HAWK HIGHLIGHTS

Gompers Newsletter for the Week of 9.9.24

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للغة العربية، اضغط على زر "الترجمة" الموجود في اللوحة العلوية لهذه الصفحة وقم بترجمة النشرة الإخبارية بأكملها إلى اللغة العربية.
lilughat alearabiati, adghat ealaa zirin "TRANSLATE" almawjud fi allawhat aleulwiat lihadhih alsafhat waqum bitarjamat alnashrat al'iikhbariat bi'akmaliha 'iilaa allughat alearabiati.

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

Regular school day and activities

Tuesday

Cross Country @ Richland. 4p

Wednesday

STAR - Reading Testing, All Grades,
District 86 Board of Ed Meeting, @ Sanchez Elem. School, 7p

Thursday

STAR - Math Testing, All Grades
Cross Country vs. Washington, Union, AVM, 4p

Friday

Regular school day and activities

Click Here for All 2024-2025 Calendar Events at Gompers

STAR Assessments

All students in all grades will be taking the STAR assessments this week. These assessments provide valuable insights into your student's understanding of key concepts in reading and math, helping our staff to offer the necessary supports, interventions, and appropriate placement to best meet their academic needs. The STAR-Reading test will be administered on Wednesday, 9/11/24, and the STAR-Math test on Thursday, 9/12/24. These tests are administered three times a year—fall, winter, and spring—during your student’s regular ELA or Math class, ensuring no disruption to their schedule. The results will reflect your student's progress in reading and math.

To help your student perform their best, please partner with us by providing the following:

The night before the test, encourage your student to get plenty of sleep and ensure their Chromebook is fully charged.
On the morning of the test, provide a healthy breakfast, ensure they arrive at school on time, and encourage them to do their best on the test.
After each test, ask your student how they did on the test. A preliminary score is provided immediately. While each grade has different benchmarks, aiming for a score close to or above 1000 points indicates strong preparation and readiness for high school.

With your support, your student will be well-prepared to show their strengths and areas for growth in reading and math. Thank you for partnering with us to ensure your student’s success.

Class of 2025!

We are thrilled to prepare the Class of 2025 for a year full of exciting events. We want every 8th grader to participate in all our end-of-the-year activities. To join in all eighth-grade activities, including the graduation ceremony, any end-of-the-year trips, and the Dinner Dance, students must throughout the year:

Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher
Demonstrate appropriate school behavior
Pay all school fees and outstanding financial obligations
Maintain 85% attendance for the year

Let's work together to ensure that every student in the Class of 2025 is eligible to participate in all the end-of-the-year activities. Click on THIS LINK for the letter that was sent home this week. If you have any questions, please our office at 815.727.5276 or the 8th grade Academic Advisor, Mr. Wikert, at dwikert@joliet86.org.

Hispanic Heritage Celebration

During National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) we recognize the contributions made and the important presence of Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States and celebrate their heritage and culture. President Lyndon Johnson first designated Hispanic Heritage week in 1968 and President Ronald Reagan later expanded the week to a full month in 1988.

Join Gompers Junior High and Singleton Elementary as we celebrate together on September 24th from 4:30-6:30pm.There will be games, raffles, music, community resources, & food available for purchase!

End the Hate

At Gompers Jr. High, we take bullying very seriously. Bullying at school, in the community, or on social media is never acceptable or should be taken lightly. If your child is experiencing any form of bullying, the first step is to report the incident to an Academic Advisor, Counselor, or Social Worker. The Gompers staff is here to help and ask that you report bullying as soon as you know about it. Please contact the following individuals via email or call our office to speak with them at 815.727.5276 during school hours. Your partnership is essential in helping keep all our students safe from bullying.

6th Grade

Laura Arias, Academic Advisor, larias@Joliet86.org
Brooke Hagadus, Social Worker, bhagadus@Joliet86.org

7th Grade

Courtney Miller, Academic Advisor, camiller@Joliet86.org
Maria Arroyo, Counselor, mgarroyo@Joliet86.org

8th Grade

Dan Wilkert, Academic Advisor, dwikert@Joliet86.org
Therese Skwarczynski, Social Worker, tskwarczynski@Joliet86.org

Recycle the Bag

We are starting the new year off strong and already have full bins! Last year, we collected all types of flexible plastics to recycle. For example, grocery bags, bread bags, vegetable bags, zip lock bags, or any other kind of soft plastic can be sent in for recycling. Gompers will receive a free plastic bench for every 1000 pounds we recycle. Below is a picture of the bench we earned last year; thanks for all your help. Our collections this year has started and are as follows:

8th grade: 20 lbs
7th grade: 11 lbs
6th grade: 24 lbs

Total: 55 lbs and only 945 lbs to go for our next bench as we remove 1000 lbs from landfills!

From the Gompers Health Office

As school begins, we would like to address keeping your children healthy and in school. Health history, medication orders and care plans must be done every school year.

STUDENT HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

A Physical Examination and required immunization records are required for all Pre-K, Kindergarten, 6th grade, and new transfer students from out of state. Forms must be turned into the school office by October 15, 2024. Students will be excluded from school beginning October 16th, 2024 if we do not receive the required information. Appointment dates past the October 15th deadline are no longer accepted by the State of Illinois. If you have any questions, please contact our school nurse. New students to the District from out of state or out of the country have 30 days from the first day of school to submit a health exam.

STUDENT HEALTH HISTORY and LIFE-THREATENING CONDITIONS

If your student has a significant health history, life threatening allergy, or special medical concern including asthma, diabetes, seizures, or other medical conditions please contact the school nurse so that we can create an Emergency Health Care Plan. A PHYSICIAN’S NOTE IS REQUIRED if your child has FOOD allergies so we can provide substitutions. It must be a DIAGNOSED allergy and not just a sensitivity.

MEDICATION AT SCHOOL

If your child must receive medication (prescription or over-the-counter) in order to be in school, you will need a "Medication Authorization Form” completed by a licensed healthcare provider or physician also signed and dated by the parent/guardian.

DIABETICS

We must have a School Diabetic Care Plan on file from your physician with medication orders (if needed) in case of emergencies and to assist and care for all diabetic students.

FREE DENTAL SCREENINGS

If you are interested in signing up for a free dental screening at Gompers Junior High please visit the link below. Dental exams are required for 6th and 9th grade students. Dental screenings will be held September 18-20 during school hours. Sign up at: https://opdsdentalservices.formstack.com/forms/joliet_public_schools_district_86

If you have any questions please contact the school nurse, Melissa Quitman, at mquitman@joliet86.org or at 815-727-5276

Check out the Y after school program at Gompers!

Now Hiring!

You read that correctly. Joliet Public School District 86 is hiring for a number of positions throughout the district. Go to https://joliet86.tedk12.com/hire/index.aspx and review all the current open positions. Feel free to share it with friends and other community members.