The BULLetin
March 5, 2020
Upcoming Events
- SIP Day tomorrow, March 6th--student dismissal at 11:40 am
- Fine Art Fest--3/7 8:0 am-2:00 pm at Bednarcik
- Tough Subjects, Important Answers Presentation--3/11, 6:00 pm at Oswego East HS
- The Music Man Junior-- 03/12 and 03/13
- PRIDE Nominations are due by March 20th
Principal's Message
Good evening,
Happy March! Again this week...there is an abundance of information in the Bulletin.
Murphy is looking to honor two teachers and one additional staff member for SD308's May Pride Award. Please use the link in the "Pride Nominations" section of the Bulletin to nominate a staff member for the award...it can be anyone who works at Murphy Junior High. We'd love your input!
Be sure to check out the intramurals and boys volleyball information listed below. Also, consider attending the "Tough Subjects, Important Answers" Presentation on March 11 at 6:00 pm at Oswego East High School.
Enjoy the rest of your week and weekend,
Laura Bingham
PRIDE Nominations
Dear Students and Families,
We all know that here at Murphy we have an exceptional staff, but now we need to prove it! Murphy Junior High is looking to honor 2 teachers and 1 additional staff member for SD 308's May Pride Award. Please use the link below to nominate staff members who go above and beyond for all of us! We would like nominations from both students and family members.
Please share your nominations here.
Fine Art Fest
Positive Office Referrals
Not pictured include: Brandon Solis, Carter Heywood, Joshua Jameson
Congratulations and keep up the great work Mavericks!
Science Fair 2020
Referendum Information
General Introduction:
In November, our Board of Education passed a resolution to introduce an operating referendum to voters on the March 17, 2020 ballot.
The last time a successful referendum was passed in this community was 2005, and previous to that it was 20 years earlier.
Our district and our community look very different today
With the increased population of our students and staff there was a need for more school buildings, the need for security enhancements and technology
Elementary Impact:
Decreased class sizes
Expanded third grade gifted programming
Investment in updated technology
Completion of delayed building, grounds, and system maintenance projects
Junior High Impact:
Reinstating junior high athletics programs at all buildings. The programs were cut last year as part of the budget reduction plan; this year a reduced program was conserved temporarily for a single year due to a Memo of Understanding from the Oswego Education Association.
Reduced class sizes
Investment in updated technology
Completion of delayed building, grounds, and system maintenance projects
High School Impact:
Reinstating summer school transportation for students
Investment in updated technology
Completion of delayed building, grounds, and system maintenance projects
Borrowing Needs:
Without adequate funds in reserve, the district needs to take temporary loans while awaiting funding payments, these loans carry costly interest, and have a negative impact on the district's financial rating.
The district’s financial position requires that additional bonds be purchased, which means more debt, in order to complete necessary equipment servicing, operational repairs, and technology updates.
The district doesn’t have adequate reserves, which are needed for financial security and to meet Board of Education Policy along with recommendations by the Illinois State Board of Education.
Homeowner Impact:
The proposed increase equates to a 30-cent operating tax rate increase per $100 of equalized assessed valuation. For example:
A home valued at $200,000 would experience a property tax increase of approximately $15 a month, or 50 cents a day ($182 a year).
A home valued at $350,000 would experience a property tax increase of approximately $28 a month, or 93 cents a day ($332 a year).
For more information:
The district has created a webpage that includes factual information regarding the referendum. A calculator tool for homeowners, a place to ask questions, fast facts and figures and more can be found at www.sd308.org/referendum.Strength and Conditioning Intramural
Boys Volleyball
Coronavirus COVID-19
As you know, the prevalence of Coronavirus COVID-19 is on the rise. At this time, the recommendations from IDPH include directing students and school personnel to protect themselves and others by taking every day common sense actions which include correctly washing hands, staying home when sick, and properly covering a cough. Please take a look at the links provided on the district webpage for COVID-19, as they are teh official sources of information from the CDC, IDPH, ISBE, and the Kendall County Health Department.
School Store
Volunteer Excellence Award
Make Me Smile Monday Meet and Eat!
8th Grade Illinois Science Assessment (ISA)
February 2020
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Students in grades 5, 8 and 11 will begin taking the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) March 2. The ISA aligns with our new Illinois Learning Standards in science. This assessment helps families understand how well students are performing academically and see whether they are on track to succeed in college. The ISA represents Illinois’ commitment to preparing all students for college and careers, including in the high-demand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The assessment also satisfies federal accountability requirements.
The ISA is designed to reflect classroom experiences. Many students who took the assessment last year said the ISA seemed more like instruction than a test. Students do not simply select an answer and fill in the bubble of a multiple-choice test. Rather, the ISA pushes students to apply their knowledge when they give answers, thus better preparing them for higher education and a career. All students deserve the opportunity to demonstrate what they know; they get to see how knowledge is applied to real-life situations.
The ISA has three sections and is untimed. The average student time-on-task is estimated at 120 minutes. The results provide administrators with important data to help them make broad curriculum decisions at the school and district levels. But classroom educators will not use the results to make teaching adjustments year-to-year for individual students.
We encourage you to talk with your children about the importance of doing their best on the ISA, while communicating that the assessment yields only one piece of information about them and their school’s progress. Students’ attendance, classroom work, homework, projects, performance on local tests, participation in sports and extracurricular activities, and contributions to the school’s climate and culture all help them grow and learn.
We all work together to ensure Illinois students build a cohesive understanding of science over time. Thank you for your role in developing lifelong learners and successful citizens.
8th Grade Dance Info
- The 8th grade dance has been rescheduled to Friday, May 8th from 7:00-9:00pm.
- Attention 8th grade parents and guardians! Would you like to help plan the 8th grade dance that will take place in May? We are looking for volunteers to help us make it a fun and memorable event for the Class of 2020. If interested, please reach out to Chris Alesia at calesia@sd308.org before spring break. Thank you!
Miles of Smiles- Dental Exam at Murphy
ATTENTION PARENTS
A date has been set! Miles of Smiles will be coming to Murphy on Thursday, April 30th. If you would like your child to receive a dental exam while at school, please complete & return the dental form that went home during winter break. Need another form? No problem - extra forms are in the nurse’s office. The form should be completed & returned to the nurse PRIOR TO exam day. If you have any questions, please contact Nurse Gia at 630-608-5102.
Scholarship Application
Student Volunteer Opportunity
Volunteers Needed for Long Beach Fun Fair on 3/13
Students, here's a fun opportunity to earn service hours at an SD308 Elementary Fun Fair! See the flyer below for additional information.
Please view the flyer here.
Tough Subjects: Important Answers
Raging Waves: Plunge into Fitness Program for students up through 8th Grade
Information can be found here:
Register to Read to Succeed!
Register for Read to Succeed! There is still time for your 6th grade student to register to earn a free Six Flags ticket for reading 6 hours! Parents can register for Read to Succeed using the details below:
Once your child is registered, you will have access to your online account.
PTO
The Murphy PTO does not do any fundraising as a PTO. Instead we ask families to make an annual donation to the PTO. These donations help us to provide classroom grants, student events, staff appreciation, community awareness and much more. Please consider making a donation. In addition, any family who donates $25 or more will receive one free ticket to the Murphy Monster Mash!
The PTO can accept credit card payments for annual donations. You can also make your family’s annual donation via SignUp Genius by clicking on this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0445aaaa22ab9-20192020 UPDATED LINK. If you prefer to send your donation in with your student, please print out the form below and send it to school with your student.
For more information on the Murphy PTO, upcoming PTO events or volunteer opportunities, please contact PTO President Missy Dziewiatkowski at missyd71@gmail.com or 630-999-3927. Please also follow us on Facebook for PTO events and updates (Murphy PTO-Home of the Mavericks).
Every Student. Every Day.
Ms. Schultz
Ms. Clausen
Ms. Rerych
Student Services Spotlight
Attention 8th Grade - WELCOME TO THE PACK NIGHT 4/9/20
Oswego East is excited to host the incoming freshmen and their families on Thursday, April 9th from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Please see the flyer below for additional information.
View the PACK NIGHT flyer here.
Student Absences
If your student is absent, please feel free to email teachers directly for missed homework. Counselors are willing to help facilitate homework collection; however, emailing teachers is often more expeditious. To find contact information for your child’s teachers, please use the staff list here: Teacher Directory. You can also check teacher websites and/or Google Classroom for homework.
The Maverick Way Outside of School
Murphy Junior High students are doing amazing things in the classroom as well as demonstrating “The Maverick Way” outside of school. If any student is demonstrating “The Maverick Way” outside of school we want to know about it! Please contact Brian Falli at bfalli@sd308.org or Brandi Zawacki at bzawacki@sd308.org.
*Don’t forget to include pictures in your email.
Mavericks Make a Difference
We are continuing our Mavericks Make a Difference Volunteer Program this year. Students who acquire 25 volunteer hours per year (current 8th graders only need 50, 6th and 7th graders need 75) throughout their time at Murphy Junior High will be recognized at 8th grade promotion night. Below is a list of volunteer opportunities throughout the surrounding communities. Please fill out the following form to track your hours. Forms are due to Brian Falli on or before Friday, April 24.
Service Hour Verification Form
Oswego Lions Club Youth Service Awards Program- At the end of the Lions Club Service Year in June 2020, any District 308 student volunteers (ages 11-18) who have completed at least 25 hours of qualified and approved service work will receive an award from the Oswego Lions Club recognizing them as a Lions Young Leader in Service. See the flyer for more information.
Oswego Lions Club Flyer Oswego Lions Club Service Hour Tracking Sheet
Ongoing events:
Marklund - Serving people with autism spectrum disorder and other special needs https://www.marklund.org/volunteer/
Giving DuPage - This website connects volunteers with volunteer opportunities in DuPage County https://givingdupage.org/volunteer-portal-2/
Project Linus
https://www.projectlinus.org/volunteer/volunteer.php?StateKey=IL#tgt
Arbor Day https://www.arborday.org/takeaction/
Oswego Natural Resources https://www.oswegolandparkdistrict.org/get-involved/volunteers/#1
Plainfield Public Library https://plainfieldpubliclibrary.org/about/volunteer-opportunities/
Feed My Starving Children https://www.fmsc.org/volunteer-listing/?chosen_mode=Site%20or%20Event%20Name&search_term=Aurora,%20IL&miles=25&minimum_spots=1&time=Any%20Time%20of%20Day&search_start=2019-08-19&search_end=2019-11-17
Fox Valley Park District (under 14 must have a parent) https://www.foxvalleyparkdistrict.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/VolunteerInterestForm_Fillable.pdf
Kendall County Forest Preserve https://www.co.kendall.il.us/forest-preserve/volunteer-opportunities/
Village of Montgomery https://ci.montgomery.il.us/201/Volunteer-Opportunities
Gigi’s Playhouse https://gigisplayhouse.org/foxvalley/fox-valley-volunteer-interest
Naperville Area Humane Society - must have adult https://www.naperhumane.org/volunteer
Habitat for Humanity https://www.habitat.org/volunteer/near-you/youth-programs
Oswego Senior Center http://oswegoseniorcenter.org/volunteer/day-to-day-volunteer-opportunities/
Kendall County Food Pantry https://www.kccfoodpantry.org/get-involved/
Weekly Cat Care at Aurora Petsmart/Naperville Petco https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp2902893.jsp
- Association for Individual Development https://www.aidcares.org/volunteer/
Upcoming Events
3/17
- Institute Day-No Student Attendance
3/18-3/19
- Spring P/T Conferences (Teacher Scheduled)
3/23-3/30
- Spring Break
If you are looking for directions to AWAY events, this link will provide directions to many area schools.
Use the "Murphy Building Calendar" link below to see all the things going on at Murphy Junior High.
Contact Us
Mission Statement
Murphy Junior High School is an inclusive and supportive community that promotes student success by ensuring ALL students are college and career ready.
Vision Statement
Every student. Every day. Grow. Inspire. Empower.
Email: lbingham@sd308.org
Website: www.sd308.org/murphy
Location: 26923 Grande Park Boulevard, Plainfield, IL, United States
Phone: (630) 608-5100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/murphy308/
Twitter: @murphy308