39 AJHS Catalyst Club students returned to Meridian to help 5th graders prepare for junior high with a student-led “Glow Up in Junior High” presentation! With glow bracelets, great advice, and big smiles, they inspired confidence and excitement for what’s ahead. ✨ #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

🎨 AJHS Color Wheel Fun! 🌈 Students in the RISE art class dove into the world of color through hands-on, sensory-friendly activities! After mastering primary colors and creating their own tints and shades, they got creative mixing secondary and tertiary colors using straws, squeegees, and droppers. Each student even built and labeled their own color wheel to bring their learning to life! 🎨👏 #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

🎉 This Sunday, we celebrate Speech Pathologist Day and the incredible SLPs here in D102! Our speech-language pathologists are dedicated professionals who help our students find their voice—literally and figuratively. 💬💙 They create fun, welcoming spaces where students feel supported, confident, and empowered to grow. From building communication skills to collaborating with teachers and families, our SLPs are essential partners in student success. Thank you for all you do! 🙌 #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

⭐ New Board Members Sworn In! ⭐ At the May 12 D102 Board of Education meeting, we welcomed new Board members Laurie Kuriakose and Anthony Q. Lee, along with re-elected members Jordan Sklansky and Pelleg Graupe. The Honorable Marnie Slavin — a proud D102 alum — officiated the swearing-in. We were also honored to have State Representative Daniel Didech in attendance to thank outgoing Board members Deepa Ajmire and Vera Gaskill for their dedicated service. Following the ceremony, the Board selected its officers: ⭐ Jordan Sklansky – Board President ⭐ Pelleg Graupe – Board Vice President ⭐ Melissa Rose – Board Secretary It was a night of celebration, gratitude, and a strong commitment to the future of D102 students!

🎉 The Meridian Ambassadors have been hard at work on a special project — "Celebrating Meridian School" — an exhibit opening soon at the Raupp Museum in Buffalo Grove! This unique showcase highlights the legacy of D102 and Meridian School since opening its doors in 1994. It honors beloved staff members, past and present, including: 🍎 Lindsay Zucker, Priscilla Podeschi & AJ Teplinsky — former Meridian students who are now teachers at the school! 🎓 Cheri Brill, Sherrie Cummins & Stacy Lipshutz — the final three original staff members retiring after helping open the school 30 years ago. You'll also find historic items on display like the original blueprint, groundbreaking shovel, and more! 📅 Join us for the exhibit opening: 🗓 Monday, May 19 🕔 5:00–7:00 PM 📍 Raupp Museum, Buffalo Grove Come celebrate Meridian’s incredible journey with us!

🎤✨ The 7th & 8th Grade Choir Concert was an unforgettable celebration of talent, creativity, and compassion! With 20 soloists, 18 narrators, 10 costumed characters, and stunning student artwork on display, the performance truly wowed the audience. 🎶🎭🖼️ Students even shared original mosaic poetry written in chorus and led a food drive inspired by the concert’s theme, "Be Our Guest." 💛 Three full boxes of food and generous cash donations were collected for the Vernon Area Food Pantry — a beautiful reminder of the power of music and community. Bravo to all, and a huge shoutout to Mrs. Simon for her incredible leadership! 👏 #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

🎶 Musical Magic in D102! 🎶 Our talented 5th–8th grade band and orchestra students wowed the crowd with two epic, back-to-back concerts! Performances ranged from James Bond to Guardians of the Galaxy to Final Countdown. The performances were bursting with energy, passion, and talent. 💥🎻🎷 A round of applause goes to Mrs. Rakickas, Ms. Strauss, and Mr. Jenkin for their incredible leadership and dedication. Their guidance helped bring the music to life! 👏🎶 #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

💡 Engineering in Action! Mrs. Cummings, our assistant principal, stopped by Mrs. Pingel’s 3rd-grade Technology/STEM class with a real-world challenge: How can we keep traffic cones from blowing away on windy dismissal days? 🌬️🟠 Using the engineering design process, students brainstormed, sketched, and pitched creative solutions. One design was selected—and students are now helping bring it to life! 🔧📐 This hands-on project let students apply their STEM skills to a real-life problem, proving that even young engineers can make a big impact! 👷‍♂️🧠💥 #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

🎨💙 Nothing says "thank you" like a message from the heart. In this case, the sidewalk! Our amazing students surprised staff this week with beautiful chalk art across campus to kick off Teacher Appreciation Week. #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent #TeacherAppreciationWeek

🌱 From Seeds to Science! 🐛🌸 Tripp students are getting their hands dirty as they explore plant life cycles. They've planted brassica seeds, recorded detailed observations, and are now pollinating flowers with Q-tips, mimicking how it happens in nature! 🧪🌼 They’re also studying the life cycles of caterpillars and mealworms, comparing how different living things grow and change over time. 🐛🪱✨ Soon, they’ll take their plants home to keep the science going beyond the classroom! 🏡📚 #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

🎉 Budgeting + Birthday Bash = Real-World Learning! 🧮🎈 Meridian students recently tackled a fun and practical challenge: planning the perfect birthday party all on a $200 budget! 💸🎂 Students chose stores and calculated totals (sales tax included!) and even made sure quantities matched their guest lists. Students put their math, organization, and problem-solving skills to the test. One proud planner shared, “Our total is $92, which means we are under budget!” 🙌 Smart choices + real-world learning = success! #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

🌟 Happy School Nurse Day! 🌟 Today we celebrate the incredible individuals who care for the health and well-being of our students every single day. Whether it’s a scraped knee, a fever, or simply a comforting presence, our school nurses play a vital role in keeping our schools safe, healthy, and ready to learn. Thank you for your compassion, expertise, and tireless dedication, our students thrive because of you! #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

🌊🦀 Our fourth-grade explorers dove into a coastal habitat right in the classroom! With salt water, sand, apples, and coastal plants, they got up close with nature, no field trip required. One of the coolest discoveries? Male fiddler crabs have one giant claw used for fighting! 👀💪 #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

🍎✨ Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! ✨🍎 To every teacher in D102: Thank you for your passion. Thank you for your patience. Thank you for believing in every child. You are the heart of our schools, and we appreciate you more than words can say. 💙📚 #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

👮‍♂️🐾 Kindergartners at Pritchett have been diving into their Community Helpers unit through creativity and real-world connections! They built detailed community maps featuring places like hospitals, fire stations, and schools. Then, to bring their learning to life, three officers from the Buffalo Grove Police Department stopped by with a special guest, therapy dog, Grady! 🐶💙 This hands-on experience gave students the chance to meet real-life heroes and see the important roles community helpers play right in their own neighborhood.

🌟 Students Honored with Illinois Principals Association Awards 🌟 We’re thrilled to share that exceptional students from Aptakisic Junior High, Meridian, Pritchett, and Tripp were recently recognized at the Illinois Principals Association (IPA) Student Recognition Awards Ceremony! Each year, principals across the state nominate students who exemplify leadership, academic excellence, citizenship, and strong character. This year, D102 students truly shined! These honorees were selected for the positive impact they make in their school communities and for embodying the values that define our district. Congratulations to our award recipients. You inspire us all, and we are so proud of you! #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

🎉 Congratulations to D102’s nominees for the Lake County ROE Educator of the Year Award! 🌟 These incredible staff members were nominated by their peers for their dedication, hard work, and unwavering passion for supporting students. 💙 We’re so proud to have them represent D102 at the awards ceremony on May 7. Good luck to all! 👏 #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudnet

🎉 Quarter 3 Portrait of a Graduate Recognition 🎓 At the April 14 Board of Education meeting, five outstanding students, from kindergarten through grade 8, were recognized for exemplifying the core competencies of D102’s Portrait of a Graduate! 🌟 Nominated by their teachers and principals, these students truly stand out as role models in our schools. Board President Sklansky and Dr. McIntyre proudly presented each recipient with a certificate to celebrate their achievements. 👏 #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

🎯 At AJHS, students wrapped up a powerful unit on Native American history, exploring both Indigenous cultures and their treatment throughout U.S. history. To show what they learned, students created engaging presentations using posters and iPads! #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent

🍔🍦 Culver’s Night = Sweet Success! 🎉 A week ago today, our school community came together for a fantastic Culver’s Night! The PTO had another amazing turnout, and our students were all smiles seeing their teachers while enjoying a fun night out. 💙 Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening so special! #D102 #EveryDayEveryStudent