News and information from our district and schools
McCRACKEN. MIDDLETON. MEYER. Dates to Know. Meal Menu.
Report Card Delivery News
Information about Trimester 3 report card delivery has changed. Please see the June 2nd edition of The Weekly for information and updates.
We are excited to announce that Skokie School District 73.5 will begin delivering student report cards to you by email. The first delivery will be at the end of Trimester 3.
A letter explaining important THINGS TO KNOW and THINGS TO DO was sent to student homes by postal mail on May 24th. A follow-up email will also be sent to each parent/guardian who is authorized to view student data in PowerSchool.
Please watch your home and email inboxes for this important information in preparation for Trimester 3 report card delivery. If you do not receive a letter or email, please call the district Data Office for assistance at 847-676-8326 or 847-676-8213 during regular school hours.
Did you know that District 73.5 is home to at least 16 Little Free Libraries? This summer, we challenge you to find as many as you can in our Little Free Library Scavenger Hunt. Find out more and celebrate the launch of the scavenger hunt with a special student art show at our Summer Reading Kickoff on May 31st. Join us!
School Supply Kits
Pre-order school supplies for the 2023-2024 school year now through June 18th! Organized by the District 73.5 Caring Hearts Classroom Grants Committee. Kit lists and more information are linked below.
Around Town
"A Sizzling Summer in Skokie" starts with Memorial Day weekend! Check the Village of Skokie News Flash to see what's going on.
SD73.5 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.
Congratulations McCracken Graduating Class of 2023!
We were able to celebrate the accomplishments of our McCracken Graduating Class of 2023 in multiple ways over the last few weeks. Our special 8th grade end of the year celebration was highly attended by many students, parents, and staff. All of our staff and students joined together as a school community to say a final heartfelt goodbye during the 8th grade Clap Out held at dismissal on our graduates’ last full day of school. The graduation ceremony took place on Thursday, May 25th at Niles North high School. It has been a tremendous pleasure to watch students learn and grow during their time at McCracken Middle School. We are proud to celebrate the many achievements of our students who excelled academically, athletically, socially, and emotionally and look forward to their accomplishments in the future as they transition to high school.
Project Lead The Way Distinguished School
McCracken has been designated as a 2022-23 Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Gateway Distinguished School. This award recognizes schools across the U.S. for their commitment to providing broad access to transformative learning experiences and increasing student access, engagement, and achievement through their PLTW programs.
The McCracken Middle School STEAM program is taught by Ms. Lisa Repp. We are incredibly proud of her commitment to our students' learning experiences, and the efforts of our students to participate actively in the program.
Visit the Project Lead the Way website at pltw.org for more information about PLTW’s recognition program.
Countdown to Summer Student Council Spirit Days
More from McCracken
TRACK MEET ALL STARS
McCracken student-athletes brought home the hardware at the Little 9 Track and Field Invitational! Our 8th grade boys took home first place, while the 7th grade girls finished second, 7th grade boys third, and our 8th grade girls took third place! Great job by all of our participants!
STUDENT ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL REMINDERS
Please drive slowly and carefully when picking up or dropping off students.
6th Grade parents dropping off by Door 12 should pull all the way over to the curb on the right and quickly and safely allow their child to exit the vehicle so other cars can continue to Circle Drive. Please use your hazards to alert cars behind you.
Please do not make U-turns on East Prairie. Use the McCracken Circle Drive to turn around.
Students cannot cross the Circle Drive in front of cars to get into a vehicle parked on the street.
Drivers must pull into the Circle Drive to maintain safety and drop off in the right lane only. No student drop off or pick up from the left lane of the Circle Drive.
Students must cross the intersection of Crawford and Oakton assisted by our crossing guards for their safety. Students are not allowed to cross East Prairie and Oakton without an adult before or after school.
Please be sure to communicate with your child about their after-school plans before school. Are they walking home, taking the bus, or staying after school for sports or a club?
Dates to Remember
June 2nd
6th & 7th Grade Field Day & Hornet's Hive Activities
Last day of school for students
Please check our public calendar on the district website for athletic game times and locations.
End of the Year Reminders and Important Dates
- Field Day (students only) is the morning of Friday, June 1st. Your child should wear gym shoes and dress appropriately for weather conditions. Please have your child apply sunscreen before school that morning. This is also the last day of school. Students will be dismissed at 3:00 p.m.
- Please encourage your child to check the Lost & Found. All items will be donated to charity at the end of the school year.
- Class placement and back to school letters will be mailed home on August 8th.
5th Grade Farewell: A Celebration of the Arts
Middleton hosted the 5th Grade Farewell on Tuesday, May 23rd. This evening was a true celebration of the arts for our 5th grade students. Over 100 painted self portraits created in Ms. Beatrice's art class hung as a final exhibition alongside poetry composed in Mrs. Anderson's drama class. Ms. Merrier conducted students as they sang the Middleton Spirit song, and students performed their spoken-word poetry.
The Exploratories and P.E. Team also assembled a slideshow of photos from throughout the years.
Social Justice Club
"Part of our social justice club project is creating an art piece where the multitude of languages in our district are represented. I am SO proud of how this is coming along and how students have led this learning and project. AND we’re having so much fun." ~ Anne Bond, Middleton Instructional Coach
Popsicles with the Principals
Save the date and come join us for some summer fun! Meet us on the Middleton playground on August 8th from 10:00 to 11:00 am. MORE INFORMATION
This Just In!
Thank you to everyone who dined in, carried out, ordered lunch, dinner, or both at Portillo's in Skokie on May 24th. We just learned that your appetites and generosity raised $379 for the Middleton greenhouse repairs. We couldn't do it without you!
More from Middleton
Grab lunch or dinner at Dengeos on May 31st, show the attached flyer, and 20 percent of your meal price will go right back to Middleton!
Early Bird Registration
Meyer’s Early Bird program provides before-school care to preschool and kindergarten students. Early Bird registration for the 2023-2024 school year is now open! For more information, including cost and logistics of the program, please see the FLYER.
On to Kindergarten
Incoming kindergarten parents/guardians attended On to Kindergarten on Wednesday, May 24th to learn more about our Kindergarten program, meet staff, see some classrooms, and get to know one another. For parents/guardians who were not able to attend, please see the PRESENTATION SLIDES for more information about our kindergarten program.
Kindergarten Screening
We will be screening all incoming Kindergartners who did not attend Meyer preschool on Monday, June 5th from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Meyer School. We ask that one parent/guardian plan to accompany the incoming Kindergartener. Please RSVP HERE so we can plan ahead. If families are unable to attend on June 5th, we will have an alternate date on July 26th.
JumpStart Kindergarten
Registration for our Jumpstart Kindergarten program is now open to incoming Kindergarten families. This program provides incoming Kindergarten students with the opportunity to practice routines, develop social skills, meet new friends, and begin a review of skills directly before the school year begins. Students may attend ONE of two sessions, August 7th to 11th or August 14th to 18th. Spots are limited. Please see this FLYER for details, including the link to register.
Kindergarten Visits to Middleton
Kindergarten students had the chance to visit Middleton last week, where they visited the 1st grade classrooms and went on a building tour. Thank you to our 1st and 4th grade friends at Middleton, and to the Middleton staff, for making our Kindergartners feel comfortable with their transition to 1st grade at Middleton!
Kindergarten Glow Day
Meyer Superstars
More from Meyer
Dates to Remember
May 29th
Memorial Day
No School
May 31st
Summer Reading Kickoff
5:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Near the Meyer Drive-Thru
June 1st
Preschool Play Day
June 2nd
Kindergarten Play Day
Last Day of School for Students
Mark Your Calendars for 2023-2024
Returning Meyer families, please mark your calendars with these important dates:
August 9th-11th
Notification of Classroom Placement
Thursday, August 17th
Party on the Playground
6:30 to 7:30 pm.
Wednesday, August 23rd
Student Classroom Visit Day
Thursday, August 24th
First Day of School for Kindergarten Students
Monday, August 28th
First Day of School for Preschool Students
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