procedures and protocols that are used to set up accounts for students.
*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.
As always, thank you for your continued collaboration and support. Enjoy your weekend!
John Greenleaf Whittier Elementary
