August 28, 2026

All Things EC The First Week

Dear Families,

What a wonderful start to the school year! Watching our littlest learners explore their new classrooms, build routines, and make new friends has been an absolute joy. The first week of early childhood can bring a mix of big excitement and big emotions for both children and parents alike, and we are so proud of how smoothly everyone has transitioned into our daily rhythm.

Thank you all for attending the Meet & Greet and Open House this week. We know there is a lot of information coming at you all at once. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child's teacher, me, or Mrs. Regan. We are all in this together. Below are the slides presented at the Open House.

Thank you for sharing your incredible children with us. We are looking forward to a fantastic year of learning, play, and growth ahead!

Warmly,

Julie Cummings

Associate Principal of Early Childhood

EC Open House Presentation

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.

Bloomz

Thank you for your continued patience as we navigated the technical difficulties with Bloomz this week.

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 required by state law.

Upcoming Safety Drills

Thursday, September 3: Our first safety drill of the year will be a bus evacuation drill.
Wednesday, September 9: We will conduct our first fire drill in the morning.

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.

Family Event

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

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 Forms To Be Completed

Student Pick Up Form

If your child is going to be picked up from school during the week, make sure to complete the Early Childhood Student Pick Up Form and return it to your child’s teacher no later than one week after your start date.

Student Pick Up Form

Required Form to be Completed by a Physician

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.

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

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

August 28, 2026

All Things EC The First Week

Office Information

Health Office

Important Information & Events

Reminders for Snack

Bloomz

First View Bus Tracking App

Safety Drills

Family Event

A Note From Mrs. Furnish

Health Office

Program Information

Transportation

Parent Drop Off and Pick Up

Frequently Asked Questions

Important Forms To Be Completed

Student Pick Up Form

Required Form to be Completed by a Physician

Early Childhood Parent Directory

Early Childhood Calendar

Important Links

About Us

August 28, 2026 August 28, 2026

All Things EC The First Week All Things EC The First Week

Office Information Office Information

Health Office

Important Information & Events Important Information & Events

Reminders for Snack

Bloomz

First View Bus Tracking App

Safety Drills

Family Event

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 Forms To Be Completed Important Forms To Be Completed

Student Pick Up Form

Required Form to be Completed by a Physician

Early Childhood Parent Directory

Early Childhood Calendar Early Childhood Calendar

Important Links Important Links

About Us About Us

August 28, 2026

All Things EC The First Week

Office Information

Important Information & Events

A Note From Mrs. Furnish

Program Information

Important Forms To Be Completed

Early Childhood Calendar

Important Links

About Us