Email: em-office@d64.org
Website: https://www.d64.org/ems
Location: 8101 North Cumberland Avenue, Niles, IL, USA

Student Portal - TLC Schedule

Dear Emerson Families,

I hope everyone has a wonderful week ahead!! Just a friendly reminder, if you are picking your student up on the Greendale side of the building please do not use the custodial / delivery dock as a parking area.

All the Best,

Tessa

As a reminder, the State of Illinois requires all 6th graders to submit a health exam dated after 8/14/23 on a State of Illinois Certificate of Child Health form prior to October 15th to avoid exclusion from school. Immunization records, including proof of the Meningococcal and Tdap vaccines, are required for all 11-year olds.

Due to the holiday, exclusion letters will go out at the end of the day on October 10th.

Don't forget to complete, sign and date the health history at the top of the page. Please note, all health forms must now be uploaded to PowerSchool. Once you have done this, check back to make sure the documents were approved.

Please upload your documents as soon as possible to allow for time to complete the requirements if the exam or immunizations are not compliant.

Picture Retake Day for Emerson Middle School is October 18th. Pictures this year will be taken by Color Portraits. Payments may be done online. Checks may be sent to school if you have the order form. Checks may be made payable to Color Portraits Inc. Please be sure to staple the check to the order form. CASH IS NOT ACCEPTED. Please pay the exact amount required. Extra order forms are available in the office. Each student received an order form in Homeroom on Wednesday.

We Encourage Online Ordering!

Prepaid ordering is as Easy as 1,2,3! Go to ordercp.com BEFORE OR ON PICTURE DAY. Enter your student's information and the School Event Code 10042402. Choose your package and background and proceed to checkout.

Please note, this School Event Code will ONLY be vaild until October 18th.

7th Grade Tryouts (plan on attending all sessions)

Thursday, 10/17 6:45 am - 8:00 am

Friday, 10/18 6:45 am - 8:00 am

8th Grade Tryouts (plan on attending all sessions)

Monday, 10/21 6:45 am - 8:00 am

Tuesday, 10/22 6:45 am - 8:00 am

Wednesday, 10/23 6:45 am - 8:00 am

Tryout sign-up information will be sent out to students during the first week of October. All athletes interested in trying out must complete and submit interscholastic Permission/Health forms. Forms should be submitted online. Instructions can be found here.

STUDENTS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO TRY OUT UNLESS THIS FORMS ARE TURNED IN.

Contact Mr. Schauer (aschauer@d64.org) is you have any questions.

Monday 9/30 - Math Room 301, LA Room 202

Tuesday 10/1 - NO ASSP - Parent Teacher Conferences

Thursday 10/3 - Math Room 209, LA Room 102, Science/Social Studies Room 207

In ASSP, you can get help in math, language arts and miscellaneous (science and social studies) with a teacher from 3:05-4:00 PM. Come to ASSP if you need to:

• prepare for a test

• get questions answered from your homework

• review a concept that you missed or confuses you

• finish that writing assignment

Join your Emerson Green Team and other Green Teams from across District 64 on Saturday, October 5th from 1-3 pm for a Woodland and Park Clean-Up Event.

We will meet at Belleau Lake. Long pants, hard-sole shoes, hats, and gardening gloves are recommended. Also, bring a 5 gallon bucket (if you have one). Plastic bags & gloves will be provided.

Contact Nicole nyburmi@gmail.com or LMDINI@sbcglobal.net with questions

Good Morning! Here is the latest Vocal Music Notes Newsletter #3.7. Check out all the information on the upcoming Solo & Ensemble Night at Emerson. Four of our alumni are starring in shows this weekend. This weekend is the last chance to see alum Joey Maltese-Miller starring in "The Million Dollar Quartet!" Jack Cahill-Lemme's show, "The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk," opened this week! Alums Samantha Mayer and Kaylee Hayden are starring in "Footloose" which opens tonight! Have an amazing weekend! - Mrs. Broeker

The 6th Grade BOO BASH is quickly approaching! It will be after school Friday, October 18 at 3:00pm until 4:30pm in the Emerson MPR. Students will be able to take the activity bus home at 4:00pm. The PTO will provide pizza, snacks, candy and water FREE of charge. If you or your company would be interested in sponsoring the event, please reach out to the Emerson Vice-Presidents (emersonptovp@gmail.com). This year, there will be contests and carnival games for the students to enjoy, and we would like to award them with prizes we hope parents will donate.

PLEASE DONATE any of the following items and leave them at the Emerson front office or at the Mierisch home at 8149 N. Root Ct. in Niles.

1. CANDY - purchase bags of good, peanut-free, chocolate-free candy (snack size, king size, ANY size) and drop them off by Monday, October 14 for prizes. No gum!

2. $5 GIFT CARDS - purchase gift cards from any of the local businesses our kids love (Starbucks, Dunkin, Oberweis, Rita's, etc) or from stores/sites they frequent (Target, Amazon, Vbucks, Robucks, etc).

3. TIME - donate your time and to help out at the event by signing up to volunteer at our PTO website below:

https://emersonmspto.membershiptoolkit.com

We are counting on your support to make this a great success, and tons of fun for our 6th graders! THANK YOU for your support, and we look forward to seeing you and your kids at the BOO BASH!!!

The 2024-25 school year was kicked off with a very energetic Welcome Back assembly that both students and staff thoroughly enjoyed! The first two weeks in PE consisted of getting students organized with gym uniforms, lockers, combinations and acclimated with the procedures in the gym.

From there students moved right into ultimate football, soccer and fall fitness testing. District 64 utilizes the FitnessGram program which is a widely used fitness tool that is supported by the Cooper Institute. During Fitness Testing, students are encouraged to give their best effort while performing assessments aimed at the four Health Related Components of Fitness (muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance). The Push Up Test is used to assess muscular strength, muscular endurance is measured by performing the Curl Up Test, the Sit and Reach Test assesses flexibility, and the 20 meter PACER test is used to keep tabs on cardiovascular endurance. For more information about these assessments, visit our PE webpage.

In the preceding weeks, students will participate in Flag Football and Lacrosse. Students will have the opportunity to choose their level of play--competitive or recreational--for these units. By giving students choice in levels, it maximizes their participation, keeps them engaged, and ensures safety for all. During this time, mile training days will also be incorporated. Students will practice to increase their cardiovascular endurance and pacing techniques.

Please note...students are encouraged to have their uniforms and gym shoes on a daily basis. It’s a great idea to wash uniforms over the weekend and bring them back on Mondays. Students missing their uniform or gym shoes will lose their daily points for preparation and possibly participation. If a new uniform needs to be purchased, students can do so, in the gym, by bringing in cash or by visiting MySchoolBucks to purchase online. A new t-shirt is $7 and likewise for shorts. Lastly, students are to have deodorant in their locker and a sweatshirt/sweatpants, especially as the cooler weather starts to roll in.

There are many opportunities for students to get involved or support their fellow Emerson Eagles. During the fall, there is the Emerson Cross-Country team, 7th and 8th grade Girls Basketball and Intramurals. Intramurals are always held right after school from 3:00-4:00pm and open to all Emerson students. The after school activity bus will be running for students to take home at 4:00pm. For more information regarding dates and activities please click on this link, Intramural Information. Please see our Athletics page for more detailed information as well.

One final note…new this year, PE will be implementing Standards-Based practices in grading and reporting. This means student proficiency and learning will be focused on specific standards each Trimester. Proficiency levels, with grade level content standards, will be described as beginning, progressing, meets and extends. These proficiency levels will give both students and parents a clear picture of student mastery of grade level standards. For more information related to PE Standards-Based reporting, please visit the PE webpage.

This Wednesday, 6th grade students had the opportunity to participate in our first Book Break with author Kelly Yang. Kelly Yang is the award winning author of over 10 books for children and young adults. She immigrated to America when she was 6 years old and grew up in Southern California, where she and her parents worked in three different motels. She attended college at 13 (which she does not recommend) and law school at 17. She was a writing teacher for 13 years before becoming a full-time author.

The main focus of her talk was on Front Desk which is a popular title in the Emerson LRC. Among its many honors, Front Desk won the Rebecca Caudill Award (Illinois book award for grades 4-8) in 2021. Here's a quick summary from the publisher:

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets. #1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests. #2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they’ve been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed. #3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language? It will take all of Mia’s courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?

If this title interests you, you can read the first chapter or try some similar titles.

Students who enjoy connecting with authors are also encouraged to enter Letters About Literature, a statewide reading and writing competition offered by the Illinois State Library’s Illinois Center for the Book. The writing prompt is: "How did an author’s work change your view of the world or yourself?" Check-out the entry form and FAQ for details. The deadline is December 15.

Students meet for an extended homeroom period each Wednesday for team building and school-wide activities as well as receive direct instruction in social-emotional learning through our Second Step program. Since the start of the school year, we have introduced and reviewed our S.O.A.R.S. matrix to all students. S.O.A.R.S. is an acronym that means the following: Shows respect, Offers empathy, Acts safely, Responsible for learning and behavior, and Shows self-regulation and self-awareness. Our school motto is “Together, We Are Emerson.” We want all students to feel safe and connected at Emerson Middle School while adhering to the S.O.A.R.S. matrix.

To read about our focus for the month of September, click the link below.

The school year is almost here, and we're excited to announce that the 2024-2025 PTO Membership Portal is now live! By joining the PTO, you provide vital financial support for our students and teachers. Your membership directly funds the events and activities that enrich our school community throughout the year. It's also a fantastic way to stay connected and informed about what's happening at school, and to build meaningful connections with other parents.

We offer three membership levels, so you can contribute at a level that's comfortable for you. This year, our Blue and Eagle levels come with an extra perk: entry into our special raffle. One family from each grade will win! The prizes include an in-school pizza party with friends for 6th and 7th graders, and for 8th graders, four reserved seats at graduation—a highly coveted prize!

Your membership helps support:

• 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade student socials, including gifts and t-shirts

• School-wide events and assemblies, such as movie nights, skating & swim parties, 6th grade Olympics, and more!

• Teacher/Staff Appreciation Meals and Classroom Funds

• School beautification and playground equipment

• The Student Directory

• Red Ribbon Week

• Soaring Eagle, SOARS raffle prizes, and the Judith Snow Scholarship

• And much more!

Sign Up for PTO Here!

P.S. While you're on the portal, don't forget to sign up for any volunteer activities you're interested in!