The Meyer Back-to-School Night will take place on Thursday, September 12 at Meyer School. Your child's classroom teacher will hold a teacher session with important information about the classroom. The principal, Dr. Helen Wei, will share information about Meyer School in the all-school principal’s session. This is an adults-only event. Please follow the schedules below:

• Preschool parents/guardians attend from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
  • 6:00-6:30 Preschool Teacher Sessions (classrooms)
  • 6:30-7:00 Principal’s Session (gym)
• Kindergarten parents/guardians attend from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
  • 6:30-7:00 Principal’s Session (gym)
  • 7:00-7:30 Kindergarten Teacher Sessions (classrooms)

We will provide childcare for a limited number of children, age 1 year and older, during the event. Reservations for childcare are required. Please call the Meyer office at 847-673-1223 or email [email protected] by Friday, September 6 to reserve a spot for your child. Due to staffing limitations, we are not able to provide childcare during the event for children without a reservation.

See this FLYER for details. We look forward to seeing you there!

Every year in the fall we use formal assessments to understand students’ early reading and math skills. This information helps teachers plan lessons, identify students who need extra help, and monitor student growth. These assessments are conducted one-on-one with a teacher. We will be assessing our Kindergarten students in early literacy and math skills, for teaching and learning purposes, from September 3-11. For more information about assessments we use in the district for each grade level, please visit www.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.

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year, Middleton Bulldogs!

The halls, classrooms, and playground are filled once again with the joyful sounds of our students reconnecting with one another and with staff. The start to the school year has been a smooth one as students adjust to routines and schedules once again. We are thrilled to serve the incredible, diverse community here in Skokie School District 73.5, and are looking forward to a successful year ahead.

During the first week of school, Middleton students participated in:

• PBIS learning stations to practice how to be “Bulldog Ready” throughout the building. Each grade level rotated through the building, learning and practicing the expectations in the lunchroom, at recess, in the hallways, in the bathrooms, and in the nurse’s office. We are so proud of our 5th graders for their leadership as the oldest and most experienced students at Middleton, our 1st graders for doing a lot of learning together this week as they experience all of the wonderful spaces and people here at Middleton School, and our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders who also remembered what it means to be a Bulldog. Great job, students!
• Bus Evacuation Drill to remind ourselves how to be Bulldog Ready on the bus and what to do on a bus in case of an emergency. Students were respectful, responsible, and ready during this opportunity, where they practiced exiting safely out the back of the bus.
• Morning Meetings to grow their classroom cultures, learn about one another, and share about themselves. Middleton students participate in Morning Meetings daily in their classrooms. Teachers take extra care during this time at the start of the year to build a warm and welcoming classroom environment.

Middleton students will be participating in benchmark assessments three times per year (fall, winter, and spring). Over the next two weeks, students will have the opportunity to show us what they know by doing their best on a variety of assessments. Students will complete FastBridge Reading testing on Monday, August 26; Friday, August 30; or Tuesday, September 3. They will complete the MAP test for Reading and Math on Wednesday, August 28 and Thursday, August 29. FastBridge Math testing will be completed in homeroom classrooms before September 11.

McNALLY PARK: Please be mindful that there are no dogs allowed on or around McNally Park during school hours. Additionally, while school is in session, McNally Park is closed to members of the community. Before and after school hours, the playground is open to all. This is to ensure student safety. We thank you for your cooperation.

BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL: In the morning, supervision of students begins at 8:15 a.m. Students may enter at 8:15 a.m at Door 4 if they would like school breakfast. Students may begin entering the building when the first bell rings at 8:25 a.m., and the second bell indicating the start of the school day is at 8:30 a.m. As a reminder, students are dismissed at 3:00 p.m. every day except Tuesdays, when they are dismissed at 2:00 p.m.

Middleton Curriculum Night is scheduled in person for Wednesday, September 4 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Families will have the opportunity to come to Middleton, hear from the administrative team, and visit teachers in classrooms. Teachers and staff look forward to sharing important information about the grade level and classroom, and forming positive partnerships to support your child’s academic, social, and emotional learning and growth. More information will be shared with families about this event next week.

Families of 5th grade students are invited to attend an informational meeting about the 5th grade White Pines overnight trip. Join us immediately before Curriculum Night on Wednesday, September 5 from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. The White Pines trip is scheduled for Wednesday, October 23 through Friday, October 25.

Greetings and Welcome!

A heartfelt welcome to our students and families to a brand new 2024-2025 school year at McCracken Middle School! We are fortunate to continue to serve the students, staff, and families in our wonderfully diverse Skokie 73.5 community! Our students experienced a smooth start to the school year getting reacquainted with classmates and the school environment. We have had a tremendous start to the school year and are looking forward to a successful year ahead. Go Hornets!

McCracken is proud to offer a variety of student athletic and enrichment programs. These programs allow students to exercise their strengths, tackle areas for growth, and socialize with peers. Be sure to sign your student up for one of McCracken's great extracurricular clubs or activities! Review the McCracken Extracurricular Activities 2024-2025 Slideshow (with videos and important links) and our After School Programs brochure for information, registration links, and the payment link (for a small number of activities).

Remember to check with the nurse to be sure we have a copy of your student's current physical and athletic permit form, which are required for tryouts. Students will not be allowed to participate in tryouts without all of the required forms submitted. School nurses will also accept an Illinois state physical form or sports physical form, both of which are available through a physician. Please review the required health forms on our website’s Health Services page. Payment should be submitted to school offices after tryouts.

In the morning, students may enter the building between 7:30 and 7:40 a.m. through the main entrance to purchase breakfast in the cafeteria or report to the Learning Center. Students are discouraged from arriving prior to 7:30 a.m. unless they have a scheduled activity to attend. Outside student supervision begins at 7:30 a.m. At 7:50 a.m., all students may go to their lockers and proceed to their Advisory class. School starts at 8:00 a.m. In the afternoon, students are dismissed at 3:00 p.m. except for Tuesdays, when they are dismissed at 2:00 p.m. The Learning Center is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays until 3:55 p.m.

The McCracken Curriculum Information program is scheduled on Thursday, September 5 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Families will have the opportunity to come to McCracken to view administrative and grade level presentations from advisory and content area teachers. Some of the topics reviewed will include team practices, contact information, curriculum guidelines, grading practices, and academic support available for students at McCracken. Teachers and staff look forward to sharing important information with families and forming positive partnerships to support their child’s academic and social and emotional learning and growth. More information will be shared with families about this event next week.