Senator Snapshot
A LOOK At The Week Ahead: October 10 - October 14
Cross Country News
Congrats Senator Runners!
Change your mindset
Principal's Message
Dear Parents/Guardians,
“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”
This week’s quote is brought to us by our school psychologist, Mrs. Wagner. This quote is so versatile and we love how perfectly it fits middle school life. It is easy to get wrapped up in the day to day of life, especially as we get older and busier. So much happens in just one day and there are points in the day when one incident can change our perspective on an entire day. While we can't control what happens during each day we can always control how we react to each incident.
Whether it is personal, school, or peer to peer interactions, our students are navigating life at (what feels like for them) light speed. It is important that we acknowledge to our students that although an incident might not seem like a “big deal” to us as adults, it may feel like more for our Senators. We strive to work with our students on processing the 10% so that we can control the 90%. We often see this in peer to peer interactions that don’t go smoothly. Consequences do occur for our students but we believe strongly in restorative practices at O’Neill and that means that we work through what happened to help our Senators react better in the future. After processing we want students to see that there were many different options on how we can react to or handle the situation. Our hope is that our Senator students continue to learn from their experiences and are able to put more “tools in the tool belt”.
Remember - there is NO SCHOOL on Monday, October 10th.
As always, if you have any additional questions you are welcome to call the main office (630) 719-5815 between 8 AM and 4 PM Monday - Friday.
We hope you enjoy the long weekend!
Mr. Durbala & Mr. Cobo
District 58 Referendum
District 58 will place a proposal on the Nov. 8, 2022 ballot to issue $179 million in bonds to improve District 58’s facilities. To learn more about the District 58 referendum, please visit www.dg58.org/referendum.
This website contains helpful information, including the District’s Master Facility Plan, frequently asked questions, ballot language, voter information, tax impact, facility presentation and videos and much more. If you have any questions about the referendum not answered on the website, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Please know, as a school district, we can provide factual information about a referendum, but we cannot advocate for or against it.
District 58 Informational Referendum Open Houses
Please consider attending District 58's upcoming Informational Referendum Open Houses to learn more about the District 58 referendum.
Open House #1:
Thursday, Oct. 13 from 6:30-8 p.m.
O'Neill Middle School, 635 59th St.
Open House #2:
Monday, Oct. 17 from 6:30-8 p.m.
Herrick Middle School, 4435 Middaugh Ave.
The open houses will include a brief presentation, tour and a question-and-answer opportunity. To learn more, please visit District 58's referendum information website at www.dg58.org/referendum. This website includes links to the Master Facility Plan, facility presentation, videos, frequently asked questions and much more.
Join us for the next PTA meeting
The next meeting of the OMS PTA is Tuesday, October 11th at 6 PM in the OMS library.
Among other items on the agenda, District 58 Superintendent, Dr. Kevin Russell, will be at the meeting to present information on the upcoming District 58 referendum.
Please think about joining the PTA below is a link to join & donate:
The Week Ahead: October 10 - October 14
Monday, October 10
NO SCHOOL - Columbus Day
Tuesday, October 11
3:30 - 5:00 PM: 7th Grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
6:00 PM: PTA Meeting - OMS Library
7:00 PM: Board of Education Meeting - O'Neill Middle School
Wednesday, October 12
6:30 - 8:00 AM: 7th Grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
3:20 PM - 4:00 PM: Newspaper Club - Library
3:20 PM - 4:00 PM: Student Council Meeting - Room 202
3:20 PM - 4:00 PM: Gaming Club - Room 210
4:30 PM: Girls Volleyball vs. Glencrest at HOME
Thursday, October 13
6:30 AM - 8:00 AM: 7th Grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
3:15 PM - 4:45 PM: 8th Grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
3:20 PM - 4:00 PM: Science Club
4:30 PM: Girls Volleyball at Marquardt
6:30 PM: District 58 Referendum Open House - O'Neill
Friday, October 14
Sign Up for Parent-Teacher Conferences
Halloween Costume Guidelines
Students at OMS will be allowed to dress up for Halloween on Monday, October 31st. District 58 has a rich and diverse population in our learning community. District 58 staff members recognize that many families have different beliefs; and because of religious, cultural, or personal reasons, some families may choose to not be involved in Halloween activities. Participation is completely optional for any student. Students DO NOT need to wear a costume and those who do not have a costume can wear orange and black. If you wish to participate in Halloween dress-up day, please follow these simple guidelines to keep things safe and appropriate for the school setting. Students will not change for PE on Halloween. Costumes must be: Costumes must be tasteful and appropriate for school. school dress code DOES apply: No weapons or potentially dangerous items. This includes plastic or look-alike weapons. No costumes that glorify violence or are offensive to others You must arrive at school in your costume. You will not be allowed to change or apply makeup at school. Glitter is not allowed. No hair spray at school You must be able to see safely and may not wear anything that blocks your vision. Any type of Halloween mask must be removed while in class. You must be able to sit at your regular desk and be able to participate in all normal class activities. Inflatable costumes (dinosaurs, etc) should be deflated during class.
School Lunch
Students and families are reminded that ALL students must use their student ID when buying anything from the cafeteria. Students were given a temporary ID at the beginning of the year and a 2nd ID during our recent picture day.
Any student without their ID will be sent to the main office to get another copy. After 3 times students will be charged $1 for a new ID.
Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee Meeting
- Referendum information from Dr. Kevin Russell
- School and Dual Program Updates
- Parent-Teacher Conference Tips
Click HERE for more information.
Student Newspaper
Click HERE to read the October edition!
OMS Clubs and Activities
Below are descriptions of some of the clubs offered at O’Neill Middle School.
This is not an exclusive list and is subject to change based
on student interest and sponsor availability.
CHAMBER STRINGS: Meets at 7:00 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Members are selected from orchestra participants who audition for this additional challenging opportunity. See the OMS Orchestra Director, Mrs. Spring, for more details.
COURTYARD CLUB: will introduce students to the basics of year-round gardening and maintain the courtyard. Courtyard Club will meet on the first Wednesday of every month. Extra meetings may be called depending on courtyard needs. Mrs. Pinkus is the club sponsor.
CRAFT CLUB: is a club for creative, artistic, and craft-loving students. We meet once a month and create a small seasonal craft that students can take home with them. We meet on Tuesdays once per month. Please listen to announcements for meeting dates. Donations for club expenses can be made in the form of gift-cards to Amazon, Michaels, Joann, or Hobby Lobby. Mrs. Mitzel and Mrs. Messineo are the club sponsors.
GAMING CLUB: will meet 1-2 times per month from 3:20-3:50 p.m. in Room 210. Staff will provide card and board games like checkers, chess, Apples to Apples, and Uno. Students are welcome to bring their own game or handheld gaming device though we caution students to bring anything valuable as we are not liable if it is damaged. All students are welcome! Mr. Caton and Mrs. Morgan are club sponsors.
JAZZ BAND: Meets at 7:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Students who are in good standing in Concert Band are eligible to audition for this more challenging and selective ensemble. See the OMS Band Director Mrs. Kaminski for more details.
NEWSPAPER: Do you think you would enjoy writing about events that are happening in our school or community? Do you like to interview people about their lives? What about creative writing? Looking for a place to publish your short story or poetry? The Newspaper Club is looking for you! Writing for the newspaper is open to anyone. The club publishes at least quarterly throughout the year and highlights student writing, photography, and artwork. Meetings are held once a month on Wednesdays after school. Most work will occur independently with the meetings just used for checking in and giving assignments. Mrs. Squires is the club sponsor.
OMS SINGERS: is a select, vocal ensemble chosen from choir participants which meets on Wednesday and Friday at 7:15 AM. See the OMS Choir Director, Janet Hecht, for more details.
SCHOLASTIC BOWL: Scholastic Bowl is an IESA-sanctioned activity. Teams from area schools compete by answering questions in subject areas such as math, science, literature, mythology, philosophy, economics, history, music, art, and current events. Matches include individual team members buzzing in (much like the show Jeopardy!) to answer toss-up questions and collaborating as a team on more in-depth questions from the subject areas listed above. Scholastic Bowl practice begins on Thursday, January 19, and the matches are scheduled - typically on Tuesdays and Thursdays - from the end of February through the middle of April. Mrs. Panico is the club sponsor.
DESIGN SQUAD/SCIENCE CLUB: Do you love building? Can you think critically to solve problems? Design Squad will get you solving engaging design challenges including the use of motors, simple machines, and your creative brains! We will meet on Thursdays throughout the year. Please listen to announcements for meeting dates. Mrs. Johnson is the club sponsor.
STAGE CREW CLUB: Whether you want to be on stage or behind the scenes, we need your help. This winter, O’Neill will be putting on a musical and we need to start preparing for it soon. If you want to be a part of the Stage Crew, please plan on joining this club and attending the meeting dates. We will meet the third Wednesday of every month and the week prior to the show daily after school. We are looking for all kinds of people (creative, responsible, organized) to join this club (actors included.) We will be getting the stage organized to start a new show, advertising, building the set, finding props/costumes, and much more. Mrs. Hecht and Mrs. Potter are the sponsors. Meetings: October 19, November 16, January 18, February 15, March 13-17. March 20-22, and April 19th.
STUDENT COUNCIL: This club helps create and provide opportunities for leadership and service in the local school and community. The Student Council is open to all students interested in helping promote positive relationships and increase pride in the school community. The Student Council promotes academic achievement, good citizenship, school spirit, and involvement in activities. We will meet on Tuesdays after school in room 202. Mrs. Saenz and Mrs. Lockett are the club sponsors.
Live stream of athletic events and concerts
District 58 Reading Games
The Reading Games will return for its ninth year on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 at O'Neill Middle School. The Reading Games is a fun and friendly reading competition open to District 58 students in grades 3-8.
Start forming teams now! Team and individual registration is open now through Nov. 2. Please click here for general Reading Games information, including team and individual registration links. Visit www.readinggamesdg58.com for detailed information.
The Reading Games also seeks question writer volunteers! Click here to learn more information and to sign up to volunteer.
Important Parent Reminders
District 58 2022/2023 Calendar: View the 2022-23 school year calendar.
Upcoming Dates to Note:
Parent/Teacher Conferences: October 18, 20 , 21
NO SCHOOL: Friday, October 21, 2022 - School Improvement Day
Picture Retake Day: Wednesday, November 2, 2022
NO SCHOOL: Wednesday, November 8, 2022 - Election Day
Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 23-25, 2022
Winter Break: Dec. 19, 2022 -Jan. 2, 2023
Spring Break: March 27-31, 2023
Last Day of School: Wednesday, June 7, 2023 (if no emergency days are used)
Is your child not feeling well? Please be diligent with reporting if your child is not feeling well. 1) Keep students home from school if they do not feel well. 2) Students with covid related symptoms should be kept home.
Coats: The weather is unpredictable. Students that wear a coat to school should be putting their coats in their lockers and not wearing in classrooms
Morning Announcements: Did you know you can read our daily announcements? The announcements read to students each morning are also available on the OMS website so families can also stay informed. Click here to see a sample
Face Coverings: Face masks are optional for students and staff
Activity bus: Students that stay after school for clubs, sports, extra help, or detentions can take the activity bus home at 4:00 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Order your OMS Spirit Wear now!
Place your order using the link below.
Mental Health Resources
Please click the LINK for more information.
Meet the Senator Staff
O'Neill Middle School
Email: mdurbala@dg58.org
Website: https://dg58.org/on/
Location: 635 59th Street, Downers Grove, IL, USA
Phone: 630-719-5815
Twitter: @ONeillPrincipal