Sixth grade PE uniforms (shirts and shorts) will be distributed this week. They are expected to change into their gym clothes for class. They will be expected to change out of their uniform when it is over. They are able to use the girls and boys locker rooms. For students who are non-binary or who do not feel comfortable changing in the gender-specific locker room, they can change in the gender neutral bathrooms.

They will be expected to wear their uniforms daily starting Wednesday, September 6th for the remainder of the school year. If your child struggles with keeping up with their items, please work with them to create a system that will helping them keep up with their uniform. Please have your child to write their name on their clothing items.

PE uniforms should be taken home weekly to be cleaned.

Students can eat breakfast at Nichols starting at 7:30am until 8:00 am. Enter the building through the red door off the parking lot (Sherman Ave.). The door leads to the cafeteria.

Breakfast Full Price is $2.25.

Students who qualify for reduced meals, the price is $.30.

Students who qualify for free meals, breakfast and lunch is free.

Students purchasing lunch, milk or additional a la carte items should use MySchoolBucks to fund their lunch accounts. Middle school students can make deposits to their accounts when they come through the lunch line. In order to minimize wait time in lunch lines, no change will be given at the middle school level. All funds will be processed as a deposit to the lunch account.

Please DO NOT arrive before 7:30am as there is limited adult supervision.

Click on the "District 65 Student Handbook" (above) to take you to the website. It is important for you to familiarize yourself with our handbook. Please pay attention to these sections:

1. Communication Protocols
2. Attendance
3. Health & Wellness
4. Curriculum, Assessment and Special Programs
5. Code of Conduct
6. Bullying
7. Discipline

We will begin Reading MAP Testing THIS WEEK on Wednesday, September 6th - Friday, September 8th.

Reading makeup testing will be on Monday, September 11 and Tuesday, September 12th.

Math MAP Testing will begin NEXT Wednesday, September 13th - Friday, September 15th.

Math makeup testing will be on the following Monday, September 18 and Tuesday, September 19th.

The final makeup testing window is Wednesday, September 20 - Friday, September 22.

Ensure that your child is well rested and their iPads are charged.

Please encourage them to do their best work!

While we want our students to do their best, we do not want this test to cause additional anxiety.

Please watch the video at the end of this newsletter on coping with test anxiety for kids.

If your child is new to the United States within the last year, they are NOT required to take the MAP test. Please let me know if this applies to your child and I will inform their teacher.

Your child will be coming home with a portrait package form within the next week so that you can pre-order their photos. Please save this date so that they are ready for their first middle school picture! If you already know that your child WILL NOT be at school on the 18th, we are already planning a picture re-take day to accommodate you. We will let you know the retake date when it is finalized. Portraits will be taken during your child's gym period which will be 5th, 9th, or 10th period.

If your child is interested in participating in the production of our student newspaper, their first meeting will be this Thursday after school in Room 222 with Mr. Kim, our 7th grade math teacher.

If your child is interested in participating in cross country (he/she/they) or Soccer (he/they), please have your child to see Mr. Turman, our athletic director, for more information.