About Town

Nichols Middle School Reopens

Back to School. Again.

Thursday morning at 9 a.m., Nichols Middle School parents were briefed by multiple City and School District 65 staff about the pipe bomb incident earlier in the week.  Speakers included the Superintendent and Asst. Superintendent and Communications Director and Head of Buildings & Grounds of D65, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Mayor, School Board members, 4th Ward Alderman and School Principal. I'm not a reporter, but I scribbled notes as best I could.  I know many parents and neighbors are wondering what people are saying about the incident.  Here's what I gathered at the meeting in the Nichols Middle School library this morning. The tone of the meeting was one of anxious anticipation to get answers.  WHAT happened?  WHY here?  WHAT'S still …

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About Town

Not Quite a Snow Day

An unexpected day off from school...

Events in Evanston today were exceptionally surreal.  Nichols Middle School closed "due to an unforeseen police emergency," according to the school's email.   I'll just leave it at that. With a sudden day off school -- and another planned for Wednesday -- there are hundreds of 6th, 7th and 8th graders (and their families) rearranging their outlooks. THIS NEVER HAPPENS in Evanston. Every year, my kids beg for snow days.  This never happens in Evanston. Each year, there's always the "hope" that school will be closed, but this never happens in Evanston. If word leaks into the house about another school district's closing, my children's agony pours out alongside the milk and cereal.  It happens in other places, but it never, ever happens in …

UPDATE: Classmates Say Pipe Bomb Casualty 'Not Into Explosives'

The decapitated man found in Evanston identified as 21-year-old Colin Dalebroux.

UPDATE 2:49 p.m.: Rico Corona, one of Colin Dalebroux's classmates from Madison West High School, said it was hard to believe that Dalebroux was involved in a bomb explosion at Fitzsimmons Park on Tuesday morning. "(It's) truly shocking and puzzling," Corona said. While he said he did not think Dalebroux would have been involved in making a bomb, he believed that at the very least the device found near his body was not intended to harm anyone. "I'm sure it probably was something that he was experimenting or tinkering with because Colin really wasn't a malicious person." "He really was a nice person, smiled a lot, funny, quick with a joke, and just down to earth in general," Corona added. UPDATE: Kate Santarius, who said she has known Colin…

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Joanna Schneider

8:37 am on Thursday, September 16, 2010

Way to get to the heart of the story, Jessica! You continue to impress me...   more ›

About Town

Amazing Teacher: James Wooldridge

Nichols Middle School's Mr. Wooldridge takes an innovative and hilarious approach to teaching Spanish.

Really, the only way to explain how James Wooldridge engages his Spanish classes at Nichols Middle School is to show you the website he's created.   Not only do Wooldridge's students frequent the site for the hilarious and (deceptively educational) songs and videos, but they end up singing Wooldridge's songs at home, in the hallways, and around town.   Known as Señor Wooly, he's created an amazing website, www.srwooly.com.  Check out some of the numerous videos he's written, scored and produced.  Just click on these links and then click the brown "click to play" bar:   Guapo (translation:  Handsome) Me Duele (rough translation:  I'm in pain) Puedo Ir El Bano (translation:  May I Go To the Bathroom?)