September 4, 2026

All Things EC

Dear Families,

What a fantastic first full week of early childhood! Our classrooms have been filled with so much joy, energy, and discovery. Throughout the week, our students participated in fun activities to get to know their classmates and teachers better, while also practicing our daily classroom and school routines. Seeing their confidence grow as they settle into their new environment has been wonderful.

In addition to settling into classroom routines, our students did an outstanding job during our bus evacuation drill. They reviewed bus expectations, learned how to identify the emergency exits, and practiced safely exiting the front of the bus using both handrails. Our youngest learners followed directions so well and showed great care throughout the practice session!

Communication Update: Please note that the Meridian Message will be moving to a biweekly schedule. You can expect our next edition in two weeks, filled with more school news, important reminders, and highlights.

Thank you so much for your support, cooperation, and partnership in our school community.

Warmly,

Julie Cummings

Associate Principal of Early Childhood

Office Information

Mrs. Deb Regan, Early Childhood Secretary

dregan@d102.org

847.955.3501

Mrs. Sari Feldstein, Meridian School Secretary

sfeldstein@d102.org

Mrs. Julie Cummings, Meridian Associate Principal of Early Childhood

jcummings@d102.org

Office Phone Number: 847.955.3500

Fax Number: 847.634.4229

Office Hours: 7:30am - 3:30pm

Student Hours (Monday - Friday):

AM Session: 8:45-11:15am
PM Session: 12:35-3:05pm

Health Office

Mrs. Dale Furnish, RN

dfurnish@d102.org

Attendance Line: 847.955.3503

If your child will be absent from school because of illness, doctor appointments or vacation, please call your school’s attendance line (see above) by 8:00am or 12:00pm.

Please state your name, your student's name, the reason for absence, and homeroom teacher when you call. Keeping track of all students every day is an important task, and we greatly appreciate your assistance.

Important Information & Events

Reminders for Snack

As our children dive into busy days filled with learning, playing, and growing, nutritious fuel makes all the difference! A healthy daily snack helps maintain steady energy, boosts focus, and keeps our little ones feeling their best.

Below are ideas for snacks that are free of the main allergens. Thank you for your support in keeping our spaces safe for all students.

NO SCHOOL

September 7

September 21

September 25

Bloomz

Bloomz appears to be operational for families. YAY!

If you continue to have difficulties, please contact Bloomz support at support.bloomz.com or email them at support@bloomz.com.

First View Bus Tracking App

Did you know you can track your child's bus?

Download the First View app and use the code: F2L3X

Safety Drills

Student and staff safety is our top priority. Regular safety drills are an essential part of emergency preparedness, giving our students and staff the opportunity to practice clear, calm responses in a safe environment. They are also a state requirement.

Upcoming Safety Drills

Wednesday, September 9: fire drill
Thursday, September 24: law enforcement drill

During a fire drill, early childhood students practice leaving the building quickly and safely. Teachers prepare children in advance so they know it is only practice, keeping the experience gentle and stress-free. We kindly ask that you avoid over-explaining or sharing detailed scenarios about the upcoming drill with your child in advance. Young children often process safety concepts differently than adults, and hearing too many details ahead of time can cause unnecessary anxiety.

Law Enforcement Drill

Meridian will perform its law enforcement drill on Wednesday, September 24th. As part of Illinois HB2400, parents/guardians need to be notified and provided an opportunity to opt their student(s) out of the drill, if they choose, and have their student(s) complete alternative safety education.

Please contact Mrs. Cummings, jcummings@d102.org, if you wish to have your child participate in the alternative safety education with a staff member in the main office. The deadline for selecting alternative safety education is Monday, September 14, 2026.

District 102 has adopted the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) by the I Love U Guys Foundation. “Lockdown” is one of the five actions included in the SRP as a response to an emergency. Lockdown drills educate staff and students about what to do to remain safe in a classroom or other parts of the school in the event of a lockdown. This typically involves verifying the door is locked, moving students to a location out of sight through windows or upon entrance to the room, and coaching students to remain calm and quiet. These activities are conducted in ways appropriate to the developmental level of the students involved, students are notified in advance, and they will have an opportunity to ask questions. The drill does not include any type of simulations that mimic an actual shooting or active shooter event.

As with fire drills and other safety drills, the goal is to acclimate staff and students to a plan that they will be able to follow quickly and safely if ever necessary. The safety of our staff and students is of utmost importance to us. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Family Event

See the flyer below for more information and to RSVP to the event.

Pyramid

What is the Pyramid Model?

The Pyramid Model is a multi-tiered framework that helps parents and educators promote young children’s social-emotional competence and proactively address challenging behaviors. By aligning strategies between home and school, this collaborative approach creates consistent environments that help young children thrive.

Beginning of the School Year Focus: Building Routines

At the start of the school year, early childhood students are practicing key daily routines to build confidence, independence, and safety:

Packing & Unpacking

Arrival & Dismissal: Learning to manage backpacks, hang up coats, turn in daily folders, and pack up their belongings independently at the end of the day.

Moving & Transitions

Classroom & Hallways: Responding to clean-up signals, switching between activities smoothly, and practicing walking safely in line through the building.

Whole Group Time

Carpet Gatherings: Finding their assigned carpet spot, practicing active listening during storytime, and taking turns speaking during morning meetings.

Small Group Learning

Stations & Centers: Moving between activity stations, sharing materials with classmates, and staying focused during hands-on learning times.

Backpack Connection Series for Families: How to Help Your Child Have a Successful Morning

Do you struggle with stressful mornings? Do you often leave the house in an angry, frantic rush?

Mornings can be a particularly challenging time for parents. Getting your entire family up and out the door is no easy task! It is important to understand that your morning routine serves as the foundation for your family’s entire day. You can create a morning routine that not only helps your day to begin more smoothly, but also teaches your child important skills that he/she needs to become more independent and confident. A morning routine can also reduce challenging behavior such as crying, whining, and tantrums.

Want to learn more? Click on the backpack!

A Note From Mrs. Furnish

Health Office

Dale Furnish, CSN, RN, TNCC

Attendance Line: 847.955.3503

Medication Information

Welcome to the new 26-27 school year! I am looking forward to seeing all of your kids. My name is Dale Furnish, and I am the nurse at Meridian School. Please do not hesitate to call or email me with any health concerns or questions; dfurnish@d102.org, 847.955.3570.

If you have a child with life-threatening food allergies who requires epinephrine, an inhaler for

asthma, a seizure disorder, or diabetes, please reach out to me ASAP. You will need your emergency action plan from your doctor along with all medications listed on their emergency action plan.

If your child needs to take a daily medication at school, you will need the medication authorization form completed by your doctor.

Just a reminder: children may not bring prescription or over-the-counter medications to school without a medication authorization form completed by the parent and doctor.

Please access the D102 website to download any of the different Medical Forms that you might need.

Please remember ALL medications must be in the original bottles or boxes. Prescriptions must

have the prescription on it for me to be able to keep them in the health office and administer them.

I am looking forward to a happy, safe, and healthy school year with your children.

Dale Furnish, CSN, RN, TNCC

Dfurnish@d102.org

847.955.3508 - Phone

Program Information

Transportation

If you requested transportation services for your child, you will receive an email before the start of the school year with your busing information. This will include your child’s bus number and pick-up and drop-off times.

To check the status of your child's bus or to report an absence, please call First Student Bus Company at 847.634.0868.

If you have a busing question or would like to report a problem, please call Mrs. Deb Regan, Early Childhood Secretary at 847.955.3501, or email her at dregan@d102.org.

Parent Drop Off and Pick Up

Families who drive their child to school will drop off and pick up in the Meridian parking lot off Brandywyn Ln. Parent pick-up cards should be visible to staff at the time of pick-up. Please see our Pick Up & Drop Off procedures for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

A quick reference guide to general information about the Early Childhood program can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. It may be helpful to refer to this first when you have questions about your child's day/the program.

Important/ Required Forms

Required Form to be Completed by a Physician-- Updated

All students entering early childhood are required to submit proof of immunization and a physical examination within 30 days of starting school. Your child's pediatrician will also have this form on site, but it is linked below for your reference.

For students who have had a physical within the last year, please have your doctor fax the document to:

(847) 634-4229

If the form is not received, your child will NOT be able to attend school.

Certificate of Child Health Examination

Early Childhood Parent Directory

Building a strong Early Childhood community is important to our students, staff, and families. The PTO provides access to student and family contact information through the PTO Family Directory. If you would like to connect with other families or make your information accessible so they can contact you and your child, please sign up for the PTO Directory.

D102 PTO

Early Childhood Calendar

Children attend the Early Childhood Program for 2 ½ hours per day, Monday-Friday, in the morning (AM) or afternoon (PM) session. Family Events take place about once per month on Fridays, which are non-attendance days for EC students.

EC students do not follow the Wednesday early release schedule with the rest of the district. Wednesdays are regular attendance days for early childhood.

Please see our Early Childhood Family Calendar and our Special Events Calendar for more information about attendance days and early childhood events.

Important Links

Student Pick Up Form

EC Family Calendar (Year at a Glance)

EC Special Events Calendar

School Supply List

EC Family Directory- Join the PTO!

About Us

2195 Brandywyn Ln

Buffalo Grove, IL 60089

847.955.3500

Meridian Early Learning Center

Meridian Message [EC] 8/7/26

August 7, 2026

September 4, 2026

All Things EC

Office Information

Health Office

Important Information & Events

Reminders for Snack

NO SCHOOL

Bloomz

First View Bus Tracking App

Safety Drills

Law Enforcement Drill

Family Event

Pyramid

What is the Pyramid Model?

Beginning of the School Year Focus: Building Routines

Backpack Connection Series for Families: How to Help Your Child Have a Successful Morning

A Note From Mrs. Furnish

Health Office

Program Information

Transportation

Parent Drop Off and Pick Up

Frequently Asked Questions

Important/ Required Forms

Required Form to be Completed by a Physician-- Updated

Early Childhood Parent Directory

Early Childhood Calendar

Important Links

About Us

September 4, 2026 September 4, 2026

All Things EC All Things EC

Office Information Office Information

Health Office

Important Information & Events Important Information & Events

Reminders for Snack

NO SCHOOL

Bloomz

First View Bus Tracking App

Safety Drills

Law Enforcement Drill

Family Event

Pyramid Pyramid

What is the Pyramid Model?

Beginning of the School Year Focus: Building Routines

Backpack Connection Series for Families: How to Help Your Child Have a Successful Morning

A Note From Mrs. Furnish A Note From Mrs. Furnish

Health Office

Program Information Program Information

Transportation

Parent Drop Off and Pick Up

Frequently Asked Questions

Important/ Required Forms Important/ Required Forms

Required Form to be Completed by a Physician-- Updated

Early Childhood Parent Directory

Early Childhood Calendar Early Childhood Calendar

Important Links Important Links

About Us About Us

September 4, 2026

All Things EC

Office Information

Important Information & Events

Pyramid

A Note From Mrs. Furnish

Program Information

Important/ Required Forms

Early Childhood Calendar

Important Links

About Us