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Mission and Vision!
Mission:
- To provide a high-quality, inclusive, and equitable education for students to grow, lead, and thrive by empowering staff, collaborating with families, and embracing our diverse community.
Vision:
- Gompers will be a collaborative community that provides a sense of belonging and high levels of achievement for all students, staff, and families.
Events this week
Monday, 11/18
Orchestra Festival Fieldtrip. 1:30-7p
Gompers Boys Basketball @ Richland, 4:15p
Tuesday, 11/19
Gompers @ JTHS ChoirFest, 8:30a-12p
Gompers Boys Basketball vs. Dirksen, 4:15p
Wednesday, 11/20
SOAR Store Open during lunch periods
Thursday, 11/21
Gompers Boys Basketball @ Jane Addams, 4:15p
Regular school activities
Spelling Bee Participants:
On Tuesday, 11.12.24, our Spelling Bee Contest took place in the auditorium. This year we had 40 students competing to earn a spot at the district contest. With several parents in attendance, we congratulate all the final winners as follows:
Overall Winners:
- 1st Place: Amy Salazar
- 2nd Place: Allison Ponce Martinez
- 3rd Place: Daniel Gonzalez
6th Grade
- 1st Place: Amy Salazar
- 2nd Place Allison Ponce Martinez
7th Grade
- 1st Place: Andres Zavala
- 2nd Place: Evan Leon
8th Grade
- 1st Place: Daniel Gonzalez
- 2nd Place: Malia Childs
- December 4, 2024 - Will County Spelling Bee
- March 13, 2025 - District Spelling Bee at Pershing Elementary School
New Trimester = New ECs
As we conclude Trimester 1 and transition into Trimester 2, we have identified several students who need additional support to improve their math and English skills. To better assist our students, we are restructuring our interventions during the EC period to focus on maximizing their learning and addressing any gaps. Students will receive more targeted and intensive intervention through Freckle Math and Freckle Reading during this time. With focused attention and an adaptive learning approach, students will enhance their skills and make the improvements necessary for their success.
We kindly request parents to support us in the following ways:
- Ensure your student arrives at school by 7:30 a.m. daily. The EC period begins at 7:45 a.m. If they arrive late or are absent, they may miss out on crucial extra support.
- Regularly ask your students how they are progressing on Freckle. They should be able to demonstrate their progress on their Chromebooks. When you show interest, it reinforces its importance to them.
New opportunity for equity at Gompers
Our students and staff have taken the first steps on our journey toward increased equity. To make this a meaningful and purposeful experience, we want our students to take the lead. On Friday, November 15, 2024, we invited 49 students to discuss the formation of a Black Student Union (BSU). The attached flyer provides additional information and contact details. By starting with a small focus group, we were able to identify five key themes that the students expressed as important topics for them. These are:
- Racism and Discrimination
- Black History and Culture
- Equality and Fair Treatment
- School Environment and Authority Figures
- Cultural Representation and Inclusion
While there are many other topics we could address, these student leaders have prioritized these specific areas.
Currently, 41 students are interested in joining the new BSU. However, not all students who may want to participate could attend the initial meeting. If your student is interested in joining the BSU, please have them email Mrs. Koonce at ckoonce@joliet86.org. Additionally, we welcome input from parents and community leaders who would like to support our BSU. If you would like to get involved, please reach out.
Additional Recourses:
- https://nobleschools.org/blog/leadership-at-noble-black-student-union-at-uiccp/#:~:text=The%20BSU%20was%20originally%20started,to%20manuever%20in%20diverse%20spaces.
- https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/16/08/giving-students-voice
- https://www.newleaders.org/blog/how-to-uplift-student-voice-and-build-agency
We can't wait to see you soon!
Parent/Teacher Conferences are coming soon. Save the date so you can attend conferences and meet with your student's teachers. We want to see every family come in and meet with teachers to help them grow and learn. Parents are a key to the student's success, and we value the critical role you take in your student's growth and development. Please plan to join us on Monday, 11.25.24 3p-7p OR Tuesday, 11.26.24, 8a-10a. No appointments necessary. More details coming in the next few weeks. See you there!
Register for Grade Notifications
Do you want to get automatic notices from Aspen when your student's grade is below your expectations? Aspen allows you to set automatic notifications when your student's grade is below a specific grade or percentage you choose. This is a great way to keep in touch with how your student is doing academically and contact teachers to help your student succeed. See below for instructions on how to set automatic notifications for your student. Please call our office at 815.727.5276
Attending After-School Activities
All parents and students are welcome to attend our afterschool activities at Gompers. We want everyone to enjoy our events, but all students wishing to attend after-school events must have been at school that day in order to attend after-school events, practices, games, fieldtrips, or activities. If your student is absent from school, they will not be allowed to attend the after-school activity. Thank you for helping all students make attending school a priority before extracurricular participation.
"Pick 2" Calendar
As we approach the upcoming holiday breaks, we are implementing a "Pick 2" Daily Curriculum Activities Calendar to increase student achievement. This calendar has been distributed to our school, and we encourage students to complete 2 activities each day alongside any assigned homework.
To make this initiative even more engaging, students will receive a Smencil when they turn in their signed calendar, confirming that they have completed the two activities daily for the entire month.
Thank you for your partnership.
Who do you call if your student has a conflict with another student?
Please call our office at 815.727.5276, and ask to speak with your student's Academic Advisor. At Gompers, the Academic Advisors work with all the students at the grade level and travel with them from year to year. This is done so they get to know the students well and can support them through the three years they are at Gompers. Like a dean at the high school, Academic Advisors manage 90% of the disciplinary issues, and are a great resource to parents on problem-solving most conflicts that arise. Call or email your Academic Advisor for help right away. They are here for you to help your student succeed!
- Sixth Grade - Academic Advisor: Laura Arias - larias@joliet86.org
- Seventh Grade - Academic Advisor: Courtney Miller - camiller@joliet86.org
- Eighth Grade - Academic Advisor: Dan Wikert - dwikert@joliet86.org
Food Drive
District 86 Support Staff Union Food Drive, October 16th - December 5th. Please consider donating a non-perishable food item for Morningstar Mission Homeless Shelter in Joliet. Cans and boxes of nonperishable food can be brought to school and donated. Students can drop off items in their EC or in the bins in the hallway.
Sock Drive
District 86 Support Staff Union Sock Drive, October 16th - December 5th. Warm their feet! Your donation and support make a difference and will go to Sunny Hill Nursing Home. If you’d like to participate, donate a new pair of socks by bringing a pair of socks to school to donate. Students can drop off items in their EC or in the bins in the hallway
Do you want to tryout for a sport?
Your student needs a sports physical to try out for an athletic team at Gompers. Sports physicals are valid for an entire year. The athletic season for each sport is as follows:
- Cross Country August - October (currently in session)
- Girls Basketball September - November (currently in session)
- Boys Basketball October - February
- Cheer October - February
- Wrestling December - March
- Scholastic Bowl January - May
- Boys & Girls Soccer March-May
For more details, contact our Athletic Director, Mr. Blaeser, at eblaeser@joliet86.org. For information regarding Sports Physicals, please contact our School Nurse, Mrs. Quitman, at mquitman@joliet86.org.
Gompers Contacts
Sixth Grade
- Academic Advisor: Laura Arias - larias@joliet86.org
- Team Leader: Robert Pollard - rpollard@joliet86.org
- Social Worker: Brooke Hagadus - bhagadus@joliet86.org
Seventh Grade
- Academic Advisor: Courtney Miller - camiller@joliet86.org
- Team Leader: Jeremy Poch - jerpoch@joliet86.org
- Social Worker: Maria Arroyo - mgarroyo@joliet86.org
Eighth Grade
- Academic Advisor: Dan Wikert - dwikert@joliet86.org
- Team Leader: Jessica Pasquale - jpasquale@joliet86.org
- Social Worker: Therese Skwarczynski - tskwarczynski@joliet86.org
PE & Fine Arts Team Leader: Theresa Curry - tcurry@joliet86.org
Athletic Director: Eric Blaeser - eblaeser@joliet86.org
Nurse: Melissa Quitman - mquitman@joliet86.org
Assistant Principal: Mia Suarez - msuarez@joliet86.org
Principal: Raul Gaston - rgaston@joliet86.org
Newsletter Archives
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