The BULLetin
March 12, 2020
Upcoming Events
- The Music Man Junior-- 03/12 and 03/13
- PRIDE Nominations are due by March 20th
Principal's Message
Good evening,
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!
IAR testing will be approaching soon. Our staff has put in the time and effort to ensure our students are prepared for the test. Please continue to encourage your students to do their best, as the data helps drive our instruction for the future. We look forward to seeing great results from the hard work students put forth to do their best on the test.
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.
Positive Office Referrals
Not pictured include: Junior Sanchez
Congratulations and keep up the great work Mavericks!
Fine Arts Festival
Student Artist Winners:
2D Art
2nd place
Zakiayah Johnson
Honorable Mention Rylie McCauley
3D Art
1st place
Tallia Dennis
Honorable Mention
Rylie McCauley
Ella Hansel Aiden Leggett
6th Grade Art 1st Place
Sara livingston
Honorable Mention Caleb Allgaier
6th grade band pictured below:
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
Track Information
Any 7th or 8th graders interested in track this year should have a physical on file and the 8 to 18 registration completed no later than Thursday, April 4. This will also be the first practice. A schedule and information sheet is attached.
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 Donations
- Pens
- Pencils
- Highlighters
- Loose Leaf Paper
- Composition Notebooks
- Post it notes
- Binder Dividers
- Reinforcement stickers for binders
Volunteer Excellence Award
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
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. Rerych
Ms. Waldron
Ms. Schultz
The students participated in an inquiry based discovery lesson about the connection between the diameter and circumference of a circle. They measured the diameter and circumference multiple circles with numerous tools (protractors, rulers, measuring tape, string). The students organized their work on a table and graphed their findings. They combined and shared all their findings and discussed their discoveries. They found that a circle's circumference is a little over 3 times it's diameter, therefore Pi is about 3.14. Happy Pi day! :)
Mr. Gerl
Tick Presentations
Representatives from the Kendall County Health Department presented a lesson on tick safety to science students. Students learned what to do if they are bitten by a tick and how to prevent tick bites.
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