Extra Curricular Activities

Mission Statement: To encourage children to explore interests and develop talents through participation in the district’s extra-curricular offerings so to gain a sense of belonging and connection to school and community.

We believe that:

  • A wide range of extra-curricular offerings should be made available to all students, spanning athletics, academics, community service, cultural enrichment, and personal development.
  • Extra-curricular offerings should be present in both schools–and they should match the interests and developmental needs of students.
  • Staff, parents and community members should be encouraged to play a role in broadening resources and in delivering extra-curricular offerings for students.
  • Existing offerings should be frequently reviewed and new offerings encouraged as the needs and interests of the students change.

By law…

The district’s extra-curricular offerings are accessible to all students without regard to race, color, national origin, handicap, sex or age.

List of Clubs

Art Club
Every other Wednesday from 3:30-4:30 pm
Kelly Sabatini
[email protected]

Art Club meets after school every other Wednesday from 3:30-4:30. Art Club will be open to all grades this year. 7th and 8th grade will be combined and 8th Grade will be separate. A maximum of 20 students will be accepted from 7th and 6th grade. A maximum of 20 students will be accepted from 8th grade. There is no try-out to join. Students will be accepted on a first come first serve basis but a interest/enthusiasm for Visual Art is encouraged! Art Club works on various art projects that cannot be done in class due to scale or difficulty. This club gives students a chance to work on larger scale projects that enhance our school, more freedom/choice with respect to their work and gives them a community of young artists to work with.


Band
Mr. Kyle Anderson

Lessons are starting for your school’s Band, and this is a very exciting time for all our young musicians.  Your child can still be a part of this unique experience!  Group lessons are given twice each week and your child will have the opportunity to play in at least three concerts this year.  No experience is necessary.

There is no long-term financial commitment; you only pay for the months your child is in the band.  If needed, we also offer a rent to own instrument program. Financial aid and scholarships are available to those in need; please call the Music Education Services main office for more details at 847-805-1800. We aim to do whatever we can to have your child participate in the band, and we do not want the cost of the program to be the only limiting factor for a child who is excited about band.

We need students to play any of the instruments below.  It makes for a better sounding group to have a few of each in the group.  Could your child be one that will help us out?  I hope so! 

Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Drum/Bells

If you have ANY questions, please contact me. I would love to include him/her in your school's program!  To register, please call Music Education Services at (847)805-1800 or go to www.MusicEdServices.org and use the following school codes to register: for Avoca West- AVOCAW, and for Marie Murphy- MARIEM.



Book Club!

One a month per grade level
Carrie Stotz
[email protected]

Book club members have fun discussing books, assisting with author visits, and working at our book fairs


Choir
Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:15 PM.
Mr. Hammond
[email protected]

Choir is an extra-curricular activity for students interested in singing a variety of types of music as an ensemble. Primary performances include the District Choral Concert and the New Trier Township Junior High Choral Festival. Additionally, choir students are welcome to participate in the choir/orchestra lock-in (October) and trip to Six Flags Great America (May).


Co-Ed Soccer
September-October
Chad Henley and Jessica Bodzewski
[email protected]

Access the Marie Murphy Interscholastic co-ed soccer page to learn more about the program and this year’s team. Included are the schedules for the JV and Varsity teams. 


Cooking Club
September-May
Gail Brown, Carrie Stotz
[email protected], [email protected]

Cooking club is open for students in grades 6-8. It is a new club this year. Meetings will take place once a month after school. Each month will feature a new edible experience. A maximum of 15 students will be chosen to participate each month. Students will sign up electronically each month if they are interested in that month's cooking experience. A drawing will be held to select the participants each month. Priority will be given to students who have not participated yet.


Cross Country
September-October
Andrea Bialk, Daira Tramontin
[email protected], [email protected]

Students who join Cross County have the opportunity to work as a team while setting personal running goals for themselves.


Interscholastic Girls’ and Boys’ Basketball

Check out the Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball pages to learn more about the program. Included are the season schedules for both JV and the Varsity teams. Tryouts start at the end of October. Any child interested in participating must have an athletic permit and an insurance card on file in the nurse’s office before he/she can participate in a match.


Interscholastic Girls’ and Boys’ Volleyball
After school – the girls’ season runs from end of August through the middle of October, the boys’ season runs from the end of January through the middle of March

This is a means for boys and girls with exceptional ability to use and further develop their skills in a competitive setting against other schools. Tryouts are held to determine squads. Any child interested in participating must have an athletic permit and an insurance card on file in the nurse’s office before he/she can participate in a match.

Check out the websites for Interscholastic Volleyball – Girls and Interscholastic Volleyball – Boys for tryout dates, game and practice schedules, directions to away matches and a list of team members.


Intramurals

Chad Henley
[email protected]

Access the Marie Murphy Intramural page to learn more about the program. Included are the activities that run throughout the year. 


Marie Murphy Student Council
September – May
Hyung Ro & Robert Malstrom
avoca37.org/mmstudentcouncil

This year’s Marie Murphy Student Council is comprised of four 8th grade officers and two 8th grade cabinet members along with a total of 10 representatives from 6th and 7th grades. Our main goal is to foster leadership qualities in our students and to provide an arena for students to help shape our school environment through service. We sponsor all school activities including spirit weeks and dances as well as oversee general school wide charitable fundraising.


Roots and Shoots
1st Friday of the month, plus additional times scheduled for service learning projects
Nancy Stewart
[email protected]

A program affiliated with the Jane Goodall Institute, Roots and Shoots is Marie Murphy’s environmental and humanitarian service learning club. Each year students address real problems in their world through service projects in three areas: the environment, animals, and the human community. Students have learned about and created projects to address problems related to hunger and homelessness, environmental crises and global warming, animal overpopulation, child welfare, and many other issues. Service work takes place after school or on the weekends. Newcomers are always welcome!


Science Olympiad
The Science Olympiad season runs from October through May.

Coaches
James Gravagna, Peter Ogden, Darren Persino
 

CONGRATULATIONs to all of students that have made the 2019/2020 Marie Murphy Science Olympiad Team.  Whether you made the Varsity or Junior Varsity is listed below.  Our first practice will be next Monday, November 4th from 3:30-4:30ish.  At this practice you will be given or choosing events that you will compete in throughout the season.  You may want to familiarize yourself with the events by reading the rules PDF listed below.  Also, be sure to choose events that are not in the same conflict block as seen on the Conflict Blocks PDF.

 VARSITY  JUNIOR VARSITY
                   
Das Shaili
Gao Alivia
Garbis Tiggy
Gelfgat Nathan
Grossner Daniel
Iskos Lambi
Kundu Nalin
Maquera Sara
Metkar Atharva
Morris Kaci
Pandiri Sumi
Piotworski Jonathan
Virani Izza
Wilson Alessandra
Yang Eric
A'Hearn Madeline
Cheng Alex
Cravens Ryan
Gelfgat Daniel
Hao Elan
Kiley Alex
Kundu Nayana
Lee Doyun
Libby Ari
Liu Sophie
Lu Justin
Nehring Luke
O'Donnell Maeve
Olcott Elliott
Patel Raina
Patel Alina
Patel Rohan


COMPETITION DATES:
- December 14th: Marie Murphy Invitational (Varsity/JV)
- January 18th: University of Chicago Invitational (Varsity/JV)
- February 8th: Centerville, Ohio Invitational (Varsity)
- February 8th: Kildeer Invitational (JV)
- February 29th: Oakton Regional (Varsity and JV)
- March 7th: Pancake Breakfast at Marie Murphy (Varsity/JV/Parents)
- April 18th: State Tournament at University of Illinois - Champaign Urbana (Varsity)
- May 16th: National Tournament at North Carolina State, Raleigh, North Carolina (Varsity)

2019/2020 Science Olympiad Event Rules

2019/2020 Conflict Blocks
You could NOT choose events within the same block because the events that are listed in the same block will be going on at the same time during competitions.


Snowflake
September – December: Thursdays from 12:05-12:35 PM,
Angie Piechowiak & Hannah Newton

Snowflake is a youth/adult partnership providing awareness and prevention of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use while encouraging healthy decision-making in an active community of caring. The event day revolves around a series of large group presentations followed by small group discussions facilitated by 8th-grade peer leaders, New Trier High School students who formerly attended Marie Murphy School, and teachers.


Spring Play
By Audition, Mid-February thru end of April; usually M/Tu/Th 3:30 – 5:30PM
Karah Janssen
[email protected]

The Marie Murphy Spring Play is performed at the end of April each year. Students are chosen to be a part of the cast by audition, held during the month of February. Play styles and cast sizes change from year to year and are designed to be an enrichment extension experience beyond the theatre classroom curriculum. Students who are not chosen for acting roles are encouraged to help backstage or with production elements, as needed.


Student Government

The League of Student and Government Leaders Program, sponsored by The Wilmette League of Women Voters, gives 8th-grade students an opportunity to experience local governance first hand. Student participants meet with school board mentors, taking on their roles in addressing real issues that come before the School Board. The culminating activity is a mock board meeting which takes place at Wilmette Village Hall and is broadcast live on local television.


Table Tennis Club
3:20-4:00 Check the calendar or the sign in the hallway for all meetings for the year.
Señora Bruzzini
[email protected]

It is open to all students who are interested in playing or learning how to play.