News and information from our district and schools
Scroll to view District updates and news from Meyer, Middleton, McCracken, the PTO, and around town!
May 15, 2026
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SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE
We have two Robotics Clubs in Skokie 73.5, one at McCracken and one at Middleton. We invited all members of each club and their families to the May 12, 2026, Board of Education meeting to recognize their hard work and dedication to the Robotics club. This club is an example of the Board of Education and the community support for STEAM education.
At the same meeting, we had the bittersweet honor of recognizing some of our most dedicated staff members as they prepare for retirement. We are profoundly grateful for the decades of heart and service they have poured into our district. We were delighted to celebrate two of our retirees in person:
- Deb Shawver: A pillar of our community, Deb has served the district for 19 years. Her impact on students and colleagues alike is immeasurable.
- Diane Miller: With 15 years of dedicated service, Diane has been a vital part of our district's success and growth.
We also wish to recognize Ruth Sinker, who was unable to attend the meeting. Ruth has dedicated 14 years of excellence to our schools.
On behalf of the Board and the entire district, thank you for your commitment to our students. We wish you all the very best in your well-deserved retirement!"
Dr. Charles Kyle
Superintendent
SCHOOLKIDZ SUPPLY KITS
The Skokie73.5 Caring Hearts Classroom Grants Committee invites all Skokie73.5 families to pre-order school supply kits for the 2026-2027 school year. Ordering is open until FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2026. Late orders cannot be accepted. Click or tap a link below to view the lists and more information. Follow THIS LINK for more information, lists, and ordering information.
STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK HIGHLIGHTS
Click HERE for photos from last week’s Staff Appreciation celebrations! Thanks again for all your time, donations/gifts, and special messages to teachers and staff!
Upcoming Events & Volunteer Opportunities
The next regular PTO meeting is MONDAY, MAY 18th from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
(rescheduled from May 4th). Click HERE to join via Google Meet.
Board member elections will occur; contact [email protected] if you are interested in becoming a PTO Board member.
5th GRADE FAREWELL AT MIDDLETON
WEDNESDAY, MAY 27th at 6:00 p.m.
The 5th GRADE TEAM is arranging an event and cultural feast to celebrate our 5th graders moving from Middleton to McCracken. We need supplies (utensils, heavy-duty plates, etc.) and some volunteers to make this celebration a success. Sign up HERE — THANK YOU!
CHICAGO STARS GAME
We have sold only 15 tickets so far — please come join us!
Bring the family and join the PTO on SUNDAY, MAY 31st for the SKOKIE 73.5 x CHICAGO STARS FC OUTING! Meet us for a Chicago Stars soccer game at 12:00 p.m. at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium in Evanston — right on the lake! All students and District families are welcome. We will have our own seating section to cheer on the team. Purchase tickets HERE! Parking at the garages surrounding the stadium is $25. The North Garage is the closest option. Parking can be purchased day-of or in advance HERE. See you there!
SCHOOL SPIRIT WEAR
The PTO partners with 1st Place Spiritwear for print-on-demand merchandise. Click a button below to shop the spiritwear stores and watch for sales! Every purchase supports the PTO and our schools!
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].
DISTRICT DATES
ELL CENTER PROGRAMS
ELL PARENT CENTER
ELL CENTER CLASSES
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
MEYER EOY BASH: Calling All Volunteers!
The Meyer Parent Leaders group is planning an END OF THE YEAR BASH and needs YOUR help! We need parent/guardian volunteers to help make the bash a success! Please sign up by using the QR code or clicking HERE to help with set-up, tickets, concessions, face painting/temporary tattoos, arts and crafts, or clean-up. Thank you!
All Meyer families are invited to the Meyer End-of-the-Year Bash! Meet us on FRIDAY, MAY 29th from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the FIELD BY THE PARKING LOT. There will be lots of fun activities, food, music, and crafts.
MEYER's COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER
It’s hard to believe, but the end of the school year is soon approaching! We will be celebrating the countdown to summer as a school this year, with a slight variance between preschool and kindergarten’s schedules the last two days of school.
Meyer’s Countdown to Summer will begin on WEDNESDAY, MAY 20th! Please see the schedules for preschool students and for kindergarten students.
ON TO KINDERGARTEN
All incoming kindergartners and their parents/guardians are invited to attend ON TO KINDERGARTEN on WEDNESDAY, MAY 20th from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Meyer School. Please enter at Door 6, by the parking lot.
On to Kindergarten will provide incoming kindergarten parents/guardians with the opportunity to hear more about our kindergarten program, meet other incoming kindergarten parents/guardians and Meyer staff, and see a kindergarten classroom. Incoming kindergartners will also be screened in a classroom by Meyer teachers during this time, to help us get to know our incoming kindergartners.
FAMILY CONNECTION: Flexible Thinking
At Meyer, we learn about being flexible, as part of having a growth mindset. Flexible thinking is when children can think about things in a new way and adapt to change. This helps them deal with disappointment, shifts in routines, and big feelings.
At home, you can model working through disappointment for your child, and talk out loud about your feelings and how you are dealing with them. When your child encounters uncertainty, you can also help them brainstorm different ways to deal with possible changes. For example, if it rains and you can’t go to the park like you had planned, talk about other fun activities you can do instead.
To learn more about flexible thinking, you can also watch these videos with your child:
KINDERGARTEN MATH: Measurement
MEYER DATES
KINDER SUPERSTARS
PRESCHOOL SUPERSTARS
SPIRIT WEAR
CLICK A BADGE TO ORDER!
Join the Middleton Bulldogs on SUNDAY, MAY 17th at 1:00 p.m. at the McCracken field for the Middleton Running Club’s 5K(ish) race!
Come cheer on our amazing 1st and 2nd grade runners as they cross the finish line!
Enjoy music and grab a treat from the Kona Ice Truck (available for purchase).
Friends and families are encouraged to attend and support our runners! Bring signs, noisemakers, and your loudest cheers to help create an energetic and motivating atmosphere.
We hope to see you there!
1st & 2nd GRADE SPRING SING
Come and join us for our 1st and 2nd Grade Spring Sing on THURSDAY, MAY 21st in the Middleton gym! This is the final round of music concerts for these young students. First Grade families, please join us at 6:00 p.m. and 2nd Grade families can join us at 7:00 p.m. We're looking forward to seeing you there!
BAND HIGHLIGHT
CONGRATULATIONS to all of our 4th and 5th Grade band students for an incredible concert this week at Niles North! Your hard work and dedication were on full display this week, and you should be very proud of yourselves!
5th GRADE FAREWELL
SPIRIT WEAR
CLICK A BADGE TO ORDER!
PLTW LAUNCH designation is awarded for elementary STEM curriculum that helps students develop transferable skills needed to succeed in an evolving future.
McCRACKEN CHOIR WORKSHOP
The McCracken 6th-8th Grade choirs had a workshop this week with guest artist Dr. Diego Pinto. Dr. Pinto is a professor of music education at Northwestern University, and he spent the day teaching us music from his home country of Brazil. He brought some instruments to show, and he taught us how to sing in Portuguese. We learned about styles like Capoeira and Jongo, and some students even got to dance! We're grateful for our choir program's continued partnership with Northwestern University! Special thanks to our choir director, Amy Keipert, for arranging this special student workshop.
NILES NORTH ATHLETIC SUMMER CAMPS
Niles North High School has shared its upcoming youth camp opportunities for incoming 6th through 8th grade students. This is a great opportunity for our current 8th grade students to get acclimated to sports, new teammates, athletic coaches, and facilities. Check THIS LINK for more information about Niles North summer camp registration.
7th GRADE CAMP MacLEAN TRIP
Our 7th Grade trip to Camp MacLean was a great success! Campers enjoyed beautiful weather and engaging cooperative outdoor activities with peers.
Thank you to our amazing staff for planning and leading creative activities and supervising students during this overnight camp experience. We hope students enjoyed this unplugged opportunity and will cherish these middle school memories for many years!
COUNTDOWN TO SUMMER SPIRIT DAYS
YOU'RE INVITED
GARDEN CLUB PLANT SALE
FUTURES UNLIMITED OPPORTUNITY
Oakton Community College is sponsoring a STEM career exploration conference for 7th grade students who identify as female on THURSDAY, MAY 21st from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This is an all-day program that exposes students to career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Mr. Gormley will be reviewing the trip with students in 7th grade science classes and interested students should complete a form shared in advisory classes as soon as possible as space is limited.
8th GRADE END-OF-YEAR CELEBRATION PTO FUNDRAISER
The Skokie 73.5 PTO and 8th Grade Parent Committee will be hosting an 8th Grade End-of-Year Celebration on FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2026, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at McCracken.
To make the end-of-year festivities memorable for every student, we’re inviting our parent community to partner with the Skokie 73.5 PTO and 8th Grade Parent Committee in one (or more!) of the following ways. See this letter from the PTO for more details!
8th GRADE GRADUATION INFORMATION
We are getting closer to celebrating our McCracken Class of 2026. Our 8th grade families recently received updated communication regarding graduation activities and events. Below you will see a copy of the letter we sent home in April.
► 8th GRADE GRADUATION PARENT/GUARDIAN LETTER APRIL 2026
Upcoming 8th Grade Important Dates
- Graduation items distributed to students ~ THURSDAY, MAY 21st
- 8th Grade End-of-Year Celebration ~ FRIDAY, MAY 22nd from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
- Complete and return the End of Year Celebration Permission Form by MAY 4th
- 8th Grade End of Year Celebration Starry Night Flyer
- 8th Grade Class Clap-Out ~ WEDNESDAY, MAY 27th
- Graduation Rehearsal ~ THURSDAY, MAY 28th (Students attend school for 1/2 day and travel to Niles North High School to practice the ceremony and speeches)
- 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.
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Students must arrive at Niles North High School no later than 5:30 p.m.
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McCRACKEN DATES
BELOW:
Asian American & Pacific Islander
Heritage Month display
PLTW GATEWAY designation is awarded to a select number of middle schools for increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in career-connected learning.
SPIRIT WEAR
CLICK A BADGE TO ORDER!
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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