Thank you to the Meyer Parent Leaders for planning such a fun Movie Night for Meyer families on Thursday, February 6! Students, families, and staff enjoyed watching the movie “Toy Story,” while spending time with one another and munching on popcorn. It was wonderful to be together! Special thanks go to parents Odessa Molina and Melissa Sumulong!

Kindergartners celebrated the 100th Day of School on Thursday, February 6. Students participated in various fun-filled 100s-related learning activities, led by our kindergarten teachers rotating into each classroom.

Meyer celebrated World Read Aloud Day with McCracken students on Friday, February 7. Students in McCracken’s Social Justice Club visited Meyer to read to our Shining Stars. The books, with themes around social justice and helping us build a stronger community, were hand selected by Social Justice Club members. Thank you to the McCracken Social Justice Club, and librarians Amy Kelley and Tori Gammeri!

Despite the unexpected interruption due to Skokie's water main break, thank you to families who joined us for Parent-Teacher Conferences this week. Staff appreciate the opportunity to  connect with you to share students’ strengths and discuss opportunities for growth. We appreciate your partnership!

Also due to the water main break, the final in-person day of the Middleton Book Fair had to be cancelled. A make-up book fair day has been scheduled for Tuesday, February 18 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. 

Book fair sales are also available online through the Literati School Store, with home delivery and gift cards available!

Thank you for supporting Middleton and the joy of reading!

ENRICH MD WINTER/SPRING REGISTRATION opened on February 3 and closes on Tuesday, February 18 at 12:00 noon. PLEASE NOTE: Registration is completely online and directions for registration are in the brochure.

To register, go to skokie735.revtrak.net/rw-enrichment-activities. Questions? Reach out to Middleton Enrichment coordinator Sarah Hampton at [email protected].

Please see the attached flyer for information about the Middleton SPACE before- and after-school care program for the 2025-2026 school year.

February is Kindness Month! Both Middleton’s Student Council and Niles Township have provided Bingo cards for students to do Random Acts of Kindness this week and next. Ask your child what kind acts they have done for others this week!

Despite the unexpected interruption due to Skokie's water main break, thank you to families who joined us for Parent-Teacher Conferences this week. Teachers enjoyed connecting with you to share students’ academic areas of strength and growth. PowerSchool is available to families and students to monitor academic progress throughout each trimester. We encourage parents and guardians to reach out to individual teachers throughout the year to communicate any updates and/or ask questions they may have about academic progress. We are so thankful to parents and guardians for their continued partnership! Please see a few resources below to support your child with independent reading, executive functioning, and homework.

• 20 Ways to Keep Your Middle Schooler Interested in Reading from Scholastic
• Helping Kids Who Struggle with Executive Functions from Child Mind Institute
• Executive Function Activities for Adolescents from Harvard University
• 10 Ways to Help Your Child Succeed in Middle School from KidsHealth

McCracken 8th grade graduation picture proofs have been delivered and will be sent home with students on Tuesday, February 18. Please ask your child for the picture package and follow the directions to order photos online with your individualized Portrait I.D. and Access Code. Families who choose to retake these pictures will need to have photos taken on Thursday, March 13.

McCracken 7th graders will show off all their hard work and research they have prepared for the History Fair at McCracken Middle School on Thursday, February 20! Niles North High School students will support this event by judging student projects from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., followed by a parent/guardian viewing session from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Special thanks to Ms. Bethany Fagan, Ms. Cindy Grossman, Mr. Reed Gettleman, Ms. Maggie Price, Ms. Kate Magnuson, Mr. John Wash, Ms. Atour Shmoeil, families, and Niles North students for their assistance with planning and preparation.

McCracken students have the annual opportunity to serve as tech crew members for Middleton’s spring musical! Interested students can find information on the Bulldog Drama website and complete the application by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 20, 2025. The list of selected technical crew will be posted on the McCracken Crew website on or before Saturday, March 15, 2025.

Social Justice Club is sponsoring a “Cookie Drop” for the Niles Township Respite Center on Tuesday, February 18.

Students can bake and package cookies following the directions here to benefit a local shelter for people experiencing homelessness. Thank you to our Social Justice Club, Ms. Gammeri, and student bakers!

Students across grade levels will be covering a variety of Digital Citizenship topics over the next month. They include digital footprints, online identity, relationships and communication related to online social media presence, and safety. Our district uses the Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship curriculum. Families can access additional information and resources below and on their website.

• Digital Footprint & Identity — English | Spanish | More languages: Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Russian, Tagalog, Urdu, Vietnamese
• Family Activities: Digital Footprint & Identity (Grades 6-8) — English | Spanish
• Relationships & Communication — English | Spanish | More languages: Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Korean, Russian, Tagalog, Urdu, Vietnamese
• Family Activities: Relationships & Communication (Grades 6-8) — English | Spanish

Parents and guardians who drive their student(s) to or from school must use the Circle Drive off of East Prairie Road.

Parents and guardians must enter the Circle Drive near the south entrance on East Prairie Road staying on the right side of the drive for pick up or drop off (leave the outside lane open to exiting cars at all times). Do NOT drop off or pick up your student in the left lane.

The Drive-Thru is for right lane drop off and pick up only. Do not park in the Drive-Thru lane. Please help to keep our students and staff safe at all times!

Drivers should NOT enter the Circle Drive coming north off East Prairie. Please enter the drop off or pick up line driving south on East Prairie.

Drive SLOWLY and carefully, watching for both students and cars at ALL times!

Students may NOT walk through the back parking lot for any reason, due to traffic.

Students must exit school property immediately following dismissal and may not stay to congregate with peers outdoors unless involved in an extracurricular activity.

Crossing guards are available to assist students crossing Oakton Street and Crawford Avenue and also on East Prairie Road and Warren Street.

Students may NOT cross the street at East Prairie Road and Oakton Street unless accompanied by a parent/guardian. There is no crosswalk or crossing guards and there is a high volume of traffic.

Did you know that missing two days of school a month, over the course of a school year, can affect a student's academic success? Please help us make school attendance a priority! This McCracken Attendance Reminders sheet provides information about the importance of consistent school attendance and keeping your child engaged in school. If you know that your child will be absent for the day, please call our school nurse, Ms. Warda, at 847-676-8235 by 8:00 a.m. on the day of the absence. Please review the McCracken Attendance Reminders for more information.

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. Please send your child to school with appropriate outerwear. For winter weather, students will need a warm coat, hat, gloves, and winter snow boots when necessary. Families in need of outerwear for their child should contact school administration for additional resources.

In general, students go outside for recess as long as it “feels” like 15 degrees or above and it is not raining or snowing. See the Child Care Weather Watch chart that we use to guide our decisions.