Author: eakocs

Those Who Excel Awards

Congratulations to Mr. Frank DiPaulo, building engineer extraordinaire, for being nominated by District 97 to receive a Those Who Excel Award! This is a state-wide award, signifying excellence among all staff who support our schools. The final awards will be announced in October, so in the meantime give Mr. DiPaulo (a.k.a. Elvis, a.k.a. Michael Jackson) a hearty “thank-you” for everything he does above and beyond the call of duty. And if you have a particular story you wish to share as part of the further application process, please contact Laura Crawford at lauracrawford47@gmail.com

Middle School Forum at Julian, April 3rd, 7-9 pm

Join us for

Our Preferred Future: Fostering World-Class Middle Schools

April 3, 2012 ◦ 7-9 pm

Julian Middle School

Parents/guardians and district staff will discuss important issues related to curriculum and instruction, leadership and culture.

They will also talk about how they can work together to develop a more clearly defined middle school philosophy and system of best practices that will enhance the educational experience for our students and build a better tomorrow for our schools.

This event is sponsored by District 97 & District 97 PTO Council

District 97 Climate Survey
The district’s 2011-2012 parent/guardian and staff climate surveys have been created and posted online. Your completion of this survey will help highlight our strengths, as well as identify areas for improvement. It will also provide valuable feedback that will help us better meet the needs of the families we serve.
Parents/guardians can access their version of the survey by clicking here, while staff members can access their version by clicking here. Please take the time to read the introduction on the first page. It features important information regarding the survey options that are available (short form versus long form), as well as details about submitting comments and offering input on multiple buildings. If you or someone you know would prefer to receive a hardy copy version of the survey, please e-mail d97feedback@op97.org. The deadline for completing the survey is Friday, April 27, 2012.

Letter from Mr. Hodge – Walking Safely

March 22, 2012

Dear Students and Parents/Guardians:

I want to remind our Irving families about critical safety issues for students when they walk to and from school.  On March 21, an Irving student was approached by a stranger near the intersection of Austin and Fillmore. The child’s parent contacted the Oak Park Police Department and the school.

Incidents such as this, remind us all of the importance of discussing safety issues with your child(ren).  Parents, please take a few minutes to discuss the importance of the safety rules listed below.  You may have additional ideas to share with your child that will help him/her to make the right decision should such an emergency arise.

Students:

  1. Always try to walk in group or with at least one other person.
  2. Walk on sidewalks and other open areas rather than alleys that have less visibility.
  3. Be aware of your surroundings and any strangers who are nearby.
  4. Seek help is you have a concern about another person by going to a house that has a Safe House sticker displayed in the window, going to a neighbor’s house, finding an adult to assist you, or going back to school.
  5. Never approach a vehicle unknown to you even if the occupant speaks to you.
  6. Yell loudly and run if you feel you are in danger.
  7. Be sure to tell your parents if something happens.  Parents should contact the police and the school.

Thank you for spending time on this important issue.

Sincerely,

John Hodge, Principal

Letter from Mr. Hodge