Chute

The PTA is asking for support in a variety of events to thank Chute's incredible teachers for their service this school year. Whether it's decorations for the teacher lunch Monday, sweet treats or snacks on Tuesday, or items for the teacher breakfast on Thursday morning, your donations are much appreciated. Please see the sign-up link for more information.

You can also show your appreciation for our teachers throughout the week, and please encourage your Chute students to do the same!

Attention 7th grade students interested in trying out for an Advanced Fine Arts class for next year:

Here are the tryout dates-

Drama- May 12 or May 13

Music- May 12 or May 13

Visual Arts- May 21 or May 22

Media Arts- May 19 or May 21

Tryouts will be after school from 3:10-4:10. If students cannot make the tryout dates they should email or speak with the teacher of that class. Students only need to attend one tryout day for each class. Students will rank their preferences for classes they try out for and find out if they made an Advanced class when they get their schedule for 8th grade in August. Students can try out for as many as they’d like, but can only be chosen for one Advanced class.

Sign up is here:

https://forms.gle/DyA79Kdpj1rBo1Y6A

Parents/Guardians:

Per 105 ILCS5/26-8.1 (1.5), all children in Grade 6 are required to have an oral health exam. Examinations must be performed by a licensed dentist, and he/she must sign the Proof of School Dental Examination form. This exam must be dated on or after November 15, 2023 and is to be submitted to the school health office no later than May 15, 2025.

Please contact us if you have any questions.

Ana Rivera-Escobar RN, BSN

Health Office Nurse

Chute Middle School

1400 Oakton Street

Evanston, IL 60202

847-859-8608

847-492-7956 Fax

847-859-8600 Main Office

No more choir rehearsals for the remainder of the year. Choir will start back up in the fall and will look different next year. Rehearsals will be 2-3 days a week and there will be a concert at Chute in the fall and ETHS choral day occurring in the Fall/Winter, times TBD. Detailed information will be shared at the start of next school year.

For all families who are planning on volunteering for any of the upcoming field trips. Please make sure you bring your driver's license to be scanned in the main office on the day of the field trip. You don't need to be fingerprinted to be a volunteer.

Reminder- Graduation fee is now due. Please turn it in by cash or check to the main office.

Chute alumni, parents and the entire community are proud to establish a named scholarship in honor of Jim "Mr. Mac" McHolland, in partnership with the Chessmen Club. This scholarship celebrates Mr. Mac's unmatched dedication to generations of D65 children and his lifelong commitment to building a village that supports our kids through high school and college.

Help us create a meaningful scholarship that honors Mr. Mac's legacy and provides funds and mentorship to as many students as possible. Thank you for helping us carry forward Mr. Mac's remarkable legacy. Learn more here: Story

Our school uses Securly to keep students safe on their school-issued devices. In the SecurlyHome app, you’ll have a real-time view of your child's activity on their school device. There is also a web portal which you can access by clicking here. You'll also get a weekly email from Securly with a snapshot report of that activity.

Key features include:

• Activity Feed showing your child's online activity
• Notifications about potential safety concerns
• Ability to pause internet access on school devices when at home
• Web portal access for desktop viewing

To get started:

1. Download the SecurlyHome app from the App Store or Google Play
2. Open the app and tap "Login"
3. Enter your email address registered with the school
4. Click the verification link sent to your email

Visual directions to help you get started!

(Spanish Version)

D65 Acceleration via Grade Skipping process

Important Timeline:

• May 19, 2025 – Families who submit by April 11 can expect a decision by this date
• 2026-2027 Requests – Will open at the start of the 2025-2026 school year

For specific questions about the district’s acceleration process, you can reach out to alternateplacement@district65.net. If you have individual questions about your child’s placement, please contact David Wartowski, Director of Mathematics, at wartowskid@district65.net.

Advanced Music Spring Showcase

• Thursday, May 22nd

• 5:30 PM Call time

• 6:00 PM Showcase

Choir:

• Congratulations to the Chute Choir on their winter concert and Evanston Sings Event at ETHS

• There is no spring concert for choir.

• Open Sing, will be happening Mondays after spring break. We will sing karaoke and learn music for next Fall’s concert.

We are excited to announce the launch of a new and improved Digital Backpack 65! On this platform, families can find all of Evanston’s programming in one place, including after-school programs and summer camps.

How Digital Backpack 65 Can Help You

• Find programs near you – Digital Backpack 65’s explore page allows you to filter opportunities based on your school and ward, making it easier than ever to find programming in your own backyard.

• Explore programs that match interests – With Digital Backpack 65, you can search for programs based on a number of themes, such as “Sports & Wellness” or “Community Engagement & Action.”

• Learn about new programs – The team at Digital Backpack 65 is actively working to find new programming in Evanston so that you don’t have to! On the platform, you can find new programs and those that you may be familiar with all in the same place.

Digital Backpack 65 is a collaboration between District 65 and Northwestern University’s Office of Community Education Partnerships.

Google Takeout for 8th Graders

• Students can preserve their digital work using Google Takeout (bit.ly/d65googletakeout)
• Important deadline: 8th graders lose access to Google Drive on June 5, 2025

Summer Device Policies

• 6th-7th grade students will take devices home for summer
• Students will have access to all instructional technology tools through July 31, 2025
• Summer program participants may have different access depending on their enrolled program
• Optional device collection form available upon request for families who prefer not to have devices at home during summer (bit.ly/optionaldevicecollect)

Device Protection & Replacement

• Device Protection Plan (bit.ly/d65deviceprotectionplan)
• Spanish version: bit.ly/d65plandeprotecciondedispositivos
• Annual insurance fee covers devices through summer

Summer Support

• For damaged devices or help with platforms like Clever, families can email: summersupport@district65.net
• Note: Support limited to district-issued devices only

Join us for the annual YEA! (Young Evanston Artists) Festival at Raymond Park in Evanston on Saturday, May 17, from 10am-3pm, featuring a dynamic student art exhibition, hands-on art-making opportunities, live music performances, and food trucks. Stop by and visit with Mr. Duncan and Mrs. Kushner and see Chute Visual and Media Arts work on display. You can also check out Chute student makers Sammy Carr and Joy Paed who will be selling their artwork and jewelry! We can't wait to celebrate our Chute artists! All are welcome! See you there!

View this year’s YEA! exhibition map

Evanston, IL – Youth & Opportunity United (Y.O.U.) is excited to expand its Summer Program for 2025, offering youth in Evanston a summer full of learning, creativity, and fun. The program will run from June 16 to July 25, with a Special Field Trip Week from July 28 – August 1. Youth entering grades 2–8 this fall are welcome to join, with free and paid options available based on household income. Registration opens to the community on March 29, with priority given to Y.O.U. families, and early registration is encouraged due to limited space.

This year’s program features creative workshops in art, music, and writing, STEM projects that foster curiosity in science, technology, engineering, and math, and weekly field trips to exciting locations around Evanston. Participants will also engage in sports, games, mindfulness activities, and other recreation and wellness options designed to keep them active and engaged. The program fosters community building by providing youth with opportunities to connect with peers and caring mentors in a safe, supportive environment.

Program Details:
Dates: June 16 – July 25 (Field Trip Week: July 28 – August 1)
Location: Oakton Elementary School (Elementary), Chute Middle School (Middle School)
Hours: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Registration: Opens March 29, closes May 1.
For more information about Y.O.U. or to learn how to support our programs, please visit www.youthopportunity.org.

Show your appreciation for a teacher who has made a difference in your child’s life by making a gift to Foundation 65 in their honor. The teacher will receive a special note, and your donation will help fund innovative educational programs for District 65 students.

Fill out and return this Honor a Teacher form to Foundation 65 or go to https://www.foundation65.org/honor-a-teacher to fill out the form online.

MetroSquash is a FREE after school program that specializes in academic support, competitive squash, and enrichment activities. Students attend programming 3 days/week.

We are currently open to students at Chute. (Students must qualify for free or reduced lunch, or be first generation that will attend college.)

Questions? Visit www.metrosquash.org or contact us at erika@metrosquash.org or (773) 241-5150

MetroSquash es un programa extracurricular GRATUITO que se especializa en apoyo académico, squash competitivo y oportunidades de enriquecimiento. Estudiantes asisten el programa 3 días a la semana. Actualmente estamos aceptando estudiantes de Chute. (Los estudiantes deben calificar para almuerzo gratis o a precio reducido o ser la primera generación en asistir a la universidad.)

¿Preguntas? Visite www.metrosquash.org o contacta con nosotros en erika@metrosquash.org o (773) 241-5150.

Pokemon Lunch Club will be held during 6th grade lunch for 6th graders on Fridays in May. Bring a nut-free lunch to 308 at 11:34 and join us to play the Pokemon Trading Card Game and battle your friends for a chance to win Pokemon-themed prizes! You may build and bring your own deck or borrow a battle deck.

Rehearsal Schedule:

• Concert Orchestra (6th Grade)- Tuesdays 3:15-3:50 PM

• Chute Philharmonic (7th/8th Grade) Tuesday/Thursday 7:15-7:50

Performance time: 7:00 pm

Chute Orchestra Spring Concert: featuring the Chute Concert and Philharmonic Orchestras

Tuesday, May 13th

Call time for students: 6:30 pm

Performance time: 7:00 pm

Café Chute French Club meets on Monday, April 21 after school in room 101. You do not need to be in French class to come! Questions? See Prof. Cope!

Please join the Chute Chess Club that runs at 3:15pm-4:15pm every Thursday. If interested, please contact Coach Chris Christmas at chrschess@yahoo.com.

The GSA Field Trip will take place on Thursday, May 8. Please make sure to turn in your permission slips ASAP. Questions? See Cope, Himebaugh or Mesi

Teen TEE at Chute is recruiting a new round of Black girls to join us for the Spring 2025 cohort. Teen TEE is designed for Black girls to nurture healthy identities and supportive relationships. We will work together to build a courageous space where girls feel seen and valued. Teen TEE will meet for 10 consecutive weeks after school in the library from 3:15-4:30pm. Snacks will be provided. We are currently recruiting 10-12 girls to join us for the spring cohort to start mid-February 2025. To register: https://forms.gle/9s4gwytxqUGpHXNs9

Stage Crew's next meeting will be Tuesday, May 6th, where we will prepare for the upcoming Band & Orchestra concerts.

Any questions, email Ms. McGuire (mcguirej@district65.net).

Meets Wednesdays!

Is your student interested in performing or what it takes to put on a show? Drama club is open to all students! Students play theater games, talk about plays, and produce a student-driven show for the Spring! Please contact Ms. Dardai at dardaid@district65.net if you have any questions. Students can just show up or stop by Ms. Dardai's room (110) to find out more information. Late bus is available.

Attention students and families!

Chute Middle School's first Star Wars Club meeting will be held on select Thursdays for the rest of the year in room 324. If you're a fan of the galaxy far, far away, this club is for you! To sign up for more information and stay updated, join our Google Classroom using the code "tvlbrlr." We look forward to seeing you there!

Come join Green STEAM Wednesdays 3:15-4:15pm in Room 313! Green STEAM connects Chute's garden with science, technology, engineering, art and math. We do sustainability projects, garden, cook delicious recipes with food we grew, do experiments, and create art. This school year we will be designing and making a mural for our butterfly garden next to the parking lot!