At Nichols Middle School, we believe that celebrating Black History is essential—not just during Black History Month, but throughout the entire year. Black history is American history, and recognizing the achievements, resilience, and contributions of Black individuals helps us foster a more inclusive and informed school community.

By learning about Black history, students gain a deeper understanding of the struggles and triumphs that have shaped our society. It allows us to honor the voices of those who fought for justice and equality, celebrate Black excellence in all fields, and inspire our students to become advocates for positive change.

This month, there will be meaningful discussions, activities, and lessons that highlight Black leaders, innovators, artists, and change-makers. Through these efforts, we aim to cultivate pride, awareness, and appreciation for the rich and diverse history that has shaped our world.

Celebrating Black history is about more than just remembering the past—it’s about empowering our students to create a more just and equitable future. At Nichols, we are committed to ensuring that all students feel seen, valued, and inspired to make a difference. There is no American history without Black History!

Click on the photo, quote, and Theme below to find out more.

At Nichols, we remain deeply committed to ensuring that all students feel safe, valued, and supported, especially during times when certain groups may feel targeted based on social identifiers. Our role as educators goes beyond academics—we are dedicated to teaching our students how to be kind, compassionate, and courageous members of our community.

This week, through Character Strong, students will engage in meaningful lessons designed to foster empathy, resilience, and inclusivity:

✅ 6th Grade: Learning about active listening—the better we listen, the more others feel fully heard. This is a fundamental skill in creating a school where everyone knows they belong.

✅ 7th Grade: Exploring how to navigate stress, particularly stress caused by factors beyond their control. Some students experience this stress when they or their loved ones feel targeted by new laws societal changes, or current wars in their land of origination, for example. Teaching students how to find joy and resilience in life is key to their well-being.

✅ 8th Grade: Developing strategies to avoid snap judgments, especially in emotionally charged situations. As future adult citizens, our students must learn not to make assumptions about people or groups but instead navigate their emotions in productive ways.

In addition, our Town Hall meetings will reinforce these themes:

✅ 6th Grade: Introducing R.I.S.E., a practice that gives students tools to manage emotions, communicate effectively, and resolve conflicts—all essential for fostering a supportive and inclusive school culture.

✅ 7th Grade: Exploring what it means to make Nichols a brave space, even amidst the challenges of the outside world. We will discuss how students can disrupt systemic racism and build a school where all cultures and identities are respected. Using G.G.G.V. (Gratitude, Goals, Giving Compliments, and Voice), we aim to develop classroom brave spaces that ripple out into all school spaces.

✅ 8th Grade: Preparing for their transition to ETHS (Wildkits) and beyond, reinforcing what it means to be compassionate and kind citizens who advocate for those marginalized.

Nichols will continue to build and sustain brave spaces for all students. We are committed to educating them on how to navigate the world while staying true to themselves and using their voices to advocate for others. Involving student voice is critical in this process, and we thank you for your partnership in fostering a school where every child belongs and thrives.

The safety and well-being of our students remain our top priority. In light of continued potential Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the community, I want to assure you of our unwavering commitment to keeping your children safe while they are in our care.

Our school is, and will always be, a safe space for all students and families, regardless of immigration status. We strictly prohibit any activity on campus that could disrupt the safety or education of our students. ICE agents will not be permitted in the building without a valid warrant signed by a judge, and we will take every precaution to ensure that our school remains secure.

To further protect our students during this time, we will be even more diligent during recess, and staff will be prepared to implement lockdown protocols should there be a present threat in or around the building.

We value the trust you place in us and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that every child feels safe, supported, and able to focus on their learning. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.

Thank you for your partnership and understanding.

Dear Nichols Families,

We are excited to invite you to our State of Nichols Evening on Wednesday, February 19th, from 6:00–8:00 p.m. This event is designed to connect with caregivers, provide key school updates, and address important topics based on the feedback we received from our State of the Union Survey. Your input helped us shape this evening to best meet the needs and preferences of our school community.

Evening Format:

📍 6:00–6:30 p.m. – Social Time in the cafeteria with light snacks.
📍 6:30–7:00 p.m. – Grade-Level Q&A Sessions

• 6th Grade: Auditorium
• 7th Grade: Cafeteria
• 8th Grade: Library
  (Each session will address the same key questions)

• 📍 7:05–7:30 p.m. – Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) at Nichols: What SEL means for our students and our plan for support. Remain in your grade level location.
• 📍 7:35–8:00 p.m. – Standards-Based Grading & PowerSchool: Understanding how grading works and how to navigate PowerSchool. Remain in your grade level location.

Parents are welcome to attend the sessions of their choice based on their interests.

We Value Your Input – Submit Your Questions

We want to ensure that our Q&A sessions address the topics that matter most to you. Attached is a brief survey where you can submit your questions. We will review responses, identify common themes, and structure our Q&A accordingly.

📌 Please complete the survey by Friday, February 8th, at 3:00 p.m.

Additional Opportunity: 5Essentials Survey

During the event, we will have 10 computers available for parents to complete the 5Essentials Survey. Your feedback is critical to our success, as we believe Nichols is only as strong as our caregiver-school partnership.

We look forward to an engaging and collaborative evening. Thank you for your continued support, and we hope to see you there!

This is a reminder that Wednesday is a half day for students. During this time, students will be engaging in meaningful activities focused on three essential objectives:

✅ Reflecting on their backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences.
✅ Learning about the unique backgrounds, identities, and experiences of their classmates.
✅ Respecting differences and finding common ground with others.

These social-emotional learning skills are critical in fostering understanding, empathy, and a strong sense of belonging within our school community. Our goal is to cultivate a community of scholars who are kind and compassionate toward themselves and others.

At Nichols, all students belong—and we are committed to helping them grow into thoughtful, respectful, and inclusive individuals.

Thank you for your support!

As part of our ongoing partnership with you, it is critical that we have accurate and up-to-date contact information for every student. This ensures that we can reach you in case of an emergency or important school communication.

Please take a moment to verify your phone numbers, email addresses, and emergency contacts in PowerSchool. We must have at least one reliable point of contact in the event that we need to reach you.

How to Update Your Contact Information:

📧 Email: registrationinfo@district65.net
🌐 Visit: PowerSchool webpage on the District 65 website for more details.

Your prompt attention to this is greatly appreciated. Keeping your contact information current is essential to ensuring your child’s safety and staying informed about important school updates.

Thank you for your cooperation and partnership!

Jazz Band will be participating in the ETHS Jazz Fest next weekend on Feb. 8th. Middle and high schools from all over the area perform and receive feedback from professional jazz musicians, but Nichols is the only D. 65 to be participating. Here's a link with info: 2025 Press Release

We are so proud of all of our Nichols Lions Debate team. All of Nichols's debaters reached the championship round. We brought home so many awards and I am so VERY proud of each and every participant! Below are our stats:

Speaker Award

• Maya Brush

Varsity 1st Place Winners

• Aaron Athens
• Jarrett Thackett

• Lukas Weber
• Leo Withrow

• Maya Brush
• Audrey Johnson

We dominated Illinois Middle School Debate League tournament!

Congratulations to the following students below who were the winners of the Grade Level Spelling Bee! The grade level bees took place in mid-January. The top finalists in each grade advanced to compete in the Nichols Spelling Bee on January 24th.

Sixth graders: Bea Perney, Jazmin Leon, James Schmidt

7th graders: Najin Nedoss, Max Singer, Ella Shortenhaus

8th grader: Graham Nieuwsma, Greta Nieuwsma

Winners:

6th- James Schmidt

7th- Max Singer

8th- Greta Nieuwsma

Congratulations to Greta Nieuwsma who was the winner of the Nichols School Wide Bee. She will advance to the District 65 Spelling Bee on February 4th. James Schmidt was the runner up after an intense one on one multi-round battle.

Nichols Middle School is hosting Parent-Teacher Conferences on February 11th (in-person) and February 12th (via Zoom), 2025, from 4:00-7:05 PM. The sign up window opened on January 27th and will close on February 10th. Translation services are available if requested by February 7th. For assistance with scheduling, parents can call the main office at 847-859-8650 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. We look forward to seeing you!

How to sign up for Conferences (Spanish Version)

This week, we are excited to celebrate Counselors Week and recognize the incredible work of our Nichols Middle School counselors! Each day, they provide essential support, guidance, and care to our students, helping them navigate academic challenges, social-emotional growth, and personal development.

Please join us in appreciating our dedicated counseling team:

🌟 6th Grade – Ms. DeMari
🌟 7th Grade – Ms. Dortzbach
🌟 8th Grade – Ms. Nelson

Our counselors play a vital role in ensuring that every student feels seen, heard, and supported at Nichols. Whether they are helping students manage stress, develop healthy relationships, set academic goals, or simply lending a listening ear, their work makes a lasting impact on our school community.

We encourage students and families to take a moment this week to say thank you to our counselors for their dedication and compassion. A kind note, email, or simple “thank you” can go a long way in showing appreciation for all they do!

Thank you, Ms. DeMari, Ms. Dortzbach, and Ms. Nelson, for being such an integral part of Nichols Middle School! 💙✨

Please join the Caregivers Council for Disability Inclusion and District 65 for an informational session on transitions. The session will be hosted via Zoom on February 4th at 6:30pm.

Zoom Link

In 1925, A. Philip Randolph established The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP), the first nationally recognized Black labor union in the United States.

Under Randolph's leadership, the BSCP expanded its mission to advocate for broader social and economic justice, paving the way for the modern Civil Rights Movement. Randolph went on to organize the famous March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963.

-- A. Phillip Randolph

Starting February 1, all 5th-8th graders are invited to design & code an 8-bit style video game in Evanston's Code It! Challenge. No experience? No worries: Tutorials and help are available so that anyone can participate.

The rules are simple: Design a video game using MakeCode Arcade, include at least 10 core game elements, and submit it by April 6. You can complete this challenge in an afternoon, but the more game elements you include and the more you participate, the better your chances of winning the best prizes. All entrants earn the right to display their games for everyone to play at the Citywide Showcase on April 12.

For more info: Check out the Code It! Challenge website

Here you will find the link to the Evanston City page that includes the cultural celebrations for Black History Month. It's for all the learn more about the History of African-Americans and to celebrate the rich culture.

Special Programs For Adults

• Feb. 5: Sip & Paint Black History Month Edition. You’ll get all the materials you need to create your own work of art. Food and drinks will be available for purchase, but not required! Ages 21+. In person. Wednesday, Feb. 5, 6-7:30 p.m. Double Clutch Brewing Company. Register.
  
  
• Feb. 6, 13, 20 & 27: Getting Your House in Order Homebuying Series. Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) presents Getting Your House in Order Homebuying Workshop Series. Founded by Sum Clarity and facilitated by CPAH, this series dives into African Americans' shared history, culture, beliefs and behaviors around money management. Facilitators Janina Hall of CPAH and Terrence Terrell of A and N Mortgage Services will lead participants through a series of workshops that will set you on a path to homeownership. Thursdays, Feb. 6, Feb. 13, Feb. 20, and Feb. 27, 6:30-8:30 p.m., in-person at the Robert Crown Community Center (Room B/C). Register.

• Feb. 12: Rebel STEAMers. Join the Rebel STEAMers in making a zine and talking about activism. This month we're celebrating Black history. Learn about popular and lesser known civil rights activists, discover how they fought for freedoms we have today, and make a zine about your own important topic. When complete, the zine's can be copied and make available to the public! For grades 5-9. Wednesday, Feb. 12, 4-5:30 p.m. Robert Crown Branch Library. Register.
  
  
• Feb. 14: Make Your Own Ice Cream! Join us in the Teen Loft to learn more about the African American ice cream innovator, Augustus Jackson (also known at the Father of Ice Cream) while making your own delicious sweet treat. For grades 6-12. Friday, Feb. 14, 2-3:30 p.m. Main Library. Registration required.

• Feb. 22: Books & Badges. In celebration of Black History Month, the Evanston Public Library has joined forces with the Evanston Police Department, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement (N.O.B.L.E.) & Local Author Juleya Woodson to offer Books & Badges! EPD will be available to provide safety advice and answer any questions. Juleya Woodson will read her acclaimed book, I Hope They Understand, and we can learn more about all of our beautiful skin tones! For grades K-5. Saturday, Feb. 22, 12-1:30 p.m. Robert Crown Branch Library. Register.

The world is REALLY heavy right now. Additionally, as parents of middle schoolers, life can feel like a non-stop juggling act—balancing family, work, school, activities, and countless other responsibilities. With so much going on, stress can build up quickly, especially in today’s fast-paced world. It’s easy to put our own well-being on the back burner, but taking time for self-care is essential to avoid burnout and maintain the energy we need to support our families.

Self-care doesn’t have to be another task on your to-do list—it’s about finding small, meaningful ways to recharge and do things that bring you joy. When we take care of ourselves, we are better equipped to handle challenges and support those around us.

With that in mind, I’d love to share some simple strategies and resources to help you incorporate self-care into your daily routine. Even in the midst of chaos, small moments of rest and rejuvenation can make all the difference! Check out the links below so that you can make self-care a realistic and fulfilling part of your life.

• Insight Timer
• Breathing Techniques to Reduce Stress
• Chair Yoga