Meadowbrook Star News 10/16/25

Hello Meadowbrook Families!

Thanks to everyone who attended conferences last night and to the PTO for organizing a delicious dinner from Basu for our staff. I know teachers appreciate not having to worry about dinner during these busy conference evenings! For those of you coming to conferences today, please take time to look through our *very* full lost and found. We'd love to reunite some of these sweatshirts and jackets with their owners!

As a reminder, today is a half day of student attendance with dismissal at noon. Please contact your child's teacher with any changes to dismissal routines. As well, today's the last day to sign up your child for Culture Club. We have a few spots left in each session. Click here for more details and to sign up. Enjoy the long weekend!

Warmly,

Ginny

Husky Houses are houses around Meadowbrook where a trusted adult is available in the mornings before school (8-8:30) and in the afternoons (3:30-4:00) as children may be making their way to and from school on their own. The responsibility of the Husky House adult would be to assist in the event of an emergency and to help the child connect with their parents or the school. Houses will have signs placed in the front windows to let students know that it is a safe house at which they can ask for help. This is a variation of the "block parent" program that has been in use for years across many school districts.

What the Meadowbrook Husky House Adult Should Do:

1. For a lost child, call 9-1-1.

2. Please attend to a slightly injured child (e.g., band-aid). Contact the child’s parent (if you have info or the child can share) or contact the school to let us know.

3. For a seriously injured child, call 9-1-1 then the parent or school.

4. For a child who has been frightened by a stranger, call 9-1-1 then the parent or school.

What the Meadowbrook Husky House Adult Should Not Do:

1. Do not provide food or beverage because of possible food allergies or dietary restrictions.

2. Do not provide toilet facilities.

3. Do not provide transportation.

If you're interested in serving as a "Husky House" please click here to sign up. Signs will be sent home with students and should be placed in a front window visible from the street.

Picture retakes have been scheduled for Friday October 24th from 9:00-11:00. Picture packets or proofs will be coming home today! Students should bring their original packet in with them on Friday in order to retake, and students taking pictures for the first time do not need to bring anything. Please inform your child's teacher and the office if they will be retaking their picture. Questions, please contact Annie Danstrom at adanstrom@northbrook28.net

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! The goal is to get the gym enclosed before winter arrives. Click the link above to watch the full time-lapse video of construction!

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 Meadowbrook PTO is excited to welcome back one of our favorite traditions — Culture Fest! Mark your calendars for an evening of community, culture, and celebration on November 19th from 5:30p-7:30p. More information is coming soon on how you can participate or showcase your heritage with a booth!

Read our October monthly newsletter HERE.

Stay connected with us on Facebook - MeadowbrookPTODistrict28

And on Instagram - d28.meadowbrookpto

Subscribe to the Meadowbrook calendar at this link!

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!

November 18: Junior Band & Concert Band Concert @ 7pm @ NBJH

November 19: Culture Fest @ 5:30-7:30

November 20: PTO Pizza Day

November 21: Husky Pack meeting!

November 21: NB28CC Something More at Illuminate Northbrook @ Village Green

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.