WHAT'S UP AT LINCOLN
Weekly Newsletter and Announcements
A Message from Principal Gordon
Dear Lincoln Families,
I am looking forward to some warmer weather and double digit temps that hold up during the day. It will be great for the kiddos to get outside again. I am including a few quick reminders for your review:
- Please send your child to school with a charged iPad everyday and their charger should the need arise.
- Parent teacher conference are Thursday and Friday. School is dismissed at 11:00 a.m.
- Please complete your Crisis Go self certification before 7:15 a.m. (even if your child will be absent).
- Fill out our 5Essentials Survey. We need at least 20% participation in order to receive parent data.
Take care,
Ms. Gordon
Dates to Remember:
February 23 - Board of Education Meeting 7:00 p.m.
Feb 25 and 26 - Parent Teacher Conferences (school dismissed at 11:00 a.m.)
Trimester 3 Updates and FAQ
Thank you to all of our families for completing the Trimester 3 Learning Selection Form this week. Schools are currently working through the data, but the district anticipates sharing our Trimester 3 hybrid enrollment information during the Feb. 23 board of education meeting.
The district will also reconvene the Superintendent Advisory Panel on Feb. 22. We will continue to provide frequent updates to the community as we work through logistics for Trimester 3.
We have also added a couple of updates to our Trimester 3 FAQ. Please note the following:
Are families able to switch to remote learning if they no longer feel comfortable sending their children to school?
Yes. Hybrid families may switch to remote learning at any time, but that change will apply for the duration of the trimester.
For example, if a student attends in-person learning for three weeks but parents later switch that student to full-time remote learning, they would remain in remote learning through the end of the school year.
Can I choose hybrid learning and keep my student home until after spring break?
No, families are not able to "reserve" a hybrid learning spot for several weeks before sending their child to school. During Trimester 2, school principals have been monitoring long-term absences for on-site students to determine if they have switched to full-time remote learning. Generally, on-site students who have been absent from school for 10 days are considered to have switched to full-time remote learning. Once they have made that switch, they are unable to return for on-site learning.
While we understand the desire for more time to make this important decision, it is also critical that we have accurate enrollment numbers for Trimester 3 in order to make determinations about the hybrid learning schedule.
Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey
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. If you have more than one child enrolled in a building (i.e., two students who attend the same school), you have the option of completing multiple surveys for that building. In addition, if you have children enrolled in multiple schools (i.e., a District 97 elementary school and middle school), you may participate in the survey for each school.
However, only one parent/guardian per household may fill out the survey.
As with the student and teacher surveys, your identity will be kept completely confidential and your responses will not be linked to you. In addition, school-level reports will only be generated if at least 20 percent of our parents/guardians complete the survey, which can be accessed until April 2, 2021, by visiting http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/. This percentage will be based on the total number of students enrolled at each school. If we successfully meet this requirement, we will receive our reports in Spring/Summer 2021.
You can access general information about the Illinois 5Essentials Survey by visiting https://www.uchicagoimpact.org/our-offerings/5essentials.
Thank you for participating in this important endeavor, and for your continued support of our schools and the children we serve.
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.
INFORMATION FROM DISTRICT 97
Next Meal D97 Meal Distribution: Tuesday, Feb. 23
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, 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.
"Mindful Middle-Schoolers" Program
The Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township, Oak Park Elementary School District 97, and DePaul University’s Community Counseling Center have partnered to deliver a vast array of educational and therapeutic services to staff, families, and youth through the “Mindful Middle-Schoolers Program.” Below is a list of upcoming VIRTUAL talks, which will be held via Zoom. Registration via the Eventbrite links below is requested. Once you register, a link will be emailed to you four hours prior to the start of each event.
"Mindful Middle-Schoolers" Community Talk Flyer
- Monday, February 22 (1 p.m.): Understanding anxiety in youth and strategies for treatment and support https://www.eventbrite.com/e/understanding-anxiety-in-youth-andstrategies-for-treatment-and-support-tickets-141697997525
- Thursday, February 25 (6 p.m.): Strategies to support executive functioning and self-regulation https://www.eventbrite.com/e/strategies-to-support-executive-functioningand-self-regulation-in-youth-tickets-141700384665
- Wednesday, March 3 (6 p.m.): Technology and mental health: strategies to promote mindful digital citizenship https://www.eventbrite.com/e/technology-and-mental-healthstrategies-to-promote-mindful-tech-use-tickets-141699038639
- Thursday, March 11 (6 p.m.): Mindfulness-based strategies and their applications in academic and home environments https://www.eventbrite.com/e/understandingmindfulness-tickets-141700721673
- Wednesday, March 17 (6 p.m.): Understanding and supporting the emotional health of Black children https://www.eventbrite.com/e/understanding-and-supporting-theemotional-health-of-black-children-tickets-141702515037
- Wednesday, March 24 (6 p.m.): Understanding depression in youth and strategies for treatment and support https://www.eventbrite.com/e/understanding-depression-inyouth-and-strategies-for-treatment-and-support-tickets-141698771841
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