The Hawk
Holmes Elementary School - Week Ending 4/30/21
IMPORTANT DATES/THINGS TO REMEMBER
- Staff Appreciation Week May 3 - 7
- Remote Planning Day - No School - May 7
School Lunch Order Form
Be sure to complete this form for each of your children. The form will close every Monday morning by 8:00am. Be sure to order your child's lunch each weekend for the next week.
District 97 Planning for Full In-Person Learning in 2021-22
This week, District 97 reached another important milestone as our elementary students and staff began full days of in-person instruction. This transition will continue next week at the middle schools, with on-site learners from all grade levels attending full days, Monday through Friday.
The goal this spring was to use our transition to full days as an opportunity to learn, improve and prepare for a full return to in-person learning in the fall. Based on the progress we’ve made and the information we currently have from the state, District 97 is planning to provide full-time, in-person learning during the 2021-22 school year, as well as a remote option with limited criteria for participation.
While we anticipate sharing more details in the coming weeks, we wanted to provide some key facts regarding our current plans:
- Our school will adhere to the most up-to-date recommendations for COVID-19 mitigation, including face coverings, social distancing, screenings, hand washing, etc.
- Full-time remote learning will only be available to students who meet established criteria. The Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health have stated that remote learning should continue to be offered for students who are at increased risk for severe illness or who live with people who are at increased risk. While we are anticipating another update from the state in the next few weeks, our team has already begun developing a set of criteria that will be shared with families next week.
- The district will no longer be asking all families to choose between in-person and remote instruction. Instead, we will send a brief form to families to complete only if their children meet the outlined criteria and, if so, whether they will be electing to participate in remote learning during the 2021-22 school year. We plan to send the form, along with further details on remote learning, on Friday, May 7, in order to assist our early planning efforts. Note: If your child does not meet the outlined criteria, they will not be eligible to participate in remote learning.
- Our goal is to eliminate the use of live streaming in the majority of our classrooms through the use of dedicated teachers for our remote learners. Live streaming would only be used if absolutely necessary for means of access (e.g., accelerated learning).
We understand that there are still many uncertainties about the fall, including the trajectory of the pandemic and the unreleased guidance from the state. However, we believe we are in a strong position to plan for a safe, full-time return in 2021-22, and our intention is to provide our families and staff with as much information as possible prior to the summer break.
Safety Mitigation Support
Students should arrive to school at 7:50 and not before. There is no supervision before 7:50. We begin our staggered entry to the building at 7:50 am.
Also, remember to pick up your student at their morning drop-off spots and maintain social distancing. We also need parents to allow space for classrooms to walk across the street without congregating. No dogs should be on school property during arrival or dismissal.
Lastly, support students with continued family discussions around safety protocols and why they are so important to keep our community safe. This includes wearing their mask, physically distancing, and washing their hands often.
Registration for 21/22 School Year - ALL STUDENTS MUST REGISTER
Online registration for the 2021-22 school year in District 97 will officially launch on Monday, April 26. Please visit https://www.op97.org/hr/student-registration for complete details.
Returning Students
Registration for returning students who are currently in kindergarten through seventh grade will be entirely online April 26 through May 31. 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. Emails will be sent in waves beginning April 26.
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 Meal D97 Meal Distribution: Tuesday, May 4
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.
SAVE THE DATE: D97 Virtual Summer Step-Up Program
Summer Step Up is designed to support any District 97 student who could benefit from revisiting grade-level standards from the previous year. Additional information and sign-up forms will be shared by schools in May 2021.
Requests for further support (as needed)
Holmes School is committed to providing support to ensure all students experience social and academic success. Please fill out this form if your child is struggling to function socially, emotionally, or behaviorally at school. A member of our Tier 2 PBIS team will contact you in regards to the next steps.
Book Spotlight!
Do you like dogs? Check. Do you like guinea pigs? Check. Do you like knights? Check. Have you ever needed to rescue your uncle from a cruel king during the Middle Ages? Check. Read more about books that have these elements in this week’s book spotlight.
In Wedgie & Gizmo get ready for a fun-filled book where a family learns to blend together, along with their pets. Gizmo is a guinea pig and considers himself an evil genius. Wedgie is a dog and can’t wait to move in with Gizmo. The book alternates the point of view between Gizmo and Wedgie and shows how the two families come together to form a new family.
Max has always dreamed of being a knight but has never had the chance to make that dream a reality until her uncle is kidnapped by King Gastley. Max along with a group of her friends creates the Midknights and seeks to rescue Max’s uncle and restore peace to the Kingdom of Byjovia. Read about this great adventure in Max and the Midknights.
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."
April Spirit Wear Sale
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
Teacher & Staff Appreciation week is May 3rd-7th
COVID Vaccinations
This is for anyone who would like to receive the COVID vaccine and needs help signing up for an appointment. Please reach out to the Holmes DivCo team, and we will work together to set up an appointment. You can contact Aisha Raees or Richa Singhal at holmesdivco@gmail.com.
Inviting AAPI Families to Contribute to Morning Announcements
In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (May), we would love to include facts about the AAPI culture or people in our morning announcements. We feel the facts would best honor the month if it came from the Holmes’s AAPI community. Please fill out this form if you would like to contribute: AAPI Heritage Form
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 third in the series: Communities Differed with Race and School
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
Bystander Intervention Virtual Trainings
Let us stand with our Asian American community. The Asian American community has faced a rise in hate crimes after the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like to attend a bystander intervention virtual training, please go to this link: https://www.advancingjustice-aajc.org/events. There are multiple dates and times to choose from.
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