Welcome to school year 2009-2010 at Gates Chili Middle School!

We especially welcome all new members to our Amerks Community!

Glad to have you in Amerks Country! 

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 Have middle school news delivered right to your email account by signing up for e-News at the district home page: http://www.gateschili.org/

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Find new pictures from the Amerks 'Mix It Up Day' 2009 on our Amerks website.

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First quarter report cards will be mailed home Friday, November 20. Please don't hesitate to call with questions and concerns. Teachers or counselors welcome your calls. If you have a grade 6 student in Mrs. Luff or Mrs. Rappeleye's class, your school counselor is Mrs. Lally. If your grade 6 student is in Mrs. Salgado-Givens, Mrs. Muscarella or Mr. Campbell's classes, your school counselor is Mr. Traver. Mrs. Hunt is the school counselor for grades 7 and 8. All counselors can be contacted at #247-5050 extension 3346. 

We update our Amerks' Community webpage regularly, so check back for the latest information and photographs of our Amerks' Community in action!

My name is Mrs. Lisa McGary and I am looking forward to a second year as the community principal of the Amerks Community. We have three communities (or, sometimes we call them 'schools within a school') at Gates Chili Middle School. Each community is made up of grade 6, 7 and 8 students and staff. The Amerks Community is located off the north end of the main hallway. Our next door neighbor is the Rhinos Community. At the opposite end of the main hallway is our other community neighbor, the Red Wings Community. In Amerks country we are known by our moose mascot. Our three middle school communities have plenty of opportunity to mingle with eachother at grade level socials, and during after school clubs and sports. We're all Gates Chili Spartans!

Last school year was our first year in community configurations. Our students really liked having their academic classes near their lockers. By far, the most enjoyable and meaningful observeration I made over the year was seeing how much our students developed strong relationships with their peers and community teachers. Feeling like you belong is so important! Our students also reported that they liked the opportunities to mix with their other grade level community peers during Mix It Up Lunch and helping after school.

This year we look forward to continuing some of the traditions we established here in the Amerks Community. Check out the pictures on our webpage to see last year's activities.  In addition, we have a spankin' new library and computer lab. Students are truly going to feel like scholars and researchers in these new spaces.

Even when I'm not at the Middle School, I live middle school 24/7! This year, my two youngest sons Jimmy and Shane will be attending middle school: one in grade 6 and the other in grade 8. Recently, my husband Jim and I watched our two oldest sons, Steve and Jeff,  move back home so they could attend community college. Under our same roof  we also fit in a pair of finches, a goldfish, a hamster, and two Silky Terriers Jewell and SonnyBoy.

My door is open. Your comments and concerns are important to the success of our students. You can contact me through our district phone number (#247-5050 extension 3225). Feel free to leave a message with my secretary Mrs. DiNitto (#247-5050 extension 3362).

Mrs. Lisa McGary

Amerks Community Administrator &