Counselor's Corner
December 2nd, 2024
4th Edition
Season's Greetings Nichols' Parents and Guardians. The holidays bring about many layers of emotions, excitement and challenges. We are all working together to support our students and staff leading up to winter break and beyond. D65 is committed to providing safe and inclusive schools as we all want the best for the children in our Evanston community. Please don't hesitate to reach out for resources in navigating challenging conversations, surviving the holidays and any additional information you might need at this time.
November 13 Half Day Activities
We value half days at Nichols! These days are planned to intentionally build community among students. Our most recent Half Day on November 13, students participated in the following activities:
💙 Student Survey and Sharing Circle ("Exploring our Backgrounds")
💙 Desert Island Game
💙 Identity Collage/Web - Students thought about what "identity" means to them, what makes up their "visible" and "invisible" identities, and what strengths and skills have they gained from their unique identity?
💙 Letter to a Role Model - Students were given a list of writing prompts. One example is "Who is an important person in your life that you share an identity with?"
Each of these activities was carefully planned by NEERA (Northwestern-Evanston Education Research Alliance) who regularly collaborates with the Nichols community. Thank you NEERA!!
Don't miss the next Half Day this Wednesday, December 4!!
Academic Support Programs at ETHS:
AVID - AVID is a four-year elective course that ETHS offers for college-bound students. Enrollment is selective. Students must meet program criteria, complete the application, and participate in an interview to be selected.
Please click on the following link for more information -
https://www.eths.k12.il.us/Page/721
DSTM - Discovering Success Through Music (D.S.T.M.) helps prepare students for social, emotional, and academic success by equipping them with valuable skills that will result in learning lifelong success strategies, through the vehicle of Music Education. D.S.T.M. is a one-year credit-bearing elective class at ETHS, open by invitation only to students who meet the academic requirements.
Please click on the following link for more information -
https://www.eths.k12.il.us/Page/2888
E/LEAD - is a brand new program at ETHS. It is a four-year, cohort-based “school within a school” program designed to guide students in leadership identity development, engage them in co- and extra-curricular activities that enhance their academic experience, and prepare them to graduate with a robust post-secondary plan, whether in the world of work or continuing education. Any student who meets the criteria can make an appointment for an interview. Enrollment in E/LEAD is selective.
Please click on the following link for more information -
https://www.eths.k12.il.us/Page/3125
December 10: Family Information Session (AVID, DSTM, E/LEAD)
January 6-20: Interviews for AVID & E/LEAD
Sun. Dec. 8, 2:00 - 4:00
This event will educate and address the hair discrimination against BIPOC, specifically Black people, define the importance of the National Crown Act, and will be able to sign the national petition pushing for policy change. With the assistance of professional hair care specialists, such as curly hair specialist, loctician, barber, hair stylist, and skin care expert, participants get to learn from a panel of hair experts, experience a mini hair and fashion show to highlight the panelists' creativity and expertise, and receive a very brief hair consultation.
Sun. Dec. 8, 2:00 - 4:00
You will learn how to make handmade paper, using plant fibers grown here in Evanston.
Evanston plant fibers will be combined in paper making vats with cotton linter and abaca pulp, and sheets of strong and sustainable paper can be formed into various shapes. Facilitated by Hive Center For The Book Arts. Ages 12 +
Tips for Returning to School
With fall and winter break, students (and parents) often struggle with the transition back to school after a lengthy break. Here are some tips...
⚙️Return to regular sleep patterns. Middle school students need
8 - 11 hours each night. Quality and consistency are important.
⚙️ Get what you need ready the night before. Locate & charge your computer, pack your backpack with supplies, set out your clothes, etc.
⚙️ Wake up 10 minutes earlier. This allows for a buffer to avoid being late.
⚙️ Eat a healthy breakfast. Students will be better able to focus and won't feel as sluggish. Stay away from the sugary treats, which will deplete your energy after an hour.
⚙️ Get organized. Set goals for yourself, something you want to work on (better grades, joining a club, making friends, etc.).
⚙️ Don't be hard on yourself. It will take time to get back in the rhythm of things. Students may feel nervous to return to school. Validate these feelings and extend grace.
Evanston Public Library Field Trip
6th graders will be heading over to Evanston Public Library for a special tour that includes viewing the new makerspace and the Teen Loft. Students will learn about their local library and the resources it has to offer.
Dec. 12th or 13th (depending on the class)
8:30 - 10:45 a.m.
Contact: 6th Grade ELA teachers
ETHS Course Review for students @Nichols
ETHS teachers will be coming to Nichols to present to our 8th grade students. The purpose of the presentation is to share information about the elective courses available at ETHS for incoming freshman. Elective courses in Music, Theatre, FCS (Family & Consumer Services for example Culinary, Child Development & Fashion), Industrial Tech, Visual Arts and Business will be discussed.
Nichols Middle School Dec. 17, 10:00 - 11:15
How to help your child be responsible
Some ways you can help support your scholar to be responsible are:
- Goal setting
- Using planners or other time management tools
- Having things planned out for the previous day, such as the outfit they want to wear
- Sticking to commitments
- Encouraging accountability and not making excuses if things don't get done
- Showing up consistently
- Help study material they find challenging
Middle Grade Recommendation
When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jameson and Omar Mohamed
From Read Brightly: Graphic novel that recounts real experiences. They have spent most of their young lives in a Kenyan refugee camp after fleeing their Somalian home without their mother. From constant hunger and spending hours in line for water to attending school in a cramped classroom with few supplies, readers get a peek into the challenges young refugees face. Despite the hardships, the presence of love, family, and community come through in this heartbreaking yet hopeful story.
Young Adult Recommendation
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
From the Publisher: With spellbinding lyricism, award-winning author Ibi Zoboi and prison reform activist Yusef Salaam tell a moving and deeply profound story about how one boy is able to maintain his humanity and fight for the truth in a system designed to strip him of both.
Adult Recommendation
Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang
From the Publisher: Inhabiting her childhood perspective with exquisite lyric clarity and unforgettable charm and strength, Qian Julie Wang has penned an essential American story about a family fracturing under the weight of invisibility, and a girl coming of age in the shadows, who never stops seeking the light.