Emerson Middle School (Illinois)

Ralph Waldo Emerson Middle School is a middle school located in Niles, Illinois, USA. It is one of two middle schools serving the Park Ridge, Illinois/Niles, Illinois area. The school is part of the District 64 school district and serves students for grades 6-8. Emerson Middle School is named after the poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. The current principal is Dr. Vicki Mogil.

History

Emerson Middle School is the currently the newest educational facility within District 64. Prior to the current building, the site was home to Emerson Junior High, serving grades 7 and 8. After the original junior high was closed, all 7th and 8th grades students would attend Lincoln Junior High. After several years, in the late 1990s, overcrowding at Lincoln Jr. High forced District 64 to reopen Emerson as a functioning facility. It has been open since 1998, and on May 28, 2008 Emerson celebrated its 10th anniversary. The question of whether to modernize the building or build a new modern building was posed to the voters in a referendum. Voters subsequently approved a tax increase to build a new modern middle school at the site.

Curriculum

The academic classes, or 'core' classes include language arts, math, science, and social studies. In sixth grade reading is also a core class. Core classes are taught together by a 'team' of teachers working together. Sixth graders have three periods a day devoted to exploring the various aspects of Emerson; these are called "exploritories". At the end of grades 6 and 7 the students are allowed to pick elective classes for the next year. There is an advanced course called 'Channels of Challenge' for students who excel at reading or math. For those who need more help, the "STRIVE" program is available.

Clubs

There are many activities and clubs that are made every year in Emerson. There is the yearbook committee where students get to help put together and take pictures for the school yearbook. There is book club and comic book club. Games club, guitar club, Lego club, Model building club. Movie club where students get to watch their favorite school appropriate movies. There is RC car club and video game club. Their is also an Emerson EAC committee where students get to make posters for school upcoming events, sell candy, raise money ETC. There is A Best Buddies club where students get to help autistic students have some fun and interact with other people more efficiently. There is also a soaring eagle activity where 8th graders get to help out the new 6th graders around on their scary new experience of middle school.

Sports

The sports teams are known as the "Emerson Eagles". Emerson is involved in basketball, competing with other schools around the area, as well as volleyball for 7th and 8th graders. There is also an Emerson Cross Country team for about a month and a half for all grades including 6th. Emerson and Lincoln have a cross-town rivalry. There are also P.E. inturmurals after school where students get to play the activity that they are currently playing in physical education. There is also Cheerleading at Emerson for 7th and 8th grade girls. The girls have two squads, Fall and Winter. The fall squad cheers for the girls basketball team and the Winter squad cheers for the boys basketball team.

Music

Music classes have always been available at Emerson for students, and in the year 2008, the school really outdid themselves. The first ever school musical production was directed and made at Emerson in 2008, and it was High School Musical. A smart pick for the time. Also, many rock bands became more involved, the most advertised and currently most successful being The Break. The school has many different music classes. Starting off with sixth grade every student troughout the year has a music class in any trimester that contains a liitle bit of other music classes in 7th and 8th grade like guitar,keyboard Etc. The school has numerous choirs: 6th grade chorus, concert Chorus, and swing Choir. It also has a music class called Vocal power where students get the opportunity to vocally sing and like choir, perform in front of the school. There is also performing arts at Emerson that contains; Cadet Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Percussion Ensemble, Concert Orchestra1, Concert Orchestra2, and Chamber Orchestra.

taff

(Emerson has over 90 staff members includong current principal Dr. Vicki Mogil,and assistant principal Mr. Tim Banka. Emerson has well educated staff members that are motivated and fully-committed to their job and responsibilities)

External links

* [http://www.d64.org/Emerson/emersonhome/emersonhome.html/ School site]
* [http://www.d64.k12.il.us/ District site]