The Principal's Perspective

Sending Happy Mother's Day wishes to all mothers within the Nichols Community! You are amazing and your love is unmatched!

We are excited to uplift Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. This is a special time to honor the rich history, diverse cultures, and incredible contributions that AAPI individuals have made—and continue to make—to our community and our country.

The AAPI umbrella encompasses a vast array of cultures, including those from the entire Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. From the arts and sciences to grassroots activism and local leadership, the influence of these communities is woven into the very fabric of America.

We encourage you to use this month as an opportunity to learn and grow together as a family. Here are a few simple ways to join in:

1. Read Together: Check out a book from the local library that features AAPI protagonists or history.

2. Support Local: Visit an AAPI-owned business or restaurant in our neighborhood.

3. Your Story is AMAZING: If your family identifies as AAPI, we CELEBRATE YOU! Whether it's a traditional treat shared with others, a family story told, or a cultural custom expressed, your voice enriches our school community.

We are proud to celebrate the diversity that makes our school such a wonderful place to learn. Happy AAPI Heritage Month!

The Evanston Public Library has some great programs for our Evanston youth:

Books Uncovered .

Friday, May 15
6:00 – 7:45 PM
For 6th - 12th Graders
Robert Crown Branch Library

Register for Books Uncovered Event

Do you know what the most dangerous hunt is? The hunt for banned books! Come challenge book banning by participating in our scavenger hunt where you can collaborate, learn about the dangers of book banning, and add some good books to your list!

Friday May 15th from 6:00 - 7:45PM, we will be hunting to free trapped banned books, making banned book bookmarks, enjoying snacks and listening to music. You may learn something along the way, so come prepared to have your mind blown.

Suitable for 6th-12th graders. Register today while spots are still open!

• Snack & Paint - Juneteenth on Wednesday, June 17, from 3:30pm - 4pm at Robert Crown

During the Snack & Paint - Juneteenth participants will work on individual pieces that build into a larger Juneteenth display. We'll put this display up in the library for the whole community to enjoy! We will also be celebrating with great music, hanging with friends, a fun curated drink,and snacks!

6th Grade News

7th Grade:

Math:

This week students took their Spring iReady diagnostic. Next week students will begin their two year end projects on probability and statistics. They will complete a survey project about improving Nichols and then create their own carnival game.

SS:

Last week, in Social Studies, we discovered what the events were leading up to the U.S. Civil War. This week, we will learn about the major events and battles of the War Between the States. We will also learn about many of the generals who had the greatest impact, how African American troops sacrificed and fought for their own freedom and the freedom of others, as well as how Abraham Lincoln attempted to keep the Union together.

8th Grade News

To ensure the safety and security of all students once the dismissal bell rings, it is the expectation that all students exit the campus and head directly to their next destination. The only exceptions to this are students who are:

• Actively participating in a supervised sport or club.

• Enrolled in a registered after-school program.

• Remaining in a classroom under the direct supervision of a teacher.

For safety reasons, students are not permitted to congregate on school grounds after hours. Our staff’s dismissal supervision ends promptly at 3:15 PM. We politely request that you be on time for pickup to ensure your scholar is not left unsupervised. If your child is a walker please remind them that when a Nichols staff member directs them to leave school property they must do so.

Clearing the campus promptly allows us to maintain a secure environment and ensures that students are moving toward the safety of their homes or after-school destinations. We appreciate your partnership in reinforcing these boundaries with your scholar.

Additionally, we have noticed an uptick in negative behaviors at certain places where students frequent after school. Please be mindful that if your child engages in problematic or illegal behaviors these ultimately will impact the school environment. We are asking for your cooperation in reminding your students of the expectations that you have for their behaviors when they are not around you. This also includes their behaviors on social media when those behaviors are threatening, harassing, or bullying others.

1. Toy guns of ANY kind are strictly prohibited. Please check your child's backpacks BEFORE they bring them to school to make sure they do not have any such items in their bag. This includes nerf guns, water guns, orbeez, BB Guns, Pellett guns, or any look-a-like.
2. D65 is not responsible for damage to or for the loss of transportation items such as bikes, skateboards or electric scooters. We will not store electric scooters in the building nor will we charge them.
3. Items such as basketballs, soccer balls, etc. must be stored in the locker until recess.

Please note the following upcoming survey/assessments:

May 11th-22nd- Panorama survey completed in PE

May 12th: ELA STAR testing

May 13th: ELA STAR testing