Meyer’s Picture Retakes are scheduled for Thursday, October 24. If you would like for your child to retake their school picture, please send their Lifetouch picture packet back to school with them on October 24. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher or the Meyer Office at 847-673-1223 or [email protected].

At the beginning of the school year, we asked every student to bring a complete spare set of clothing to keep at school in case of an emergency. With cooler weather upon us, the extra clothing in your child’s locker may no longer be warm enough for our current temperatures. Please send extra fall clothing, as needed, including a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, socks, and underwear, clearly marked with your child’s name. Thank you!

Thank you to Middleton families and staff for coming together last week for Parent-Teacher Conferences. We are fortunate to have such a caring community. Families, thank you for partnering with us to best meet the needs of your children!

As Middleton Bulldogs, we are so fortunate to have Mr. Chip De Stefano and Mr. Cesar Mendoza as our 4th and 5th grade band directors. The 4th and 5th graders begin their Skokie 73.5 band careers at Middleton, and they have the opportunity to continue at McCracken. The Skokie School District 73.5 Board of Education acknowledged at their October 8 meeting the incredible McCracken Middle School Music Department. A resolution was adopted recognizing the McCracken Middle School Music Department for their dedication, passion, and superior direction which has resulted in numerous accolades and awards at both the state and national level. We are grateful that our students’ fine arts journey includes access to our exemplary band program, under the direction of Mr. De Stefano and Mr. Mendoza, beginning in 4th grade. We appreciate the Board of Education for their recognition and support of fine arts programming. Please read the full resolution HERE for details.

Thank you to those who have taken a moment to complete the feedback survey regarding biking to school. We have 21 respondents so far.

As a reminder, the ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL section of 2024-2025 Student/Family Handbook (page 15 in the print version of the Handbook) states that Middleton students are not permitted to ride their bicycles to and from school. Students may begin riding bikes to school when they attend McCracken. We have received questions about this policy from staff and students. One step we are taking in reviewing this policy is to invite feedback from parents. If you would like to provide feedback on Middleton’s bike policy, you may do so by completing this Middleton Bike Survey form.

All Middleton students who were not able to take pictures in October will be able to participate in retakes on Wednesday, November 13. Please complete the form and bring it to school or pre-order using the information below. Families may pre-purchase picture packages online by going to mylifetouch.com and entering the Picture Day ID code EVT737JMK. Students may also bring the provided form with payment on the day of Picture Day.

There will be a parent informational meeting for the Middleton Musical on Wednesday November 20 from 6:30 to 7:00pm in the Middleton Cafeteria. We hope to see you there! Please see this flyer for more information!

Oakton College’s Futures Unlimited is an annual daylong program that introduces 8th grade female and gender-expansive students to the world of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) – inspiring them to explore new interests and pursue their passions. Students participate in several hands-on labs and sessions throughout the day of the December 17 field trip and lunch is provided. Students who are interested in this field trip to the Oakton College campus should complete this form no later than October 31 to allow for planning. Students have access to this form in the daily announcement slides shared in advisory. Students will be provided with more information in their 8th grade science classrooms.

Girls Who Code is a free weekly extracurricular program sponsored by Oakton College to introduce middle school female-identifying students to computer science and computer programming. No prior experience is necessary. Weekly sessions will alternate between novice and intermediate. Students are welcome to attend any and all sessions and join at any time. Weekly Zoom meetings run on Tuesdays from 4:15 to 5:15 p.m. beginning October 8 through December 10, 2024. Occasional on-site, hands-on activities will be held on Oakton's Des Plaines campus. Interest students should complete this Google Form.

Get excited for McCracken's FALL HORNET HANGOUT! We'll get together on November 8 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. for the McCracken Hornet Hangout with the theme "Under The Stars." We'll have games, snacks, music, and dancing in the McCracken gym and hallways. All McCracken students are welcome to attend! Admission is $2 per student and we'll hand out mandatory permission slips through student advisory classrooms beginning the week before the Hangout.

The Skokie School District 73.5 Board of Education acknowledged the amazing McCracken Middle School Music Department during their October 8 meeting. A resolution was adopted recognizing the continued excellence of three faculty members of the McCracken Middle School Music Department – Chip De Stefano, Amy Keipert, and Cesar Mendoza – for their dedication, passion, and superior direction which has resulted in numerous accolades and awards at both the state and national level. This included Symphonic Band, Concert Band, and the 7th and 8th grade choirs including Hornet Harmony. We are incredibly proud of the accomplishments of our faculty and students and appreciate the Board of Education’s recognition and support of our fine arts programming. Please read the full resolution HERE.

McCracken is excited to host award-winning author Ellen Oh later this month! Ellen has published many popular books in a variety of genres. She is also the editor of several collections of short stories and a founding member of We Need Diverse Books. All students will have the opportunity to hear Ellen talk about the power of storytelling and her career as a bestselling writer when she visits us on Wednesday, October 23.

Students can CLICK HERE to order an autographed copy of Ellen Oh's new book.

All McCracken students who were not able to take pictures on October 3 can participate in retakes on Thursday, November 14. Please complete the form and bring it to school or pre-order using the information below. Families may pre-purchase picture packages online at mylifetouch.com and enter the Picture Day ID code EVTNQ3SBZ. Students may also bring the provided form with payment on the day of Picture Day. Please click HERE for the RETAKE DAY flyer and QR code.

We have received updated information from Niles North High School regarding the upcoming PSAT assessment on October 26 at Niles North High School. Families should have received communication from Niles North with your child’s individual session time. The McCracken school office has a copy of this information and can share it with you in case you missed this communication. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please do not hesitate to reach out to Christine Gonzales, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction, at [email protected] or 847-626-3870.

PLEASE NOTE: McCracken students do not need to bring a picture ID with them on the day of testing.