Mustang's Message

• Honoring Martin Luther King Jr. - This week, we take time to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a leader who inspired the world with his message of equality, kindness, and service to others. As a school community, we celebrate his achievements and reflect on how we can follow his example by treating others with respect and striving to make a positive difference every day. Let’s remember his words: “The time is always right to do what is right.”
• PTA Association Meeting - Every year the PTA must have an association meeting for all of its members. This is where important business is conducted for the budget and upcoming activities. Please plan to join us at 4:00pm on January 22nd, which will be right before the Family Art Night!
• Math Facts - We are excited to share with you that Reflex Math is returning to help your students practice more math facts at home. Students will still complete i-Ready math lessons each week while at school, but at home students in the 2nd-5th grade can login to Reflex Math and Frax to help them practice and learn their math facts. This program should be available to your students by the end of the week!
• Kindness Week is Coming -We’re excited to kick off the Great Kindness Challenge coming up on January 27-31! This special week is dedicated to spreading kindness and making a positive impact on others. Each day, we’ll have a school spirit day to celebrate the power of kindness and unity. Look below in the Mustang's Message for more information. Let’s come together to make our school a kinder place! Remember these inspiring words from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.” We look forward to seeing everyone participate and share their acts of kindness throughout the week!

• Lost Sweatshirts and Jacket - Is your student missing a sweatshirt or jacket? Our lost and found collection is overflowing, and we’d love for these items to find their way home! All lost and forgotten items will be hanging on the fence near the main entrance until the end of the month. Please take a moment this week to check out the collection and see if anything belongs to your family. Any unclaimed items will be donated to a good cause after January 31st. Don’t miss this final opportunity to reclaim your belongings!

• Our Next School Site Council Meeting is on January 29th! - Your voice matters! Attend the School Site Council meeting to help shape important decisions about our school’s programs, funding, and student success. It’s a great opportunity to stay informed, share your input, and collaborate with school staff and fellow parents. Together, we can make a difference!

  We look forward to seeing you there!

  
  

• January 27-31 Great Kindness challenge

• January 29 School Site Council (SSC) Meeting
• January 30 100th Day of School
• January 31 Cap for kids
• February 3-12 Kid's Healthy Heart Challenge
• February 5 English Language Parent Meeting
• February 7 Friday Sing Assembly
• February 13-17th President's Day Break - NO SCHOOL
• February 21 2nd Grade Fieldtrip to San Diego Safari Park
• February 24-28 Book Fair Week
• February 26 Student Minimum Day - Early Dismissal
• February 28 End of 2nd Trimester

Join us for an evening of creativity! This event is a guided art session where attendees paint an 8.5 x 11" canvas all by themselves under the tutelage of an amazing art teacher. Arrived early 4:00pm for our PTA Association Meeting where we'll get input on next year's budget & programming! RSVP's for Art Night are REQUIRED >> sign up HERE. Space is limited, so sign up now so you do not miss out on the fabulous family opportunity! The Family Art Night begins at 4:30pm!

This month, our students are focusing on Habit #5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood from The Leader in Me program. This habit emphasizes the importance of active listening, empathy, and clear communication. It’s not only vital for your children’s success at school but is also a valuable practice for every member of your family.

When we seek to understand others first, we build stronger relationships and solve problems more effectively. This habit teaches children (and adults!) to truly listen—not just with their ears, but with their eyes and heart—before sharing their own thoughts or opinions.

Here’s how you can support Habit #5 both at school and at home:

At School:

• Talk about active listening: Discuss the importance of giving their full attention to teachers and classmates during lessons and discussions.
• Celebrate progress: Ask your child about moments they practiced Habit #5 at school and praise their efforts.

At Home:

• Model active listening: Show your child what it looks like to listen without interrupting. Use phrases like, “I hear you,” or “Tell me more about that.”
• Practice empathy: When conflicts arise, encourage family members to understand the other person’s perspective before responding.
• Storytime reflection: During family reading time, ask questions about how characters might feel and how others might view their actions.

By embracing this habit as a family, you’ll create an environment where everyone feels heard, understood, and valued. Together, let’s continue to empower our children to be compassionate, thoughtful leaders.

Thank you for your partnership in building these lifelong habits!

Monday, January 27: Team Kindness: Dress is your favorite sports shirt, uniform or dance attire

Tuesday, January 28: Dream of kindness: Pajama day

Wednesday, January 29: Workout problems with kindness: Wear workout/exercise clothes

Thursday, January 30: Never too old for kindness: Dress like a 100 year old

Friday, Jan. 31: Caps for kids: Wear your favorite cap/hat to honor kids with cancer and Donate $1

Mission Meadows gets the opportunity to participate in the Kids Heart Challenge by the American Heart Association from Feb 3rd-12th. Students and staff will get the chance to learn about healthy hearts and special hearts (congenital heart disorders) as well as hands-only CPR and warning signs of a stroke. We will have fun activities and incentives throughout those weeks. It is also a fundraiser but we are not incentivizing money donations. That part of the program is done online with the parents/guardians at home. More information to come.

What is Kids Heart Challenge?

Kids Heart Challenge (KHC) is a 2 week interactive program where schools partner with the American Heart Association (AHA) to empower students, staff, and families to take charge of their overall health and wellbeing. Students and families can learn about heart healthy messages through our Heart Heroes, the Quack Attack Crew. Each one of our Ducks has a health and wellness message that resonates with students on how

to keep their heart happy and healthy.

Next year your child will be in 6th grade, and you have the option of applying to Vista Magnet Middle School (VMMS) or Vista Innovation and Design Academy (VIDA). On the dates below the two magnet middle schools will introduce our programs and explain the magnet application process. Families can attend any of these presentations they choose. All presentations are 6:00-7:00 pm.

Date Location

Wednesday, January 22, 2025 - Alamosa Park Elementary: 5130 Alamosa Park Drive, Oceanside

Monday, January 27, 2025 - Breeze Hill Elementary: 1111 Melrose Way, Vista

Wednesday, January 29, 2025 - Bobier Elementary: 550 Beaumont Drive, Vista

Monday, February 3, 2025 - Vista Academy: 600 North Santa Fe Avenue, Vista

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - Grapevine Elementary: 630 Grapevine Road, Vista

Monday, February 10, 2025 - Hannalei Elementary: 120 Hannalei Drive, Vista

Vista Magnet MS Flier

VIDA Middle School Flier

• Important Student Check-Out Policy: For the safety of all students, please be aware of our school’s check-out policy:

  1. Photo ID Required: Students can only be released to an adult who presents a valid photo ID and is listed on the student’s emergency contact list.

  2. No Early Check-Outs During Final 30 Minutes: To minimize disruptions during the busy end-of-day activities, students cannot be checked out within 30 minutes of dismissal.

  If you need to pick up your child early for an appointment or other reasons, please plan accordingly. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding in helping us maintain a safe and smooth dismissal process.

The Vista Unified STEM 2 Career Expo invites all current VUSD students to participate in the Catapult Challenge on March 26, 2025, from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at the Vista High School Main Quad. Students, divided into elementary, middle, and high school levels, will design and build a catapult capable of launching a jelly bean. Materials kits will be delivered to schools on March 10, 2025, but students must also include one recycled item, such as a bottle cap or cardboard tube. Completed devices must be brought to the event, where students will test their creations by launching a paint-dipped jelly bean. The last day to sign up is January 31, 2025.

Learning basic math facts is a cornerstone of academic success, especially for our 3rd-5th graders who are diving deep into multiplication and fractions. These foundational skills are not just classroom requirements—they are the building blocks for more complex problem-solving in middle school and beyond. Strong math fact fluency boosts confidence, improves problem-solving speed, and frees up mental energy to tackle challenging concepts.

We are excited to be able to offer Reflex Math and Frax for your children in the 2nd-5th grade to use and practice at home. This program will be available to your students by the end of the week! We encourage all students to keep practicing their math facts every week at home. Whether it’s through flashcards, apps, or family quizzes, every bit of practice helps. Let’s continue working together to ensure all students sail into the next grade level with the skills they need to succeed.

Dear Mission Meadows Families,

Leaders are Readers, and we are thrilled to provide students with powerful tools to build their reading skills, many of which are accessible through your child’s ClassLink account. These programs support learning at school and home, and we encourage your child to take advantage of them.

Here are some ways your student can practice reading at home:

1. Daily Reading: Students should read at home for at least 30 minutes each day. After finishing a book, they can take Accelerated Reader (AR) quizzes to test their understanding and earn points.
2. i-Ready Reading: All students should spend 30-45 minutes each week on i-Ready Reading, a program tailored to their individual learning needs.
3. Lexia: Younger students (TK-2nd grade) can work on Lexia to strengthen foundational reading skills.
4. Achieve 3000: Upper-grade students (3rd-5th grade) can complete Achieve 3000 lessons to boost reading comprehension and critical thinking.

Many of these activities are part of classroom instruction, but they can also be used at home to enhance learning. Winter Break is a perfect time to dive deeper into these programs and keep those reading skills sharp! Reach out to your child's teacher if you have questions, as different grade levels may have slightly different expectations.

Thank you for supporting your child’s growth as a reader. Let’s keep the learning going strong!

• Volunteer What's App in English
• Volunteer What's App in Spanish

• 95% Attendance Goal: Consistent attendance is crucial for elementary-age children because it ensures they receive the full benefits of classroom learning, social interactions, and essential academic routines. Regular attendance helps students build a strong foundation in their studies, develop good habits, and stay on track with their peers. This year, our school has set a goal for all students to achieve at least 95% attendance to earn the H.E.R.O. (Here, Every day, Ready, On time) award, recognizing their commitment to being present and engaged in their education.
• Independent Study is Available: If you know about an upcoming extended absence, you can ask for Independent Study Packets that your student can complete for academic and attendance credit. You must give a minimum of SEVEN days notice to the office and teacher for a packet to be created, but FOURTEEN (14) days is preferred. If the student completes and turns in the packet the absences will not count against your child.
• Attendance Challenge - If we can have an overall attendance at the end of the school year of at least 95%, then the students will be able to duct tape Mr. Peel to a wall and throw cream pies in his face. Last year we grew from 92% to 93.7% attendance - which was fantastic, but Mission Meadows still had the third lowest overall attendance of all Vista USD elementary school. Let's reach our goal this year Mustangs.

Location: 5657 Spur Avenue, Oceanside, CA, USA
Phone: (760)630-7884