SMS Family Newsletter

Dear Shields Middle School Families,

We had an amazing week! Attendance in 12 out of 13 homerooms increased this week! Thank you for your continued collaboration in ensuring students are present each day when they are not ill. Let's keep it going!

Congratulations to our September Students of the Month! We will be celebrating students on October 5, 2026 from 8:30-9:30 AM with awards and a special breakfast for our students and their families! See below for the list of students!

The health compliance form deadline is quickly approaching on October 15, 2026. Our office staff has been making calls to the families of students who are out of health compliance and/or have not turned in required forms. Please make every effort to make appointments and return mandatory documentation for students before the October 15 deadline. For families that may not be able to comply before the deadline, we will have a care van on-site at Shields Middle on October 20, 2026 from 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM providing health physicals and immunizations. Please complete the consent/authorization form below and return to school if you would like your child to be seen by a doctor on this date.

Thank you!

At Shields Middle School, we soar higher. Our expectation for student attendance this school year is to be present at least 94% of the school year. This means missing no more than 10 days.

Congratulations to the following students on their recognition of our core values (Respect, Responsibility, Courage, Wisdom, and Integrity):

5th Grade:

• Krystal
• Alyssa
• Isabella

6th Grade:

• David
• Dahena
• Martell
• Alondra

7th Grade:

• Jamin
• Emily
• Maibel

8th Grade:

• Jazleen
• Benely
• Jeremiah

Check the Shields Middle Website for the full SMS Calendar.

🏅 Saturday, October 3: Fall Sports Games

• 9:00 AM | 7/8th Boys Soccer | Linblom Park (Turf Field) 6054 S. Damen Av
• 11:15 AM | 5/6th Girls Volleyball | Curie HS (Court 1) 2959 S. Archer Ave
• 12:45 PM | 7/8th Girls Volleyball | Curie HS (Court 1) 2959 S. Archer Ave
• 1:30 PM | 7/8th Boys Volleyball | Shields Middle (Gym) 2611 W. 48th St
• 2:15 PM | 5/6th Boys Volleyball | Shields Middle (Gym) 2611 W. 48th St

💻 Wednesday, October 7: 8th Grade High School Admissions Test (Pre-ACT Secure 9)

📁 Wednesday, October 7: PAC/BAC Meeting @ 8:30 AM

👓 Thursday, October 8: IEP Vision/Hearing Screening

🚀 Thursday, October 8: CPS Rocket Day!

🛑 Monday, October 12: NO SCHOOL- Indigenous Peoples' Day

📅 Tuesday, October 13: Attendance Incentive- Grade Level w/ Best Attendance wins extra recess!

⭐Monday, October 13-16: Hispanic Heritage Month Spirit Week!

👩‍⚕️ Thursday, October 15: Deadline for all student health forms

🩹 Tuesday, October 20: Mobile Care Van @ Shields Middle School

✌🏻 Wednesday, October 21: National Day of Unity

📁 Wednesday, October 21: LSC Meeting @ 8:30 AM

📷 Thursday, October 22: School Picture Day

📅 Friday, October 23: End of Quarter 1

☕ Friday, October 23: Mañanera/Coffee with the Principal @ 8:30 AM

📕 Monday, October 26-November 2: Scholastic Book Fair

🎃 Friday, October 30: Halloween & School Dance!

🏫 Monday, November 2: Quarter 1 Parent-Teacher Conferences @11AM-6PM

We are seeking 2 PARENTS to complete our Local School Council!

A parent is eligible to serve on the Local School Council, if the parent:

• Is the biological or adoptive parent, step-parent* or legal guardian** of a child enrolled in the school;
• Is not employed at the school in which they serve (if employed at the school they must resign before taking office to be eligible to serve on the LSC); and
• Is not employed by the Chicago Board of Education.

• Be married to the biological or adoptive parent; or
• Be the domestic partner of the biological or adoptive parent; or
• Be a party to a civil union with the biological or adoptive parent

**Legal guardianship is awarded by a court of competent jurisdiction. Therefore, temporary

guardianship or temporary custody given to another person by a parent does not suffice. Foster

parents are not considered “legal guardians” of a student for the purposes of LSC membership.

Once you have identified an open seat that you are eligible to fill, complete the nomination packet and submit it along with two pieces of identification to the school where you are applying to run.

2026-2027 Meeting Dates:

• September 23, 2026
• October 21, 2026
• November 18, 2026
• December 16, 2026
• January 20, 2027
• February 17, 2027
• March 17, 2027
• April 21, 2027
• May 19, 2027
• June 9 , 2027

Through the months of October and November, students will engage in learning about bullying through the Second Step curriculum.

Grade 5

• Bullying Prevention Unit
• Lesson 1 Recognize, Report, Refuse
• Lesson 2 Bystander Power
• Lesson 3 Bystander Responsibility
• Lesson 4 Bystanders to Cyber Bullying

Grade 6

• Recognizing Bullying & Harassment Unit
• Program Themes: Bullying and Harassment, Conflicts, Helping Others
• Core Competencies: Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision-Making
• Lesson 1 Common Types of Bullying
• Lesson 2 Recognizing Bullying
• Lesson 3 Responding to Online Bullying
• Lesson 4 How to Be an Upstander
• Lesson 5 Standing Up and Staying Safe
• Lesson 6–Performance Task Raising Awareness About Bullying
• 
  

Grade 7

• Recognizing Bullying & Harassment Unit
• Program Themes: Bullying and Harassment, Conflicts, Helping Others, Relationships
• Core Competencies: Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision-Making
• Lesson 1 What Is Harassment?
• Lesson 2 What Is Sexual Harassment?
• Lesson 3 The Effects of Sexual Harassment
• Lesson 4 Harassment Based on Stereotypes
• Lesson 5 Our Rights and Responsibilities
• Lesson 6–Performance Task Preventing Harassment

Grade 8

• Recognizing Bullying & Harassment Unit
• Program Themes: Bullying and Harassment, Conflicts, Helping Others
• Core Competencies: Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision-Making
• Lesson 1 Understanding Bullying
• Lesson 2 Social Factors that Contribute to Bullying
• Lesson 3 Environmental Factors that
• Lesson 4 Speak Up and Start a Movement
• Lesson 5 Be Inclusive and Ask for a Change
• Lesson 6–Performance Task Stand Up for Change!

Dear Parent(s) or Guardian(s),

The safety of students, staff, and visitors is a top priority for CPS. To support this commitment, CPS conducts emergency preparedness drills on an annual basis, in line with the Illinois School Safety Drill Act. The goal of these safety drills is to improve our ability to respond in the event of an emergency in an effective and efficient manner.

The Illinois School Safety Drill Act (105 ILCS 128/), requires a Lockdown Drill be conducted annually. This year, that drill is scheduled to take place on Monday, October 5, 2026 at 10:15 AM.

If there is any reason why your child is not able to participate in this drill, please contact Assistant Principal Gandurski, at JLWolst@cps.edu at Shields Middle School.

We appreciate your partnership as we work to ensure we are prepared to respond effectively and efficiently in the event of an actual emergency. Please reach out to the main office at 773-535-7115 if you have any questions or concerns.

Principal Moreno

• Students in Pre-K
• Students in Kindergarten
• Students in 6th Grade
• Students in 9th Grade
• Any student entering CPS for the first time
• Any student who is missing immunization from a previous school year.

Families can get vaccines through Medicaid, federally qualified health centers, CPS school-based health centers, or a family's health insurance plan. For more assistance, email oshw@cps.edu or call the Healthy CPS Hotline at (773) 553-KIDS (5437).

In accordance with the Illinois School Code (105 ILCS 5/22-30), our school district maintains a supply of "undesignated" emergency medications. These life-saving medications are not prescribed to a specific student, but are kept on-site to be administered by a school nurse or trained personnel to any individual experiencing a medical emergency on school grounds.

Available Emergency Medications

• Epinephrine Auto-Injectors (EpiPens): For severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis).

• Albuterol Inhalers: For severe respiratory distress (asthma attacks).

• Opioid Antagonists (Naloxone/Narcan): For suspected opioid overdoses.

State Law and Liability Protections
Please be advised that under Illinois law, the school district and its employees/agents acting in good faith to provide this emergency assistance are immune from civil liability and professional discipline for any injuries or related claims, except in cases of willful and wanton conduct.

Action Required
Please review, sign, and return the Stock Emergency Medications Acknowledgement Form (linked in English and Spanish) to the school office by Friday, September 18, or complete this document online via this DocuSign link.

Important Note: Pursuant to state law, Chicago Public Schools is required to ask parents/guardians to sign and return the above form regarding these medications. However, please be aware that failure of a parent or guardian to sign and return this notification form shall not preclude a school nurse or trained personnel from administering these life-saving, undesignated medications in the event of an emergency.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our school community safe and prepared.

In an effort to alleviate district budget costs, we are asking families for a small student fee of $20.00 to continue offering quality programming at Shields Middle School! This payment will go towards instructional classroom materials and supplies, including technology costs.

Paying the Student Fee

Chicago Public Schools is offering two ways to pay the student fee: Online or in-person. To pay online, you must use the Aspen Parent Portal system. If you are not registered for Parent Portal, please contact the main office at 773-535-7115 to receive a welcome email which include your unique code to login to the system.

We welcome volunteers any time here at Shields Middle and kindly remind all volunteers, chaperones, and visitors who will working directly with students that the CPS Volunteer Application process must be completed first. This ensures a safe and supportive environment for all.

Levels of Volunteer Involvement:

Level II

Level II is the basic volunteer level. Level II volunteers must remain within the line of sight of a full-time employee at all times and cannot exceed the number of hours allowed per week. Prospective volunteers are checked through a registry name check and cleared within 72 hours of the school’s approval.

Examples of Level II Volunteer Activities

• Supervised day field trip chaperones (must be within the line of sight of a CPS employee at all times)
• Assistants in schools with administrative duties
• Other volunteer activities in contact with students while supervise
• Volunteer approval is valid for one school year. Volunteers who plan to return for the following school year must log in to their volunteer online account as a returning volunteer on or after July 1 to renew their application.

Level I

Level I is the highest level of volunteering. As part of the application process, you will receive an email asking you to complete a background check, submit TB test results that are less than two years old, and complete the mandatory training online. CPS will cover the cost of the background check, which can take up to 30 business days to clear. CPS does not cover the cost of the TB test.

Examples of Level I Volunteer Activities

• Overnight field trip chaperones
• Mentors
• Tutors
• Coaches
• Non-supervised classroom assistants
• Non-supervised day field trip chaperones (taking a group of students away from the line of sight of CPS employees)

Volunteer approval is valid for one school year. Volunteers who plan to return for the following school year must log in to their volunteer online account as a returning volunteer on or after July 1 to renew their application.