Ellis Newsletter

Dear Ellis Community,

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday break and had time to relax and enjoy the season. It’s hard to believe we’re already kicking off the new year, but I’m excited to welcome all of you back to school.

As we start this new semester, let’s remember that it’s a fresh opportunity to learn, grow, and set new goals. To our students, I encourage you to approach this time with excitement and a growth mindset.

Here’s to a great start to 2025! Let’s make it a year filled with progress, teamwork, and lots of memorable moments!

Once an Eagle, always an Eagle!!

To ensure the safety of all students and improve traffic flow around Ellis Middle School, please adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Avoid Route #25 / Liberty St: Please do not drop off or pick up students on Route #25 / Liberty St. in front of Ellis Middle School. This area can become congested, and avoiding it will help maintain a safer environment for everyone.

2. Use Designated Streets: For student drop-offs and pick-ups, use Laurel Street or Margaret Place only. Using these streets will help minimize traffic congestion in front of the school and keep our students safe when they cross Route 25/Liberty St.

3. Parking Lot Closure: The upper Ellis parking lot is closed between 8:30-9:00 AM and 3:00-4:00 PM. During these times, students who ride the school bus cross the parking lot to get to and from their buses, so it’s important to respect these restrictions. The lower part of the parking lot on Laurel St. can be used for student drop-offs and pick-ups.

We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we work together to ensure the safety and smooth operation of our school traffic procedures.

Dear Ellis students,

To help you grow and thrive, we are encouraging everyone to complete 80 minutes of focused I-Ready instruction each week. You’ll get to dive deep into either Math and Reading during our advisory time, making the most of your learning. To keep things balanced, you will tackle the other subject on your own time. This way, you can really hone your skills and see awesome progress. We are excited to see how you take charge of your learning journey and discover new strengths along the way. Remember their is a reward every two weeks!

As part of our commitment to ensuring a safe learning environment, Ellis Middle School will be conducting random, non-invasive searches throughout the school year in accordance with board policy and law. These searches are a proactive step towards maintaining safety and fostering an environment where learning can thrive without disruptions. They will be carried out by trained school personnel, in a manner that respects the privacy of all students. We assure you that these measures are standard safety procedures and not in response to any specific incident or concern. If a student refuses to participate in the random search, the school administration will follow the necessary steps in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct. Should you have any questions, please contact the school's main office.

Attendance Goal: 95% Student Attendance

Year to Date: 91.3% Student Attendance

Students who miss a total of 18 days, or two days per month, will be considered chronically absent according to the state of Illinois.

U-46 will again offer breakfast and lunch meals at no cost to all U-46 students. Breakfast will be served starting at 8:30 AM. Monthly menus will be available.

All middle schools in the district will be following the district guidelines of "AWAY FOR THE DAY"

for cell phone usage. Students will not be allowed to use their cell phones during the school day,

including during lunch, in the locker room or bathrooms. These district-wide middle school

guidelines support classroom learning and improved culture and climate efforts for all middle

school students in order to minimize distractions and help teachers create and manage a

classroom and school environment conducive to learning, discussion and collaboration. It also

helps protect students against bullying and/or inappropriate social media use during school hours,

which are often exacerbated by cell phone access.

In accordance with our secondary cell phone guidelines, students are expected to put their

silenced or powered-off cell phone in their locker upon arriving at school. Our intention is to help

students create better habits when in learning environments. If students are unable to keep devices

out of sight and in their lockers, teachers may provide a warning and remind/ask their students to

put the phone away in their lockers or cell phone holders until the end of the period. If students do

not comply and continue to engage in electronic device misuse, progressive discipline procedures

will be followed. This may include, but is not limited to, the following consequences: having the

student turn over his/her phone to the main office for parent pick up, or issuance of referrals

resulting in detentions and other discipline-related interventions.

Parents - If you need to get a hold of your student during the day, please call the main office at 847-

888-5151 and we will either relay your message or bring your student to the main office for you to

speak to them directly.

1/6-Science Olympiad @ 3:30-5:00 PM (Room 220)

1/7-Jazz Band @ 3:30-5:00 PM (Auditorium)

1/7-Science Olympiad @ 3:30-5:00 PM (Room 220)

1/7 and 1/8-Girls Basketball Tryouts @ 3:30 -5:00 PM (Gym)

1/8- Open Gym @ 8-8:50 AM (Gym)

1/9-Student Council@ 3:30-5:00 PM (Room 120)

1/10-Science Olympiad @ 3:30-5:00 PM (Room 220)