MP3 April Newsletter

Spring is here, and the flowers are beginning to bloom! Next week, from April 7-11, is spring break, so there will be no weekly contact or campus classes. SchoolData ALE opens today, April 1st, for monthly reviews, which are due by April 5th to allow your SLPC to approve them when they return after spring break. We are consistently amazed by the incredible work our MP3 families are doing. Keep up the fantastic work, and thank you for your continued partnership!

Your proud principal,

Michelle Siadal

The following are important dates and events in April to take note of:

• 4/5- Monthly Reviews Due
• 4/7-4/11- Spring Break (no school/no weekly contact/MP3 office closed)
• 4/28- SBA begins (see schedule below)
• 4/22- Earth Day
• National Autism Awareness Month
  

The District Office and MP3 Office will be closed during Spring Break, April 7-11. Staff, including SLPCS, will be on vacation during Spring Break and will return to work on April 14th to check emails and voice messages. Have a great Spring Break!

Our commitment to a robust education is at the heart of everything we do, developing both academic and personal skills for life. Glenda Elgersma, a dedicated MP3 teacher and student learning plan consultant (SLPC), exemplifies this core value of learning through her incredible efforts to support families and connect students with enriching opportunities.

Mrs. Elgersma creates opportunities for students to relate their learning to careers and build meaningful connections with the community. Annually, she leads MP3 first graders on a visit to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office at Laurel Station. Students learn about laws, rules and being community helpers, asking insightful questions that deputies enjoy. This year, she also coordinated a visit from North Whatcom Fire and Rescue, where students saw a firefighter in full gear, explored a fire truck and ambulance, and even used a fire hose.

As a dedicated SLPC, she helps and guides parents at MP3. Her commitment to students and tireless efforts to provide thoughtful support to families make her a shining example of an SLPC who understands her families and comes alongside them when needed.

Through these enriching experiences, Mrs. Elgersma helps prepare students for their career and life goals. Her care and compassion has a profound impact on student learning. Mrs. Elgersma embodies Meridian’s core value of learning, ensuring that every student is connected, supported and empowered to thrive!

This spring, 3rd-8th grade students will take the Smarter Balanced Assessment tests in math and English language arts (ELA). Students in 5th and 8th grade will also take the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS) test. All students enrolled in MP3 (Alternative Learning Experience) must be assessed at least annually using the state assessment per WAC 392-121-182, Sec (9) (a).

All students are included in the district's accountability measures, including "refusals" or "no shows" which are calculated as a "0" score which significantly impacts our overall school report card. Thank you in advance for your participation in the annual state assessment!

The results from the state assessments will help us improve instructional practices and give families information about how their student is doing and where additional help might be needed. The assessments also give us a more accurate picture of whether students are on track to be ready for college or career by graduation. Results are typically available in Skyward by September each year.

How you can help:

• Ensure your child arrives at school on time each day during testing.
• Encourage your child to get a good night’s sleep and eat a healthy breakfast before testing.
• Most students will take the assessments online using their Chromebooks. Please remind your child to come to school with their Chromebook fully charged.

For additional information about state testing:

• Smarter Balanced and WCAS Test Overview
• Try an online Smarter Balanced practice test
• State Testing Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any questions about the state assessments, please contact your SLPC.

Campus students in 3rd-8th grade will take the annual assessments during math, writing, science/social studies campus classes on the following dates:

• April 28: WCAS Science (5th & 8th grade only)
• April 30, May 5 & 7: SBA Math
• May 12 & 14: SBA ELA
• May 15 & 16: SBA Make-Up

We would like to invite all of our remote students to the MP3 campus to participate in the state assessments. The following dates have been reserved for remote students to test at the MP3 campus from 8:45 am-12:00 pm unless other arrangements have been made in your resident district.

• May 15 & 16- SBA: ELA and Math (3rd-8th grade)
• May 15 & 16- WCAS Science (5th & 8th grade only)

The MP3 school calendar for this school year has been updated to reflect snow days. Please notice that the MP3 updated calendar for this school year has a different last day of school than the district calendar.

Looking ahead:

June 9th- Last day of campus classes

June 9th- Kindergarten Graduation

June 9th- 8th Grade Promotion

June 11th- MP3 Family Field Day

June 11th- Last day of student learning plans for MP3

August 28th- First day of student learning plans for the 2025-26 school year

September 8th- First day of campus classes for the 2025-26 school year

See the flyer below for information regarding our upcoming Meridian School District talent show!

Spring is a great time to get organized. If you have learning materials, purchased with CIS or checked out from the MP3 library that you are no longer using please return to the MP3 library by requesting a shipping label through your SLPC. Flat rate USPS medium or large boxes are available free at your local post office. (If available, CIS can be used for shipping cost) or feel free to make arrangements to drop off at our MP3 campus.

The College Bound Scholarship is an early commitment of state financial aid to eligible students who enroll in middle school and meet the pledge requirements. The College Bound Scholarship covers average tuition at public college rates, some fees, and a small book allowance at over 65 colleges, universities, and technical schools in Washington. Learn more about College Bound Scholarship.

We encourage families to complete the Free and Reduced Meals Application for your children. By submitting this form, you can ensure your child receives nutritious meals at school and you may be eligible for other benefits.

Benefits of completing the form include:

• Free or reduced-price school meals (breakfast and lunch)
• You may qualify for reduced fees for school activities and other programs
• You may be eligible for additional food assistance through Summer EBT benefits
• Schools receive more funding to support programs for students

Completing the application is quick, confidential and can make a significant difference in your child's school experience. Forms are available in English and Spanish on our website.

• 2024-25 Free & Reduced Application
• 2024-25 Carta a los Grupos Familiares

Please take a moment to fill out the form and return it to your school. Paper applications are also available in school offices.

The Whatcom Asset Building Coalition’s 2025 Tax Filing Season Resource Guide is now available! This guide provides information on local free tax prep sites, online free filing options, key tax credits, and helpful tips. It’s available for download in English, Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian, and Punjabi from the resource library.

For additional tax filing resources, visit our website, which is updated regularly throughout the filing season.

The 6th edition of The Vibe is now available for viewing. If you want to contribute to The Vibe, email thevibenewspaper@gmail.com with your submission!

A Message from Mental Health Coordinator Laura Lupo

Social health is about relationships and the well-being that comes from connection with family, friends, co-workers and community. The focus on social health has increased in recent years to the point that the US Surgeon General has raised loneliness as a public health priority, and the World Health Organization has established a global commission focused on human connection. Social health is linked to a 50% boost in longevity, making it as important to our lifespan as avoiding smoking, tackling obesity and regular exercise. How do you strengthen your social health?

Here are some ideas:

• Start small: Call a friend to chat instead of messaging them. Short phone calls can decrease feelings of loneliness. If you’re more shy or introverted, stretch your social muscles by attending low-key social events or hobby based groups, start with texting and build up to face-to-face. Shyness isn’t a flaw – you don’t have to be loud…just connected!
• More face-to-face interactions: Friendships grow from regular contact and shared experiences. Friendships tend to fizzle out unless you have regular communication and do activities together. Focus on quality relationships, not quantity.
• 5-3-1: Try to interact with 5 different people, maintain 3 close relationships, and spend 1 hour a day connecting face-to-face.

From Izzy Griffin, Substance Abuse Intervention Specialist

Starting conversations with adolescents can be challenging, especially surrounding sensitive topics such as substance use. For kids, this topic can tend to lead to defensiveness, dishonesty due to fear of reactions, and/or avoidance. For adults, this can often bring up feelings of frustration, worry, and a desire to help. When having conversations, reflect on your intentions beforehand: Are you seeking to… understand? Discipline your child? Express your feelings of worry or frustration?

Understanding your goal before the conversation can help ensure your message is clear, reducing misunderstandings and negative reactions. Creating a safe space for these conversations is all about trust, patience, and ensuring they feel truly heard. Some helpful ideas of ways to approach conversations include:

• Stay calm and avoid reacting with only anger or fear, as it may discourage open communication.

• Emphasize your concern for their well-being rather than only focusing on their actions.

• Use open-ended questions to explore their reasons and perspective.

• Instead of asking, “Why did you do this?”, try “Can you help me understand what led to this?”

• Acknowledge their emotions while reinforcing that the behavior is not acceptable.
  Example: “I hear that you’re feeling stressed, and I understand why you might have tried this, but it’s still not safe.”

• Ensure that any consequences are fair, relevant, and enforceable, such as loss of privileges or added responsibilities.

• Provide opportunities for them to regain your trust over time.

Disciplinary conversations are also sometimes necessary, and having a foundation of trust can make them more effective. When kids believe that consequences come from love and support rather than judgment or criticism, they are more likely to accept and respond to them, even if they feel upset or frustrated. It’s important to reinforce that love includes accountability, honesty, and, at times, consequences that help guide their growth and learning.

Our campus teachers are excited to share what students have been learning in campus classes. Parents are welcome to use information from campus class reviews in their monthly reviews in SchoolData. Here is the link with information about MP3 Campus Monthly Reviews.

We are thrilled to announce that Mrs. Ami Clayton, our substitute robotics teacher, will be filling in for the remainder of the school year. During this time, Mrs. Clayton will be teaching robotics on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Mrs. Clayton has done an outstanding job introducing the new robotics curriculum to our 1st and 3rd grade students, featuring the Edison Bots. Additionally, the VEX curriculum is being expanded to include our 5th and 7th grade students.

We’re grateful for Mrs. Clayton’s seamless transition and her excellent work in rolling out this new curriculum. Be sure to check out the monthly campus reviews for more exciting updates on the curriculum being implemented. It’s inspiring to see how our students are actively learning and collaborating through robotics!

You are invited to an evening filled with information about life as a Meridian High School student and freshman registration. On April 17 at 6:00 pm, parents and students will meet in the MHS Auditorium to discuss the registration and scheduling process through Skyward. Parents can contact the MHS counselors based on the family's last names or reach out to Meridian High School at 360-398-8111.

As your student prepares for high school, you may be wondering about opportunities to get a head start on college and career pathways. At Meridian High School, dual credit programs allow students to earn both high school and college credit at the same time—often at little or no cost. These courses can help students explore interests, build confidence, and prepare for the future. Check out this letter to learn more about dual credit options at MHS and how your student can take advantage of these opportunities!

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On May 2nd, MHS will host a districtwide event where the students of Meridian can show off their heritage! See the art, hear the music and experience the traditions of cultures represented by people across our district. More details about participation will be publicized closer to the event but for now, save the date and get excited! We look forward to seeing you there!

Whatcom County YMCA is offering a free Drop-In Teen Center for grades 6-12! The program runs Monday-Friday from 3:30pm-6:30pm. Register here.

The Meridian School District Family Resource Center is open daily from 8:30 to 3:30 in portable 400A on the Irene Reither campus.

Students who qualify for free or reduced meals can stop by to get school supplies or sign up for Operation School Bell which provides new school clothes for students enrolled in Meridian School District. We also have the clothing closet available for any Meridian family looking for gently used adult and kid clothing.

Questions? Contact Alicia Roberts (English) at 360-988-1949 or Elvira Trautman (Spanish) at 360-306-2886.

The lunch menu for each month can be accessed on the district's food service website.

The Meridian School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employee has been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Title IX, ADA, and Compliance Coordinator (RCW 28A.640/28A.642) Kurt Harvill, Director of Personnel, 214 W. Laurel Rd., Bellingham WA 98226. 360-398-7111. Section 504 questions