August 21, 2026

Welcome

Dear Meridian EC Families,

Welcome to the 2026–2027 school year! We hope your summer was filled with joyful moments, relaxation, and quality time with family and friends. As we prepare to open our doors on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, we are thrilled to welcome new families to our learning community and reconnect with familiar faces.

At Meridian Early Childhood, a strong partnership between home and school is key to every child’s success. Your active involvement enriches our classrooms and fosters a nurturing, curious environment where young learners can thrive. We encourage open communication, classroom participation, and ongoing collaboration. Please feel free to email your child's teacher or send the teacher a message on Bloomz anytime to set up a conversation or share insights about your learner.

First Week Essentials

Drop-off & Pickup Procedures:

Drop-off: Drop-off begins promptly at 8:45 AM and 12:35 PM. Please use the designated lanes, remain in your vehicle, and allow staff to assist your child out of the car for a safe, efficient transition.
Pickup: Dismissal begins at 11:15 AM and 3:05 PM. Please display your sign on your front windshield. If walking up, please meet staff at the designated entrance.

Healthy Snack Daily: Please pack a nut-free healthy snack each day (such as sliced fruit, vegetables, cheese, or whole-grain crackers) along with a labeled reusable water bottle. Individual classroom allergens to avoid will be shared at the Meet and Greet and Open House.

Helpful Tips for Home

Encourage Play: Play is a foundational building block for early childhood development. Provide opportunities for both free and structured play to spark creativity and problem-solving. When you join in, follow your child’s lead and let their imagination take the wheel!

Promote Independence: Encourage your child to practice self-help skills at home, such as dressing themselves, putting away toys, or helping at mealtimes. It might add a few extra minutes or get a little messy, but it builds vital confidence and autonomy.

Thank you for your enthusiasm and ongoing support. Together, let’s make the 26–27 school year a memorable season of discovery, growth, and joyful learning!

In partnership,

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

Bloomz

You should have received an invitation to Bloomz from the district. Bloomz is an easy-to-use app that keeps you connected to your child’s daily learning and classroom activities. It gives you a front-row seat to your child’s growth through real-time updates, fun photo highlights, and our class calendar. You can also send quick messages to teachers and easily sign up for school events or parent-teacher conferences right from your phone. We chose Bloomz to make staying in touch simple and welcoming, helping us work together to support your child every step of the way! If you have not received an invitation, please let the office know so we can look into it.

We are excited to meet you and your child at our Early Childhood Meet & Greet on Monday, August 24th. Please bring any school supplies with you to drop off at this time. See below for your child’s time slot for attending this event.

AM Students 9:30-10:25 AM

PM Students 10:35-11:30 AM

Open House

Our Early Childhood Open House will take place on Monday, August 24th from 5:00-6:00pm at the Meridian Early Learning Center. This is a parent-only event. Information shared during the open house includes an introduction to our staff and program information.

First Day of School

Our first full day of school is Tuesday, August 25th.

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

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: STEM Exploration

Our first family event of the year is our STEM Exploration Night on: Thursday, September 24th, from 5:30-6:30pm, and Friday, September 25th, from 10:00-11:00am. Come ready to explore and inquire during hands-on activities with your child.

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 of Brandywyn Ln. Parent pick up cards will be provided when families attend Meet & Greet and/or Open House. Please see our Pick Up & Drop Off procedures for more information.

School Supply List

Families should bring their school supplies to Meet & Greet on Monday, August 25th. Review our School Supply List to see which supplies need to be purchased for the beginning of the school year.

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

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 21, 2026

Welcome

Office Information

Health Office

Important Information & Events

Bloomz

Open House

First Day of School

Safety Drills

Family Event: STEM Exploration

A Note From Mrs. Furnish

Health Office

Program Information

Transportation

Parent Drop Off and Pick Up

School Supply List

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 21, 2026 August 21, 2026

Welcome Welcome

Office Information Office Information

Health Office

Important Information & Events Important Information & Events

Bloomz

Open House

First Day of School

Safety Drills

Family Event: STEM Exploration

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

Health Office

Program Information Program Information

Transportation

Parent Drop Off and Pick Up

School Supply List

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 21, 2026

Welcome

Office Information

Important Information & Events

A Note From Mrs. Furnish

Program Information

Important Forms To Be Completed

Early Childhood Calendar

Important Links

About Us