Martin Memo
Nov 1, 2026
From the Principal
πΎ EXEMPLARY NEWS FOR MARTIN ELEMENTARY!πΎ
We are incredibly proud to announce that Martin Elementary has earned an EXEMPLARY designation on the Illinois School Report Card! ππ This recognition reflects the hard work, dedication, and commitment of our entire Martin community!
To our amazing students, thank you for showing up each day ready to learn, grow, and do your best. To our families, thank you for your continued partnership, encouragement, and support. And to our incredible Martin staff, your commitment to our students, families, school community, and one another is what makes Martin such a special place. The relationships you build, the care you show, and the dedication you bring each day truly make a difference.
This recognition belongs to ALL of us! Together, we have created a school community where students are supported, challenged, and celebrated.
We couldn't be prouder to be Martin Huskies! ππ
πΎ Good Things Happen at Martinβ¦ and EXEMPLARY Things Happen When We Work Together! π
πΎ What a Great Week at Martin! ππ
We had a busy and exciting week at Martin, filled with opportunities for our Huskies to learn, lead, and have fun!
π Student Ambassadors: We held our first Student Ambassador meeting! Our fifth graders had the opportunity to sign up for subcommittees focused on supporting our Martin school community and the community around us. We can't wait to see the great things they accomplish!
πΆ Band & Orchestra: Our fifth-grade musicians did an amazing job at their Fall Concert! We are so proud of their hard work and wonderful performances!
π£οΈ Student Advisory: We held our first Student Advisory meeting, where students met with our high school student representative to share their ideas and perspectives about Martin.
β€οΈ Red Ribbon Week: Our Huskies had fun learning about making healthy choices and the importance of staying drug-free!
π Fall Parties: We wrapped up the week with our Fall Parties! It was wonderful to see our students having fun, laughing, and enjoying time together. A special thank-you to all our parent volunteers who donated their time to make these celebrations so special!
π Looking Ahead at Martin
Erin's Law Presentations: Our school social worker, Mrs. Kelly, will begin Erin's Law presentations with students this week.
Wednesday, November 4: CMPTA Meeting at Chesak Elementary at 6:30 p.m.
Third Grade Owl Presentation: Our third graders will enjoy a special owl presentation from the McHenry County Conservation District!
Thursday, November 5: Martin School Store will be open during lunch and recess!
Thank you for another great week of learning, laughter, and community!
Good Things Happen at Martin! πππΎ
Celebrations π
ππΎ Exemplary Huskies πΎπ
Congratulations to our outstanding Huskies! ππ
We are excited to celebrate this week's Exemplary Husky winners! These students were recognized for going above and beyond our schoolwide expectations through kindness, responsibility, leadership, and respect. They are wonderful examples of how Good Things Happen at Martin and They Begin With Us!
Student Voices Matter at Martin! ππ
Our Student Advisory Team met with our high school student representative to share ideas and feedback on how to make Martin an even better place to learn and grow! We love hearing from our Huskies!
π» Orchestra Fall Performance
π»πΆ Bravo to our fifth-grade orchestra students! What a wonderful Fall Concert! Your hard work and practice certainly paid off. We are so proud of our talented Huskies! πππΎπ
π₯ Band Fall Performance
πΊπ₯ Our fifth-grade band students hit all the right notes at their Fall Concert! πΆ What a fantastic performance! We loved seeing our Huskies shine on stage! ππΎπ
Upcoming Events π
Oct 31-Erin's Law Opt Out Deadline
November 2nd through November 22nd-Scouting for Food drive
Nov 2-Dual Language Steering Committee at Martin at 5-6pm
Nov 2-MPAC Meeting at Martin at 6-7pm
Nov 4-CMPTA Monthly Meeting 6:30 β 7:30pm at Chesak
Nov. 5 - Third Grade Erin's Law Presentation
Nov. 5-Martin School Store
Nov 5-Curriculum Workshop-6:00 β 10:00pm at District Office
November 9 thru November 13- Scholastic Book Fair
Nov 12- Family Math and Literacy Night-5:30-7:00 -more information to come
Nov 23 & 24-Parent Teacher Conference
Nov 23-Nov 27-Non Attendance Day for Students
Nov 30-CMPTA Culver's Dine and Share
Announcements & Reminders π£
Help Huntley Cub Scout Pack 167 Support the Grafton Food Pantry!
Our local Cub Scout Pack 167 is kicking off its annual Scouting for Food drive, and we need your help to support families in our community.
From November 2nd through November 22nd, you can drop off non-perishable food or household essentials in the collection bin located near the school's front office.
Most-Needed Items:
- Paper Goods: Toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, and tissues
- Personal Care: Deodorant, shampoo, oral care, and feminine hygiene products
- Holiday Staples: Canned pumpkin, stuffing, gravy, and other holiday sides
- Gas Gift Cards: To help families with transportation costs
- Non-Perishable Food: All standard canned and boxed goods are always welcome!
Every single donation makes a meaningful difference. Thank you for your generosity and for helping us support the Grafton Food Pantry!
Get readyβthe Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school!
Dates: November 9 thru November 13, 2026
Hours: 9am to 2:30pm (11-9 to 11-12), 9am to 12pm (11-13)
Location: Hannah Martin Library
Family Event: βGood Things Happen to Smart Cookiesβ, Family Literacy and Math Night, Thursday, 11-12 from 5:30pm to 7pm
School homepage: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/hannahmartinelemschool
This is a great opportunity to build your childβs home library with new books that will get them excited about reading, while also earning funds for our school.
The easiest way to let your child shop the Fair independently is by creating a Book Fair eWallet through our school homepage. Itβs easy to set up and easy for family and friends to add funds.
With eWallet, youβll also have the chance to contribute to Share the Fairβ’βthe giving program that supports students at our school who need help buying books. Consider participating so that no child leaves the Fair empty-handed!
Preview the books coming to the Fair by taking a 360Β° virtual tour via our schoolβs Book Fair homepage and explore the titles, watch video book trailers, and more.
We canβt wait to see you at the Fair and help every student discover a book theyβll love!
Happy reading,
Michele Happold
Principal
Ready to roll? Here's the easy set-up instructions for creating an eWallet:
Go to our Book Fair homepage: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/hannahmartinelemschool]
Click on eWallet "GET STARTED" and then "CREATE eWALLET"
Sign in or create an account (if you do not already have one with Scholastic).
4. Be sure to share your ewallet link with friends and family - Anyone can contribute!!
Thank you for your support. We can't wait to get new books in the hands of our students!
AND NEW FEATURES FOR EWALLET!
PERSISTENT BALANCE: eWallet balances are now persistent, meaning they maintain a continuous balance for the student across multiple fairs rather than automatically transferring to an eGift balance.
FUND TRANSFERS: Users now have the flexibility to transfer funds between their studentsβ eWallets, transfer eWallet funds to an eGift balance, or contribute funds to our βShare the Fairβ (we are accepting donations to purchase books and other items for Toys-For-Tots!)
Erin's Law Opt-Out
District News πͺ§
Huntley 158 Celebrates Academic Success on Illinois Report Card; Community Invited to Curriculum Workshop
Huntley 158 is celebrating student achievement and academic growth following the release of the 2026 Illinois Report Card! This year, four schools earned the state's highest designation of Exemplary, and the district demonstrated continued gains in English language arts and mathematics proficiency. Read more about our district's achievements and highlights from the Illinois Report Card under News & Events on the Huntley 158 website.
As a follow-up to this announcement, Huntley 158 families, staff and community members are invited to attend a Curriculum Workshop on Thursday, November 5, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the District Office (650 Dr. John Burkey Dr., Algonquin). District administrators and school leaders will provide an overview of the IL Report Card data, celebrate areas of student success and growth, and discuss school improvement goals and strategies that support continued academic progress.
We hope you'll join us for this important conversation about student learning and success!
MPAC Meeting & Family Reading Night
Join us on Monday, November 2 at Martin Elementary for an evening of learning, connection, and family fun! From 6:00β6:30 p.m., our MPAC (Multilingual Parent Advisory Committee) meeting will focus on an overview and discussion of District data. Pizza will be served, and childcare will be provided during the meeting.
Following MPAC, stay for our MPAC-sponsored Family Reading Night from 6:30β7:30 p.m. Families will have an opportunity to enjoy reading activities, explore resources, and learn strategies to support literacy at home.
π Martin Elementary, 10920 Reed Road
We hope to see you there!
Free CPI Training for Parents & Caregivers
District 158 has partnered with the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) to offer free training for families on De-Escalating Challenging Behaviors.
Parenting a child with special needs can bring moments of big emotions, stress, and challenging behaviors. This training provides practical tools to recognize warning signs, de-escalate difficult situations, and respond safely and confidently.
Consider joining if you are navigating:
Challenging behaviors or behavioral escalations
Big emotions, stress, or frustration
Situations where you want to feel more calm and prepared
A need for strategies that promote safety, consistency, and understanding
Training Options
Three 2-hour sessions β Virtual + In-Person
Sessions 1 and 2 are required to attend Session 3.
Session 1: Friday, November 6 | 10:00 AMβ12:00 PM | Virtual
Session 2: Friday, November 13 | 10:00 AMβ12:00 PM | Virtual
Session 3: Friday, November 20 | 10:00 AMβ12:00 PM | In-Person
District Office, Washington Room
650 Dr. John Burkey Drive, Algonquin
OR
One-Day Training: Thursday, December 10 | 8:45 AMβ2:30 PM
PTA News πͺ
ππ Join the CMPTA! π
We're excited to kick off another amazing school year and continue supporting our wonderful Reed Road school community! π The CMPTA helps make so many fun events and memorable experiences possible for our students and staff.
Can't make the meeting? No worries! We'd still love for you to become part of our CMPTA community and enjoy all of the great events and opportunities CMPTA supports throughout the year. Every family is welcome, and every level of involvement makes a difference! β€οΈ
π¦πΎ Scoop Up Some Fun for a Great Cause! ππ
Join us for Scoopie Night at Culverβs on Monday, November 30, from 4β8 PM at the Huntley location on Route 47!
Enjoy a delicious meal or sweet treat while supporting our schools! ππ¨ Up to 20% of net sales will benefit the CMPTA!
We hope to see our Martin families there! πππΎ
Parent Resources
Satchel One: A Parentβs Guide | Supporting Your Childβs Learning Journey
The Satchel Pulse Parent Guides are a great resource to help families understand and support their child's social-emotional growth!
These helpful guides focus on five important areas:
π Self-Awareness β Recognizing emotions, strengths, and feelings.
π Self-Management β Managing emotions, behaviors, and setting goals.
π€ Social Awareness β Showing empathy, kindness, and respect for others.
π Relationship Skills β Building friendships, communicating, and working with others.
πΎ Responsible Decision-Making β Making positive choices and solving problems.
We encourage families to explore these resources, talk with their children about these important skills, and practice them together at home!
Together, we can help every Husky grow and succeed! πππΎ
πβ¨ What Should My Child Know and Be Able to Do at Their Grade
Ever wonder what your child is learning in school and how you can support them at home? Our Grade-Level Family Guides are a great resource! These guides highlight the important academic and social skills students are developing at each grade level, along with helpful ways families can support their child's growth.
Together, we can build strong connections between home and school and help every child shine! πππΎ
Good Things Happen at Martin!
Breakfast & Lunch Menus
NEW: Explore School Meals with My School Menus
New, interactive school breakfast and lunch menus are now posted online! Visit the My School Meals website or download the mobile app to view interactive menus and nutritional information in the language of your choice. Read this article below for more information about My School Meals, MySchoolBucks, and more!
Breakfast Menu
Click on the image to enlarge the menu.
Lunch Menu
Click on the image to enlarge the menu.
Meal Prices
Lunch-$3.70
Milk Only-$0.50