McCracken Weekly

Mar 7-11, 2016

Everyone, Everyday is Respectful, Responsible & Ready!

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March 2016

Athletics

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Revised Board Meeting Calendar

Click through to view, download, and print the revised 2015-2016 Meeting Calendar and list of 2015-2016 Meeting Dates. These documents were updated on March 4, 2016.

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Camp MacLean

Camp MacLean permission slips and information were distributed during February parent-teacher conferences or mailed home the week of February 15. Forms and payment are due by April 22. Camp MacLean is an outdoor education trip to Burlington, Wisconsin on May 18 through May 20. The purpose of the Camp MacLean trip is to provide our students with an outdoor education experience that promotes team building and independence, aligned with content standards. McCracken staff will facilitate a variety of classes, evening events, and serve as chaperones. The cost of the trip is $178 per student, which includes two nights lodging, seven meals, transportation, and nine classes. Families that are in financial need should contact our main office at 847.673.1220 to request a fee waiver form and Ms. Laura Brogan in the Business Office at 847.676.8313 to establish a payment plan. It is our goal that all 7th graders attend this worthwhile, educational experience! If you have any questions, please contact your student’s advisor or Mrs. Courtney Goodman, Assistant Principal.

Author Visit

In April, McCracken is fortunate to be hosting an author visit for 8th graders! Young Adult writer James Klise’s mystery novel The Art of Secrets won the most recent Hot Summer Read contest at Skokie Public Library, and as a result he will be visiting area schools on April 14. The novel, full of diverse characters, takes place in Chicago and is described as a mystery that “will stay on readers’ minds long after the last page.”

All-School Read

Parents are invited to join us on March 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the Learning Center to learn more about the top three book choices for this summer's McCracken All-School Read. The novels were selected by a student committee, and these students will share information about the books. After their presentations, we invite parents to read one (or more) of the novels and cast their votes. Questions? Contact Mrs. Courtney Goodman, assistant principal.

McCracken Yearbooks On Sale

The yearbook staff is hard at work creating a spectacular yearbook. All students will want a copy of this wonderful book of memories. Yearbooks are on sale for $20. All students will receive an order form from their advisor. All orders are due by March 18. Get yours now!

Maker Mondays At McCracken

It’s a new year with new opportunities for students! Starting Monday, January 11, during all lunch periods, students can join Ms. Gammeri and Mrs. Monak for Maker Mondays. These sessions will be a chance for students to explore STEM topics by tinkering, building, and collaborating in a flexible environment. This program hopes to transform our community into “makers” who are agents of change and creation!

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District 73.5 2016 Summer School

District 73.5 will offer Summer School for:

• Students entering grades 1-8 who are in need of academic support
• Students who fail a class (attendance is mandatory)

Summer School will be in session from Monday, June 13th through Friday, July 8th (no class on Monday, July 4th) at Oliver McCracken Middle School, 8000 East Prairie Road. The program runs from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (times vary according to selected classes). More information regarding tuition cost will be available in the upcoming months. Teachers will be making recommendations for student attendance during conferences in February.

If you are currently planning your child's summer activities and would like to know in advance if your child should attend Summer School, contact your child's teacher.

Bus transportation is available to and from summer school at no additional cost. Parents will identify bus pick-up and drop-off locations once registration is complete. The park district offers a section of Camp Iwannago to align with Summer School. It is the afternoon session 220532-05. The district bus can pick up and drop off at Oakton Community Center.

McCracken Learning Center Is Going Green!

All students will now receive notices regarding fines, overdue books, and holds directly to their school email account. There will also be a weekly morning announcement that reminds students to check their email for this communication. We hope this will enable our students to be more responsible and independent.

Winter Weather

Please make sure your child is dressed for recess in winter weather with a jacket, hat, and gloves or mittens. Students participate in outdoor recess throughout the school year, unless there is a significant weather-related or other factor that necessitates an indoor program. Thank you, in advance, for helping to ensure that your child is prepared for the winter weather so that he/she is more comfortable during outdoor recess!

Middle School Parents Still Make The Difference 

Visit our website to access a monthly parent Newsletter titled, “Middle School Parents Still Make a Difference!” This resource provides tips for helping your student succeed in school, and suggestions for communicating with your young adolescent. Each edition also includes a monthly calendar of ideas for you and your middle school student. Enjoy!

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Skokie District 73.5  Participates In The 5Essentials Parent Survey 2016

Beginning on January 11 teachers, parents, and students across Illinois have an opportunity to participate in the fourth annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of our schools. 

The Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey will be conducted January 11 through March 11, 2016. To take the survey please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois and click the “Parent Survey” to begin. There are 17 questions and the survey should take approximately 15 minutes. If you have children in multiple buildings please complete one for each school.

Your participation in the parent survey will help us better understand our schools and guide improvement. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child. If at least 20% of parents complete this survey, a parent supplement will also be generated. This will allow us to access to your valuable feedback.

Participation Update: Our reports show that 28% of parents have taken the 5Essentials Parent Survey. We've exceeded our original participation goal and would love to climb even higher to 100%. If you haven't already taken the survey, please take a few minutes to help us get there. Thank you, everyone, for your feedback!

 

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PTA News & Information

The PTA is live on SD735.org! Look up in the bookmark bar for the PTA link and then click it to get to know your PTA, find out how you can get involved, learn about events, download/print PTA flyers, and more. In the meantime, check out the PTA flyer for this week and be on the lookout for details about these upcoming events...

• Adult Dance & Auction
  Saturday, March 12 at 7:00 p.m.
   
• PTA Board Elections
  Tuesday, April 5 at 7:00 p.m.
   
• Scholastic Book Fair @ McCracken
  Tuesday, April 12 through Thursday, April 14, 2016
   
• Buffalo Wild Wings Night
  Friday, April 15

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Community Pages

Visit the Community section of our website for links to Community Pages, an archive of "frequent flyer" handouts shared by our community partners for students to take home in their backpacks and folders. There's a little bit of everything for everyone: park district and public library news, scouts, athletics, community events and services, and more.

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Emergency School Closing Information

In the event of severe weather conditions or a building emergency which necessitate school closings, closings will be announced on the following radio and television stations:

• AM Radio Stations: WGN 720, WBBM 780
• Television Stations: CBS Channel 2, NBC Channel 5, ABC Channel 7, WGN Channel 9, FOX Channel 32, CLTV Channel 41

Listen for "Skokie School District 73½"

In addition, school closings will be posted on the District’s website www.sd735.org. You can also check online at www.emergencyclosing.com.

In the event our schools are closed, the District will activate the District's automated phone messaging system, which will call each family with a recorded message.

Please make sure the school offices have your most current contact information.

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Visitor Reminders:  All visitors must check in at the main office during regular school hours for the continued safety and security of all district students and staff. Valid identification (driver’s license or state I.D.) should be available to present to office staff prior to entry approval. Once you receive your visitor’s pass, please restrict your movement in the building to your pre-arranged purpose. Visitors entering the building after hours must be escorted by a district staff member to and from their meeting location. Also important to remember, is that students have been directed never to open exterior doors for any visitors, known or unknown, during regular or after school hours. This policy is to limit the risk of any individual entering our building without checking in to receive proper approval. We continue to welcome visitors at each of our district buildings, but ask that you respect our safety procedures and policies.

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Outstanding Fees

If a student has any outstanding fees, such as instructional, bus, lunch, library, etc., which are over $6.00, the student will not be allowed to participate in the Athletics/Enrichment/After-School Activities/Swing Choir and any other student paid activities, until these fees are paid. This policy went into effect on Monday, November 30.

Camera Apps Parents Should Know About

Teens can use apps with names such as Private Ninja Cam and Best Secret Folder to ensure privacy and independence from parents who may be monitoring their online behavior. Visit Common Sense Media for information about these and other apps. 

Extended Learning Program 

Our Extended Learning Program provides honors classes for students in math and English language arts in grades 4-8. Students qualify for these classes based on a variety of measures. Families are notified of this information in June (for class placement for the upcoming school year). Parents may complete a Parent Inquiry Form if they believe their child may benefit from a more rigorous curriculum. The window for submitting Parent Inquiry Forms opened October 1 and remains open until April 1. Parent Inquiry paperwork is available in the main office of Middleton and McCracken, or by contacting your school’s Assistant Principal.

Peanut and Nut-Free Classrooms

As part of our ongoing effort to ensure a safe learning environment for all students, classrooms and other learning spaces in our building are peanut and nut free. (Students travel to multiple classrooms each day, so it is not possible to designate only some classrooms as "peanut and nut-free zones.") Therefore, when selecting snacks or meals for your child to eat during activities or events meeting outside of our cafeteria, please send peanut and nut free options. Your child may continue to bring peanut and nut products for lunch in our cafeteria, as we have a peanut and nut free table in that location. Thank you for your support and cooperation!

Reminder: Arrival and Dismissal Safety Guidelines

Ensuring the safety of all students during arrival and dismissal is a collective effort. Please review the Skokie Police ordinances, McCracken Middle School regulations, and safety reminders outlined on the website and distributed to all students on Schedule Pick Up Day so that we may work together toward improved student safety. Please also remember not to block the driveways of homes on East Prairie to ensure that our neighbors may enter and exit safely. Thank you! 

Learning Center

The Learning Center will open for students at 7:30 a.m. every day before school, and remain open until 4:00 p.m. after school on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. (After 7:40 a.m. students must wait to enter the building until the bell rings at 7:50 a.m.) The Learning Center is closed after school on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Cafeteria

The cafeteria is open at 7:30 a.m. for students to purchase breakfast. (After 7:40 a.m. students must wait to enter the building until the bell rings at 7:50 a.m.)  The Learning Center is closed after school on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Early Dismissal

Every Tuesday students are dismissed at 2:00 p.m. so that teachers may participate in professional development and collaborative planning sessions.

Late Bus

We offer late bus service again this year. If your child is a current bus rider and has paid for service, there is no extra cost and he/she may use our regular bus pass to ride the late bus. If your child is not a current bus rider, you may pay a $70 fee in the McCracken office to secure a late bus pass. Students must show the driver their late bus pass to ride this bus. The late bus runs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and leaves McCracken at 4:00 p.m.. If you have questions, please call the office.

Student/Parent Email Registration:

To receive alerts via email, please register your email address with the district via PowerSchool.