VALENTINE'S DAY IS NEXT WEEK! Middleton students will celebrate friendship and kindness in their classrooms on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12th. Students can exchange Valentines if they wish; please, no food items! We can’t wait to see all the creative ways you wish each other a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Join the 5th Grade MATH FAMILY CHALLENGE! It’s as easy as… 1, 2, 3! All entries are due by FRIDAY, MARCH 20th.

STEP 1: Scan the QR code to SOLVE the Math Word Problem with your family!

STEP 2: Take a picture of your work and of your family who helped you solve the problem.

STEP 3: Email the picture to Mrs. McWherter at [email protected].

** 4 WINNERS will be picked at random. The challenge ends FRIDAY, MARCH 20th, and those students will get 3 chances to make the legendary IMPOSSIBLE SHOT! **

MCCRACKEN SOCIAL JUSTICE CLUB MARKET FUNDRAISER! The Social Justice Club is busy planning their upcoming McCracken Market fundraiser! Students will hold two sales in the coming months: a used book sale in March and a handmade craft sale in April. Proceeds from this fundraiser will help the club support our community through partnerships with three local organizations: The Niles Township Food Pantry, District 73.5 Community Safe Passage & Mutual Aid, and Connections for the Homeless. Any students who would like to be involved are encouraged to connect with Mrs. Gammeri. We are also accepting donations of gently used books. Stay tuned for more McCracken Market updates!

Volunteers from McCracken’s Social Justice Club and Picture Book Appreciation Society joined Mrs. Gammeri to visit Meyer School for World Read Aloud Day on February 4th. Our middle school students did a wonderful job reading inspiring picture books to eager preschool and kindergarten classes. Thank you to Mrs. Kelley and the Meyer staff for welcoming us for this joyful celebration of literacy and community!

Over the last few weeks, each of our ELA teachers hosted a classroom-level spelling bee to identify those students who would advance to the school-wide spelling bee on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12th. We'll run a special schedule with the spelling bee at the beginning of the day, starting at 8:00 a.m. Parents and guardians of classroom winners will receive an email with additional information and an invitation to attend the Spelling Bee. Congratulations to all of our participants and classroom winners!

Our McCracken 8th grade Class of 2026 families recently received communication regarding graduation activities and events. We hope families and students were able to attend the Niles North Curriculum Night event. Please watch for further communication from both McCracken Middle School and Niles North High School throughout the school year. Below you will see a copy of the letter we sent home and some important dates and events.

► 8th GRADE GRADUATION PARENT/GUARDIAN LETTER JANUARY 2026

Upcoming 8th Grade Important Dates

• 8th Grade Graduation Picture Retakes ~ THURSDAY, MARCH 12th
• 8th Grade End of the Year Celebration ~ FRIDAY, MAY 22nd from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
• McCracken 8th Grade Graduation Ceremony ~ THURSDAY, MAY 28th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at Niles North High School. We expect the ceremony to start promptly at 6:00 p.m. and last approximately 1–1 1/2 hours.

Consistent attendance to school is directly linked to higher academic achievement and high school graduation rates. Students can begin to struggle academically when they miss several days of school. Learning continues within the classroom across content areas. Although teachers do their best to help support students catch up when they return, there is no substitute for instruction and learning experiences inside the classroom. Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful, and on track to graduation. We understand students and families experience illness as well as unexpected emergencies, which qualify as excused absences. Please review the difference between excused and unexcused absences and do your best to promote the importance of showing up to school on time each school day with your child.

What can families do to support good attendance?

Promote healthy student behaviors

• Maintain a regular bedtime and morning routine throughout the week.
• Ensure students eat a good breakfast every morning. McCracken serves breakfast for students beginning at 7:30 a.m.
• Ensure your children get regular check-ups with their medical provider.
• Practice thorough handwashing, particularly before and after eating, and after using the restroom.
• Reinforce the importance of avoiding close contact with individuals who are sick, and not sharing cups and/or utensils with others.
• If your children seem anxious about going to school, ask teachers or administration, the school nurse, a member of the Student Support Team (SST), and/or your medical provider for advice.

See additional McCracken Attendance Reminders HERE!

COLD WEATHER IS HERE TO STAY! Please make sure your middle school students are dressed for the weather conditions each school day. Students may need to wait outdoors for a short time during arrival and dismissal and any extracurricular activities. When we experience extreme temperatures with below-zero wind chills in the morning we will bring students into the building starting at 7:30 a.m. (band students enter at 7:00 a.m. on rehearsal days). Students remain in the lobby and Learning Center until the 7:50 a.m. bell rings. Students who participate in extracurricular activities indicate they will take the bus, walk home, or get picked up. Please ensure that you discuss and clearly communicate those transportation plans and arrive promptly to pick up your child, especially during winter weather conditions. Students are not allowed to remain inside the school building after school hours unsupervised.

Students participate in outdoor recess throughout the school year unless there is a significant weather-related or other external factor that necessitates an indoor program. Skokie 73.5 follows the Child Care Weather Watch chart to determine whether the temperature and wind chill are safe for outdoor recess. If the temperature with wind chill feels like 15 degrees or warmer, and conditions outdoors are safe, students will go outside. Thank you for helping to ensure that your child is prepared with appropriate outerwear for recess so that they are comfortable during our outdoor programming! Families in need of outerwear for their child should contact administration for additional resources.