MP3 November Newsletter 2024
Meridian Parent Partnership Program
Dear MP3 Families,
On behalf of the entire MP3 staff, I want to extend our heartfelt thanks for your dedication to supporting your child's education through our partnership. Your commitment, creativity, and engagement are what make the MP3 program thrive. We appreciate your efforts to stay informed and connected by reading the monthly MP3 newsletter and the weekly SLPC updates. Thank you for being an essential part of our community!
Your Proud Principal,
Michelle Siadal
Upcoming Events
November 1-3
- National American Indian Heritage Month (November)
- 1st- Teacher Workday ( No School/Office Closed)
- 1st-5th- Monthly reviews due in SchoolData
- 3rd- Daylight Savings Time
November 4-8
- 4th- Picture Retakes
- Food Drive (4th-8th)
- 5th- Monthly Reviews due in School Data
- 5th- Election day... Remember to VOTE!
- 5th & 7th- MP3 Library Hours (Tuesdays & Thursdays 8:30 am-11:00 am)
- 7th- Home School Skate Day (Lynden Skateway 1:00 pm-3:30 pm)
November 11-15
- 11th- Veterans Day Observed (No School/Office Closed)
- 12th & 14th- MP3 Library Hours (Tuesdays & Thursdays 8:30 am-11:00 am)
- 13th- World Kindness Day
November 18-22
- 18th-22nd- American Education Week
- 19th & 21st- MP3 Library Hours (Tuesdays & Thursdays 8:30 am-11:00 am)
- 21st- Home School Skate Day (Lynden Skateway 1:00 pm-3:30 pm)
November 27-29
- 27th- No campus classes (district early release)
- 28th- Thanksgiving Day
- 29th- Native American Heritage Day
SchoolData monthly reviews are due November 1st-5th
Well done on submitting your monthly reviews in SchoolData ALE! We’re impressed by the level of learning taking place at home and appreciate your timely submissions during the first week of each month to reflect on the past 30 days. Thank you also for acknowledging your review of the SLPC's comments in SchoolData ALE. We hope you find the friendly reminders helpful!
As a quick note, please remember to leave "high-risk" activities, such as trampoline and horseback riding, out of the reviews. While we love hearing about these experiences during your weekly contact with your SLPC, they cannot be included in the student learning plan or monthly reviews. Thank you for your understanding!
MP3 Campus Monthly Reviews
Our teacher teams have collaborated to create grade-level reviews based on the learning happening in campus classes. We encourage parents to utilize the information from these campus class reviews in their monthly submissions in SchoolData.
Here is the link with information about MP3 Campus Monthly Reviews.
The Vibe is back!
Picture Retakes
Students who were absent on picture day or wish to have their pictures retaken can return their original packets for retakes. Students will have their portraits taken by O'Connor Photography Studio on November 4th. Students can Pre-order Portraits. Alternatively, you can visit the O'Connor Photography Studio website: www.oconnorphotographystudio.com. For any questions or assistance, please call the studio at 1-800-993-4929.
Meridian Food Drive, Nov. 4-8
From Nov. 4-8, Meridian School District is hosting a food drive to support families in our community. Donations will go to the Meridian Family Support Center and Ferndale Food Bank. We're collecting nonperishable and unexpired items like canned soup, canned vegetables, canned fruit, pastas, beans, cereals, rice, flour, cooking oils, peanut butter, and canned chicken and tuna. You can bring donations to first period campus classes. The class with the most items collected will earn a hot cocoa party. Let’s come together to help our community!
World Kindness Day! (November 13)
World Kindness Day is a global day that promotes the importance of being kind to each other, to yourself, and to the world. This day, celebrated on November 13 of each year, has the purpose to help everyone understand that compassion for others is what binds us all together. This understanding has the power to bridge the gap between nations. Looking for ideas to spread kindness? Visit Random Acts of Kindness to get inspiration!
Toys for Tots
Now through November 15th Toys for Tots is accepting gift requests from Meridian families who are looking for help this holiday season. Toys for Tots will pick out gifts for your kids based on their gender and age. This program is ideal for children ages birth through age 13.
Please call or text Alicia at the Meridian Family Support Center if you are interested 360-988-1949 or for Spanish call Elvira at 360-306-2886. Gifts need to be picked up at the Family Center the week before Winter Break.
Submit a Thank You Note for American Education Week!
We’re excited to celebrate all the amazing staff at Meridian School District! Join us in expressing our gratitude for everything they do. Submit as many thank you notes as you’d like—these will be delivered via email during American Education Week, Nov. 18-22. Let's make this a memorable week of appreciation!
Thanksgiving Break is November 27th-29th
The MP3 staff would like to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! We are truly grateful for the opportunity to partner with such amazing families dedicated to their child's education. As a friendly reminder, there will be no campus classes on November 27th, and Thanksgiving Break will be observed on November 28th-29th. To support your child’s learning during the holiday break, we’ve provided some Thanksgiving Reading Passages for K-8 students. Wishing you a joyful and restful Thanksgiving!
College Bound Scholarship Program for 7th & 8th Grade Students
Dress for the weather
As the weather gets colder, please remember that the children go outside for recess. We kindly ask that you ensure they are properly dressed for outdoor play, including wearing a coat and suitable recess shoes like sneakers or boots. We encourage our kids to be active outdoors, but please note that in inclement weather, we will have indoor recess. At MP3, we love to RUN, JUMP, and PLAY!
Planning for Winter Weather
As the season changes and the weather turns colder, it is a good time to take a moment to review our winter weather procedures. Depending on conditions (which could include snow, flooding, power outages, etc.), schools could close for the day. MP3 is part of the Meridian School District so please make sure you are checking information for Meridian School District rather than your resident district.
As a friendly reminder, if the Meridian School District is having a late start due to weather conditions, the MP3 campus classes will be canceled for the day. We have families traveling outside our district boundaries and we want to keep our families safe during inclement weather. Please familiarize yourself with the information below to be prepared for changes in the school schedule.
How will I be notified of school closures or delays?
A message will automatically come to you if you are a parent or guardian. You can update your contact information in Skyward Family Access or by calling your school office. Alerts are sent through ParentSquare. ParentSquare uses your contact information from Skyward. You do not need to activate your account in ParentSquare to receive alerts.
Where can I find weather or emergency information?
Meridian School District uses a variety of methods to keep you informed:
An email, text, app notification and/or phone call will automatically be sent to you via ParentSquare.
Tune to local media: 790 AM, 96.5 FM, 104.1 FM or Seattle media.
Check www.meridian.wednet.edu
Check @meridianschooldistrict505 on Facebook or Instagram or @Meridian505 on Twitter
The district will continue to use FlashAlert Newswire to notify local TV and radio media of school closures or delays.
Where can I find more information?
Visit our Weather Notifications webpage for more information about inclement weather and delays.
November Observances
Veterans Day
Resources are available: PBS Newshour - Veterans Day Lesson Plan
Election Day
Election Day in the United States is the annual day for general elections of federal public officials. It is statutorily set by the U.S. government as the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November. Here are resources to utilize the "Teaching Elections in Washington State" lesson plans and classroom activities from the Secretary of State.
Native American Heritage Month
November is National American Indian Heritage Month. The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution, and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.
Click here to learn more about this observance and don't forget to examine our John McCoy (lulilaš) Since Time Immemorial curriculum resources.
Diwali
Diwali begins on October 31 and goes until November 4. India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year, the Festival of Lights is a celebration of the victory of good over evil and light over darkness and marks the beginning of the new year for some Hindu groups. During Diwali, Indians light clay lamps outside of their homes, symbolizing the inner light that protects their dwellings from the darkness. The five-day holiday is as important in the Hindu religion as Christmas is in Christianity. And much like Christmas, Indians celebrate with prayer, feasts, and family gatherings. See resources below to learn more:
Day of the Dead
The Day of the Dead (el Día de Muertos or el Día de los Muertos) is a holiday traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, though other days, such as October 31 or November 6, may be included depending on the locality. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pay respects and to remember friends and family members who have died. These celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember amusing events and anecdotes about the departed. It is widely observed in Mexico, where it largely developed, and is also observed in other places, especially by people of Mexican heritage. See resources below to learn more:
National American of the American Latino - Day of the Dead Resources