August 22nd, 2025

Dear Middle School North Families,

As we move further into the school year, we have a few important updates to share. You’ll find information from the Village of Lake Zurich regarding e-scooters and e-bikes, details about upcoming MAP and Pre-ACT9 testing for our middle school students, and reminders to help ensure a smooth testing experience. We’ve also included updates such as student lanyard procedures, attendance reporting, and picture day details. Thank you for partnering with us to keep our students safe, prepared, and supported as they continue to learn and grow.

~Mrs. Crowley

Joyous Welcome Back

Students Collaboratively Solving Problems

First XC Meet @MSN

Important Dates

August 22nd-6th Grade Activity Night, 5:00-7:00 pm

August 25th-6th Grade Curriculum Night at 6:15

August 26th-7th/8th Grade Curriculum Night at 6:15

August 26th & 28th-NWEA MAP and PACT Testing

September 4th-Picture Day and Vision/Hearing Screening

September 5th-6/7/8th Grade Activity Night, 5:00-7:00 pm

Fall NWEA and PACT Testing

Next week all of our 6th and 7th grade students will be taking the MAP assessment. The reading test will take place on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, and the math test will take place on Thursday, August 28, 2025. Tests will begin right at 7:20 AM and conclude at 9:20 AM. Beginning at 9:20 AM we will follow a modified schedule for the remainder of the school day.

All of our 8th grade students will be taking the Pre-ACT9 assessment through the Progress Learning Platform. The English and reading sections will take place on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, and the math and science sections will take place on Thursday, August 28, 2025. Tests will begin right at 7:20 AM and conclude at 9:20 AM. Beginning at 9:20 AM we will follow a modified schedule for the remainder of the school day.

Please help us ensure that your student(s) are on time and come with a fully charged iPad. This will help ensure a successful testing environment.

For more information on both assessments, please reference emails sent by Mrs. Aubrey Allen, Director of Curriculum, Assessment, & Data on Thursday, August 14, 2025.

Attendance Information

If your student is going to be late or absent from school, we ask that you call the Attendance line or report it through ParentVUE. If we do not receive notification, we will reach out to verify and ask the reason for the absence/late arrival.

Attendance Line: (847) 719-3663

To Submit through ParentVUE:

Login to your ParentVUE account
Click on Attendance
Click on Report Absence

If your student will be leaving early for any reason, it is helpful for the front office to have advance notice as much as possible. We understand last-minute things happen and plans change but when you are able to give us notice we appreciate it. There are a couple different ways you can let us know:

Call the main office at (847) 719-3600
Send a note with your student to bring to the front office in the morning
Submit an absence through ParentVUE but specify in the notes section that you will be picking up early.

Student Lanyards

Now that we have settled into a new school year, we wanted to send an important reminder regarding one of our district safety measures. All students, staff, substitutes, and visitors are required to wear their school-issued lanyard and ID every day. For students especially, this means that their lanyard needs to be visible and worn around their necks from the moment they arrive at school or get on the school bus.

Additionally, student IDs are used to purchase lunch, and having their IDs ensures that the lunch line moves quickly and efficiently so all students have the most amount of time possible to eat.

If a student forgets their lanyard, they will receive a temporary sticker.
Students with a sticker will sit at a designated lunch table. This allows staff to easily confirm which students are without their lanyard that day, while also serving as a gentle reminder to bring lanyards daily.

Our goal with this system is to keep safety at the forefront while also encouraging students to take responsibility for remembering their lanyards each morning. We appreciate your partnership in helping your child build this habit—it makes a big difference in supporting a safe and secure school for everyone.

If your student loses their lanyard or ID, a free one will be provided. When the free lanyard/ID is issued, our administrative assistants will email home informing families of the issued lanyard and cost of the next replacement ID/lanyard.

Picture Day

Picture Day is scheduled for September 4, 2025. After photos are taken, you’ll be able to view your images online, choose your yearbook photo (be sure to make your selection before one is chosen for you), and order packages that will be shipped directly to your home.

When your images are ready, you’ll receive an email with instructions to view and order. You may also visit vipis.com to search for your photos. For any questions or assistance, please contact VIP at support@vipis.com.

Free and Reduced Lunch Waivers, and CUSD95 Fee Waiver Application Information

To Find more information about Free and Reduced Lunch Waivers and CUSD95 Fee Waivers, please visit our Business and Operations section of the LZ95 website: https://www.lz95.org/departments/business-operations.

There are two separate applications for 1)Free and Reduced Lunch Waivers and 2) CUSD 95 Fee Waivers. The School Board of Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 requires a separate application for a waiver of school fees (click here for board policy 4:130 on waiver of student fees) and free and reduced lunch.

Links to the forms, and information can be found under the section: Free & Reduced Lunch and Fee Waivers.

Regulatory Traffic Signage and Front Circle Etiquette

When entering campus, please follow these guidelines to ensure safety and smooth traffic flow:

Stop Signs
- Make a complete stop.
- Observe the right of way.
- Do not block intersections.
Bus Lane
- Buses leaving the bus lane have the right of way.
- Buses do not stop when exiting bus lane.
Front Circle Etiquette
- Pull all the way forward when using the front circle
- If you need to exit your vehicle to drop off an item or assist your student, please park in a designated visitor space.

Activities and Athletics at MSN

We encourage all students to get involved in one or more of the many clubs, activities, and athletics we offer at MSN. It is an awesome way to meet new friends and discover new interests. Late buses are available to provide needed transportation for afterschool activities. Be cool, stay after school, and get involved! To see the complete list of activities and sponsors, please click here!

Message from Dean, Mr. Aiello

Students are doing an amazing job following hallway, lunchroom, and classroom expectations. Our students are awesome and make it the best place learn.