News and information from our district and schools
MEYER. MIDDLETON. McCRACKEN. Games. Meal Menu.
JANUARY 26, 2024
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DISTRICT NEWS
PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES
Teachers will be available for your choice of in-person OR video conferences on the following dates:
- Thursday, February 15th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m
- Friday, February 16th from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Online registration for February conferences opens on Monday, February 5th at 7:00 a.m. and closes on Monday, February 12th at 3:00 p.m.
Please visit SD735.org/ptc for complete conference information, step-by-step instructions for scheduling a conference, and other information to help you plan for conferences.
Be prepared! Sign in to your PowerSchool Parent Portal account NOW and log in to PowerPTC to view your dashboard before registration opens on February 5th.
STUDENT SERVICES
Mark your calendars! Our next Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting will be held on February 8th from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be a hybrid meeting, with in-person and virtual options offered. The in-person meeting will be held at Middleton School in the library. More information, including the virtual meeting link, will be shared with families shortly.
HEALTH SERVICES
In-school dental exams will be offered in March through a partnership with Miles of Smiles, Ltd. All students are eligible, and there is no out-of-pocket cost for families or the school. A signed consent form is required for students to participate. Get complete information, dates, locations, and a link to the consent form.
GET TO KNOW THE PTO!
Visit district735pto.org and get to know your PTO!
Questions about this calendar or events? Please email [email protected].
AROUND TOWN
Click or tap a flyer for more information...
The Skokie Public Library Resources and Events for All Abilities newsletter features information about book discussions, kids and teen programs, and performances.
Check the SkokieNews for information and updates from the Village of Skokie.
DISTRICT DATES
Meyer families are invited to join us for MEYER'S STORY NIGHT on Thursday, February 1st from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Meyer School. Bring the whole family and stay for a cozy story hour with Meyer staff members featuring stories about "Love."
February 1st is also PAJAMA DAY, so students are encouraged to wear pajamas to school and then to Story Night. We hope to see all Meyer families there!
Thank you to the Meyer Parent Leaders for planning such a fun Movie Night for Meyer families last Friday! Students, families, and staff enjoyed watching "Paw Patrol: The Movie," while spending time with one another and munching on popcorn. It was wonderful to be together! Special thanks go to Odessa Molina and Jennifer Schuster!
SAVE THE DATE: Meyer School will host a PRESCHOOL OPEN HOUSE for new families interested in the 2024-2025 school year on Sunday, February 25th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. If you have neighbors and friends who have children turning 3 or 4 years old on or before September 1, 2024, please help us spread the word! Detailed information about our preschool program will be available soon!
Kindergarten Music Class
MEYER SUPERSTARS
Mrs. Mpistolarides's & Mrs. Zaccone's Kindergarten Superstars
Ms. Chen's Preschool Superstars
ARRIVAL UPDATE: In order for students to be in their classrooms on time, we strongly recommend that students are in class lines outside no later than 8:25 a.m. Drake Alley and Madison drop-offs take more time, so please plan accordingly to arrive in line earlier so students can be in line by 8:25 a.m.
KINDNESS WEEK AND BUDDY CLASSROOMS. Students will be creating messages for senior citizens! Senator Villavalam’s office reached out to a number of schools to ask if we wanted to participate in this initiative to bring joy to those in assisted living facilities. During buddy classroom time, students will create cards of kindness and happiness to send to Senator Villavalam’s office. His office dropped off supplies for students and will pick up the finished cards from schools. We appreciate the community partnership and opportunity to bring joy to senior adults.
Introducing the Middleton SEL NEWSLETTER!
This first issue answers the question, "What is SEL?" and explains the Zones of Regulation.
Yearbook Orders
ORDER YOUR 2023-2024 MIDDLETON YEARBOOK! What better way to remember this unique school year? The yearbook costs $20 and is now available for pre-order through the Lifetouch website at ybpay.lifetouch.com. The Yearbook ID Code is 13556524. Tap the flyer for more information!
McCRACKEN FOOD DRIVE. Please consider supporting the McCracken Social Justice Club- and Student Council-sponsored Food Drive for those in need. Both are teaming up to help the Niles Township Food Pantry provide food to families and individuals. Students and families can bring in/drop off monetary donations or non-perishable tems such as canned and boxed food. The Food Drive is running now through Wednesday, February 7th.
8th Grade Upcoming Important Events
Our 8th graders have upcoming important events to prepare for their transition to high school in the 2024-2025 school year. Save the dates for these important events and reach out to McCracken or Niles North High School administration with any questions.
8th GRADE GRADUATION PICTURES: Wednesday, January 31st
Our 8th grade students will have their graduation pictures taken on Wednesday, January 31st at McCracken. One photo will be taken in a purple graduation gown (provided by Lifetouch) and the other in their chosen dress clothes. When the photos have been processed, Lifetouch will send the proofs to the school to be distributed to students and families. Parents/guardians will have an opportunity to review the pictures and order any preferred photos from the delivered proof package. There is no money due on Picture Day. Payment will be due to Lifetouch when families select their preferred photos online. Please see this flyer from Lifetouch for more information.
8th GRADE HUB's DINE OUT FUNDRAISER: Friday, February 2nd
Help our 8th graders celebrate their year-end in style! Present this flyer or mention McCracken when ordering HUB’s on Friday, February 2nd. Every donation funds food, decorations, and a DJ. Families can also donate directly through RevTrak. Be one of the first 30 donors to contribute $30 or more for a chance to win a 2-night stay with breakfast for two at the Doubletree Hilton Chicago North Shore. Donate now to give our students a great sendoff!
STUDENT REGISTRATION APPOINTMENTS WITH NILES NORTH COUNSELORS: Friday, February 9th
Eighth grade students and at least one parent/guardian will be expected to participate in counselor appointments on Friday, February 9th at Niles North High School. Families will receive their individual counselor appointment times from Niles North High School. Niles North counselors will meet with students and parents/guardians this year to review class placement for the upcoming school year. Placement is based on PSAT scores and teacher recommendations.
- Counselor appointments are in person at Niles North High School.
- Students are expected to attend school at McCracken on the day of counselor appointments before and/or after their appointments at Niles North.
- Parents/guardians will sign out their child at McCracken when picking them up to attend their scheduled counselor appointments.
- Niles North High School will share appointment times with parents and guardians and with McCracken teachers and administration.
- Student information packets were distributed to families at Curriculum & Activities Night at Niles North on January 18th. Anyone who was not able to attend that event will receive the packet by mail.
- Please email Niles North High School registration questions to Denise French at [email protected].
8th GRADE PARENT/GUARDIAN GRADUATION CEREMONY/EVENTS COMMUNICATION
We currently have our 8th grade graduation date reserved with Niles North High School on Tuesday, May 28th from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Students are expected to maintain academic and behavior expectations in order to fully participate in all graduation events. There will be more information regarding graduation events in the upcoming months which will include the process for securing tickets to the ceremony. We are currently collecting diploma names and graduation gown and tassel orders from families. Please review the linked parent/guardian letter below to complete required forms and place online orders. We will continue to communicate information to families through email and in The Weekly Newsletter.
- Graduation Parent/Guardian Letter January 2024
Submit Diploma Card Names and Gown and Tassel Orders by Monday, February 5th
ATTENDANCE REMINDERS. 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! 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 about the importance of consistent school attendance and keeping your child engaged in school.
ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL
Please help us keep our students, staff, families, and visitors safe by following our arrival and dismissal safety reminders.
McCRACKEN DATES
SPECTATOR GUIDELINES
We are excited to host and participate in Little 9 Conference sporting events! Please review behavior expectations for students, families, and visitors.
Halal meals available on request: Meatball and Rice Bowl, Chicken Sandwich, Cheese Sandwich. Kosher meals available on request: All Beef Hot Dog, Cheese Sandwich. Monthly meal menu at-a-glance is available HERE.
District 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.
Equity Mission Statement
WE BELIEVE that inclusivity and belonging is the foundation for equity.
ALL CHILDREN CAN LEARN, at high achievement levels, when equity is infused into every aspect of education.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE the systemic inequities present in school systems and recognize the impact they continue to have on marginalized communities.
WE COMMIT to teaching, learning, and growing in order to identify and dismantle inequitable systems and to create a community where barriers are removed so that everyone can reach their full potential.
WE BELIEVE that students succeed when they can see themselves represented in our staff, curriculum, opportunities, and our shared environment. We accomplish this through professional development, curriculum revision, community engagement, and systems evaluations.
WE RECOGNIZE the need to teach our students to identify the origins of unjust systems and empower them to use their critical thinking skills and agency to responsibly disrupt the policies and practices that perpetuate inequalities.
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