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Meridian News
8/11/23
Principal's Corner
Dear Meridian Families,
We've knocked down a few weeks of school and a couple of things are super apparent: one, our kids are working their tails off! I am so proud of them and all they do each and every day on our campus community! Two, the heat has been presenting some pretty difficult and challenging circumstances for our students, families, and staff. I appreciate everyone's patience as we have had to modify some of our procedures to help make sure that students' and staff's safety is paramount.
To that end, we will continue to dismiss our parent-pickup kiddos from inside the building in the afternoon. We have been monitoring the time each day and we are now as fast as our "old" way of running the car loop. The students are also reporting to us that it's quieter as they sit and await their families in the hallway. So that seems to be a win for us in light of the temperatures!
Speaking of traffic, I continue to urge and preach patience when it comes to traffic around here. Meridian Elementary School is larger now than at any time in recent memory, and as such we have much more traffic. I have certainly never seen traffic like this before at Meridian! When we have that many folks coming and going in such a small window of time (roughly a half hour before school starts and twenty minutes after school) there are bound to be issues.
Most are solved just by patience and grace, which sometimes can be hard to come by when the temperatures are elevated. Please also make sure your kiddos are ready to move quickly when it's their turn, whether coming or going! We also want to remind everyone that if you are using parent loop and need to get out of the vehicle in order to get your child secured, it would be best to just park in the lot in that case. Once your little one is good to go to strap themselves in, then feel free to give the parent loop another go!
Go Mustangs!
Sincerely,
Christopher Stroud
Principal
Safety First
Please obey the speed limit and take notice of the “No Stopping, Standing and Parking” signs on the streets surrounding the school.
No U-Turns in student drop-off/pick-up areas!
The faculty parking lot on the East side of the school is for Bus, SPICE and Building Blocks drop-off/pick-up only.
When using the parent pick-up loop please be patient as we get all students safely to their cars. If you park please escort students using designated crossing areas only. Do not allow children to cross between cars/traffic.
Never allow your children to be unattended in the parking lot.
Please remind your students to be safe and courteous when walking or riding to school. And wait for the crossing guards to cross the street.
Always use the crosswalks, do not allow children to cross between cars in the street.
Crossing guards are here for your children’s safety, please do not enter the crosswalk until ALL pedestrians are safely on the sidewalks.
The front office is not to be used as a designated drop-off or pick-up location.
When parking in the neighborhoods, please follow all posted signs and be mindful of not blocking driveways or fire hydrants.
PTO NEWS
Yearbooks
Order Now - $25
enter school code: 24686
Meridian Swag
Get your new Meridian swag online this year!!
This year is new and our swag will be online orders only and made to order.
Orders will ship directly to homes and takes 10-12 days after the order is placed.*
Barro's Pizza Fundraiser
October 18th
November 15th
December 6th
January 10th
February 7th
March 6th
April 3rd
Dine-in, carry-out or delivery count all day when you say you are supporting Meridian.
Staff Favorites
Want to appreciate your child's teacher or celebrate their birthday?
We have been compiling a list of Meridian Staff's favorite things along with suggestions for items needed for their classroom. Click on the link below, you can bookmark this page or save it to the home screen on your phone for quick reference.
*Staff will be updated as they complete their questionnaire of favorites.
Join Meridian PTO! 2meridianpto@gmail.com
Infinite Campus - Complete your Annual Update
Download the GPS App
The GPS App includes a link to IC, as well as access to your student’s school calendar, meal information, bus routes, and other helpful information for parents and students. Visit www.gilbertschools.net/app for more information.
‘Annual Update’ on Infinite Campus
https://www.gilbertschools.net/ic
It is crucial that all GPS families complete the online 'Annual Update' in Infinite Campus. The
information provided will be used by the district or your school to directly communicate with you
regarding your student, or in the event of an emergency on campus. Please log into your Infinite
Campus Parent Portal and complete the 'Annual Update' today!
From the Health Office
DOnations wanted!
Thank you!
Hello and welcome to a new school year!
Good news for 6th graders! GPS was recently notified that the guidelines for "6th Grade" immunizations have changed. Children may receive the Tdap and Meningococcal immunizations at age 11, but will not be excluded from school unless they are noncompliant after age 12.
If you have received notification that your student is noncompliant with these immunizations and they are not yet age 12--you have some extra time!
If you have already received these immunizations, please send them to my email address: christina.salisbury@gilbertschools.net
Also, Hearing and Vision Screening will start in August. Our "mass screening" will occur on August 28 and 29. If your child wears glasses, please make sure they wear them to school, especially on those dates! You will be notified if the screening reveals any concerns.
Thank you!
Wellness Resources for Students
Please visit our Wellness Resources page on our district website for:
- School-based support services
- Community-based support services
- Helpline information
- Complete list of social workers by campus with phone number and email address
Arizona’s Move on When Reading(MOWR)
July 2023
Dear K-3 Parents and Guardians,
This letter is to provide you with information on Arizona’s Move on When Reading(MOWR) legislation and the impact it has on third grade promotion and retention.
The MOWR legislation was designed with the understanding that some students face unique challenges to learning. There are four exemptions to retention for a student who does not obtain a sufficient score on the reading portion of the 3rd grade statewide exam. These exemptions are:
A student is an English Language Learner or is Limited English Proficient and has received less than three years of English instruction.
A student with disabilities has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), and the IEP team, which includes the student’s parent/guardian, agrees that promotion is appropriate.
A student is in the process of a special education referral or evaluation for placement in special education and/or a student who has been diagnosed as having a significant reading impairment, including dyslexia.
A student has demonstrated or subsequently demonstrates sufficient reading skills or adequate progress towards sufficient reading skills of the 3rd grade reading standards as evidenced through a collection of reading assessments approved by the Board of Education.
Arizona’s Move on When Reading (MOWR) legislation places great importance on the learning to read process beginning in kindergarten to ensure all students remain on track to be reading by grade level by the end of 3rd grade. Arizona Revised Statute § 15-701 states that if a student scores below the cut score on the reading portion of the 3rd grade statewide exam, he/she will not be promoted to the 4th grade until the student makes sufficient progress in reading proficiency. In the Spring 2023, results for the Reading Subtest of the new state assessment, Arizona’s Academic Standards Assessment (AASA), will be available prior to GPS Summer School, and families of students who fail to meet the minimum threshold for third grade promotion will be contacted by the school’s principal or their designee to explore options for remediation to assist in plans for the following school year. A student may not be retained more than once.
Gilbert Public Schools values a collaborative partnership between home and school. We incorporate a structured Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS), which enables us to provide additional student support to address specific reading deficiencies. Continuous progress monitoring is provided to ensure student success. Part of this partnership also includes a plan to keep parents informed of their child’s progress throughout the school year.
Information regarding A.R.S. § 15-701 can be found online at www.azed.gov/mowr. You may also contact your child’s principal if you have questions.
Sincerely,
Robert Bircher, Jr.
Director of Elementary Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
Nutrition Services
A La Carte
Starting Monday July 31st, A la carte items will be available for purchase in the cafeteria during lunch time (please refer to the menu I gave you). The items listed CANNOT be purchased using a ID badge barcode and/or deducted from lunch accounts; items can BE PURCHASED BY CASH ONLY.
Items listed will be sold depending on product availability, with the exception of bottled water that will be available at all times. There may be some days that no items will be here for sale.
Also, exact change is necessary as making change to break large bills is a challenge.
Nutrition Services
This school year universal free meals have ended.
Here are the current prices:
Elem Student Breakfast: $1.75
Elem Student Lunch: $3.00
Adult Breakfast: $2.75
Adult Lunch: $4.75
We have a new software system, the old links will not work.
Adding money to student accounts and applying for free and reduced benefits are now in the same place. The most direct way is: gilbertschools.net/meals
Attached below are flyers with the information for households.
Student Meal Accounts - LinQ
July/August Menu
Free and Reduced Lunch
Coming Up at Meridian
8/14-8/18
Monday
- Curriculum Night
Kindergarten 5 pm
1st Grade 5:30 pm
2nd Grade 6:00 pm
5th Grade 6:30 Conventional, 7:00 Accelerated
Tuesday
- Curriculum Night
Preschool 5 pm
4th Grade 5 pm
3rd Grade 5:30 pm
6th Grade 6:00 pm
Wednesday
- 1 hour early release for Students (1:55pm)
- Thursday Specials
PLC's for Staff
Thursday
- Happy Birthday Ms. Russell!
Friday
Saturday
- Happy Birthday Ms. Harris and Mrs. Brandl!
8/21-8/25
Monday
- Happy Birthday Mrs. Waldron!
Tuesday
Wednesday
- 1 hour early release for Students (1:55pm)
- Friday Specials
PLC's for Staff
General PTO meeting 6:30 pm
Happy Birthday Mrs. Chilton!
Thursday
- Happy Birthday Mrs. Baker!
Friday
- Peter Piper Pizza Back to School night! 4-8 pm
Spring 2023 AASA Results
Your student’s Spring 2022 AASA Results will be mailed out no later than August 15, 2023.
Family Reports for AASA English Language Arts and Mathematics
Students in grades 3-8 during the 2022-2023 school year will receive two AASA (Arizona’s Academic Standards Assessment) Reports: one for English Language Arts and one for Mathematics. Your student’s Performance Level Result and Scale Score are currently available within the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. To locate AASA Results, go to the Assessment tab:
Under “Test Scores”
Performance Level Key
Result: 1 = Minimally Proficient
Result: 2 = Partially Proficient
Result: 3 = Proficient
Result: 4 = Highly Proficient
Students who were not enrolled in a GPS school during the 2022-2023 school year will receive their state assessments results from their previously enrolled school.
If you have questions regarding your student’s result, please contact our school office.
Calendar Update:
Meridian Elementary School
Email: meridianinfo@gilbertschools.net
Website: https://www.gilbertschools.net/Domain/21
Location: 3900 South Mountain Road, Mesa, AZ, USA
Phone: 480-497-4032