Mustang Minutes
Gemini Middle School - February 2024
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Dear Gemini Families,
As we step into the second month of the year, we're excited to share the latest updates, achievements, and upcoming events occurring at Gemini. Students are now settling in with their Semester 2/Quarter 3 classes and there's a lot to look forward to during this time. Thank you for your ongoing support and involvement in your child's education. Together, let's make February a month to remember.
Your Admin team,
Lewis, Erica, Wendy, David, & Tim
Gemini Spirit Wear SALE!
- Sale Dates: January 30th - February 13th
- 25% off all merchandise
- Free shipping on orders over $60
- Use code: SPIRIT213 at checkout to receive the discounts
Iceland Parking Lot
Iceland has been a great neighbor to Gemini and we want to maintain that relationship. As was stated in our communication at the start of the year, Iceland should not be used as a drop off and pick up site for students. However, because drop off and pick up does not normally interrupt operations at Iceland they have not made an issue that this has been occuring.
ACCESS Testing
All identified English Language (ELL) students will be taking the ACCESS test in late January through the end of February. The English language assessment assesses four areas: reading, listening, writing, and speaking. Students need a 4.8 overall score in order to exit EL services. Please remind your child to get a good night's sleep, eat breakfast, and try their best!
Elective Requests for the 24-25 School Year
Gemini PTO School Dance
Save the date: Friday, February 9th, from 5:30 - 7:30 PM.
Parents: if you would like to chaperone or assist in any way for the dance, please fill out the volunteer form.
7th and 8th Grade Field Trip to MEHS
Maine East High School has invited all our 7th and 8th grade students to their Spring Musical: Something Rotten! on February 15th. Please follow this link for more information.
Please note: parents need to login to their Pushcoin accounts to register for the trip.
Creating an Inclusive Environment: A Free Family Workshop
District 63 is committed to creating an environment in which every student feels a sense of belonging and inclusion. Join us at this special workshop to learn more about one of our most effective tools for achieving this goal: addressing microaggressions.
Thursday, February 15
6:30-8 p.m.
Gemini Middle School
8955 Greenwood Road, Niles
Mustang Gym - Enter at Door 12
Open to those aged 11 and older
Often, expressions of racism, homophobia, sexism, religious intolerance, and more can be very obvious. But sometimes these negative messages can be delivered in smaller, subtler ways. We call these small - but powerful - messages “microaggressions.” This workshop, led by anti-oppression educator and consultant Corrie Wallace, will focus on understanding and identifying microaggressions in order to build a more inclusive school community.
Light refreshments served; child care provided for children five and above.
Performing Arts Events
Check out the exciting events coming up this Winter/Spring. For all events in the Gemini Auditorium (Mustang Gym), please enter through Door 12. Thank you for supporting our performers.
Moana Jr. Musical Auditions
January 29 - Information Meeting for Cast & Crew
January 30-31 - Music Clinics
February 1-2 - Auditions
Orchestra Winter Concert
Thursday, February 8 - 6:00 PM in the Gemini Auditorium
Admission is free
Band Winter Concert
Thursday, February 22 - 6:00 PM in the Gemini Auditorium
Admission is free
Choir Spring Concert
Wednesday, March 13 - 6:00 PM in the Gemini Auditorium
Admission is free
Sports Updates
Home Game information
Boys Volleyball
- January 25 - Informational Meeting (Learning Stairs) - 3:40-4:00 PM
- January 29 - February 1 - 7th and 8th grade tryouts (Gold Gym)
- January 29 - February 1 - 6th grade tryouts (Mustang Gym)
7th and 8th Grade Volleyball Home Games
- February 20 - Attea - 4:30 PM
- February 26 - Wilmette - 4:30 PM
- February 28 - NBJH - 4:30 PM
6th Grade Volleyball Home Games
- February 13 - Maple - 4:30 PM
- February 22 - Wilmette - 4:30 PM
- February 28 - Wood Oaks - 4:30 PM (Mustang Gym)
Student Spectators
Spring sports are gearing up and we encourage students to come and support their friends from the sidelines.
Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind for our student spectators:
- If a Gemini student is staying to watch an after school sporting event, they must report to the school cafeteria by 3:35 PM.
- If a Gemini student leaves the school grounds and they want to return for a sporting event, they MUST be accompanied by a parent (and the parent must stay the entire time).
- If a student is absent from school on the day of the sporting event (or had an early dismissal), they are not permitted to attend the Gemini sporting event.
Library Updates
General Gemini Library Information
This month, we will conduct voting for the 2024 Caudill Award. Students in grades 4-8 who have read at least 3 of the books on the nomination list will be eligible to vote for the winner. For more information, visit the Caudill website. We are also rescheduling our Famished for Fiction event due to the cold weather day to Tuesday, February 27.
Please contact Kris Buican or Jillian Wahlers if you have any questions.
Community Libraries
Our community libraries continue to provide wonderful programs for students. Please check out your local library’s teen page to see what is new!
Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)
Save the date: February 13th
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 968 3945 3205
Passcode: GeminiPTO
Please join us on Tuesday, February 13th from 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM for our monthly meeting.
Support from Student Services
Grade Level Social Workers
6th Grade: Laura Mell
7th Grade: Zoe Turner (Habla espanol)
8th Grade: Kaarin VandenBranden
Winter Coats and Accessories
Winter is here! This means coats are coming out of storage for the season. If you need help getting a winter coat for your child, please call or email the social work team. We also have accessories like mittens, hats, etc. You can also reach out to us if you need help with access to food or other community resources.
D63 Family Resource Center
From youth development classes, to adult education, to family events, there are many options available for your student and family this winter at the D63 Family Resource Center. Visit our Family Resource website for the most up-to-date programming for the D63 community!
Summer Camp Academy
Even though it's cold outside, we are getting ready to open Summer Camp Academy registration! Register your child for summer programs on the FRC Website.
RULER at Gemini
Beginning this fall, the Gemini Middle School community will be learning about how we can use emotions to reach our goals. We have committed to implementing RULER, an evidence-based approach to social and emotional learning developed at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. RULER is also an acronym for the skills of emotional intelligence: Recognizing emotions, Understanding emotions, Labeling emotions, Expressing emotions, and Regulating emotions. Research from the field of emotion science finds that children who understand and manage their feelings make more responsible decisions, have stronger relationships, and perform better in school.
We will be infusing RULER into all parts of our school by having school wide activities and introducing routines that build emotional awareness into all classes. In middle school, students learn about emotions and emotional intelligence within the context of their real world experiences: personally, at school, in our communities, and in our understanding of the world around us. Each lesson addresses a developmentally appropriate topic such as healthy and unhealthy relationships, conflict resolution, coping skills, and identifying personal values. Over the course of the year, I will be providing ongoing communication to you about RULER. For now, if you would like to learn more visit the RULER Family Engagement website.
Breakfast and Lunch Information
Breakfast
- Breakfast is available from 8:00 - 8:20 AM each morning in our school cafeteria. Bus riders will enter Door 6 once they arrive. Car riders and walkers will enter at Door 2 or Door 13.
- Students entering the school for breakfast must purchase a breakfast. If they do not purchase a breakfast, they will be escorted back outside and will wait with everybody else.
Lunch
- We do NOT accept student lunches from food delivery services such as Uber Eats, Grubhub, etc. If food is delivered from a delivery service, we will send them away with the order. A parent or family member is the only person from whom we will accept a lunch delivery for a student.
Gemini Social Media
- We encourage you to follow us on our website and social media, this is a great way to stay informed.
- Gemini Website
- Gemini Twitter @D63Gemini
- Gemini Instagram @geminid63
Upcoming Events
January
29 - Feb. 1: 7th and 8th Boys Volleyball Tryouts
29: Moana Jr. Musical Informational Meeting
30-31: Moana Jr. Musical Clinics
February
1-2: Moana Jr. Musical Auditions
1-2: Boys Volleyball tryouts
8: Orchestra Winter Concert
9: School Improvement Day - early dismissal
9: School Dance
13: PTO Meeting
15: Parent Education Night
15: 7th, 8th Grade Field Trip to MEHS
16: 6th Grade Field Trip to Marriott Theatre
19: President's Day - no school
22: Band Winter Concert
March
6: Band Concert at Maine East HS (8th and select 7th grade)
8: School Improvement Day - early dismissal
13: Choir Spring Concert
18: End of 3rd Quarter
21-22: Parent/Teacher Conferences
25-29: Spring Break
Upcoming Sporting Events
- Check out the sports calendar on Gemini's calendar.
#hereatgemini
Email: gemini411@emsd63.org
Website: https://gemini.emsd63.org/
Location: 8955 North Greenwood Avenue, Niles, IL, USA
Phone: (847) 827-1181
Twitter: @D63Gemini
Office Hours: Monday- Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. on days when students are in the building.