The Principal's Perspective
January 26-30, 2026
Chicagoland experienced one of its coldest days since January 20, 1985, on Friday. Nearly 41 years later—almost to the day—the third Friday in January tried its hardest to chill us to the bone, echoing that blistering Sunday in 1985, when wind chills plummeted to -61 degrees. There was no such thing as an e-learning day back then, only the "schools closed" scrolling notices at the bottom of the screen during the NBC 5 New Broadcast. Fast forward to this past Friday, we were given an e-learning day so as to avoid the dangers of the cold, the wind chill that lingered at -25, just a few degrees "warmer" than the anticipated. - 30. It is hard to imagine using the word "warmer" in the same sentence as -25, but it applies nonetheless.
The thought of trading an early morning alarm and weaving in and out of cars driving on Lake Shore Drive for a morning snuggling with my 12-year-old Tabby, Honey, under a feather down comforter seemed like a no-brainer. Adding a cup of hot Irish tea with lemon and sugar cubes (I stand by my opinion that sugar cubes are somehow sweeter than loose sugar) made the prospect even more tantalizing. The idea of not being interrupted by clamoring bells or having to cajole students away from their lockers seemed like a fair trade for a remote day.
Or so one would think...
What appeared to be a relaxing day couldn't have been further from reality. The truth is, e-learning days are far more hectic. Our eyes are glued to the screen, moving in and out of virtual classrooms and navigating an inbox that somehow doubles in volume. We attend scheduled meetings while troubleshooting issues that are exponentially harder to solve from a distance.
It gives me pause to realize we did this day in and day out for a year and a half during the pandemic. How did we ever survive? Yet we did. This one-day reminder of that time has filled me with a strange sense of gratitude. In the midst of my murmuring about how hectic the day was, I remembered that it could be worse.
I know that for some, the COVID lockdowns were "music to their ears"—a time to go inward, bake banana bread, and retreat from the world. For them, perhaps e-learning days are a nostalgic return to those "days of old." However, I grew tired of the "new normal" found in an electronic dystopia. I am old-fashioned- I am an 80's kid: I prefer a physical book in my hand, a telephone connected to a long curly cord, hand-folded paper notes instead of emails, rolled-up newspaper at the front door for current events, and the forbidden tabloids that my mother hid in her nightstand over the social media of today
So today, I am grateful that in the upcoming week I get to say, "Get to class—you can't be great if you’re late!" to 8h graders who have one foot out the door towards ETHS and the other in Mr. Mynard’s social studies class. I am grateful to be able to say "slow down, lunch isn't going anywhere" to the 6th graders who race down the stairs to lunch coming from Ms. Hodges class where I know they have already had their cardio for the day. I am grateful for in-person restorative conversations where 7th graders learn the gifts of accountability and respect with Ms. DeMari. I am grateful for the Cheerios that constantly fall on the lunchroom floor, and every crumpled piece of homework I find in the hallway after passing period.
I am grateful for the opportunity to see, touch, and feel the humanity of Nichols. We had our e-day, but here is to an abundance of in-person learning days—the ones that truly remind us what we are grateful for.
Important: Morning Drop-Off & Afternoon Pick-Up Safety
Unfortunately we have to address an ongoing and serious safety concern regarding our school parking lot and the flow of traffic during arrival and dismissal.
To ensure the safety of our students and the professional start of our school day, we must insist on the following:
The Parking Lot is for Staff Only: Parents and guardians are not to pull into the parking lot to drop off or pick up students. This lot is not designed for a high volume of through-traffic, and having students weave between moving vehicles in this area creates a significant safety hazard.
Do Not Block Entrances: Please do not idle or park at the entrance to the parking lot. This prevents our teachers and staff from entering the lot and arriving at their classrooms on time to greet your children.
Avoid "Street Bottlenecks": Stopping in the middle of the street to let your student out is dangerous for your child and creates a traffic jam that affects the entire area around the school.
The Goal: Safety Over Convenience We understand that the mornings are a rush, but the safety of our students and staff is our absolute priority. When cars double-park or block access points, it creates a "bottleneck" that puts pedestrians at risk and delays the start of the school day for everyone.
Please utilize the designated drop-off zones and keep traffic moving. Let’s work together to keep our students safe and our morning transitions smooth.
Thank you for your immediate cooperation and for respecting our staff’s need to access the building safely.
It’s the Winter Reading Challenge!
Inspired by the African American Read-In and Black History Month, all titles must be by an African American author or have an African American main character.
Challenge Dates:
Monday, January 26, 2026 - Friday, February 27, 2026
How It Works:
Read books using the reading log prompts. One unique title per category!
Track your reading by writing down the title for each category and having an adult sign off when you finish.
Have your ELA Teacher sign off when you complete all 3 reading prompts and submit your completed log to Ms. Philippe.
Finish at least 3 reading prompts by Friday, February 27th to win the Prize.
Goals:
Read a minimum of 3 books by the end of February
Center African American books and authors
Build a habit of daily reading
Prizes & Rewards:
Participants who complete the challenge will receive a donut in their ELA class the week of March 1st
Look for a new reading challenge in the Spring!
