Mechanics Grove School
Weekly Wolf Update
October 16th, 2026
Want to help with the Spooky Boogie Bash?
Join us for our DĂa de los Muertos Celebration
Save the Date! Join us on November 2, 6 - 7:30pm for our annual DĂa de los Muertos celebration hosted by Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee!
Enjoy fun family activities, pan de muerto, y chocolate , and so much more!
Families are welcome to bring a photo of a loved one who has passed to add to our community ofrenda as we honor and remember those who remain in our hearts.
Don’t miss our raffle featuring Mundelein Park District passes, a Julio’s Tacos gift card, and more exciting prizes!
We look forward to coming together to celebrate our roots, culture, and our beautiful multilingual and multicultural community.
We can’t wait to celebrate with you!
Halloween/Fall Celebration at MG
Halloween/Fall will be celebrated at MG on Friday, October 30th. If a student wishes to dress up in a costume they must BRING the costume to school. Students are not allowed to wear the costume to school in the morning. All students must be able to put on and take off their costume independently.
Masks are allowed. Anything weapon-like is not allowed.
There are not classroom parties on this day. If parents would like to view the parade, it will begin at 2:00pm and run along the front bus lane as well as across the blacktop by the playground. There is no need to enter the building. We will come outside for the parade and pass by everyone.
Please Note: If your family does not celebrate Halloween, please email your child's teacher to inform him/her. Your child will be supervised by a staff member during the parade and will then join the class immediately following the parade back in their classroom.
Sign up for your Student-Led Conference
Student-Led Conferences are November 19th and 23rd!
Student-Led Conferences
Mechanics Grove School is proud to announce that we are conducting Student-Led Conferences for our Fall conference times. As a Leader in Me LEGACY school, students are celebrated as leaders regularly. Student-Led Conferences are a way for students to practice their leadership skills, the 7 habits, and Leading the PACK. Please see below about details that outline the conference in detail.
Definition of Student-Led Conferences
A Student-Led Conference is a conference with parents led by the student. Students lead parents through a discussion of their work and established academic and social goals. The process includes the teacher facilitating several conferences at the same time. The student directs the conversation focused on their work and classroom behavior.
Philosophy and Purpose of Student-Led Conferences
The process of communicating the progress of students to parents must involve students in a meaningful way. For a discussion of student work to be relevant, accurate and complete, students need to be meaningfully engaged in the process. Having students lead a conference with parents is a way to maximize their involvement. The involvement of students in the conferencing process promotes three elements essential to improving student performance in school:
· Relevance; why we are teaching what we are teaching to students
· Responsibility; making the student more responsible for learning
· Reporting to parents how students are progressing in learning
Roles and Responsibilities of Student-Led Conferences
Successful Student-Led Conferences require changes in the roles that teacher, student and parent have played in traditional parent conferencing.
Teacher Role: To organize the conference environment and to guarantee success. This includes guiding portfolio collection and training students and setting up the conference spaces. The teacher becomes a guide and observer of the conferencing process.
Student Role: Through all stages of the student-led conference process (preparation, implementation and evaluation) the student becomes the key participant. The student becomes responsible for working with the teacher to identify strengths, identifying learning needs and collecting evidence to validate learning. The student practices self-reflection.
Parent Role: Parents become partners in learning when students lead a conference. The opportunity for parents to have one-to-one time with their child focused on learning and achievement is important to the conferencing process. The parents' role is to listen.
Please note that a Student-Led Conference is NOT a time to discuss new concerns that the teacher or parent has regarding the student. These concerns should be discussed prior to the conference via phone or email. The best thing that a parent/teacher can do is respect the need for the student to lead the conference time.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
A Note from our Multilingual Teacher
Happy Fall! Our extra long Summer gave our English Language Learners an amazing opportunity to use their home language for 99 days. We are now back to working on their academic English! I have heard some wonderful vocabulary already this year, and I am excited to use all of the students’ summer experiences to work on their writing and speaking skills.
Easy Ways to Help at Home
Talk in Any Language: Ask your child to tell you about their day. Speaking, reading, and writing in your home language helps them build strong English skills!
Read 20 Minutes: Have your child read out loud to you every night. They can read books, comic books, or online articles.
Math in the Kitchen: Cook together! Have your child help you measure ingredients to practice math and fractions.
Interactive Reading: Read a comic book or graphic novel together. Take turns reading the speech bubbles or ask them to predict what will happen in the next panel.
Graphic Organizers: After reading a short story, have them draw a simple timeline or a "story map" showing the beginning, middle, and end.
Family Message Board: Hang a small whiteboard or notepad on the fridge. Write short notes to them (e.g., "Have a great day! What do you want for dinner?") and encourage them to write back.
A Note from our Project Challenge (Enrichment) Teacher
Students in Project Challenge have been learning new games to reinforce basic number sense and review math facts (multiplication/addition). The games rely on strategy and critical thinking (much like chess). The good news is that all that is needed is a deck of playing cards. Here’s a link to Close to 1,000, Three Card Multiplication Top It, and Addition Top It (addition facts review) that can be played at home. It is extremely important that all students know the multiplication/division facts through 10 (3rd grade) and through 12 (4th grade). By 5th grade, all students should be fluent in multiplication and division. Another way to reinforce math skills at home is to check out Julia Robinson mathematics festival. Puzzles are available digitally and in Spanish. The links below offer additional math support for families. I often use youcubed.org for all grade levels. Thank you for supporting your child at home!
Toys/Fidgets at School
We are asking families to please help us by keeping toys and other personal items at home, including stuffed animals, fidgets, NeeDohs, squishy toys, and similar items. While we know these are fun and comforting for our young learners, they have increasingly become a source of distraction and conflict during the school day.
Please help us by checking backpacks and reminding your child that toys should stay at home unless specifically requested or approved by their teacher. We appreciate your partnership in helping us keep our classrooms, bus lines, and buses safe and focused on learning!
Surevey about our Food Service
We are committed to providing students with a positive and enjoyable dining experience. As part of our ongoing effort to support the needs of our school community, we are partnering with Whitsons Culinary Group to gather feedback on our foodservice program. We invite students, families, faculty, and staff to participate in a brief survey and share their experiences and perspectives. Your feedback will help us better understand what is working well and identify opportunities to further enhance our meal program.
Take the Survey: https://xmp.insight-surveys.com/s/fall-2026
Your input will help us:
• Assess satisfaction with our current foodservice program
• Enhance the meal experience for students, families, and staff
• Enhance the overall dining experience throughout our schools
The survey will be available from October 26 through November 6 and should take only a few minutes to complete. Responses will be collected by Whitsons and shared with our school administration as we work together to continuously improve the program. We encourage everyone who participates in our school meal program to take part. Your feedback is important and greatly appreciated. Thank you for helping us create the best possible dining experience for our school community.
Every Day Counts: Building Our Dream Team Together!
Attendance Matters
At MG we consider our students to be the heart of a championship team. Just like any great team, every single player matters. When one teammate is missing, the whole group feels it. As our students navigate these crucial upper-elementary years, building a foundation of consistent school attendance is the single most powerful strategy we have to unlock their potential.
Third through fifth grade is a period of massive academic and social development. This is where reading to learn takes center stage, math concepts become more abstract, and deep peer friendships solidify. When students miss a day, they do not just miss assignments; they miss the collaborative discussions, hands-on science experiments, and social connections that make learning stick.
The data strongly supports what we see in the classrooms every day. In a peer-reviewed study published by Bahar and Auletto (2025) in the Northwestern Collaborative for Applied Research in Education, researchers analyzed data from over 66,000 elementary students. The study conclusively found that attendance rates are a strong and consistent predictor of academic growth in both math and reading. Simply put: showing up is the catalyst for growth.
We know that life happens—illnesses occur, and family emergencies arise. However, our goal as an attendance team is to partner with you to make every regular school day count. Let's look at attendance not as a chore, but as a shared daily celebration of learning. Thank you for being our most valuable partners. Together, we are coaching this amazing student body toward a bright, successful future!
PTO Updates
PTO Meeting
D75 PTO Discount Cards – $20
Save while supporting D75! Our 2026–2027 Discount Card features 26 local businesses and is valid through September 1, 2027.
Purchase Your Discount Card(s) Here!
Learn more about the Discount Card
Box Tops for Education
October is a great month to earn Box Tops for D75! National Box Tops Week is October 12–18, and families can also participate in the October Monthly Challenge for opportunities to earn extra Box Tops.
If you haven't already, download the Box Tops app, search for District 75 PTO Mundelein, and use code PNKN0SEQ.
October Box Tops English Flyer
October Box Tops Spanish Flyer
Want to Get Involved with D75 PTO?
The D75 PTO is always looking for families who would like to help with events, fundraisers, committees, and more! Complete our short Volunteer Interest Form and let us know how you'd like to get involved.
D75 PTO-Sponsored Events
Our 2026–2027 PTO-sponsored events are now listed on our website. Mark your calendars and join us throughout the year!
Upcoming Dates/Events
10/16- PTO Spooky Boogie Bash (6:00-8:00pm at MG)
10/20- School Board of Education Meeting (6:00pm at District Office)
10/22 and 12/23- 5th Grade Camp Duncan Trip- NO BAND LESSONS/REHEARSAL
10/27- Picture Retake Day, Tuesday After School Clubs Begin
10/29- Thursday After School Clubs Begin
10/30- Halloween Parade at MG (2:00pm), students BRING costumes to school
11/5- McTeacher Night at McDonalds on Lake Street (4:00-7:00pm)
Helpful Links and Information
Do you want more information about your student?
Text the word YES to 79041 to receive text message notifications from their school. Click here for more information.
RevTrack: this document has details. For help with payment and balances, please contact Patty DeLozier, pdelozier@d75.org or 847-949-2700 ext. 2014.
PowerSchool: directions for parent accounts is HERE If you have any questions, contact Diana Solis via email dsolis@d75.org.
Teacher contact info: our staff list is on our WEBSITE.
Leave us a Note in our Digital Suggestion Box
Mechanics Grove Website
Check out our school website!
Community Events
Learn more about what's happening in our community!
Social Media
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