CSMS Newsletter

Click on the Tiger above for the Weekly Announcements

It’s a great day to be a Carl Sandburg Middle School family member! We had a fast and productive week at CSMS! As we move through the trimester, deadlines and important academic dates are approaching quickly. We encourage families to check in with students about assignments, upcoming assessments, and overall progress.

We are also excited to celebrate some wonderful student activities. First we had School Resource Officer Appreciation Day this week as well as Millie, the Police Therapy dog's birthday. Good luck to our boys volleyball teams as they compete in the playoffs this week — we are proud of their hard work and teamwork. And break a leg to our talented musical students as Moana opens next Friday! We cannot wait to see their dedication and talent shine on stage.

Thank you for your continued partnership and for supporting our students in living the Tiger Code each day.

Dr. Andrew Vondran

Thank you to the families who have already completed the 5Essentials Survey. Your feedback is incredibly valuable and helps guide our school improvement efforts. If you have not yet had a chance to complete it, the survey takes approximately five minutes, and your input truly makes a difference. It would mean a great deal to me personally if you could take a few moments to share your voice.

Black History Month is observed in February primarily because it coincides with the birthdays of two men who were instrumental in the fight for freedom and equality for Black Americans: Abraham Lincoln (born February 12) and Frederick Douglass (celebrated on February 14).

Erin Jackson (Olympic Speed Skater)

Erin Jackson became the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at the Winter Olympics, winning the 500-meter speed skating event at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. A former inline skater, she made history again in 2026 by becoming the first Black woman to carry the U.S. flag at the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony.

This is a friendly reminder to please follow our established pick-up procedures when collecting your student after school. Recently, we have noticed an increase in students walking across the parking lot and crossing California Avenue, which can be unsafe due to the heavy traffic at dismissal time.

To help ensure the safety of all students, we ask that you enter the parking lot and use one of the two designated pick-up lanes to collect your child. After picking up your student, please proceed through the center lane to exit the parking lot. Following this process allows traffic to move efficiently and, most importantly, keeps our students safe.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Dr. Vondran, Mr. Bryant, or Officer Dunn.

Thank you for your cooperation and continued partnership in keeping our students safe.

Earlier this year, we had a great presentation from Terrance Talley. I am pleased to announce that he is going to do a follow up presentation. This follow-up program, “I Got Your Back,” takes students even deeper into connection, compassion, and community. Through powerful real-life stories, interactive moments, and meaningful reflection, Terrence reinforces the message that no one has to face life’s challenges alone — and that real strength comes from standing together.

With a continued focus on mental health, social-emotional learning, and self-worth, this program empowers students to move from awareness to action. They will learn practical ways to support one another, recognize when a peer may be struggling, speak up, and confidently say, “I got your back.” Our goal is to continue building a culture of kindness, accountability, and belonging right here at CSMS.

More information to follow soon!

We have some exciting news related to our fine arts department at Carl Sandburg! Currently being piloted for the first time at is the National Junior Art Honor Society, CSMS Chapter.

Under the umbrella of the National Art Education Association, membership in this organization recognizes artistic exceptionality, creates connectivity between peer artists and provides leadership opportunities as Visual Arts ambassadors in our school and the D75 community. These students are exemplars of art excellence and will promote art education on a high level.

Students in the current group are in 7th or 8th grade, have maintained a B average Art Class grade, have 1.5 or more years as regular attending art club member, and have been recommended by the CSMS art teacher with social work input.

We look forward to sharing more with you as our NJAHS students progress in this school year!

Incoming freshmen have several summer school options at MHS. Students may take Personal Finance during the summer to fulfill the consumer education graduation requirement. This option can free up a class period during the school year for a study hall or an additional elective.

All freshmen are required to complete one full year of P.E., which includes one semester of Health and one semester of P.E. Incoming freshmen may enroll in the online summer Health course. Students who complete Health during summer school must still complete a full year of P.E. during the school year. Some students, particularly athletes, prefer this option so they can enroll in Freshman Strength or another P.E. course for the full year. Students in band or choir who are eligible for a P.E. waiver may take Health in the summer to open an additional class period for an elective or study hall during the school year.

All summer school information can be found on our website: MHS Summer School

Summer School Schedule:

• Session 1: June 8 – July 2, 2026

• Session 2: July 6 – July 30, 2026

• Days/Times: Monday–Thursday, 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Resources:

Summer School Calendar

Summer school course guide

Guía del curso de la escuela de verano.

Please join the D75 STEAM Foundation on Thursday March 5th at 5:30pm in the MPR at CSMS for our 7th annual Pizza Throwdown! We will have plenty of local pizza establishments donating their delicious pizzas as we once again raise funds for the D75 STEAM Foundation. Tickets are available now by either going to the website listed or scanning our QR code on the flyer below. We can't wait to see everyone on the 5th!

Please click here for updates on the project.

Thank you for all the support.

Box Tops (flyer attached)

Thank you to all of our families who have joined our Box Tops Team! If you haven't downloaded the Box Tops For Education App yet, you can still do it! Simply go to your app store and download the Box Tops for Education App and enter code PNKN0SEQ (District 75 PTO Mundelein), scan a receipt with a Box Top eligible item, and you'll start earning for our schools! There are monthly bonus opportunities too, so watch the Box Tops (and $$) add up for our schools! We are well on our way to hitting our goal of raising $1,000 this year!

PTO Meeting

Our March PTO Meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 11th at 7pm at Carl Sandburg in MPR and all D75 Families and Staff are invited.

Here is our library newsletter. Also, please check out our LMC Padlet and see what #D75 reads

Please see the flyer for information about the 8th Grade Springfield Field Trip. Please contact Mr. Sather (nsather@d75.org )with any questions.

There are many activities for your student to enjoy at CSMS. Here is a breakdown of some of the clubs we offer here. We also run an activity bus that leaves school at 4:30. We want our students to be involved here at CSMS. Please keep checking here for updates on clubs.

Gaming and Chess Club will start in October and run on Tuesdays and Wednesday right after school. Please see Mr. Skura or Ms. Quint with any questions: eskura@d75.org or gquint@d75.org.

Homework Club: The club meets in the library on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM for a dedicated time when students can get help with homework and projects, or just find a quiet place to work. Students are required to sign a permission slip that they can get the first time they attend the club. Any questions, please see Mrs. Quint: lquint@d75.org.

Art Club meets every Tuesday and Thursday after school. This club start this week. You need parent permission to attend. Any questions, please see Mrs. Shirley: lshirley@d75.org.

Community Service Club is running this year. The club will meet on Wednesdays Please see this flyer for more information. See Mrs. O'Malley or Mrs. Seibt with any questions: jomalley@d75.org or nseibt@d75.org.

Gardening Club aka the Terra Tigers are run by Mrs. Seibt. Please see her with any questions: nseibt@d75.org.

After School Choir Please see Ms. Freeman with any questions: bfreeman@d75.org.

D&D is a tabletop role playing game run by the GM (Game Master, Mr. Fink) and played by player characters (your students)! Together the GM and player characters weave a fantastic story of heroism, adventure, and intrigue. Your students will have to work together building critical thinking and social skills to solve complex puzzles, defeat foes, and save the world from disaster. Playing through a world of my design, your students will gain confidence and life skills as we explore the world of Ruhass. Any questions, please see Mr. Fink or Mr. Spoden: mfink@d75.org or cspoden@d75.org.

There is also the Musical, Dance Ensemble, Band Practice Club, and Color Guard. If you're interested in these clubs, please reach out Mrs. Gupta: mgupta@d75.org.

French Club, a new club this year which will be led by Madame Adrienne Hugo, if she looks familiar it is because she used to teach kindergarten at Washington.. Check out this video from Madame Hugo to learn more about the club

NJHS meets Monday mornings in Mr. Shrank's room from 8:15 - 8:40. Meeting dates are the following:

• February 23rd
• March 9th
• April 6th
• April 20th
• May 4th
• May 11th (LAST MEETING)

See Ms. Gigiano bgigiano@d75.org or Mr. Schrank tschrank@d75.org for details.

Turn up the fun—join Mariachi Club!

Join us on Tuesdays after school in the choir room!
Don’t miss your chance to make music that’s full of energy, tradition, and fun! Learn to play instruments like guitars, vihuelas, and guitarrons, jam with friends, and experience the powerful sound of Mariachi. No experience needed—we’ll teach you everything. Just bring your enthusiasm and a willingness to try something new!

• Meets: Tuesdays, 3:30–4:45 PM (September–May)
• Directors: Carol Holck, Ashley Oropez, Matt Fink & Lauren White
• Permission slip: Pick up in the MPR or follow CSMS Mariachi Permission Slip Form 25-26 to complete the Google Form
• Questions? Contact Mrs. Holck at cholck@d75.org

Sports update: Here are the links to our current sport schedules:

Wrestling Schedule

Boy's Volleyball Schedule: Playoffs are here!!!

We have some amazing artist here at CSMS. Please check out the CSMS Funky Art Gallery.

Check out Carl Sandburg's YouTube Channel. Here you can find the projects done in the multimedia classes as well as CSMS's famous TNN episodes.

This section has a few links that can be helpful if you need anything:

Website

Power School

Student Handbook

Year long calendar

February 2026

Feb 23 - 7th Grade Boys Volleyball Conference Tournament Start

Feb 24 - 8th Grade Boys Volleyball Conference Starts

Feb 24 - Trimester 2 ends

Feb 25 - Trimester 3 begins

Feb 19 - Boy's Volleyball vs Edgewood

Feb 20 - Friday theme, wear comfy clothes

🍎 My School Menus - is now ONLINE

🍎 Step-by-Step Instructional Video

🍎 Mundelein District 75 Online Menus

🍎 Access the RevTrak website to pay for school meals for your child.

Carl Sandburg Middle School is committed to success, prepared for a future of possibilities.
Live the Tiger CODE. Community. Ownership. Discovery. Effort.