HAWK HIGHLIGHTS

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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.

Tentative and upcoming important dates:

• 8.18.25 - 6th Grade Open House, 4:00p-6:00p

• 8.19.25 - 7th & 8th Grade Open House, 4:00p-6:00p
• 8.20.25 - First Day of School, Arrival is 7:15a - 7:35a. Classes begin at 7:45a.
• 9.8.25 - Picture Day, During school day

Welcome to the start of the 2025-2026 School year! As we embark on this new academic journey, I emphasize our commitment to fostering a positive, inclusive, and supportive learning environment. At Gompers Jr. High, we believe that every student can achieve greatness, and it is our mission to provide the tools, resources, and encouragement needed for each student to thrive.

This year, we will continue to build on the solid foundation of academic excellence, personal growth, and community involvement that Gompers Jr. High is known for. Our dedicated staff supports your child's educational journey and collaborates with families to create a nurturing and stimulating environment.

To ensure a smooth start to the school year, please take note of the following important dates and information:

• Back-to-School Open House starting in the all NEW GYM AT GOMPERS!

• • 6th grade - Monday, August 18, 2025, 4:00pm to 6:00pm
  • 7th & 8th grade - Tuesday, August 19, 2025, 4:00pm to 6:00pm

• First Day of School: Wednesday, August 20, 2025

• Student Morning Arrival: 7:15 AM to 7:35 AM

• School Hours: 7:45 AM to 2:35 PM

• Picture Day: Monday September 8, 2025, during the morning

• Main Office: 815.727.5276

• Website: https://www.joliet86.org/our-schools/gompers/

• Twitter: https://x.com/JolietSD86

As we begin this new chapter together, let us strive to inspire, challenge, and support one another in our pursuit of excellence. I am excited to meet each of you and to work together to make this school year memorable and successful. Welcome to our new families, and welcome back to our returning families! Let’s make this year and amazing year!

Warm regards,

Mr. Raúl Gastón, Principal

Gompers Jr. High School rgaston@joliet86.org

Hello! My name is Yisel Sánchez, and I am the new eighth-grade science teacher in the bilingual program at Gompers. I hold a bachelor's degree in mathematics with an emphasis on applied science and statistics from the University of Tolima (Colombia), as well as a master's degree in applied mathematics from the University of Puerto Rico. I am available to collaborate and support your student in any way I can.

My name is Junior Arauz-Aguilar. I am the new 8th grade math teacher for the bilingual program. I hold a bachelor's degree in teaching mathematics with technological environments and a teaching license from the Costa Rica Institute of Technology. I also recently graduated with a master's degree in teaching mathematics from the University of Puerto Rico, in Mayagüez. You can count on me, and I am available to help.

My name is Tony Villagomez, new Assistant Principal for Gompers Junior High. I am entering my 20th year as an administrator for Joliet Public Schools. Prior to this position I was the District's Bilingual Coordinator for the past seven years. I am entering my 29 year in education. I am a graduate of Joliet West High School. I graduated from MacMurray college with a major in Criminal Justice. I have a Master's degree in Education from Aurora University and a Master's degree in Educational Administration from Governors State University. I am looking forward to working with our staff, students, and parents to make Gompers Junior High the best middle school in the area.

My name is Loretta Gutierrez, and I am the new PALS teacher at Gompers. I am starting my 17th year in the district. I have taught in several special education programs including inclusion, instructional, and autism. I earned my undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights and my masters degree in Educational Leadership from Lewis University in Romeoville. In my free time I enjoy gardening and word puzzles. I am looking forward to meeting and working with the students in the program.

Hello! My name is Davina Morris, and I am excited to join the team this year. I bring over 10 years of experience in education, most recently serving at a K–12 public charter school in Gary, IN. Over the years, I’ve served as a Middle School Humanities teacher, Athletic Director, Culture Coordinator, and for the past three years, Director of Compliance & Reporting. I’ve also coached cheerleading for eight years and served as the National Honor Society advisor for four years. I look forward to supporting staff and students, partnering with families, and contributing to a collaborative and engaging school environment. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my husband and children. I’m looking forward to building connections and making this a great year together!

All student schedules will be made available at the Open House on 8.18.25 for 6th grade and 8.19.25 for 7th and 8th grade. Student schedules will go live on Aspen by the first day of school. Attend the Open House for your student's schedule and meet the teachers, staff, and administrators as you visit classrooms.

All students will be issued a locker and locker combination at the Open House on 8.18.25 for 6th grade and 8.19.25 for 7th & 8th Grade. All students are encouraged to bring their school supplies and locker decorations to their Open House so students have ample time to organize and decorate their lockers as they prefer.

Students may use magnets, clips, and organizers for their lockers' interior,. However, students are not to use tape, stickers, or marker/pen writing on the lockers' inside or outside. For a quick tutorial on how to open a locker combination, check out the video tutorial below.

Make the first day of school a lot easier for your student by attending the Open house, bringing your school supplies, and setting up your locker at Open House!

From work to home to school, our phones are a key tool to how we each navigate and communicate throughout the day. The custom-built Joliet Public Schools District 86 app makes it easy to stay up to date with District 86 news and events.

Now, Joliet Public Schools District 86 is making it easier to stay in touch with district communication from that same app. Using the Joliet Public Schools District 86 app, you can easily switch from district and school information to Rooms.

Rooms can be accessed via the web and from our District 86 app, which is available for free and can be used from both Apple and Android phones. To access Rooms, you will need to create a login and password. Visit https://info.apptegy.com/for-parents-and-guardians for more details.

Below is the schedule we will run on the first day of school. To support all students on their first day of school we are providing them with a dedicated time to manage all the logistics of the start of a school year.

During the "Assembly"Time.

• All team logistics for students are addressed at this time.
• Issue lockers
• Provide students with time to organize and personalize their lockers.
• Building Tour with MACC Expectations in each area (bathroom, office, cafeteria, etc)
• Academic Advisors, Counselors, Social Workers, and Admin visits.
• Go over MACC Expectations.
• Address any other student needs.

The rest of the day, students will follow their schedule at an adjusted time to meet their teachers and engage in their first academic experiences of the year. See below for the time and schedule!

Gompers families have achieved a 95% completion rate for the 2025-2026 Registration. These students will have a schedule, lock, locker, and have everything they need to start the school year.

If you've not registered your student and are attending Gompers this year, please complete their registration as soon as possible. Without a completed registration, your student will not be able to participate in the Open House or start on the first day of school. Please call our office at 815.727.5276 from 8a-3p for registration help.

Dear Junior High Families and Staff:

We are happy to welcome students and staff back to school next week and look forward to a strong start of the 2025–2026 school year. One of our District’s ongoing priorities is to maintain a safe and supportive learning environment for all students and staff.

As part of this commitment, we will introduce new weapon detection devices at Dirksen, Gompers, Hufford, and Washington Junior High Schools starting in mid-September. These devices function similarly to metal detectors and will be used as students enter the building each day. Before implementation, school staff will meet with students to review expectations and practice the process together. Our goal is to ensure a smooth transition that promotes both safety and student comfort.

Families will have an opportunity to see the equipment and ask questions during Open Houses. You can also preview the system in action by watching this video Metal Detection Overview. Thank you, in advance, for your support as we launch this important safety initiative. We look forward to a successful and safe school year.

Sincerely,

Dr. Theresa Rouse

Superintendent

Have a question, comment, concern, or compliment about our school or District? Submit a Let’s Talk message at https://www.joliet86.org/district-info/lets-talk/ 24 hours a day, seven days a week from any computer, tablet, or smartphone.

Sixth Grade

• Academic Advisor: Davina Morris - dmorris@joliet86.org
• Team Leader: Robert Pollard - rpollard@joliet86.org
• Social Worker: Therese Skwarczynski - tskwarczynski@joliet86.org

• Academic Advisor: Laura Arias - larias@joliet86.org
• Team Leader: Jeremy Poch - jerpoch@joliet86.org
• Counselor: Brooke Hagadus - bhagadus@joliet86.org

Eighth Grade

• Academic Advisor: Courtney Miller - camiller@joliet86.org
• Team Leader: Jessica Pasquale - jpasquale@joliet86.org
• Counselor Maria Arroyo - mgarroyo@joliet86.org

School Psychologist: Andrea Gandy - agandy@joliet86.org

Fine Arts Team Leader: Theresa Curry - tcurry@joliet86.org

PE Team Leader: Jennifer Colstock - jcolstock@joliet86.org

Athletic Director: Eric Blaeser - eblaeser@joliet86.org

Nurse: Melissa Quitman - mquitman@joliet86.org

Assistant Principal: Tony Villagomez- tvillagomez@joliet86.org

Principal: Raul Gaston - rgaston@joliet86.org

Newsletters for the week of...

• 8.18.25 https://app.smore.com/n/nfyh4
• 8.11.25 - https://app.smore.com/n/4jmyh
• 8.4.25 - https://app.smore.com/n/t3a9dr
• Summer Break - https://app.smore.com/n/v5y1u
• 6.2.25 - https://app.smore.com/n/a0nep
• 5.26.25 - https://app.smore.com/n/mvsyc
• 5.19.25 - https://app.smore.com/n/us0kma
• 5.12.25 - https://app.smore.com/n/mjc9r
• 5.4.25 - https://app.smore.com/n/2ks1n
• 4.28.25 - https://app.smore.com/n/8bxcg
• 4.21.25 - https://app.smore.com/n/bct3s
• 4.14.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/uj9e3
• 4.7.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/02549
• 3.31.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/3x1cm
• 3.17.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/sxmag
• 3.10.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/nmwvj
• 3.3.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/ha3sy
• 2.24.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/n0648k
• 2.17.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/6fwva
• 2.10.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/chp9q
• 2.3.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/mpye3d
• 1.27.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/0bf7q
• 1.20.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/56rsxn
• 1.13.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/t3e8p
• 1.6.25 - https://secure.smore.com/n/ndewc
• Winter Break - https://secure.smore.com/n/je3a7
• 12.16.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/kt0na
• 12.9.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/nz05d
• 12.2.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/n7ejy
• 11.25.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/6veyk
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• 11.11.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/sgnqm
• 11.4.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/mp4w1
• 10.28.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/w32a5
• 10.21.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/ta54fv
• 10.14.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/cyaq3
• 10.7.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/dqgmp
• 9.30.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/c3d8x
• 9.23.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/5tbcq
• 9.16.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/s89fe
• 9.9.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/bxk8a
• 9.2.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/8snaf
• 8.26.24 https://secure.smore.com/n/0cvtb
• 8.19.24 - https://secure.smore.com/n/0jn2u