News and information from our district and schools
MEYER. MIDDLETON. McCRACKEN. Games. Meal Menu.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2023
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DISTRICT NEWS
PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES
Teachers will be available for your choice of in-person OR video conferences on the following dates and times:
- Thursday, October 5th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m
- Friday, October 6th from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Online registration for October conferences opens on Monday, September 25th at 7:00 a.m. and closes on Monday, October 2nd at 3:00 p.m.
Please visit our Parent-Teacher Conference Information web page for details. Be on the lookout for a reminder about McCracken conference sign-up processes and other features to help you plan for conferences.
STUDENT SERVICES
PARENT EVENTS. The Niles Township District for Special Education (NTDSE) offers many continuing education and learning events for families. Please check their calendar and registration website for more information. Registration is free of charge for District 73.5 families.
BILINGUAL PARENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE. Please mark your calendars and join us for our (BPAC) Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee Meetings on the following dates. Meeting time is 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Elizabeth Meyer School - Thursday, November 9, 2023
John Middleton Elementary School - Thursday, February 8, 2024
Middleton Elementary School - Wednesday, March 6, 2024
Elizabeth Meyer School
WHAT IS BPAC? The Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee supports emergent bilingual families in our community. If you are the parent or guardian of an English Learner, you are invited to participate in the Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee. We will work together to support our students' learning and help them succeed not only in school, but also throughout life. Please also check out the Illinois Resource Center Family & BPAC Information Series.
CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION & ASSESSMENT
We are excited to share with you that our kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade students have been having such great success so far this year with our new foundational literacy program, From Phonics to Reading! This program provides our learners with a research-based scope and sequence of foundational reading skills. Furthermore, the program leans on consistent practice of those skills in both reading and writing. Our dedicated educators and leaders worked hard last school year and over the summer to prepare the program for students this year, and we are excited to see our students’ growth this year within our new program!
PTO NEWS
THE PTO NEEDS YOUR HELP! Volunteers are needed to support the Middleton Book Fair from October 2nd-6th. Sign up for a shift on the SignUpGenius website.
The PTO also seeks parent volunteers to help with planning events for the 2023-2024 school year. Events include a Fall Festival, Socktoberfest, Movie Nights, and Parent Meetups. Please contact Karen Hayes at [email protected] if you can help!
GILBERT GARDEN VOLUNTEER SHOUTOUT! Thank you to Rachel VanHoose, Emily Wiegman, Margaret Page and all the volunteers for tending the Gilbert Garden over the summer. Their hard work resulted in more than 150+ bags of produce donated to the Niles Township Food Pantry!
Visit the updated PTO website for information about events, meetings, and how the PTO supports Skokie73.5 schools.
DISTRICT DATES
Our summer school program runs from June 4-27, Monday through Thursday (no school on Fr...
Jump to BoardDocs for meeting agenda and livestream: https://go.boarddocs.com/il/sd735/...
MEYER FALL ENRICHMENT CLASSES for kindergartners will run from September 26th through December 7, 2023. The Enrich MEYER brochure was sent home in backpacks on Monday. Registration forms are due on Monday, September 18th; confirmations will be sent by Wednesday, September 20th. If you have any questions, please contact our Enrich MEYER Coordinator, Rachel Douglas, at [email protected].
Please join the MEYER PARENT LEADERS (MPL), a committee of the District 73.5 PTO, for their September Events! This inclusive group of Meyer parents and guardians are dedicated to providing opportunities for Meyer families to connect and socialize by organizing volunteer, service, and fundraising events for the school.
Our first in-person MPL meeting will be on Thursday, September 21st from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Meyer (enter through the Multipurpose Room [Door 12E, just south of the main entrance). All parents and guardians are welcome to join! MPL will discuss and plan this year's various events and activities, including Socktoberfest.
Questions? Email [email protected].
MPL will host a Family Meet-Up on Saturday, September 23rd from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on the Meyer Playground. Join other Meyer families to play and connect!
Please see this FLYER for more information about September events.
Meyer School will conduct our first FIRE DRILL for all Meyer classrooms on Wednesday, September 20th, in the morning. Teachers will prepare students for the drill, helping them to understand and practice how to exit the building safely and calmly when the fire alarm sounds.
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Meyer’s SCHOOL PICTURE DAY is scheduled for Friday, September 22nd, during the school day. Flyers with more details were sent home last Friday. Questions? Contact the Meyer Office at 847-673-1223 or by email at [email protected].
INSPIRE THROUGH FLOWERS. Meyer staff was very fortunate to have a visit from the non-profit organization, Inspire Through Flowers, on September 7th. The organization repurposes flowers donated from wholesalers to "inspire joy, connection, and community through the gift of beautiful flowers." Volunteers presented every Meyer staff member with a bouquet of flowers to show appreciation for their contributions to the community. Thank you to Ellen Mink and the Inspire Through Flowers volunteers, and to Meyer’s frequent substitute teacher Randy Orlove for connecting us with this great organization!
PLAYGROUND UPDATE
We have a new tree and turf on the Meyer playground! School Librarian Amy Kelley notes that the tree "bears a striking resemblance to the cover of Little Tree by Loren Long."
Photo courtesy of @MeyerLib_SD735
MEYER DATES
Students in 2nd grade spent time this week learning about sequencing in reading. They are doing such a great job describing what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story!
Photo: Mrs. Hollenberg's student demonstrates their learning.
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PORTILLO'S FUNDRAISER. Last year, thanks to you, we were able to raise about one-third of the money needed to repair the greenhouse in the Middleton courtyard! We're resuming our fundraising efforts this year to continue to beautify and maintain our greenhouse and courtyard.
When you order from Portillo's in Skokie on September 20th between 11:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., 20% of your purchase will benefit Middleton's courtyard. Be sure to show the flyer when ordering or use the code PORTILLOS28 if ordering online.
ONLINE ART PORTFOLIOS. Middleton students will once again create digital art portfolios through Artsonia.com. Digital art portfolios provide our students with the opportunity to share recently completed artwork with family, write artist statements, and build a collection of artwork to demonstrate their growth throughout the years.
Parents/guardians: You may receive an email from Artsonia regarding your student's art collection with information about connecting to their account. Please email Ms. Beatrice at [email protected] with any questions.
HEY BULLDOGS! Do you care about people? Do you want to celebrate yourself and others? Do you like to explore and solve problems? If you said, “YES!” then you might want to join Middleton's SOCIAL JUSTICE CLUB.
Social Justice Club is open to any student at Middleton Elementary School. Called SOAR last year, Social Justice Club is a safe and friendly space for kids to share and learn together. The club meets during lunch and recess once or twice a month.
Parents/guardians, please fill out the Social Justice Club Permission Form by Friday, September 22nd if your child is interested in participating in Middleton's Social Justice Club during the 2023-2024 school year.
MR. PRATT'S STEAM CHALLENGE CONTINUES! P.E. teacher Ms. McWherter came to Middleton's STEAM team with an idea for students to design an "Impossible Shot" keychain. STEAM teacher Mr. Pratt challenged students to design one on their own time using Tinkercad. The 2-week challenge began on September 1st and designs were due TODAY! Check out @PrattSTEAMSD735 for updates!
GARDEN NEWSLETTER
Introducing Middleton's GARDEN NEWSLETTER! Take a virtual walk through the Pollinator and Gilbert Gardens and learn more about these special spaces.
MIDDLETON DATES
ATTENDANCE REMINDERS. Did you know that missing two days of school a month, over the course of a school year, can affect a student's academic success? Please help us make school attendance a priority! If you know that your child will be absent for the day, please call our school nurse, Ms. Warda, at 847-676-8235 by 8:00 a.m. on the day of the absence. Please review the McCracken Attendance Reminders for more information about the importance of consistent school attendance and keeping your child engaged in school.
GIRLS WHO CODE. Oakton College will offer a Girls Who Code meeting on Zoom from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. from September 19th through December 5th. Students who identify as female will be able to engage in fun and basic online coding, build community through interactive activities, and learn about inspiring role models. Students will also work in teams to design and build a Girls Who Code Project that solves real-world problems. Please view this FLYER for more information and a link to the sign-up form.
McCRACKEN ORCHESTRA PROGRAM. For students interested in participating in Orchestra this year, we held special Orchestra information pizza lunches by grade level on Wednesday, September 13th during our student lunch periods. We had a great turnout with awesome performances which included some of our former McCracken graduates! Pizza was provided for any students with serious interest in joining the orchestra program. Jennifer Page, who is the orchestra director from Niles North, was here to demonstrate a variety of instruments. Students signed up using the QR code on the morning announcement slides or posters displayed around the school. Get more orchestra information for students and families. The 2023-2024 Orchestra Registration Night is at Niles North High School on September 20th.
NILES NORTH FEEDER BASKETBALL PROGRAM launched their open gyms on September 10th for interested student-athletes. These open gym sessions will run from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. every Sunday evening. Participants should enter through Door 12 and inform security that they are there for open gym basketball. See this flyer for more information.
8th GRADE PSAT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION. The PSAT 8 assessment for our eighth grade students will be administered at Niles North High School on Saturday, October 28th (specific times will be shared by Niles North in the near future).
- All 8th graders planning to enroll at Niles North High School are expected to take the PSAT 8, the first high school-level exam in the SAT Suite of Assessments.
- The PSAT 8 establishes a baseline measurement for college and career readiness as a student enters high school. The exams in the SAT Suite of Assessments measure a student's strength in reading, writing/language, and mathematics. Assessing these same skills at different grade levels allows students, parents, and educators to monitor a student's progress.
- This assessment is free of charge and given to junior high (middle school) students in the fall of the year prior to high school registration. Results from this test, along with other metrics, will be used for proper 9th grade course placement.
- The College Board website has several resources about the PSAT 8. Should you have any questions or would like additional information, please do not hesitate to reach out to Christine Gonzales, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction, at [email protected] or 847-626-3870.
- More information will follow in the near future!
ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL SAFETY REMINDERS
- Parents and guardians who drive their student(s) to or from school must use the Circle Drive off of East Prairie Road.
- Parents and guardians must enter the Circle Drive near the south entrance on East Prairie Road staying on the right side of the drive for pick up or drop off (leave the outside lane open to exiting cars at all times). Do NOT drop off or pick up your student in the left lane.
- The Drive-Thru is for right lane drop off and pick up only. Do not park in the Drive-Thru lane. Please help to keep our students and staff safe at all times!
- Drivers should NOT enter the Circle Drive coming north off East Prairie. Please enter the drop off or pick up line driving south on East Prairie.
- Students may NOT walk through the back parking lot for any reason due to traffic.
- Students must exit school property immediately following dismissal and may not stay to congregate with peers outdoors unless involved in an extracurricular activity.
- Crossing guards are available to assist students crossing Oakton Street and Crawford Avenue and also on East Prairie Road and Warren Street.
- Students may NOT cross the street at East Prairie Road and Oakton Street unless accompanied by a parent/guardian. There is no crosswalk or crossing guards and there is a high volume of traffic.
ATHLETIC GAME SPECTATOR GUIDELINES
We are excited to be able to host and participate in sporting events in the Little 9 Conference! We do have behavioral expectations for attending games at McCracken for both students and families/visitors:
- Spectators can enter the building and gymnasium only when the supervisor allows. This generally comes after the opposing team has arrived. All spectators will be required to sign in with our supervisors.
- Students are expected to follow all supervisor directions in a respectful manner.
- Students must stay in the student section and be seated throughout the game. Students cannot hang out in the lobby, make repeated trips to the restroom, or leave and re-enter the building during a game.
- There is no negative cheering permitted against the other team, nor cheering at times to purposely disrupt the other team (for example, during serves in volleyball or free throws in basketball).
- Students cannot be on their cell phones during games. If they need to make a call, they can step out briefly into the lobby.
- Food and drinks are not allowed in the McCracken gymnasium.
- Any student spectator from another school must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and that student must stay with that parent or guardian throughout the game.
Failure to follow any of these behaviors could result in students and/or spectators being asked to leave the game and, possibly, miss additional games as well. Good sportsmanship and kindness lead to positive outcomes for all of our student athletes and spectators!
McCRACKEN DATES
Bagel & Cream Cheese, Fresh Fruit & Milk
Breakfast Bar, Fresh Fruit & Milk
Yogurt & Graham Crackers, Fresh Fruit & Milk
Cereal Bowl, Fresh Fruit & Milk
Whole Grain Muffin, Fresh Fruit & Milk
Bagel & Cream Cheese, Fresh Fruit & Milk
Breakfast Bar, Fresh Fruit & Milk
Halal meals available on request: Meatball and Rice Bowl, Cheese Sandwich. Kosher meals available upon request: All Beef Hot Dog, Cheese Sandwich
District Priorities
WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT. We will welcome and engage staff, students, families and community members in our schools.
HIRING & RETENTION. We will recruit, hire, and retain a diverse workforce and improve our human resource processes, procedures, and materials.
INFRASTRUCTURE & FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. All financial decisions and investments will meet the needs of our diverse learners and staff and promote academic and social growth. We will provide a safe, inclusive, flexible, and innovative space for teaching, learning, and growing.
TEACHING & LEARNING. All students will engage in learning experiences that are cohesive and articulated across PreK-8, flexibly designed to engage all learners and leading to rigorous outcomes for all. We will be a future-focused, real-world learning environment that is responsive, accessible, and meaningful for all. We will become a model district on the use of data for making instructional, curriculum, and programmatic decisions.
Equity Mission Statement
WE BELIEVE that inclusivity and belonging is the foundation for equity.
ALL CHILDREN CAN LEARN, at high achievement levels, when equity is infused into every aspect of education.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE the systemic inequities present in school systems and recognize the impact they continue to have on marginalized communities.
WE COMMIT to teaching, learning, and growing in order to identify and dismantle inequitable systems and to create a community where barriers are removed so that everyone can reach their full potential.
WE BELIEVE that students succeed when they can see themselves represented in our staff, curriculum, opportunities, and our shared environment. We accomplish this through professional development, curriculum revision, community engagement, and systems evaluations.
WE RECOGNIZE the need to teach our students to identify the origins of unjust systems and empower them to use their critical thinking skills and agency to responsibly disrupt the policies and practices that perpetuate inequalities.
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