The Hawk
Holmes Elementary School - Week Ending 5/21/21
IMPORTANT DATES/THINGS TO REMEMBER
- PTO Community Meeting - 5/26 - 7:00pm (Zoom Link Below)
- Memorial Day - No School - 5/31
- Relax and Read - 6/7 (various times throughout the day)
- Classroom Picnics - 6/8 (various classrooms throughout the day)
- Magic Assembly - 6/8 - 10:30
- Classroom Field Days - 6/9 (various classrooms in the morning)
- 5th Grade Student Luncheon - 6/9 - Time TBD
- 5th Grade Virtual Completion Ceremony - 6/9 - 1:30-2:30
See your grade levels weekly newsletter for your grades plans
School Lunch Order Form
Be sure to complete this form for each of your children. The form will close every Monday morning by 8:00 am. Be sure to order your child's lunch each weekend for the upcoming week.
Changemaker Challenge
Face Masks Still Mandatory In All D97 Schools
On May 13, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced that face coverings are no longer required for individuals who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. While this news represents an important milestone in the pandemic, the mask mandate for Illinois schools has not ended at this point.
District 97 follows the guidance of the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Illinois State Board of Education and the Oak Park Department of Public Health. We do not have information at this point about the impact this latest development will have on schools. Until we receive further guidance, face coverings will continue to be required in all of our schools regardless of vaccination status.
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Appointments Available for May 22 Pfizer Clinic (Ages 12+)
Appointments still remain for a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine community clinic set for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 22, in the field house at Oak Park River Forest High School, 201 Scoville Ave. The clinic, which is hosted by the Oak Park Public Health Department and Walgreens, is open to anyone age 12 or older. Appointments are encouraged but walk-ins will be accepted – click here to schedule an appointment. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Access to the clinic will be through a door in the alley between the field house and the parking garage. Free parking is available in the high school garage, but walking and biking to the clinic are encouraged. For more information on local vaccination efforts visit www.oak-park.us/vaccine.
Finish Strong: Help Us Keep D97 Safe
The decisions we make during these next few weeks have a direct impact on our ability to maximize in-person learning for our students. Whether you are vaccinated or unvaccinated, we all have a responsibility to follow ALL safety guidelines set by state and local health departments in order to reduce potential spread of the virus.
With this in mind, please help us "Stay Safe and Finish Strong."
- If you are sick, STAY HOME.
- Wear a face mask or covering at all times while at school.
- Maintain social distancing (6 feet, as much as possible).
- Wash or sanitize your hands often.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue.
Registration Information for 2021-22 School Year in D97
Online registration for the 2021-22 school year in District 97 launched on Monday, April 26. Please visit https://www.op97.org/hr/student-registration for complete details.
Returning Student Registration Extended through June 30 for returning students who are currently in kindergarten through seventh grade. The parent/guardian listed as PG1 in PowerSchool will receive an email from infosnap@is.op97.org with their student’s snapcode and instructions to register. Returning Student Registration Information
Note: In order to register, Oak Park renters must have a lease that covers August 31, 2021, or the student’s first day of school.
VIDEO: "The ABCs of Registration are 'D-E-F'"
CLICK HERE for a brief video that outlines the District 97 registration process!
As you begin the process, remember that the "ABCs" of registration are "D-E-F."
- D - Documents: All required documents must be scanned and ready to upload before starting registration.
- E - Early: Registration is a longer process and we ask that families register early!
- F - Finish: Registration is finished once you receive a confirmation email from the district.
Families who wish to enroll new students or kindergarteners must first gather all required documents and make an appointment to have them reviewed. At your appointment, the registrar will explain the online process, verify your documentation and child's grade level, and enter the student into the online registration system. After your appointment, you will receive an email for each student with a unique link to submit that student’s registration information. Information for Incoming Kindergarteners
Appointments can be scheduled using this link:
https://registration.powerschool.com/family/gosnap.aspx?event=3548&culture=en
Next D97 Meal Distribution: Tuesday, May 25
Meal distribution will be held Tuesday, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Brooks Middle School
325 S. Kenilworth Ave.
Expectations for D97 Students and Staff Who Travel Out of State
Click here to view a summary of the district's expectations for students and staff.
Book Spotlight!
Please note: Library books are due back this coming week. Please return any library books that you have at home or in the classroom.
In this week’s spotlight you meet characters who have to overcome new obstacles, find out who they truly are, and how they can work together to make a difference. One book’s setting may take place in a magical land, and the other book’s setting may take place in a fifth-grade classroom, but both books’ characters need to find their way through their current problems.
Oscar lives in the Barrow and works for a powerful magician. He feels he is different. He doesn’t know where he came from. He doesn’t understand human interaction, and he spends his time gathering and preparing herbs and charms for the magician. He is comfortable in his small world until something starts destroying anything magical and the village's perfect children start falling ill. Join Oscar in The Real Boy and discover who he is and what is happening to the magic.
In A Whole New Ballgame, you meet Rip and Red. They are best friends in fifth grade. Rip, and Red, who has high-functioning autism, have to learn how to navigate a new teacher who is also the new basketball coach. Rip and Red both struggle with the changes in the classroom and on the court, but they know how to help each other through their struggles. Read about their struggles and how they use their friendship to overcome them in A Whole New Ballgame.
Request library books by filling out the Library Book Request Form. Check out these books and others by searching the Holmes Library catalog by clicking here and then selecting "Holmes Elementary School."
Celebrate Holmes Staff
Families, have you noticed a Holmes teacher or staff member who deserves a compliment or a thank you? Has this person made a difference for your child? Please share the reason in a brief email to me (czelaya@op97.org) so that we may recognize and thank them!
Community Hawk
Mark your Calendars!
Here is the Zoom link for the meeting:
Join Zoom Meeting https://op97-org.zoom.us/j/83474883869?pwd=TWFjMGRhTWhuNXh2bFhQZkVhYk9HQT09 Meeting ID: 834 7488 3869 Passcode: 298003 One tap mobile +13126266799,,83474883869# US (Chicago) +16465588656,,83474883869# US (New York)
Race and Education in Oak Park
Let us continue to educate ourselves on race. There is a series written by John Duffy in the Wednesday Journal that shares the history of Oak Park and race. Each week we will share a new essay written by John Duffy. Here is the fourth in the series: Managing School Integration in Oak Park
Previous posts
Here is the first in the series: Educational Equity in Oak Park
Here is the second in the series: Housing in Oak Park and Maywood
Here is the third in the series: Communities Differed with Race and School
Dr. Christine Zelaya
Email: czelaya@op97.org
Website: http://www.op97.org/holmes/
Location: 508 N Kenilworth Ave, Oak Park, IL, United States
Phone: 708-524-3100
Facebook: facebook.com/christine.zelaya.96
Twitter: @ChristineZelaya
Contact your PTO
Email: pto@holmespto.org
Website: https://www.holmespto.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolmesPTO/
Twitter: @HolmesPTO