Mustang's Message

• Welcome Back Brunch for our Amazing Staff - Each year, our PTA and wonderful families come together to show our appreciation for the incredible teachers and staff at Mission Meadows by hosting a Welcome Back Brunch on their first day back after Winter Break. We need your help to make this year’s brunch extra special! Please visit the Back to School Brunch sign-up link in all Mustang Messages from now until January 8th. Let’s show our amazing staff how much we value everything they do for our children!
• Friday Sing Assembly this Friday - This Friday at 1:00pm we will be having our next Friday Sing Assembly where we will be recognizing students for Reading, Running & Leadership. All parents and friends are invited to join us, but if your child will be receiving a certificate you will be notified by your child's teacher by Wednesday. Please consider bringing your own camp chair to sit in and enjoy this celebration as these assemblies are held outside on the basketball court unless there is wet weather.
• PLEASE DO NOT PLAN TO CHECK YOUR CHILD(REN) OUT AFTER THE ASSEMBLY AS IT IS TOO CLOSE THE END OF THE DAY DISMISSAL TIME.
• Leader in Me: Habit #5 - 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. Please read more below to learn how you can support your child in practicing this habit both at school and at home.

• STEM Catapult Challenge - All students in Vista USD are invited to participate in a STEM2Career Night this Spring. One of the highlights will be a Catapult Challenge. Check out the information below for more details about how to sign up. The deadline is January 31st!

• Lost Sweatshirts and Jacket - Did you notice over Winter Break that your child might be missing a favorite jacket or sweatshirt? Don’t worry—it’s likely waiting for you here at school! Before the break, we bagged up a large collection of lost and found items. These will be held until the end of January, after which any unclaimed items will be donated. We encourage you to stop by this month to check for anything your child might be missing. Let’s reunite these items with their rightful owners!

• January 8 - Students Return to School

• January 10 - Friday Sing Assembly

• January 8 - PTA Executive Board Meeting

• January 20 M.L King Day - No School
• January 22 Family Art PTA night and Association Meeting
• January 23 Earthquake/Fire Drill
• January 27-31 Great Kindness challenge
• January 30 100th Day of School
• January 31 Cap for kids

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!

• 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.

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.

In December, our students had an exciting visit from Pirate Peel, who challenged them on their math mastery. While many students showcased their progress, it’s clear we still have some work to do before the end of the school year.

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!

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.

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 15, 2025 - Casita Center: 260 Cedar Road, Vista

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

• The GARDEN CLUB had a wonderful harvest & school wide sampling experience in December. The students all had the opportunity to sample mint tea & garden salad made from veggies THEY GREW. Now it is time to help plant and prepare for our Spring Harvest. VOLUNTEERS WANTED: If you want to help with this awesome project next semester CLICK HERE (at school & at home help needed).

• 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