Welcome to Nichols! Back to School Information

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Dear Nichols Middle School Family,

Welcome to Nichols Middle School! We’re excited to kick off another school year and look forward to a wonderful learning experience for our scholars. The first day of school is Monday, August 24th—a full day from 8:00 AM to 3:05 PM. While we’ve worked hard on schedules, late enrollments and registrations may require minor adjustments to classroom assignments during the first week. We appreciate your understanding and can’t wait to see you!

School Arrival/Dismissal

Students can arrive at school as early as 7:30 AM for breakfast if they so desire. If a student is entering the cafeteria for breakfast, that student must remain in the cafeteria until 7:50 a.m. Note: there will be no adult supervision available before 7:30 a.m. Students who would like breakfast will enter through the red doors off the blacktop (behind the school). Please be mindful of possible heavy walking traffic in the parking lot. Parents are not allowed to pull into the lot for drop-off.

• At 7:50 am, all 6th-grade students will enter the building through Door #5 (red cafeteria door) to meet in the cafeteria for the first day. Our 6th-grade team of teachers, along with Ms. Fishman (Principal), will be there to greet the students and escort them to their homeroom. After day one, 6th-grade students will enter through Door #6 at 7:50 a.m. and go up the stairs to the 3rd floor.
   
• At 7:50 am, all 7th-grade students will enter through Door #7 (doors on Elmwood Street). Reminder: Door 3 (Sherman side) is no longer accessible to students except during emergencies. Upon entering, 7th-grade students will report to the auditorium. Our 7th-grade team of teachers will be there to greet the students and escort them to their classes.
   
• At 7:50 am, all 8th-grade students will enter through Door #7 (doors on Elmwood Street). Upon entering, 8th-grade students will report to their first-period class.

Students that arrive after 8:00 am must enter through the main office, located on Greenleaf, where they will be directed where to go by staff after being checked in.

Please note that on the first three days of school, there is a lot of traffic and moving parts. We know that the first few days of school are filled with excitement and even some fears as you send your child off to class. However, with hundreds of students arriving at the same time, having additional adults gather on school property creates a significant safety hazard. To help us keep all children safe, we kindly ask parents to refrain from intermingling with students during arrival. Our trained staff members have designated roles to guide every student safely into the building; once you have dropped off your child, please assist us by exiting the property promptly.

Our school day officially concludes at 3:05 p.m. During dismissal, students will exit through their designated door. We suggest that parents communicate with children who will be picked up from school to meet at the Elmwood (for 7th and 8th grade) and the Sherman side (for 6th graders), as these are the only two exits that are accessible by car. All students (unless with a staff member) are required to leave the school property by 3:15.

Important: Technology Policy Notice

As we kick off the new school year, please be reminded of our "Bell to Bell, No Cell" district policy. To foster a focused, distraction-free learning environment, students will not be permitted to have cell phones on their person at any point while inside the building. Phones must either be left at home or powered off and locked in their locker for the duration of the school day. Any cell phone seen in use or on a student or in the student’s pocket will be confiscated immediately. Additionally, smartwatches are not permitted to be worn and will be confiscated. All tech that is confiscated will be returned to the student at the end of the day. This policy is non-negotiable, and we kindly ask for your partnership in reviewing these expectations with your student before the first day of school to ensure a smooth, productive year for everyone.

PowerSchool Overview

https://www.district65.net/families/powerschool

PowerSchool is the district’s online student information system where parents can easily view their child’s grades, attendance, assignments, and schedules in real time. It helps families stay informed and engaged

in their student’s academic progress throughout the school year. Parents can access PowerSchool through a secure website or mobile app using their unique login credentials. We will be utilizing SMORE and Blackboard to disseminate information. Please make sure that your information is updated with District 65 to ensure that all electronic communications are received.

Student School Supplies

Please click this link to find the school supply information.

Student Schedules

To ensure that we accommodate diverse learning needs, interests, and backgrounds while also being in compliance with legal requirements and maintaining balanced class sizes, we do not permit schedule changes based on teacher preferences or requests for specific friend placements.

Our staff is dedicated to creating a welcoming classroom environment, and we find that starting the year with an open mindset helps students build independence, adapt to new teaching styles, and make wonderful new friendships. Schedules will be live in PowerSchool for families on August 10th.

Student Physicals

All 6th-grade students must have an up-to-date school physical on file. Students without a current physical will be excluded from school starting October 1. Please note that any student wishing to participate in sports must also have a sports physical, which is separate from the regular school physical.

Athletics/Afterschool Clubs and Activities

D65/Nichols will be offering the following athletic sports this year: Cross Country, Volleyball, Soccer, Basketball, and Track & Field. Regarding after-school clubs, students will be able to sign up throughout the year as clubs become available.

Breakfast/School Lunch

https://www.district65.net/services/nutrition-services

All District 65 schools serve breakfast and lunch. Families who believe they qualify for free or reduced-priced meals are encouraged to complete an application for benefits. Applications are available year-round. For more information, please contact the Nutrition Services Department at (847) 859-8130.

Students are welcome to bring their own lunch, however, we cannot refrigerate food and access to a microwave, however, is limited and should not be relied upon. Students are not allowed to receive food deliveries from restaurants or parents during the school day. If food is delivered or sent, it will remain in the office as we do not call students out of class to receive food.

Ventra Cards

If your child is in need of a Ventra card or renewal form, please have them stop by the main office. The cost for Ventra cards will remain the same at a cost of $2.00 per card.

Upcoming Events

• Monday, August 17th
  “Back to School Bash” here at Nichols from 5:00 - 7:00 pm (Nichols field)
• Tuesday, August 18th
  Parent Town Hall Meetings
  • IES Parent Meeting 4:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
  • Dual Language Parent Meeting 4:30-5:00
  • 6th Grade 5:00-5:45 p.m.
  • 7th Grade 6:00-6:45 p.m.
  • 8th Grade 7:00-7:45 p.m.
• Monday, August 24th
  First Day of School
• Friday, August 28th
  Nichols Ice Cream Social
  During the school day (students)
• Thursday, September 17th
  6th-8th Grade Curriculum Night 5-7 p.m.

We look forward to a very exciting and productive school year here at Nichols!
“Mission Possible- Lift Off!”

Sincerely,

The Nichols Administrative Team