Meridian Elementary News

May

16th: PTO Meeting 5:00-5:30 PM

21st: VOTING DAY!

23rd: Preschool promotion 1:00 PM

24th: 5th grade promotion 10:00 AM

24th: Kindergarten promotion 1:00 PM

24th: Lost and Found will be donated

24th: Last Day of School

Click the link below for the West ADA 2023-2024 Student Calendar:

District Calendar | West Ada School District

Last PTO meeting of the year. Please come and join us to end the year strong. 5:00-5:30 in the Library.

Summer is coming quickly! If you are looking for something to do with your kids over the summer, the city of Meridian has a Summer Activity Guide full of information for classes, camps, workshops and other recreational activities and ideas!

Financial Assistance is available for youth classes, camps and activities. Qualifying families residing within the City of Meridian can receive assistance for up to 80% of an activity fee or membership, for a maximum of $250.00 per year/ per child (up to 18 years of age). To be eligible, families must reside at an address within the Meridian city limits AND be receiving assistance through a program such as:

Free or Reduced School Lunch

Food Stamps

Medicaid

Energy Assistance

Documentation that the applicant is participating in an approved assistance program is required and must be provided with the application.

For more information and to view the guide, click here: Activity Guide | City of Meridian (meridiancity.org)

Please contact me if you are in need of emergency resources such as food, clothing, hygiene items or household cleaning items. I'm also available if you have any questions on outside resources that you may be looking for.

Melanie Morales -Community School Liaison
208-855-4335 ext 2002
morales.melanie@westada.org

West Ada School District Families,

I'm reaching out to you as valued members of our educational community to highlight the upcoming May 21 election and the crucial replacement levy for the West Ada School District. Your engagement in this process is vital, and I wanted to ensure you have all the necessary information.

The West Ada School District Supplemental Levy, featured on the ballot, directly impacts the quality of education and safety in our district. It's important to note that this levy is not a new tax but rather a replacement, aimed at sustaining essential support for our educational programs.

Understanding the financial aspects of this replacement levy is key. The estimated average annual cost to taxpayers is $27.13 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value, per year, based on current conditions. This proposed replacement levy replaces an existing one that costs $27.43 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value, expiring on June 30, 2024. If approved, the tax is expected to decrease by $0.30 per $100,000 of taxable assessed value.

These replacement levy funds are directed at maintaining the high standards of education and safety within our schools. Specifically, they will be allocated towards sustaining the salaries and benefits of 152 current teachers and supporting contracted services for 19 School Resource Officers (SROs), ensuring that our classrooms remain adequately staffed and our learning environment remains secure.

We urge you to mark your calendars for May 21 and exercise your right to vote. Every vote counts.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter, and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need further information. You can also find answers to frequently asked questions on our supplemental levy page on the website by submitting your inquiries through our FAQ form.

Want to learn more about the upcoming Primary Election? Check out the Ada County Election Guide which is full of helpful election information you need to know in order to successfully cast your vote. https://adacounty.id.gov/elections/election-day-information/

• Register to Vote
• Find Where You Vote

Dr. Derek Bub
Superintendent

SUMMER FEEING DATES, TIMES AND LOCATIONS

West Ada School District

April 22, 2024

As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting the well-being of its students, West Ada School District is proud to announce the launch of its summer feeding program at multiple locations throughout the district. These sites will provide free meals to children aged 1-18, ensuring that they have access to nutritious food during the summer break.

The summer feeding schedules and their respective sites are as follows:

June 3rd – 28th

Breakfast 9:45-10:30am
Lunch from 11:45am-1:15pm

• Meridian High School: 1900 W Pine Ave, Meridian, ID 83642

  
  

June 3rd – August 2nd

Breakfast 8:00-8:30am

• Lunch from 12:00-12:45pm

  
  

• Desert Sage Elementary: 9325 W Mossywood St, Boise, ID 83709.

June 3rd – August 2nd
Breakfast 8:15-9:00am

• Peregrine Elementary: 1860 W Waltman St, Meridian, ID 83642

June 3rd – August 2nd
Lunch from 12:00-12:45pm

• Tully Park: 2500 N Linder Rd, Meridian, ID 83646.

• Eagle Library: 100 Stierman Way, Eagle, ID 83616

• Hunter's Creek Park: 1500 N Star Rd, Star, ID 83669

June 3rd through June 7th

Lunch from 12:00-12:45pm

• Silver Sage Elementary: 7700 W Snohomish St, Boise, ID 83709

• Frontier Elementary: 11851 Musket Dr, Boise, ID 83713

• McMillan Elementary: 10901 W McMillan Rd, Boise, ID 83713

• Ustick Elementary: 12435 W Ustick Rd, Boise, ID 83713

  
  

All meals provided at the summer feeding sites are free for children ages 1-18. Adult meals are available for $5 per person. It's important to note that meals must be consumed on-site.

To kick off the summer feeding program, a special event will be held on June 13, 2024, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Tully Park, featuring a book mobile, STEM group activities, a smoothie bike, and more. Additionally, on July 17, 2024, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, Westy's Birthday Party will take place at Tully Park, celebrating healthy eating and exercise habits.

For more information about the summer feeding program and its sites, please contact West Ada School Nutrition Services at 208-855-4575.

Hey parents some friendly reminders about pick-ups and drop offs. The front pick up and drop off semi-circle is a one lane only. We don't want to see any accidents. In the parking lot there is no pick up or drop offs of students. If you park in the lot to get your student, you need to come and walk them back to your car. We are not allowing students to walk through the parking lot without an adult. Watch the flow of traffic through the parking lot it is also a one way. We have red paint and a new sign for an area in the parking lot that is a no parking zone. Please do not park there for any reason. We want to keep our students safe, please help us by following the rules.

Please remember that drop off times in the morning are M, T, Th, F at 8:50 and on Wednesdays at 9:05. Before these times we do not have adults out to watch for kids his creates an unsafe situation. If you arrive before this time you need to stay with your kids. Please do not come early and drop them off.

At the end of the day all students need to also be picked up in a timely manner. We do watch for traffic alerts and are understanding of that. It is helpful if you can communicate that with us so that your student is not anxious about where you are. All students are to be picked up by 4:05. Chronic lateness can result in us needing to call an SRO to have your student taken home (per the elementary handbook).

Check out the attendance board in the front office.

Announcing the winners for the Mario Kart Attendance Cup Race for the month of April:

In 1st place we have Donkey Kong (Albright) with 95.9%!! Congratulations team!! Way to go!!

In a VERY close 2nd place is Mario (Johnson) with 95.8%!! Your team was fighting so hard to stay in that top spot, great job!

And we have a tie for 3rd place! Coming in with 95.2% is Luigi (Nicklaus) and Shy Guy (Nielebeck)! Whoop, whoop!! This was such a close race! Way to show up and bring your teams in for the bronze!

Did your child change medication, get new medication, or even did not get medications. Please contact the nurse for any changes or brief changes. It helps us to understand any changes in behavior and mental health. Any other changes in a student's health it is also important to please let our nurse know.

If you have questions, please contact Nurse Fry at 208-855-4335.

Hi Meridian Elementary Families!

Did you know that gratitude has many benefits. There are so many great books about gratitude that you can read with your student. They can also write thank you notes, discuss gratitude with you, or keep a gratitude journal. Just saying each day 3 things we are grateful for can be an amazing start to all the benefits listed below.

Here are 7 Scientifically proven reasons to practice gratitude.

1. It opens doors to more relationships.

2. It improves physical health.

3. It improves psychological health.

4. Improves empathy and reduces aggression.

5. Improves sleep.

6. Improves self-esteem.

7. Increases mental strength.

Please contact Mr. Snell with any questions or concerns regarding your student(s) mental health.

Mr. Snell

Meridian Elementary School Counselor

snell.ethan@westada.org

Over the coming weeks, all 5th-grade and 8th-grade students will be receiving a new device that they will take with them over the summer to use for the next few years at middle and high school. To coincide with the deployment of these new devices, we will also be opening early enrollment for Device Protection for the 2024-25 school year on March 1st. Families will be able to log in to the Payment Portal in PowerSchool and purchase Device Protection for $20 instead of $25. This coverage will be effective immediately and run through the summer of 2025. Additionally, please note that as part of the process of checking in these students' older devices, inspections may identify damaged or lost components. Fines resulting from these incidents of damage and loss will start showing up in the Payment Portal, and notification emails will start going out shortly after your 5th or 8th grader receives their new device. For any questions about Optional Device Protection or outstanding balances in our online payment system, Rycor, please send an email to onlinepayments@westada.org, or call our IT Service Desk at 208-350-5300, Monday-Friday 7:30 am - 4:30 pm.

"Always-On" Laptop Case Reminder

This year, to cut down on the frequency of device damage, and to further safeguard families from unplanned repair expenses, protective "always-on" cases were purchased for all Lenovo laptops. If your student has one of these devices, we hope you will join us in encouraging them to keep this device on at all times. This case should not be removed for any reason except by a trained staff member. Removing and installing this case can be difficult and may even damage the screen if not done correctly. If you see your child using their blue Lenovo 500W G3 or G4 laptop without its protective case, please have them bring the case and the laptop to their school's library or designated technical support location and have the case be properly, and safely reinstalled. We appreciate your partnership in protecting these devices!

How to Purchase Optional Device Protection (On or after March 1st):

1. Login to PowerSchool (https://ps.westada.org/public/)
2. Click on the Payment Portal in the left sidebar
3. Click on the name of the child you would like to purchase protection for
4. Add Early Enrollment Device Protection to your cart.
5. Click the cart icon in the upper, right-hand corner.
6. Enter payment information and click Submit to complete your purchase.

For more detailed information and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit our website:

Device Protection Program | West Ada School District

Continue to encourage your students to pick up lost clothes. We have so many sweatshirts. We regularly are donating left items. Please come and look it is overflowing with clothes and lunchboxes. It is outside so you can come and check it anytime. All clothes not claimed by the end of the year will be donated.

Did you know that Fridays are spirit days? This is your chance to wear spirit wear like school t-shirts or school colors. Our colors are blue and yellow. Let's show our trailblazer pride.

Our district has partnered with tutor.com. This is a free online tutoring service offered by the district for students in grades 3-12. This service has individualized help for tutoring and homework. Visit the districts website for more information.

Free Online Tutoring | West Ada School District

Email: parker.courtney@westada.org
Website: https://www.westada.org/o/mes
Location: 1035 Northwest 1st Street, Meridian, ID, USA
Phone: (208) 855-4335