Transitioning to middle school is a huge step and to some of our students it can be quite scary! We want to make this transition for them as smooth as possible. Two years ago, I also had a daughter who started 6th grade. I wanted to ensure that she would feel safe emotionally, mentally, physically, and socially. I wanted a place for her to thrive academically and to be able to make new friends. Going from an elementary school with one main teacher to having multiple teachers can feel insurmountable. As a parent, I understand your concern and misgivings. But, let me tell you about the Nichols community that I know where your child will be safe, cared for and can thrive in every way.

We have the most amazing team of teachers. They are committed to the well-being of your child. We have teachers that have spent over 20 years teaching at Nichols because of the amazing school community that has been created. Our mission is to be a collaborative learning community centered in instructional equity, creativity, critical thinking and resilience, supporting one another to this end. This is what you can expect from each of our Nichols teachers and from me as the 6th grade Assistant Principal.

I am excited to be working at Nichols. I have spent the last four years working here at Nichols, first as the academic instructional coach, and this is my second year as the 6th grade administrator. Some of the things that I love about Nichols is how incredibly brilliant our students are and how the staff provides them opportunity to express their creativity and to showcase their talents and abilities while challenging them intellectually. It is truly a great place of learning.

As the 6th grade administrator, I work with the 6th grade team. I am here to support you, your child, and our teachers as we work together to ensure a successful year of learning. One of the best ways to communicate with me is through email. You can expect to receive a response within 72 hours. If you have any issues or concerns, please reach out to your child's teachers first. They may be able to provide more insight into the situation. But, please feel free to follow up with me in an email or a phone call. My email is brunsone@district65.net. My phone number is 847-859-8656. I look forward to meeting each of you at our Sixth Grade Meet and Greet on Tuesday, August 20th at 6:30pm and hearing from you throughout this school year.

🍎 There are 622 students who attend Nichols.

🍎 Each grade level has an administrator, school counselor, and social worker assigned to it. Teams loop with students throughout middle school, which means the admin, counselor, and social worker move with the students from 6th, to 7th, to 8th grade.

🍎 Grade level administrators serve as the first point of contact and support for each grade's students, teachers, and families.

🍎 6th grade students attend most of their classes on the 3rd floor of the building, which is also the location of their lockers.

Ms. DeMari will be starting her fourth year at Nichols and has been working in D65 since the district introduced middle school counselors. She has a B.A. in Psychology from DePaul and a M.A. in Counseling and Wellness from New York University. Prior to school counseling, she was a substance abuse counselor.

School Counselors focus in 3 domains:

• Academics

• Social/Emotional

• College/Career Readiness

Through classroom lessons, small groups or individual counseling, Ms. DeMari will support students with matters like attendance, improving grades, study skills, managing emotions, learning coping skills, navigating relationships with peers and adults, social skills, learning about careers and what careers interest them and postsecondary options. Working closely with teachers, she will come alongside your child to help them thrive in school and gain tools for life.

Ms. DeMari

uziellidemaria@district65.net

847-859-8650, Ext. 6516

Content Areas are Math, ELA, Science and Social Science.

Students take Fine Arts, P.E. with some students taking AVID, SLA or Advisory.

🟥 Nichols offers the following fine arts: Visual Art, Drama, Media Arts and Music. Students rotate, spending a quarter of the school year in each course.

🟥 All Students take P.E. every day, all year.

🟥 Students take AVID (more details below), Spanish Language Arts (SLA) or Advisory.

AVID focuses on academic, organizational, and personal development.

😀 Students receive instruction in writing, notetaking, studying, test-taking and organizing.

😀 Students receive academic support through collaborative tutorial groups.

😀 Students are motivated to pursue academic excellence through goal setting, cultural and college field trips, classroom guest speakers, and AVID team building.

Students are expected to take the AVID elective class for all three years in Middle School (6th, 7th, and 8th).

AVID is an elective class in place of Advisory or Spanish for Spanish Speakers in 6th grade. For 7th Grade and 8th grade, AVID is in place of the Spanish or French world language class.

Email Kirby Callam for more information callamk@district65.net

Students with IEPs will have a transition meeting with members of the IES team. Your case manager should be in touch with you to schedule this. For students with 504 plans, the school psychologists transition and review the plans before the end of the school year and next year the sixth grade social worker will be the case manager and will introduce themselves. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your child's case manager.

iPad

District 65 provides its' students with an iPad to further help support their learning. We will help your 6th grader get set up with their iPad in the first week of school. Please plan to create a routine for your student to charge this device every evening. Most of your student's learning will be done using Google Classroom and other tech platforms. Without a fully charged iPad, access to these platforms will be impacted.

Your child is responsible for taking care of their iPad and to remember to bring it with them daily.

Cell Phones

Cell phones are a leading cause of distraction to the learning process. Our aim is to reduce as many distractions as possible in order to enhance learning and academic progress. As a means to help this become a reality, be aware that cell phones are not allowed anywhere other than in student lockers.

Proof of your child receiving the following is needed prior to the first day of school on August 22:

🍎 Physical exam performed on or after August 22, 2024

🍎 Tdap shot

🍎 Meningitis shot

🍎 Hepatitis B shots (series of three shots)

🍎 Dental Exam performed on or after November 15, 2024

The School Based Health Center at ETHS offers physical exams and shots free of charge for students who have state insurance. For students who receive free/reduced lunch, exams are $12.00 and shots are $3.00 (per shot). Students who have private insurance are only eligible for a physical exam at full price ($33.00). Please call 847-424-7265 to set up an appointment.

Health documents should be mailed to Health Services, 1500 McDaniel Ave 60201 or they can be uploaded (PDF format preferred) during the registration process.

Throughout the year, all Nichols students (6th - 8th grade) receive Character Strong and Anti-bullying lessons.

Character Strong is an evidence-based curriculum to increase students' sense of belonging, well-being and engagement. Lessons focus on teaching life skills & character development such as healthy habits, social awareness strategies and empathy building.

Care Solace is a company that the district has contracted with that helps to match individuals with therapy through a "warm handoff" system. We can make referrals for any students, any family members of any students, any staff members of D65, and any family members of D65 employees who are interested in engaging in therapy. If this is something you feel would be beneficial, please reach out to your grade level counselor. Or use the link below.

D65 Middle School Sports schedule will be forthcoming. Some of the sports that we have had in previous years have been volleyball, basketball, soccer, and track and field. We also offer intramural sports as well.

Please direct all questions regarding sports to:

Gene Turman, Nichols Athletic Director

turmang@district65.net

Stacey Ernvall, Nichols Assistant Principal

ernvalls@district65.net

School Year 2024 - 2025

Esports, Book Club, Climate Club, Maker Club, Math Club, Yearbook Club (The Lion Times), Debate Club, Rocket Club, Garden Club, Writing Club, and Student Government. Please see a copy of our Lion Times newsletter that is produced by our students.

**Clubs may change slightly year to year based on teacher availability.

We will have more information about upcoming clubs within the first month of school!