BUILDING 73.5
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Building 73.5
Your voice matters!
Join us from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 20 for our second Community Engagement Session, Understanding Educational Needs: Priorities for Our School Facilities...
Oliver McCracken Middle School
8000 East Prairie Road
Skokie, IL 60076
Learn more and RSVP today at SD735.org/Building735.
VIEW THE SESSION DOCUMENTS & PRESENTATION from the first Community Engagement Meeting on April 21, Our School Buildings’ Strengths, Challenges, and Needs
UPDATED SCHOOL CALENDAR
REMINDER! NEXT YEAR'S SCHOOL CALENDAR HAS BEEN UPDATED!
Revisions were recommended because the previously approved 2025-2026 calendar did not align with the Niles Township Schools agreed-upon guidelines, especially regarding start date and Spring Break. For more information, including the specific dates that have been updated, please see the full message that was sent by email to families and shared on our website.
PTO NEWS
The PTO needs 5 more volunteers for an upcoming Chicago Bears event at Middleton! The Middleton P.E. team has partnered with the Chicago Bears to bring a “Mini Monsters Clinic” to school for 2nd-5th graders on Friday, May 23. This will be a fun event with non-contact football drills. A current or former Chicago Bears player will be there! The PTO needs 12 adult volunteers to help run the event at Middleton from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Volunteers do not need football knowledge or skills. Sign up HERE!
STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK IS NEXT WEEK!
STAFF APPRECIATION EVENTS: MAY 4-9
CHALK THE WALKS on Sunday, May 4 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. Leave a message or drawing thanking staff on the sidewalks around the schools! The PTO will provide chalk at school entrances.
BUILDING SNACK BARS
Bring snacks/drinks for staff at each school. Please sign up below to bring something in.
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Complete this form to give a SOCIAL SHOUT OUT to staff during Appreciation Week (see example).
Donate to PTO for staff appreciation and other events using Zelle [email protected]. If you want to donate with cash or check, contact Margaret Page at [email protected].
Content posted on the PTO website is managed by the PTO
Visit district735pto.org and get to know your PTO!
Questions about this calendar or events? Please email [email protected].
AROUND TOWN
DISTRICT DATES
KINDERGARTEN MUSIC "INFORMANCES." What is an Informance? An informance is a way to inform parents of what a typical music class is like. It is similar to a performance in that there is an audience, but instead of rehearsing set pieces, the students demonstrate what they do during music class. The setting is smaller and more intimate than a larger performance. Parents see firsthand how their child experiences music at Meyer School.
Informances are scheduled for Wednesday, May 14. Each Informance will last approximately 25 minutes. Seating is limited so we ask that each child invites a maximum of 2 adults. View the Informances flyer for classroom performance times. We hope to see you there!
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Castellini at [email protected].
MEYER PARENT LEADERS
CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS! The Meyer Parent Leaders invite all Meyer families to the Meyer End-of-the-Year Bash! Join us on Friday, May 23 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the field by the parking lot for fun activities, food, music, and crafts.
MPL needs volunteers to help make the Bash a success! Scan the QR code in the flyer or CLICK HERE to sign up.
ONLINE BOOK FAIR
Thank you to all the families who came to the Meyer Showcase and Scholastic Book Fair last night! If you missed the book fair, you can still shop online at bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/meyer through May 11 and receive 25% off your online purchase. All purchases through the Book Fair will benefit our school. Thanks for your support! Happy reading!
ON TO 1st GRADE
SAVE THE DATE for ON TO 1st GRADE! This evening event is for parents only. Meet the 1st Grade Team on Wednesday, May 7 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Tour a few 1st Grade classrooms and learn about some of the exciting things our Middleton Bulldogs do each day! Child care is available on request. Please fill out this form.
SPRING BENCHMARK ASSESSMENTS
Every spring, we use formal assessments to gauge student progress in early reading and math skills. This information helps teachers plan lessons and monitor student growth. Assessments are given one-on-one with a teacher. We will continue with our FastBridge assessments for kindergarten students next week. For more information on assessments we use in the district for each grade level, please go to SD735.org/cia/assessments. If you have questions about these assessments, please contact your child’s teacher or our school psychologist, Dr. Kristen McCann, at [email protected]. Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
MEYER DATES
MEYER SUPERSTARS
Ms. Huynh's & Ms. Silberman's Kindergarten Superstars
Ms. Saibert's Preschool Superstars
Spring Benchmark Assessments. Every spring, we use formal assessments to gauge student progress in early reading and math skills. This information helps teachers plan lessons and monitor student growth. The Spring MAP Assessment for grades 2-5 will be next week on Wednesday, May 7 (Reading) and Thursday, May 8 (Math).
FastBridge assessments are administered 1-on-1 for reading and in class for math later in May. If you have questions about these assessments, please contact your child’s teacher. Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
4th GRADE COMMUNITY SOCIAL STUDIES PRESENTATIONS
Middleton 4th graders have been learning about goods and services and how entrepreneurs organize human and capital resources to earn a profit. They had the privilege of hearing from local business owners — some being parents from our own District 73.5! Thank you to the following people for presenting to our students: Chris Gattorna, Jill Manrique, Dayna Malow, Hartigan’s Ice Cream, and Fitness Defined!
SAVE THE DATES
Mark your calendar and save the dates for THREE upcoming events at Middleton Elementary:
- MIDDLETON MUSICAL: This weekend!
We are THRILLED to welcome the community to our 4th and 5th Grade presentation of The Lion King Jr. this weekend! Please enjoy the performance!
- ON TO 1st GRADE: Wednesday, May 7
See the Meyer section of this Weekly for more information! We look forward to welcoming incoming 1st Grade parents for an information night at Middleton on Wednesday, May 7 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
- MIDDLETON FITNESS NIGHT: Thursday, May 15
We are excited to invite Middleton families to the Middleton Fitness Night on Thursday, May 15 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Middleton School. More information will be sent home in the coming weeks!
McCracken will continue our PURPLE PRIDE WEEK next week with all students taking the NWEA MAP reading and math assessments on Wednesday, May 7 and Thursday, May 8. Finally, some students will take the CBMreading assessment on Friday, May 9. As with all assessments, we encourage students to get a good night’s rest on the nights before testing, eat a healthy breakfast, arrive at McCracken on time with charged Chromebooks, and take their time and do their best. Purple Pride Pump Up activities and incentives help to support our students in showing their full potential and growth from fall to spring.
SAVE THE DATE: "ON TO 6th GRADE"
We are excited to welcome your student and family to McCracken Middle School during the 2025-2026 school year. In preparation for that transition, we invite 5th grade parents and guardians to join us at McCracken on Thursday, May 8 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. to participate in our “On to 6th Grade” Parent/Guardian Information Night. Please review this parent/guardian letter for more information. This event is for parents and guardians only. Child care is available at McCracken during this event upon request. Please fill out this form.
8th GRADE UPDATES
GRADUATION AND STAFFING UPDATES were shared with 8th grade families in April via email and print copies of the information were mailed home. The links to those documents are below. Please read through the graduation letter carefully as there are deadlines for the submission of graduation ticket orders, permission forms, and optional graduation t-shirt orders. Please reach out to the McCracken office or administration with any questions at 847-673-1220.
CAMP MacLEAN
Less than two weeks to go before our big trip to Camp MacLean on May 14! Mr. Behm will be sending home an email on Monday, May 5 with reminders about camp paperwork (with a special focus on medications), what your camper should and should not bring (camp packing list), and the 2:00 p.m. pickup protocol for when our campers return on Friday, May 16. As a reminder, any students not attending the field trip will be expected to attend school on all three days and will follow a special schedule on each day that will feature team-building activities. VIEW THE INFORMATION NIGHT PRESENTATION.
UNITE AGAINST RACISM
Students at McCracken participated in Unite Against Racism activities through a variety of advisory activities from April 29 to May 5. We partnered with the YWCA’s Equity Institute, which is dedicated to promoting racial equity at all levels. We joined the Skokie community and surrounding schools annually to learn more about how racial inequities negatively impact the community and explore different ways students can actively unite against racism in their own lives. Thank you to Melissa Arkin for partnering with the YWCA and developing meaningful activities for students to engage in at McCracken.
McCRACKEN GARDEN NEWS
The McCracken Garden needs your expertise! Learn how you can help our 6th graders create a NEW International Garden. If you are interested in being a community expert, please complete this form.
McCRACKEN DATES
McCRACKEN GAMES
We're sorry, no events were found for this calendar.
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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