Oak Park Education Network

05/11/2026

Big news from us!
The Oak Park Education Foundation is now the Oak Park Education Network (OPEN).
Our new name reflects who we are today: a dynamic network connecting students, educators, families, and community professionals to create meaningful, hands-on learning experiences across Oak Park. Thank you for being part of this journey. We’re excited to move forward together as OPEN!

03/28/2026

Join Oak Park Education Foundation for an OPEN house on April 19th to celebrate OPEF Programs and the Staszak Educator of the Year - Longfellow School Art Teacher Jenny Raia. This annual honor recognizes a D97 educator who demonstrates exceptional dedication and service to students. Families are invited to pop in anytime during the OPEN house from noon to 2:00pm to enjoy interactive activities and learn more about our STEAM programs. Immediately following the OPEN House at 2pm, there will be a special ceremony to celebrate Ms. Raia and launch our new name and logo. RSVP https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd0XuGVuuh7TlWH2rhYhyCnSwmVrVizAZUNhHus8D7oePcf7Q/viewform

03/28/2026

We are thrilled to announce that Longfellow School Art Teacher Jenny Raia is this year’s Staszak Award Winner. This annual honor recognizes a D97 educator who demonstrates exceptional dedication and service to students. The award celebrates the legacy of William Staszak and his commitment to the Oak Park community.
We will be honoring Ms. Raia at the April 19th OPEN House with a special ceremony beginning at 2:00pm.

02/12/2026

All D97 middle schoolers are invited to Celebrate Black History with the OPEF sponsored Spoken Word Club for this series on Hip-Hop Lyricism with OPEF Spoken Word Artist Phalair Carter. Sign up for the club today https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfpc-V2PnbaZ92ikwcKYdUwZMUfQweY6YT7UPq5yhqrcC0YWA/viewform

02/11/2026

LOCATION UPDATE on BASE Camp 2026:

We’re excited to share that District 97 has officially assigned our facility space and we’re thrilled to plan an exciting summer of learning, creativity, and fun at these sites.

This summer, BASE Camp will be held at:

Abraham Lincoln Elementary School – serving 1st–6th grade campers
Julian Middle School – serving 7th–8th grade campers
There are a few important program-specific exceptions to note:

Intro to VEX (6th grade) will be held at Julian Middle School.
Frisbee Physics (7th/8th grade) will be held at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School.
Design My Space: Wright Remixed (7th/8th grade) will be held at The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust, as listed.
As previously communicated, Beye Elementary School, our BASE Camp home for the past three summers, will be under construction this summer, making this relocation necessary.

We extend our sincere thanks to District 97 for their partnership and for the use of Abraham Lincoln Elementary School and Julian Middle School. Their support makes BASE Camp possible, and we are truly appreciative.

Again, we thank you for your patience and look forward to welcoming your campers soon!

02/02/2026

Nominate a D97 Staff Member TODAY for the 2026 Staszak Educator of the Year Award. More information and the nomination form can be found at https://opef.org/staszak-award-nominations/

02/01/2026

Good Bye January and Welcome February! We have turned the page on the calendar and TODAY at 2pm is the start of BASE Camp Registration. If you experience any issues during registration, please complete our Help Hub Form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfc4RCuOzhfYiz_-KLqx5HiNTKrgGYytxKyADP8Sh4jZHvbAQ/viewform or email us at [email protected]. Our team will get back to you as quickly as possible. Visit us at https://opef.org/summer-base-camp/ for more information on BASE Camp 2026.

02/02/2025

Are you ready to register? BASE Camp registration opens at 2:00 pm at https://opef.org/summer-base-camp/ All camp info, dates, schedules and camp lists are available on our website. Create your Amilia account first to save time when registering.

Build a Summer Education for Rising 1st-8th Graders Countdown to Basecamp Reg 2025New Event: Fall Into STEM!!!The Countdown Is OnRegistration for BASE Camp 2025 opens February 2, 2025.11Days16Hours07Minutes00SecondsPurchase Gift Cards Summer BASE Camp 2025 Details BASE Camp 2025 will be better than....

02/01/2025

BASE Camp registration opens tomorrow for all at 2:00 pm! If you haven't already set up your registration account in Amilia, our registration system, you can do so prior to registration to save time. All BASE Camp schedules and camp descriptions are available on our website. Get ready to register: www.opef.org