News and information from our district and schools
McCRACKEN. MIDDLETON. MEYER. Dates to Know. Meal Menu.
Report Card Delivery UPDATE
Last week we announced that Skokie School District 73.5 would begin delivering student report cards to you by email. Unfortunately, we encountered unexpected technical challenges that cannot be resolved in time for Trimester 3 report card delivery.
Trimester 3 report cards will NOT be delivered by email. They WILL be available electronically through the PowerSchool Student/Parent Portal website after report cards are finalized in mid-June. At that time, please watch your inbox for an email with the following information:
- Instructions for logging into the PowerSchool Parent Portal and how to find, view, and print the report card.
- Who to contact for assistance and how to request a print copy of the report card from the school office.
We are working with our support partners to correct the error and remain hopeful that we will be able to send report cards by email in the 2023-2024 school year.
Summer Reading Kickoff and Little Free Library Scavenger Hunt
Thank you to everyone who attended our Summer Reading Kickoff! It was a wonderful event. Students enjoyed read-alouds from local authors, face painting, photos with school mascots, a student art show, and so much more!
Continue the fun this summer with our Little Free Library Summer Scavenger Hunt. See the flyer and scan the QR code to get started.
School Supply Kits
There's still time to pre-order school supplies for the 2023-2024 school year. Online sales are open through June 18th! Kit lists and more information are linked below.
|
School Supply Kits |
|
|---|---|
| Preschool | 4th Grade |
| Kindergarten | 5th Grade |
| 1st Grade | 6th Grade |
| 2nd Grade | 7th Grade |
| 3rd Grade | 8th Grade |
Organized by the District 73.5 Caring Hearts Classroom Grants Committee.
Around Town
SD73.5 Priorities
WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT. We will welcome and engage staff, students, families, and community members in our schools.
HIRING & RETENTION We will recruit, hire, and retain a diverse workforce and improve our human resource processes, procedures, and materials.
INFRASTRUCTURE & FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. All financial decisions and investments will meet the needs of our diverse learners and staff and promote academic and social growth. We will provide a safe, inclusive, flexible, and innovative space for teaching, learning, and growing.
TEACHING & LEARNING. All students will engage in learning experiences that are cohesive and articulated across PreK-8, flexibly designed to engage all learners and leading to rigorous outcomes for all. We will be a future-focused, real-world learning environment that is responsive, accessible, and meaningful for all. We will become a model district on the use of data for making instructional, curriculum, and programmatic decisions.
Congratulations McCracken Graduating Class of 2023!
We were able to celebrate the accomplishments of our McCracken Graduating Class of 2023 in multiple ways over the last few weeks. Our special 8th grade end of the year celebration was highly attended by many students, parents, and staff. All of our staff and students joined together as a school community to say a final heartfelt goodbye during the 8th grade Clap Out held at dismissal on our graduates’ last full day of school. The graduation ceremony took place on Thursday, May 25th at Niles North high School. It has been a tremendous pleasure to watch students learn and grow during their time at McCracken Middle School. We are proud to celebrate the many achievements of our students who excelled academically, athletically, socially, and emotionally and look forward to their accomplishments in the future as they transition to high school.
Fond Farewell
We are saying goodbye to several cherished members of our McCracken Middle School staff this year. Ms. Paula Freeman is retiring after 20 years serving as our 6th and 8th grade Spanish teacher. Her dedication and commitment to sharing her love and interest in Spanish culture and language with our students is appreciated. Ms. Moriah Berry will also be moving on in her career as one of our school social workers. She has connected with students and families in many positive ways throughout her time at McCracken and will be greatly missed. Sue Dentzer will be departing her position as one of our valued administrative assistants at the end of June. Her welcoming presence in the office and attention to detail has supported staff, administration, students, and families. Ms. Priya Amin will continue serving students and families in our district as she transitions to Niles North High School as the Social Studies Department Director. We sincerely appreciate her professionalism and compassion as an assistant principal at McCracken Middle School and look forward to continuing to partner with her in District 219. We wish staff well in their new adventures!
As we close out another successful school year we want to share our appreciation to all of our students, staff, and families in Skokie School District 73.5! We value your partnership and wish everyone a safe and fun summer full of special memories with friends and family.
Project Lead The Way Distinguished School
McCracken has been designated as a 2022-23 Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Gateway Distinguished School. This award recognizes schools across the U.S. for their commitment to providing broad access to transformative learning experiences and increasing student access, engagement, and achievement through their PLTW programs.
The McCracken Middle School STEAM program is taught by Ms. Lisa Repp. We are incredibly proud of her commitment to our students' learning experiences, and the efforts of our students to participate actively in the program.
Visit the Project Lead the Way website at pltw.org for more information about PLTW’s recognition program.
More from McCracken
ALL SCHOOL READ
Our McCracken All School Read book is When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed. Current 5th through 7th grade students received a free copy of this book at school this week. They are expected to read this book over the summer. Students will engage in planned literacy activities connected to this book during the first month of the 2023-2024 school year. Please encourage your child to read this book over the summer as well as visit the Skokie Public Library!
Dates to Remember
June 2nd
6th & 7th Grade Field Day & Hornet's Hive Activities
Last day of school for students
August 11th
Middle School Student Schedules available on PowerSchool
Copies will be mailed home
August 17th
Materials Pick Up
3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
and
6th grade Meet and Greet
4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
August 23rd
First Day of School
1st-8th Grade
Have an Amazing Summer!
We are so lucky to serve your children each day at Middleton. They are the future of our community and we value every minute with them! Thank you for your continued partnership to support your children. We look forward to another great year next year!
Middleton Spring Concert Series
Middleton students performed a series of concerts during the first 3 weeks of May. Please enjoy a sample here and then visit our 2023 Middleton Spring Concert Series page for more!
Turn your device sideways for best viewing on small screens.
NOTE: The 1st Grade Concert videos did not record properly and could not be included in this series. We look forward to showcasing our 2022-2023 1st graders in their 2nd grade concert performances during school year 2023-2024.
More from Middleton
DO YOU WANT TO HELP OUT IN OUR GARDENS THIS SUMMER? Please email Ms. Lau at [email protected] and Mrs. Gregg [email protected] by 12:00 p.m. on Monday, June 5th if you are interested in supporting our edible and native prairie gardens during the summer or fall. This can include watering and weeding with other Middleton families or independently.
POPSICLES WITH THE PRINCIPLES! Save the date and come join us for some summer fun! Meet us on the Middleton playground on August 8th from 10:00 to 11:00 am. ► MORE INFORMATION
Thank You!
Meyer families, thank you for all your support during this school year! Our Meyer Shining Stars have grown in a multitude of ways this year, and we are so thankful for your partnership. We hope you have a wonderful summer and that you are able to find some time for family and fun.
Thank you so much to our Meyer Parent Leaders (MPL) for supporting Meyer students, families, and staff all year long! The MPL has brought us so many fun family events this year, including Socktoberfest, Movie Night, Bingo Night, and End-of-the-Year Bash! The Meyer Parent Leaders also helped with Meyer Mart, Treasure Chest and LEGO Collections, Staff Appreciation activities, snacks at Story Night, and co-sponsored our Family Sing-Along with Miss Carole. Many thanks to Odessa Molina and Karen Chan for leading the group, and to all of our various volunteers who helped make the events a success!
Special thanks go to our McCracken students who volunteered at our End-of-the-Year Bash, and parent/guardian volunteers Odessa Molina, Karen Chan, Taylor Crittenden, Annie Bhurya, Wendy Rodas, Katherine Hall, Allyson Ward, Kim Ky, and Ayme Amorin for making the End-of-the-Year Bash extra fun and special!
Social/Emotional Resources
As we approach the end of the school year, Meyer’s Student Support Services team would like to share a list of social/emotional resources that your child can access over the summer. These resources can help to support your child's continued social/emotional growth through engaging activities, and the community agencies listed may benefit your family. ► VIEW THE SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL RESOURCES
On to Kindergarten
Incoming kindergarten parents/guardians attended On to Kindergarten on Wednesday, May 24th to learn more about our Kindergarten program, meet staff, see some classrooms, and get to know one another. For parents/guardians who were not able to attend, please see the ► PRESENTATION SLIDES for more information about our kindergarten program.
JumpStart Kindergarten
Registration for our Jumpstart Kindergarten program is now open to incoming Kindergarten families. This program provides incoming Kindergarten students with the opportunity to practice routines, develop social skills, meet new friends, and begin a review of skills directly before the school year begins. Students may attend ONE of two sessions, August 7th to 11th or August 14th to 18th. Spots are limited. Please see this ► FLYER for details, including the link to register.
Mr. Mac Dance Party
More from Meyer
KINDERGARTEN SCREENING
We will be screening all incoming Kindergartners who did not attend Meyer preschool on Monday, June 5th from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Meyer School. We ask that one parent/guardian plan to accompany the incoming Kindergartener. Please ► RSVP HERE so we can plan ahead. If families are unable to attend on June 5th, we will have an alternate date on July 26th.
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION
Meyer’s Early Bird program provides before-school care to preschool and kindergarten students. Early Bird registration for the 2023-2024 school year is now open! For more information, including cost and logistics of the program, please see the ► FLYER.
Meyer Superstars
Dates to Remember
August 9th-11th
Notification of Classroom Placement
Thursday, August 17th
Party on the Playground
6:30 to 7:30 pm.
Wednesday, August 23rd
Student Classroom Visit Day
Thursday, August 24th
First Day of School for Kindergarten Students
Monday, August 28th
First Day of School for Preschool Students
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