Meadowbrook News

January 17, 2025

Text reading explore, create, innovate on a blue background

A stylized H with a gold star above the word Meadowbrook

Gold circles on a light yellow background

From Principal Natalie

Good afternoon, Meadowbrook!

Remember, there will be no school or Kids and Company on Monday, January 20, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It’s important to me that our students understand why we collectively celebrate Dr. King. Along with the learning happening in their classrooms, I’ve included three videos below, each suited for different age groups, to help continue the conversation at home. Please share them with your children and discuss what they can do to help us realize Dr. King’s dream.

We hope to see you at Student Showcase Night on Thursday, January 23, from 6:00–7:30 PM! This open-house-style event will highlight the incredible projects, presentations, and performances our students have been working on. Classrooms will officially open at 6:00 PM for the showcase. Our PTO will offer dinner options for purchase in the cafeteria from 5:30–6:30pm, and we need your help to make it happen! Volunteer shifts are short—just 45 minutes—and your support will help us ensure a smooth and enjoyable evening for everyone. Can you help? Sign up here.

There will also be no school on Friday, January 24. This is a grading day, and our staff will be hard at work preparing students' Term 1 report cards. Report cards will be sent home with students on Friday, January 31.

In partnership,

Natalie

5th Grade Party Planning Session - January 27th

We are starting the planning for the 5th Grade Party which will be on Friday, June 6th. Can you help? We will meet virtually on Monday, January 27th from 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. to talk about the day and start divvying up the work.

Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89388496000?pwd=HoQIsbgGJc3ypaO1T0L8HEXElyafu1.1
Meeting ID: 893 8849 6000
Passcode: 386049

Please join the Meadowbrook Class of 2032 Facebook Group, if you haven't already.

Questions? Email us at MeadowbrookClassof2032@gmail.com

Starting Kindergarten this Fall? Join us for Kindergarten Roundup!

Join us for Kindergarten Roundup, where you can meet your teachers, explore the school, and connect with Principal Natalie and Mr. Lawson! We hope to see you there.

Register at HopkinsSchools.org/Roundup.

From Nurse Karen

Hello Meadowbrook Families,

This past week, many students have been under the weather, and other schools are experiencing similar trends. We’ve seen cases of Influenza A (though not a major concern at this time), fevers, colds, and norovirus (commonly called the “stomach flu”). While illnesses are making the rounds, there are steps we can all take to keep our community healthy.

Key Reminders:

Stay home if ill: Thank you to the families who kept their children home this week when they were sick. Sending an unwell student to school spreads illness to others, including staff.
Fever: Your child must be fever-free for 24 hours without using fever-reducing medications (e.g., Tylenol, Motrin) before returning to school.
Vomiting: If your child vomits once but feels well, they may return the next day. If they vomit more than once or still feel unwell, keep them home until they have normal energy and can keep food down.
Diarrhea: Keep your child home until 24 hours have passed since their last loose stool.
Colds and sore throats: If there’s a fever, follow fever guidelines. A lingering cough is okay, but keep your child home if it’s frequent or severe.
Influenza A: Follow your child’s healthcare provider’s guidance.

Healthy Habits:

Wash hands with soap and warm water for 20–30 seconds, especially after using the bathroom, before eating, and after touching your face.
Eat nutritious meals, get at least 8 hours of sleep, stay hydrated, and allow downtime to reduce stress.

Thank you for helping us keep Meadowbrook a healthy place for everyone. Together, we’ll get through the January bugs!

Stay healthy, Nurse Karen

PTO Corner

Save the Date - Family Movie Night

February 7 at 7:00pm in the Meadowbrook gym. Free popcorn with drinks and candy available (donation based). Kids will vote on the movie the week before. We also are looking for volunteers to make popcorn and staff concessions:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080E4EAAAE2EA1FF2-54466362-movie

Fundraiser Coming Soon!

Keep an eye out for the Meadowbrook Annual Spring Fundraiser: Glow For It! Fun Run - coming in February! It’s a brand new format for online donations (and employer matches). At the end, there will be a Glow Fun Run in the gym for the kids to celebrate the fundraising efforts. This is a great opportunity for our community to reach out to extended family and friends to support our school.

More to come!

Seeking Donations

The Staff Appreciation committee is seeking out donations in order to provide Sniffle Soother kits to the Meadowbrook staff this winter! Help us bust the boogers by donating via the Amazon wish list. Just order off the list and donations will be shipped directly to us! Otherwise, if you prefer to shop elsewhere, you can drop off donations in the Meadowbrook office. Just put a label on them that they are for the PTO. Please note that you do not need to stick to the exact brands/quantities in the wish list. These are provided just as suggestions and for ease of shopping/shipping. We are looking for the following (regular size, not travel) items:

Boxes of Kleenex/Puff etc.

Hand Sanitizer

Hand Lotion

Hand Soap

Disinfecting Wipes

Individually wrapped masks

Paper Towels

Please order/drop off your donations by January 27th. We welcome all donations, large or small!

Thanks!

Meadowbrook Staff Appreciation (PTO) committee

Yearbooks

It’s time to order your yearbook!

This year, the PTO won’t be able to provide a yearbook for each family, so please be sure to place an order if your child would like one in the spring.

Visit ybpay.com and enter code 14465725 to order. All orders must be placed by April 12, 2025.

Monthly Newsletter

Restaurant Nights

What are Restaurant Night funds used for? The sales from Meadowbrook Restaurant Nights are used for PTO funds. These funds provide many opportunities for all students and teachers. This includes, but is not limited to field trips, equipment for classrooms and the media center, artist residencies, and transportation costs for events and field trips. Since September, restaurant nights have helped bring in $1,923 to the PTO!

The Local - This year Meadowbrook is partnering with the Local in the West End; every Tuesday, mention "Meadowbrook PTO" and a portion of the proceeds will be provided to the Meadowbrook!

How to Help The PTO:

Volunteer with us! Click here to learn about our many volunteer opportunities. There is something for everyone!
Visit the PTO website, MeadowbrookPTO.weebly.com for current info on all things PTO!
Sign up for the PTO’s monthly newsletter to stay in-the-know on all PTO events, activities and opportunities. Sign up here!

Any questions? We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us at MeadowbrookElementaryPTO@gmail.com or visit us on Facebook , Twitter, Instagram, or our PTO website.

District News & Events

Canvas Information Night for Families:

Tuesday, Jan. 21, 5:30-7 p.m. at Eisenhower Community Center

Canvas is our district-wide learning management system used in grades E-12. It’s the main platform for all secondary courses.

Families, did you know you can access Canvas to stay up-to-date on your student’s learning and progress? Join our district Technology Integration Specialists for an informational session to learn more about how Canvas works, including:

Setting Up Your Parent/Caregiver Account: Get support setting up your Canvas Parent account and pairing it with your scholar’s account.
Viewing Assignments and Grades: Stay updated about what your scholar is working on and how they are performing.
Communicating with Teachers: Easily reach out to educators for any questions or concerns.
Accessing Learning Resources: Find helpful materials to support your scholar’s learning journey.
Q & A: Get all your Canvas-related questions answered.

Can’t make the session? Access these video tutorials to learn about creating and pairing your Canvas Parent account:

Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) meeting

Purpose:
If you are a caregiver of a student with a disability, you are invited to join us for our SEAC (pronounced seek) meetings. We will share Hopkin's Special Education Department updates with you and create space for you to advise us on how to best serve you and the community. https://www.pacer.org/parent/parent-leadership/seac/

Dates:
Tuesday, January 21, 2024, from 5:00 - 6:30 pm
Tuesday, March 18, 2024, from 5:00 - 6:30 pm

Location: Eisenhower Community Center, Board Room #233

If you have any questions, please email Ryan.Simenson@Hopkinsschools.org

Districtwide Parent and Caregiver Group for Supporting Gender Expansive Kids

Are you the caregiver of a child who transcends traditional binary gender roles? We are offering a supportive, ongoing group for parents and caregivers to ask questions, share ideas, and support one another. Some children may identify as transgender, gender fluid, non-binary, gender queer, gender expansive, or simply move through the world in a much more gender-free type of way.

This is for parents and families from all of Hopkins schools -- and from all grade levels (elementary, middle, and high school, and beyond). Laura Jensen, Hopkins Schools LGBTQ+ Community Liaison will facilitate the meetings. This is not a group to debate the issue, rather for parents looking to support their child.

Dates for Remainder of 24-25 School Year:
January 23, 2025 - February 27, 2025 - March 27, 2025 - April 24, 2024 - May 22, 2025 - June 26, 2025

North Middle School, 5-6:30 p.m. Room 506 (use side parking lot, Door R)

Questions? Email Laura.Jensen@hopkinsschools.org

Hopkins Ultimate Community Night

Join us for Hopkins Ultimate Community Night on Sunday, January 26th from 5-6:30pm at the North Junior High Structure. Come learn about the sport, our team, connect with current players and families, and enjoy PIZZA! Hopkins Ultimate is open to all in grades 5th-8th (co-ed Middle School League) and 9th-12th grader (male and female matching Varsity).

All new/interested and current players and families are welcome, especially anyone wanting to learn more about the sport of Ultimate Frisbee! There will be opportunities for new players to throw the disc around and for families to connect with current players and current team families. Please RSVP by January 20th by using the link below. And for more information or season registration, check out our website hopkinsultimate.com.

Hopkins Education Foundation News

The Hopkins Education Foundation (HEF) will be fundraising for a new special project, Outdoor Opportunities, at the Royal Bash gala on March 1 at the Metropolitan Ballroom. Each year, HEF partners with Hopkins Public Schools on a project that will have a districtwide impact.

This year’s project will inspire Hopkins students to develop outdoor and leadership skills, build community, and experience joy and connection to the natural world with activities like camping, hiking, canoeing, and more. Funds raised at the Royal Bash will make the class trips listed below possible for students in the District, help the outdoor program acquire more gear, and create an Outdoor Opportunities Fund for scholarships for future trips. We hope this project will create new outdoor traditions for years to come.

Elementary: Fifth grade day trip to YMCA Camp Ihduhapi
Middle School: Eighth grade day trip to YMCA Camp Ihduhapi
High School: Camping trip for up to 120 students
Outdoor Gear: Expand the High School inventory of camping, hiking, and outdoor gear, to help make it possible for all kids to have outdoor learning experiences, regardless of income.
Outdoor Opportunities Fund: Any additional funds raised will be placed in a scholarship fund to make future outdoor trips accessible to our low income families.

Tickets for the Royal Bash are on sale now. Join with parents, teachers, district leaders and community members to celebrate and support at the Royal Bash. Tickets and info at HopkinsEducationFoundation.org.