Mustang Minutes
Gemini Middle School - September 2021
The heat outside has not stopped the learning inside the walls of Gemini! We have spent the last two weeks welcoming students into the building, learning our way around the halls, and about each other. Last week, Principal Roberts reviewed school expectations, including the cell phone policy, dress code guidelines, and arrival and dismissal student procedures, with each grade level in team meetings. This information can also be found in the front of your child's student planner. Review these policies with your child and let us know if you have any questions or clarifications.
We look forward to partnering with you this year!
Lewis Roberts, Principal
Erica Perelgut, Brian Gariti, and Wendy Brutt, Assistant Principals
Gemini Attendance Line
Arrival and Dismissal
To help arrival and dismissal move smoothly:
Do not get out of your cars. For arrival, drop students off along the curb as far forward as possible. For dismissal, create three lanes of traffic and pull all the way forward. We will hold all cars for approximately three minutes to allow students to walk safely through the cars. Once traffic starts moving, please drive SLOWLY to maximize student safety.
We are continuing to work with the Village of Niles and the police department to increase the efficiency of our procedures. However, 91% of Gemini students qualify for free bussing. If your child qualifies, we STRONGLY encourage you to utilize the bus service. This will help avoid the long lines that develop during morning arrival and afternoon dismissal in our car lanes.
For dismissal, if you will be picking your child up last minute or changing how they normally go home, please notify the office no later than 2:45 p.m. We cannot guarantee the message will get to your child if you make us aware after this time.
Submitting Vaccination Records
We are aware that many of our students have been vaccinated, and although it is not required, we strongly recommend that you upload a copy of your child’s vaccination record for our school health records. There are several good reasons for doing so:
- As is always the case, knowing our students’ health information helps us navigate any unforeseen health emergencies that may arise.
- Quarantining rules now differ for those who are vaccinated - and those who are not.
- Although currently all students and staff are wearing face coverings indoors, it is possible this may change. If that does happen, students with vaccination records on file may not have to wear a mask in the building.
Open House
Please DO NOT utilize the parking lot at Iceland Skating Rink.
Student Breakfast
Updated Contact Information
Student Chromebooks
Securly for Student Safety
Our district uses Securly to keep students safe on their school-issued devices, or when logged into a Chrome web browser using their school account. Securly has a seamless login to its Parent Portal. Below are some details on this service.
- The District enables notifications for parents/guardians of all students when they enroll.
- Once students are enrolled, parents, with emails on record with the District, receive a weekly summary of their student’s internet activity.
- If a parent turns off notifications, only that parent can turn them back on.
Securly Parent Portal Key Information:
- Email Reports - Parents receive a summarized activity report, emailed every week, of their child’s Internet activity. These emails are meant to give a positive overview of the student's productivity, and cover four topics: Educational Sites, Sites, Searched Words, and Videos.
- Access to Parent Portal - Parents can log in and see a full audit trail of what their child is doing on a school-owned device at any time.
- To enter the Parent Portal, simply click on the "view more" link, or the “sign up” link at the bottom of your weekly email.
- The Parent Portal contains two categories on the left from which you can choose: Activity (shows a real-time audit trail of your child's online activity) and Flagged (shows items that have been flagged by Securly).
September Sports Schedule
SEL Corner
Welcome back Gemini Families! The social work team would like to introduce ourselves and let you know how to reach us. Emily Alexander will be working with 6th graders and can be reached at ealexander@emsd63.org. Laura Mell will be working with 7th graders and can be reached at lmell@emsd63.org. Zoe Turner will be working with 8th graders and can be reached at zturner@emsd63.org. If your family needs help with accessing community resources, needs help getting a winter coat, or you have concerns about your child’s social and emotional well-being, please reach out to us. You can browse our website for information on specific community resources, links to articles and social-emotional activities, and a calming space you and your child can access together. We look forward to partnering with you this year!
Library Updates
We are so excited to have the Gemini library up and running again this year!
Gemini Library Books
ELA classes have begun coming in to do book checkouts. Students may check out up to five books at a time for two weeks. Books can be renewed once (with the exception of graphic novels, which cannot be renewed). Please contact Ms. Buican or Ms. Wahlers with any questions about library books or procedures.
Famished for Fiction
Famished for Fiction is back this year! Each month, we will conduct a program during students’ lunch/Advisory in the library where they can come in and get some book recommendations from both Gemini and public librarians. This month, we will be featuring books from the 2022 Caudill List. Information about attending will be shared with students in the coming weeks.
Community Libraries
Our community libraries continue to provide wonderful programs (both in-person and virtual) for students. Please check out your local library to see what is new!
Washington DC and New York City Spring Break Trip
All aboard for Washington D.C. and New York City!
Enrollment for Gemini’s annual spring break trip to DC and NYC is open. But space is limited, so secure your traveler’s seat today. On tour, travelers will get to see historic landmarks, museums, and even a Broadway show! All expenses are included - breakfast, lunch, dinner, air and ground transportation, hotels, entrance fees, etc. - all you need is money for souvenirs.
Come learn more at our upcoming informational meeting! The meeting will be on Wednesday, September 15th, at 7 PM. You can join the meeting in person or online.
In Person:
Per District 63 guidelines, masks will be required
Enter through doors by the main entrance and proceed to the Learning Stairs located in the cafeteria; signs will be posted
Online:
The Zoom meeting link will be posted on the tour website the day of the meeting and will activate at 6:45 PM
If you’d like to secure a seat now, choose your trip, then click on the link and enter the information listed below:
Travel in 2022 (this school year) - Trip #9639; Departing 3/21/2022 - open to this year’s 7th and 8th grade students
Travel in 2023 (next school year) - Trip #9745; Departing 3/20/2023 - open to this year’s 6th and 7th grade students
Click here for the enrollment website.
Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity for your student traveler.
Have questions? Visit our tour website or Contact Mr. Thayer.
Niles Teen Center
The Niles Teen Center is back and open for teens Monday thru Friday from 3 PM to 7 PM. Sign up for their upcoming Glow-in-the-Dark Dodgeball Tournament on their website.
Niles Junior Police Academy
Calendar Highlights
August:
30: COVID 2nd Dose Vaccine Clinic from 1-3 PM for students who bring signed consent and 3:45 - 7 PM for students attending with parents and the public.
31: Open House from 6 PM - 8 PM
September:
2: Ronald McDonald Care Mobile
2: D63 Board of Education Meeting @ 7 PM
3: School Improvement Day - Student Dismissal at 11:25 AM
6: No School - Labor Day
7: No School - Rosh Hashana
9 - 10: MAP Testing
16: No School - Yom Kippur
21: Picture Day
#hereatgemini
Email: gemini411@emsd63.org
Website: emsd63.org/gemini
Location: 8955 North Greenwood Avenue, Niles, IL, USA
Phone: (847) 827-1181
Twitter: @D63Gemini