PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES will be held on Thursday, February 15th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Friday, February 16th from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (see the District section above for more information).

Parents/guardians were sent an email on Wednesday, January 31st with information about how to sign up for conferences. Please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher if you have any questions. If you would like to meet with Meyer part-time teachers, they will be available at select times, in-person or through Zoom.

• Mrs. Castellini, our Art/Music teacher, will be available on Thursday, February 15th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Please contact Mrs. Castellini through Seesaw or by email at [email protected], to schedule an appointment.
• Ms. Iida, our Physical Education teacher, will be available on Friday, February 16th from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Please contact Ms. Iida through Seesaw or by email at [email protected], to schedule an appointment.

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!

FORGOTTEN ITEMS: Please try to send your students to school with all the materials they will need for the day. It is difficult for office staff to deliver items to students on time if lunches, instruments, water bottles, etc. are dropped off in the office during the school day. Thank you!

The Middleton winter/spring EnrichMD (enrichment program) brochures went out this week on paper and through email. Programming runs from Monday, February 26th through Friday, May 10th. Check the brochure for details about activity offerings and the overview calendar, too.

This session, we are also offering the following programs:

• ASL (sign language) Class: Monday, April 1st through Monday, May 20th from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Register through EnrichMD.
• Emily Oaks ≈ Nature Explorers: Monday, April 1st through Monday, May 20th from 3:00 to 5:15 p.m. Students will be bused by Emily Oaks to Emily Oaks. Families must register through the park district at skokieparks.org. Contact Stephanie Larenas at [email protected] or Cassie Schaeffer at [email protected] with any specific questions about the Nature Explorers program.
• Grades 1-2 Run Club: Mondays only, April 1st through May 11th from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. More information to come. PLEASE NOTE: Students who sign up for both Monday enrichment and Monday Run Club will not be refunded if they withdraw from their enrichment program to join Run Club.

Please complete EnrichMD registration forms and return them to your child’s teacher or to the Middleton main office no later than Friday, February 9th. Classes do fill up quickly, so get your child's registration in as soon as possible.

NEW! FEBRUARY ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE PROGRAM. McCracken students will have the opportunity to be entered into a monthly attendance raffle recognizing students who are on time to school and those who miss no more than one day per month. Each student who achieves 95% attendance will be entered into this raffle and those who have 100% attendance will be entered twice. Please note that religious holidays will not count toward any absences. There will be three prizes distributed to students in each grade level. We are excited to welcome students to school each day for a full day of learning!

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 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.