WHAT'S UP AT LINCOLN
Weekly Newsletter and Announcements
A Message from Principal Gordon
Dear Lincoln Families,
I hope you have had some awesome "snow days!" As the snow continues to rise (at my house it is as tall as I am), so does my anticipation of the results for our trimester 3 learning selections. Please make sure your voice is heard for your family and you have the opportunity to choose whether you want child(ren) to come on site or remain home for remote for learning. This is due tomorrow, February 18th.
On another note, thank you for your continued support in making this transition to hybrid learning a successful one. It is vital that you self-certify every morning by 7:15 am. I cannot stress this enough. Should there be any concerns with this, please feel free to contact the main office. As a reminder, if you are not self-certifying on a regular basis, we will be contacting you. This is the primary way to keep us all safe for in-person in learning. By not certifying your child, you are putting us at risk for on-site learning. Please review the hybrid learning bulletin for more information on this.
I hope you all have an amazing week. Here's to not having to shovel anymore, at least for this week!
Take care,
Ms. Gordon
Dates to Remember:
Feb 18 - Trimester 3 Learning Form Due at 10:00 p.m.
Feb 25 and 26 - Parent Teacher Conferences (school dismissed at 11:00 a.m.)
Trimester 3 Learning Selection Form
District 97 will continue to offer hybrid learning during Trimester 3. This means that families must choose to enroll their students in either 1) on-site learning or 2) full-time remote learning. All families must complete the Trimester 3 Learning Selection Form for each student in their household by 10 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021.
Your selection will apply to Trimester 3, which begins Monday, March 15, and goes through the last day of school, June 10. Students who select remote learning will not be able to switch to on-site learning once the form closes. If we do not receive a student’s form by the end of the day Feb. 18, they will default to their learning selection for Trimester 2.
Click here to access the form and additional information about Trimester 3 >
Spotlight On!!
The Lincoln Tech Club was started in 2019, under the leadership of Mr. Breit and Mr. Childress, as a way to teach staff members and students about the benefits of technology both in and out of the classroom. In March 2020 they won the "Making My D97 Better" Award.
Please take a moment to view their production of the Lincoln School News for last week. We hope you enjoy Owen's piece on President Lincoln (2:15 minutes). Owen is in 5th grade and is an inspiration to all.
Fact Checker
Oak Park District 97 is committed to providing accurate and timely information. Our new Fact Checker will be updated consistently based upon common questions and concerns to ensure you have access to the key facts that interest you most.
Staff Shout Outs!
- Mark Janka
We want to send a huge thank you to Mrs. Zarosl for being AMAZING!! As we have transitioned to hybrid learning, she has done an excellent job communicating all the necessary information for this to be an extremely smooth and positive experience for our son. On countless occasions she has gone above and beyond to reach out to the students and connect with them without even being in the classroom. This past week she coordinated an opportunity for all students to share valentines with each other regardless of their learning situation. Our son is so happy to be back in the classroom with Mrs. Zarosl and classmates. We greatly appreciate all the efforts of the entire Lincoln staff and community to make this a reality!
- Jennifer Ford
Thank you to Sra. Nagano for her constant care, patience and support as we moved to hybrid. Her setting clear expectations to the kids, communicating constantly and juggling all has been amazing. Estamos muy agradecidos de tenerla como profesora de nuestro hijo.
- Marta Barriga
Thank you to Mrs. Tyler for being always supportive, clear and positive for our kids' adaptation to the hybrid model. Her guidance and assurance has been key for our daughter to be so excited and happy to be in the classroom. We'll be forever grateful.
- Marta Barriga
Another shout out to Mrs. Chase-Vivas for being always a fun, patient and caring teacher to our children. They've learned so much from her, beyond ESL, and us as parents feel always supported by her. Thank you Liz!
- Marta Barriga
Thank you to Mrs. Roskopf, always helpful and on top of our childrens needs. It is always a pleasure to speak with her and we appreciate all her hard work to get our kids back into school.
- Marta Barriga
Staff Shout Out
Please click here to let us know and we will feature them in the next newsletter.
Responding to a Positive COVID-19 Case
When to Stay Home from School/Work
We ask that our entire District 97 community help keep our schools safe by adhering to our COVID-19 guidelines. This includes students/staff staying home if they:
- Are feeling sick
- Have tested positive for COVID-19
- Are waiting for a COVID-19 test result
- Are a close contact of a positive/probable COVID-19 case
- Have traveled for more than 24 hours out of state.
CrisisGo: COVID-19 Daily Health Screenings
Thank you to our families for completing their CrisisGo health certifications each day before school. As a reminder all in-person students must complete CrisisGo every day, regardless of whether they are staying home.
If a student does not complete the certification, they will be placed into our "uncertified" group and will be contacted by staff prior to the start of school. Students must have their certification completed before 7:15 a.m.
INFORMATION FROM DISTRICT 97
Next Meal D97 Meal Distribution: Tuesday, Feb. 16
February Breakfast/Lunch Menus
Meals will be provided free of cost this fall to any District 97 student in need. Each bag of food will contain five breakfasts and five lunches.
Meal distributions will be held every Tuesday, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Longfellow Elementary School (for Julian and feeder schools), 715 S. Highland Ave., and Brooks Middle School (for Brooks and feeder schools), 325 S. Kenilworth Ave.
D97 Breakfast/Lunch Menus - February 2021
Winter Weather - Emergency Closing Information
Winter is here and that means there may be times when District 97 schools close due to weather-related conditions or other emergency situations. We make every effort to keep our schools open, but circumstances beyond our control sometimes make it unsafe for our students or staff to get to school safely.
New this year: Rather than closing school on days when it would be unsafe for students and staff to get to school, we will notify our employees and students’ families that the district will have a Remote Learning Day. Because all of our students are already equipped with iPads or Chromebooks, making the temporary shift to remote learning should be fairly seamless. This also means that there will be no need to extend the school year further into summer to make up for lost days.
Whenever possible, District 97 will seek to make and communicate decisions regarding weather-related closings by approximately 8 p.m. the day before. This will include notifying stakeholders if the forecast or conditions warrant additional monitoring prior to making a final decision. If the forecast changes or conditions deteriorate after 8 p.m., we will let people know about the status of classes and/or afterschool activities no later than 5:30 a.m. the next day. Visit our Emergency School Closing Information webpage for more information.
Cold Weather Reminders
With frigid temperatures expected in the Chicago area over the next week, we also wanted to share a couple of reminders for families:
- In order to preserve our classroom pods and COVID-19 safety protocols, we will not be able to allow students to enter their buildings early in cold weather. Please arrive at the designated time and ensure that students are dressed in warm layers.
- In the event of single-digit temperatures or wind chill, students will remain indoors during the school day. Elementary students will still be provided a snack break of no more than 15 minutes, following the school safety protocols for COVID-19.
Keep D97 Safe: Please Avoid Non-Essential Travel
Travel increases the risk of exposure to the coronavirus for our students, staff and community. Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. The Cook County Department of Public Health recommends that residents avoid all non-essential activities, including school and work, for 14 days upon their return to suburban Cook County. If staff, students or families travel out of state for more than 24 hours, they should not report to school. The district's quarantine requirements are outlined in our Framework for Reopening Schools.
FLYER: COVID-19 and Travel Guidance for District 97 Students and Staff >
D97 to Host Virtual Parent-to-Parent Circle Series
District 97 families are invited to join our upcoming Virtual Parent-to-Parent Series, which will be facilitated in partnership with the E-Team of Oak Park. Events will be held:
- Wednesday, Feb. 18, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, March 18, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, April 29, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The sessions are designed to build community among District 97 parents and guardians and provide support as we navigate hybrid learning. The intention is for parents/guardians to attend all three sessions to help build a consistent community, but if you cannot make the first session you may still attend the others. Please let us know your availability in the registration form so that we can plan accordingly.
The deadline to register is Tuesday, Feb. 16. To sign up, please visit https://bit.ly/D97ParentCircles.
Lincoln School Spirit Wear
How Do I Access Technology Support During Remote Learning?
Technical support will be available from school and district technology staff by accessing the Help Desk through email, helpdesk@op97.org. When an email is submitted, a Help Desk ticket is created and assigned to technology staff, who will be working throughout the day to address technology concerns. Our technology team can support District 97 devices and student online programs.
About Us
Email: lincolnoffice@op97.org
Website: op97.org/lincoln
Location: 1111 South Grove Avenue, Oak Park, IL, USA
Phone: 708-524-3110
Twitter: @UpAtLincolnOP