Greetings Mead Community,
It's hard to believe it is already October! It has been another fantastic week here at Mead. We continue to be impressed by the commitment our students show to their schoolwork each day. From submitting assignments on time to actively participating in class, they continue to show up and embody what it means to be "We Are One" in their classes. We look forward to celebrating our monthly We Are One winners today!
We want to wish the best of luck to our girls basketball team as they head into next week's tournament, and to our cross country runners competing in next week's conference meet and next weekend's sectional meet! We deeply appreciate the dedication they show to their sports while staying focused on their success as student-athletes.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Sincerely,
Tricia Leong, Principal
Alex Csuk, Assistant Principal
SCHOOL NEWS
Student Absence Procedures
Please be sure to call our attendance line by 7:45 a.m. whenever your student will be absent from school. The number is 847-357-6002. We appreciate your support with ensuring all of our students are accounted for each day!
Yearbook Ordering Information
Don't miss out on capturing this year’s memories! Yearbooks for Mead Junior High are now available for purchase for $25. To place your order, visit ybpay.lifetouch.com and enter the school code 15458227.
Be sure to order before the deadline on March 21, 2027, to guarantee a copy for your student.
Questions? Contact Mrs. Reimel at ameliareimel@sd54.org.
Late Fall Sports Sign Up
Sign up for our late fall sports is now open! This includes Cheer, POMs, and Boys Basketball. All of these are cut sports.
Tryouts will be the week of October 19. Sign up via Infinite Campus must be completed for your student to try out, and a current physical must also be on file.
Cheer
Cheerleading season is almost here! The cheer clinic will be Monday, October 19 from 2:20–4:00 PM, followed by tryouts on Tuesday, October 20 from 2:20–4:00 PM.
Students must attend both days in order to try out and must sign up in Infinite Campus by Friday, October 16.
Information packets, including a calendar for the season, will be available outside Room 209. Reach out to Mrs. Thomas or Ms. Pineda for more details.
POMs
Calling all dancers! Interested in being a part of Mead's Poms team? Join us at our 2-day tryout!
Day 1: Clinic
When: Thursday, October 22, 2:15–3:50 PM
Where: Mead Cafeteria
What: Learn the routine that will be performed at tryouts
Day 2: Tryouts
When: Friday, October 23, 2:15–3:50 PM
Where: Mead Cafeteria
What: Perform the clinic routine in front of judges
Students are required to attend both days if they would like to be considered for the team.
Reach out to Mrs. Ahn or Mrs. Marks for more information.
Boys Basketball
All boys interested in trying out for basketball must attend a meeting on Thursday, October 15 from 2:30–3:15 PM in the gym.
This meeting will cover all of the details regarding tryouts and the upcoming season. Tryouts will take place the week of October 19.
Reach out to Mr. Bautista for more information.
Athletic Fee for the 2026-27 School Year
District 54 will be charging an athletic participation fee this year to students participating in sports to cover a portion of the costs of uniforms, transportation, officials, supplies and equipment, and coach stipends.
The fee is:
$50 for one sport
$40 for a second sport
$30 for a third sport
The fee will appear in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal after a student has been rostered to a team.
Sports Sign Up Portal Directions:
High School Information — 8th Graders Only
District 211’s comprehensive guide for the Class of 2031 provides families of current 8th-grade students with key information, including details about placement testing.
Each high school has its own version of the guidebook, which is also available on the District 211 webpage for incoming freshmen:
District 211 Incoming Freshmen Information
Printed copies of the Class of 2031 Guidebook will be mailed to families on Friday, September 25.
The incoming freshman placement test will take place on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Starting with the Class of 2031, students will be administered a paper version of PreACT.
Learn more about the PreACT here:
CLUB CORNER
See below for clubs that are available for signup.
Please note that some clubs have a limited number of participants and are filled on a first-come, first-served basis according to the submission order of the digital permission slip.
Once a club is full, it will no longer show up on the permission slip as an option.
The digital club permission slip must be completed for your student to participate in a club. The form needs to be filled out for each club that your student wants to participate in, so you will need to submit multiple entries for multiple clubs.
If you have questions regarding any of the clubs, reach out directly to the club sponsor.
Club Unify
Sponsor: Mrs. Ravanesi / Mrs. Rialla
Mead’s Club Unify is in its 11th year of serving students. Club Unify is a leadership club that has Mead students with diverse abilities building friendships, making connections, creating school-wide and community-wide projects while growing our reputation as a Unified Champion School.
Club Unify meets once a month and all are welcome!
Meeting Dates:
November 5
December 3
January 7
February 4
March 4
April 1
May 6
Field Trip Date: Friday, February 19 at Poplar Creek Bowl
E-Sports Competition Date: Thursday, March 11 at Mead Jr. High
Club meetings will meet on the first Thursday of each month after school in Room 103, Mrs. Ravanesi’s room, starting in October.
Please understand that if you want to join the Field Trip in February, you have to attend at least three meetings.
Disc Golf Club
Sponsor: Mrs. Bobren
Disc golf is a sport where players throw discs at targets, aiming to complete a course in the fewest throws possible, similar to traditional golf. No experience needed.
Location: Room 102 and then we’ll walk to the local course on Biesterfield
Dates: Tuesdays — October 6, October 13, October 20, October 27
Soccer Intramurals
Sponsors: Mr. Hirshfeld / Mrs. Varchmin
Soccer Intramurals gives students, boys and girls, the opportunity to compete in friendly, competitive matches.
Matches have begun and will continue through the end of October. We then start again in the spring, after Spring Break, and run through the month of May.
The fall session meeting days will typically be Monday and Thursday.
WE Club
Sponsor: Mrs. Perales
WE Club provides a welcoming space for students to build community, celebrate diversity, and promote belonging and acceptance.
Through discussions, activities, creative projects, and student-led opportunities, students will explore identity, learn about different experiences and perspectives, build connections with others, and help create a school community where everyone feels valued and included.
Participation in WE Club is flexible. Students are welcome to come to one meeting just to check it out, attend when their schedule allows, or join later in the school year after another club, sport, or activity ends.
Students do not need to choose WE Club instead of other activities they are interested in. WE Club runs throughout the year, and new students are welcome at any point after a digital permission slip is completed.
All students are welcome.
Meeting Dates:
October 15
November 12
December 10
January 14
February 11
March 11
April 8
May 13
Time: 2:15–3:50 PM
Location: Room 710
PTA NEWS
Hot Lunch — Order by Sunday, Oct. 4
Don't miss out! Order Potbelly's Hot Lunch for October 15. The deadline is Sunday, October 4.
PTA Meeting — Wednesday, October 14
We're switching things up this month!
What: PTA Meeting, 6:00 PM
Where: Panera Bread, Elk Grove Crossing Shopping Center, 90 Biesterfield Rd, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
Bring a friend! It's a relaxed, no-pressure way to see what the PTA does and how easy it is to get involved.
Reflections — Submissions Due Oct. 30
Does your 7th or 8th grader have a story to tell through art?
This year's theme is “What My Culture Means to Me,” and students can submit in:
Visual Art
Photography
Literature
Music Composition
Film Production
Dance
Entry deadline is Friday, October 30.
DISTRICT NEWS
Personal Assessment of Core Competency (PACC)
In District 54, we are dedicated to supporting the academic and social-emotional growth of every student.
Your perspective as a parent or guardian plays a vital role in helping us build a complete understanding of your student’s strengths and areas for growth.
Families of students in grades K–8 will receive an email on Monday, September 28 containing a unique link to complete the District 54 Personal Assessment of Core Competency for your student(s).
The survey will be open through Friday, October 16.
We sincerely appreciate your participation, as strong collaboration between home and school is essential in supporting your student's overall well-being.
UPCOMING DATES
Monday, October 12: No School
Saturday, October 17: HS PreACT Test
Friday, October 30: Fall Ball, 5–7 PM
More details coming next week!
Friday, November 6: Half Day, 10:40 Dismissal