Dear MMS Families,

This week, all students participated in a fun team-building activity during Advisory. It was great to see collaboration and problem-solving in action — check out the picture to the right of some of our 8th graders demonstrating strong leadership as they helped their teams solve a challenging brain teaser.

In other news, our volleyball season is off to a great start, and we are gearing up for IAR testing in just a couple of weeks.

8th grade parents — we have created a One-Stop Shop with all important end-of-year information, including details about the banquet, field trip, graduation, and more. Please CLICK HERE to stay in the loop!

And finally, a reminder that Fun Fair is next Friday, March 6th. We hope you’ll join us for a fun evening with your family while supporting our amazing PTO!

Have a great long weekend!

-Mr. Olson

Principal, Medinah Middle School

Schools across Illinois are participating in the annual 5Essentials Survey of Learning Conditions: Organizing Schools for Improvement this past academic year. This survey generates valuable data that districts can use to guide their ongoing efforts to improve schools and to offer students an excellent education. The survey is another improvement tool that allows districts and the state to share data as a means to inform parents and community members about the school’s learning environment. Please click the link below to take the survey.

Link to survey: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/

We’re excited to announce the launch of FirstView, a new app that allows families to track their child’s school bus in real time.

With FirstView, parents and guardians can see bus arrival estimates and receive delay notifications right on their smartphone. We encourage all bus-riding families to download the app and follow the setup instructions below to get started.

To get started use:

First View Student: Parent Registration Guide-Click Here

Then enter the following information when prompted:

District Code: U2G2J

Student’s Last Name
Student’s School ID (if you do not know your student's ID, please email your child’s school office- lmondo@medinah11.org

pdf

insert_drive_file

NEW-First-View-Student-Tracking-Parent-Registration-Guide.pdf

Medinah School District #11 First View Parent Letter.pdf

Download

180.0 KB

Apple App Store Click Here to Download FirstView

Google Play App Click Here to Download FirstView

The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) for grades 6-8, which will take place on March 23rd, 24th and 25th. This assessment provides valuable insight into students' progress in math and English Language Arts, helping us identify strengths and areas for growth.

To help students feel confident and prepared, here are a few key reminders:

Practice makes progress – Students can explore sample questions and online tools at IAR Practice Tests.
Stay balanced – Getting enough sleep, eating well, and managing stress can make a big difference in performance.
Give it your best effort – Encourage your child to take their time, stay focused, and approach the test with a positive mindset.

Volleyball Schedule

Friday, February 27th

No School Institute Day

Monday, March 2nd

No School - Casimir Pulaski Day

Tuesday, March 3rd

Volleyball Game (Boys and Girls @ Home v. Springwood)

Thursday, March 5th

Volleyball Game (Boys @ Westfield, Girls @ Home)

Friday, March 6th

PTO Fun Fair at MMS 5:30-8pm

Monday, March 9th

Volleyball Game (Boys @ Roselle, Girls @ Home)

Tuesday, March 10th

Volleyball Game (Boys and Girls @ Home v. Wood Dale)

Thursday, March 12th

Early Dismissal - 2pm

Tuesday, March 17th

Volleyball Game (Boys and Girls @ Springwood)

Thursday, March 19th

Volleyball Game (Boys @ Home, Girls @ Westfield)

Lake Park High School Incoming Freshman/Class of 2030 Information

Plan Your Path Info January 14th

Lancer Activities and Athletics Info - English

Lancer Activities and Athletics Info - Spanish

We’re excited to offer extra academic support for our Wildcats! Students are welcome to drop in for Homework Help sessions—no sign-up required. Students coming for homework help can drop in the office to be directed to the right room.

🧮 Tuesday & Thursday Mornings (8:00–8:30 a.m.) – Math-focused help

📘 Wednesday Mornings (8:00–8:30 a.m.) – Support for any subject

📝 Tuesday & Thursday Afternoons (3:30–4:15 p.m.) – Support for any subject

Digital Media Club

Thursdays and Fridays - 8am

Board Game Club

Wednesdays 3:30-4:30pm

Art club

Fridays 3:30-4:30pm

Click here to find out

Grilled cheese = FACS success!

Medinah Middle School

https://medinah11.org

START TIME- 8:40am, Students enter the building at 8:35am

LUNCH TIMES: 6th Grade(12:08-12:38pm), 7th Grade (11:25-11:55am), 8th Grade(12:51-1:21pm)

END TIME- 3:30pm

At MMS, students are expected to keep their cell phones powered off and put away for the entire school day. We’ve recently noticed an increase in cell phone use in places like locker rooms and bathrooms, and we’d appreciate your help in reminding your child that phones should remain off and away during school hours.

If a student has their phone out during the day, it will be taken to the office. Typically, students may pick up their phone at the end of the day the first time this occurs. For repeated issues, a parent or guardian will need to pick up the phone. Thank you for your support!

Alma makes it easy for students and parents to stay connected and monitor academic progress. You can now log in to Alma to view grades by visiting mms11.getalma.com on a Chromebook and clicking “Login with Google.”

For password resets or additional support, please contact Alma Customer Service. You can also refer to Alma’s helpful “Study Guide” for more information.

Please Note: Alma does not currently offer a mobile app.

6th/7th/8th Grade Early Dismissal and Half Day Bell Schedules

Medinah Middle School offers a wide variety of clubs and extracurricular sports to engage students beyond the classroom. Opportunities include Cross Country, Basketball, Volleyball, Track, and a range of clubs such as Media Club, Yearbook, Craft and Art Club, Student Ambassador, as well as musical groups like Concert Band and Jazz Band.

Students must be in school at least a half day to participate in any after school or extracurricular sports.

2025_2026 Medinah Student-Parent Handbook

Concussion info sheet

MMS Extra Curricular Participation Agreement

Sports Physical Form

Sports - Pre-Participation Examination Form

Sport and Extra Curricular Fees

Band - $75

Cross Country - $50

Basketball - $75

Volleyball - $75

Cheerleading - $75

Track - $50

Home Game Spectator Rules

Health Office Contacts:

District Nurse, Renee Wesley–rewesley@medinah11.org
Health Office Assistant, Ewelina Korzeniewski–ewkorzeniewski@medinah11.org

Required Health Forms:

6th Grade & ALL NEW STUDENTS: Physical, Dental, & Vision
If your child will be participating in Cross Country, Basketball, Volleyball, Cheerleading or Track they will need a current physical on file before trying out for the team.

Absences related to illness:

If a student is absent for 3 or more consecutive days due to a illness or health issue, a doctor’s note WILL BE required per district policy

We want to make families aware of a great resource available to our students — the MMS Online Catalog from our Library Media Technology Center. This catalog allows students and parents to browse available books and resources online and explore what’s available in our school library. We encourage you to check it out using the link below and use it as a tool to support reading and learning at home.

Click here for Online Library

Helping families thrive in present times.

World-renowned authors and clinicians present relevant, research-based information to support positive youth development. Our free programs empower and strengthen families, individuals and communities by sharing practical strategies to help humans of every age thrive. GPS is *free,* open to all, and CEUs are available to school staff. Go to gpsparentseries.org for more information or click here to view the flyers.