Meadowbrook Star News 10/10/25

Hello Meadowbrook Families!

Thanks to everyone who joined in-person and via Zoom for our monthly PTO meeting. We have some exciting events coming up and, as always, we appreciate parent support to organize fun activities for our community.

We're looking forward to parent-teacher conferences next week and hope that you've all had the opportunity to sign up for a time to meet with your child's teacher. We look forward to sharing information about your child's growth so far this year and looking for ways to partner together as we continue in this first trimester.

We had a heartwarming afternoon yesterday when we had the chance to welcome back Brixen H., a Meadowbrook 3rd grader who suffered a brain injury this summer. Brixen and her parents returned to Northbrook earlier this week and she was able to do a victory lap around the front of the school to lots of high fives, cheers and smiles from our students and teachers. We're lucky to have such an amazing community!

Go Cubs!

Ginny

We'll be putting out the lost and found for parents to look through during conferences--it has already piled up this year! However, we did find a Highland Park High School class ring from 1975 and we're holding it at the front desk. If it's yours, please let us know. We'd like to find the owner!

We're excited to share an opportunity for Meadowbrook students to learn more about one another's cultures leading up to our Culture Fest event on November 19th. Our PTO has organized presenters to share information about their cultures with students during an after-school club. The club will be held in two sessions: Session I: 10/22 &10/29; Session 2: 11/5 & 11/12. Both sessions will take place from 3:30-4:30 at Meadowbrook and are open to all grade levels. Each session will accept the first 20 students who sign up. If fewer than 20 students sign up for a session by 10/16, students signed up for one session may also attend the other session. If you're interested in having your child attend, please sign up here.

It's time to start planning for Halloween! Meadowbrook is excited to celebrate with our students on Halloween, October 31st. Students in 1st-5th will change into their costumes after lunch to prepare for our PTO-sponsored classroom parties from 2:15 to 3:00 for kindergarten and 2:30-3:00 for 1st through 5th grades. The parties will be immediately followed by the Halloween parade. Kindergarteners are invited to wear their costumes to school for the whole day.

Parade Details:

Due to construction, we will parade around the red/west playground area this year. We invite parents/guests to assemble on the playground beginning at 2:45, leaving a path for students to walk on either side of the blacktop. The parade will begin at 3:00 and we will follow a path on the west side of the blacktop toward the Marcee Lane path and then loop back through the grass to the east side of the blacktop and back into the building.

**Parents CANNOT pick up students directly from the parade. We need all students to dismiss according to our procedures to ensure student safety. Parents are welcome to wait on the blacktops following the parade to meet students at 3:30. Please alert your child's teacher if your child will be dismissed a different way than normal (e.g., you pick up instead of the child riding the bus) on 10/31.**

Costume Reminders:

• Students should bring their costumes to school to be ready to change into them after lunch. Students should be able to change on their own. Unfortunately we are unable to help with hair or makeup.
• We do not allow replicas of weapons with costumes.
• Please avoid overly scary costumes, costumes referencing alcohol or tobacco, or costumes with full face masks.
• Students should also be able to move comfortably in their costumes and take them on/off if needed to use the bathroom, etc.

Please note, if you prefer that your child does not participate in the Halloween parade or classroom party, Mrs. Karabatsos and Ms. Collins are hosting an alternative option. Students are invited to Room 218 where they can enjoy fall themed activities instead. Please let your child's teacher know if you'd like them to participate in this alternative option.

Construction crews are continuing to build the CMU walls (Concrete Masonry Unit) for our new gymnasium! They are about halfway up. The goal is to get the gym enclosed before winter arrives. Click the link above to watch the latest time-lapse video!

Projected Construction Timeline

• March 2026: Meadowbrook gymnasium completed & construction of the new Meadowbrook School begins
• August 2027: New Meadowbrook School completed
  

Are you seeking a nurturing and engaging early childhood program (ages 2-5) for your little one? Come enjoy a cup of coffee and donuts while you meet the caring staff from District 28's Young Explorers Program! See how the program inspires young minds through fun and education at a FREE community play date on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at Westmoor School, which houses the program.

• Tour classrooms and program spaces with the program's dually-certified teachers (Early Childhood and Special Education)
  
  
• Learn how the program embeds lessons from the team’s specialists (Speech Language Pathologist, School Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, Social Worker)
  
  
• Experience how the program teaches the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards through play!

The District 28 Music Parents Club's annual Wreath & Coffee Sale is back! The Music Parents Club is dedicated to supporting the D28 Music Program. Proceeds from the 68th Annual Wreath & Coffee Fundraiser will be used to purchase and maintain uniforms, commission music pieces for the Directors to teach students, provide for field trips, meals, and treats following concerts, among many other purposes. New this year, the Music Parents Club is offering a delightful selection of high-quality wrapping paper in holiday and everyday designs. The sale runs through November 2. Click here for more information.

The Hunger Resource Network (HRN), Grill House and Cabo Mexican Cocina are teaming up with local high school students to host HRN’s first fall Students Helping Students campaign. This event helps provide personal care items to local families in need. It will be held on Sunday, October 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Grill House/Cabo Mexican Cocina at 3147 Dundee Road in Northbrook. Click here to view a flyer with more information. Click here to view a video message from GBN students.

The first 100 people to either bring a completed bag or donate $35 will receive $50 worth of gift cards, $25 for Grill House, and $25 for Cabo Mexican Cocina.

Stay connected with us on Facebook - MeadowbrookPTODistrict28

And on Instagram - d28.meadowbrookpto

Subscribe to the Meadowbrook calendar at this link!

October 15: Parent-teacher conferences 4:30-7:30

October 16: Half Day- Noon Dismissal Parent-teacher conferences 1:00-8:00

October 17: NO SCHOOL

October 23: PTO Pizza Day

October 24: Picture Retakes

October 24: Husky Pack meeting

October 28: Beginning Band Demo Night @ NBJH @ 7pm

October 29: String, Philharmonic & Chamber Orchestra Concert @ NBJH @ 7pm

October 31: Halloween! Parties @ 2:15 (K), 2:30 (1-5); Parade @ 3pm

November 6: PTO Pizza Day

November 10: NB28 Children's Choir Concert @ 7pm @ Greenbriar (Gleo and Something More)

November 11: NB28 Children's Choir Concert @ 6pm @ Greenbriar (Singers)

November 11: NB28 Children's Choir Concert @ 7pm @ Greenbriar (Laetus)

November 12: PTO meeting @ 9:30 (and via Zoom)

November 13: D28 Faculty Recital @ 7pm @ NBJH

November 14: Last day of trimester 1

November 14: Spirit Day: Crazy Sock Day!

District 28 invites local non-profit organizations and community government agencies to promote events for families and children. You can view the complete list of events on the district's Virtual Backpack web page. To submit an event, please email a PDF flier to Samantha Scheinman, Director of Communications & Community Relations, at sscheinman@northbrook28.net. All fliers are subject to approval.