McCracken Musical Performance

Rehearsals are underway for our 2022 McCracken musical, Mary Poppins Jr.!  Forty-one talented cast members have been rehearsing their scenes and songs since early September.

Mary Poppins Jr. transports us to London in 1910, telling the story of the Banks family and the valuable lessons they learn from their mysterious new nanny.

Performances will be held on Friday, November 11th at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 12th at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. Ticket information is coming soon, and a livestream option will also be available. All are welcome to enjoy this supercalifragilisticexpialidocious show!

All School Read Assembly

On Friday, September 30th, McCracken celebrated All School Read with an in-person assembly for the first time in three years. The celebration and assembly activities were built around the novel, Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling. The students started in their advisory classes by designing a tool that would help students flip a page in a book, tying in with the book’s theme of ingenuity in the face of physical challenges. Other activities included small groups matching quotes and participating in "Cactus Relays."

ELA and STEAM teachers prepped their students for the assembly by practicing small group discussion skills, determining theme, revisiting point of view, and reading informational texts connected to the novel. Meanwhile, Ms. Repp’s STEAM class participated in an accessibility design challenge.

Thank you for encouraging your students to read and supporting All School Read!

6th Grade Niles North High School Tutoring

Attention 6th grade students and families! Niles North High School is extending their tutoring program to include 6th grade feeder schools this year. Niles North students will provide tutoring services to students in reading, writing, math, science, and more on Mondays from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. Please access this Niles North High School flyer to learn more and complete the one-time registration. Thank you to Niles North High School for including our 6th graders in this great program!

Social Media Awareness Reminders

Many of our middle school students are using technology in multiple ways to communicate with peers outside of school. They may be using smartphones and social media apps to communicate with friends. Social media applications have parental controls for monitoring and safety. At times, students at this age may experience peer conflict that may turn into negative interactions online with friends or acquaintances. Negative interactions or cyberbullying that impacts the school environment may result in school-issued consequences. Please monitor your child’s online presence and help to reinforce online safety and kindness in communication. Please see this social media parent letter that was shared with families on September 26th for more information. We look forward to partnering with you to keep our students safe at school!

Student Council Election

Student Council Elections took place this week at McCracken Middle School! Student candidates in grades 6-8 were encouraged to run for Student Council president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. Students can also serve as Student Council grade level representatives in this important student leadership group. Candidates worked diligently to create fun campaign posters, slides, and virtual speeches. All students were able to view the speeches and vote for their preferred candidates, exercising their right to participate in the election process! Final election results were shared with students and staff on Thursday. We are so proud of all participating candidates and final winners!

Hispanic Heritage Month

Our Cultural Diversity Club sponsored by Ms. Lynn Catanus is helping to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at McCracken Middle School. They are sharing facts and resources with our students and staff this month. Did you know that Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15th to October 15th because September is the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Chile? Special thanks to our McCracken Cultural Diversity Club for their efforts in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month!

Parent Teacher Conferences

Thank you to all the families who signed up for Parent-Teacher Conferences. Our staff always enjoy the opportunity to get to know you as the parents of the students they serve. If you weren't able to attend a conference I encourage you to reach out to the classroom teacher to check in regarding your child's progress. Our goal is to connect with 100% of our parents.

District School Year Calendar

The district’s school year calendar for 2022-2023 was revised and approved by the Board of Education in February 2022 and posted on the district website. However, the old version still appears as the first result if you search on Google! The current version of the school year calendar is always available at sd735.org/files/calendars/2223/school/current.pdf.

Please note that Winter Break is scheduled for December 26th through January 6th, with students returning to school on Monday, January 9th.

October is SOCK-tober!

During the month of October, we are collecting new socks to be donated to the Niles Township Clothing Closet. Students can bring in new socks of any size, which will be donated at the end of the month. Last year, we donated over 1,000 pairs of socks!

We want to show our Meyer Shining Stars that even the smallest acts of love, like donating a pair of socks, can make a big difference in the lives of our neighbors in need. 

Students can also show their support by celebrating Wacky Socks Wednesdays! Wear your wacky socks every Wednesday in October. 

Then join us for Socktoberfest on October 27th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., hosted by the Meyer Parent Leaders. More details will be sent home soon.

Meyer Parent Leaders: Sign Up to Volunteer!

Are you looking for a way to get involved at Meyer? Do you enjoy event planning or throwing a great party? The Meyer Parent Leaders need volunteers to help plan events and activities! Please sign up at signupgenius.com/go/30e0d45afa72fa7ff2-meyer.

Check out the MPL's Facebook page or website!

Car and Booster Seats

Did you know that children aged 3-6 years old should still be in forward-facing car seats or booster seats, by law? Please help keep our Shining Stars safe by having them buckle up in a car or booster seat, when riding in a vehicle. Please see the age-specific recommendations at ilsos.gov/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_a298.pdf

The Skokie Health Department offers a short-term car seat loaner program for Skokie residents. The "TOTS" (Travel Seats Offer Travel Safety) program loans seats at no cost. A $10 deposit is required and will be returned less a $5 cleaning fee when the seat is brought back in good condition. Borrowers are instructed on the proper installation and usage of the seats. Seats can be reserved by calling the Health Department at 847-933-8252.