MP3 December Newsletter

It’s hard to believe that it is December already. You’ve accomplished a lot by getting the first half of the school year off to a great start and you should be proud of the work your family is doing. This month we have some fun activities planned for your whole family to participate in from learning to code to creating art to kick off the winter season. We love when you share pictures with your SLPC so please keep them coming!

Your Proud Principal,

Michelle Siadal

December 1-6

2- National Special Education Day

2- Flannel Day!

3 & 5- MP3 Library Hours (Tues & Thurs 8:30 am-11:00 am)

4- Winter Whiteout!

5- Monthly Reviews Due in SchoolData ALE

December 9-13

7- Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

9- Hat and Toastie Toes Day!

9-13 Computer Science Education Week

10 & 12- MP3 Library Hours (Tues & Thurs 8:30 am-11:00 am)

11- Sweater Weather Day!

13- Highly Capable Referral Forms Due

December 16-19

16- Snowflake Art Weekly Contact

16- Candy Cane Day!

17 & 19- MP3 Library Hours (Tues & Thurs 8:30 am-11:00 am)

18- PJ Day!

19- Parent Acknowledgment of Monthly Reviews in SchoolData ALE- Due!

December 20-January 6

20-Jan. 3- Winter Break

25- Hanukkah Begins

25- Christmas

26- Kwanzaa Begins

Jan. 6- Campus Classes Resume

Thank you in advance for submitting your monthly reviews in SchoolData ALE between December 1st-5th. It is greatly appreciated having your monthly reviews submitted during the first week of each month to reflect on the past 30 days. Also, thank you for acknowledging you reviewed your SLPC's comment in SchoolData ALE. We hope the friendly reminders are helpful!

The 2nd edition of The Vibe is now available for viewing. Please click on the pdf below to read The Vibe! If you want to contribute to The Vibe, email thevibenewspaper@gmail.com with your submission!

Computer Science Education Week is December 9-15. Join the global movement and sign up for an hour of code event. The hour of code is an introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that all learners of all ages can learn the basics. Have fun planning your Hour of Code this December!

Meridian School district is accepting referrals for the highly capable program. Highly capable students are those who perform or show potential for performing at significantly advanced academic levels when compared with others of their age, experiences, or environments. Teachers and parents may refer any student in grades K-11 for assessment. All fifth and second grade students will be screened, regardless of a referral.

To refer a student for assessment, please complete the Highly Capable referral form by Dec. 13, 2024 for eligibility in the 2025-26 school year.

If you have questions about the Highly Capable Program visit our website or contact Rebecca Montgomery, highly capable program coordinator, at 360-318-2456 or rmontgomery@meridian.wednet.edu.

Kick off the winter season with a snowflake art project! You will need paper, pencil and a marker. Please submit a photo of your art to your SLPC on December 16th for weekly contact in lieu of your traditionally scheduled weekly contact. This will allow your SLPC time to get your monthly review approved and back to you for parent acknowledgment before we leave for winter break.

The Every Kid in a Park program is where all 4th graders can get FREE admission to National Parks, public lands & waters this year, including admission with their families. Well, it turns out that in addition to that awesome benefit, 4th-grade students can also get a FREE permit to cut down a Christmas tree in select National forests.

Anyone 18 and under or still enrolled in high school can ride on Whatcom Transportation Authority buses for free - no bus pass required!

How it works:

Youth can ride all buses for free, including paratransit and Lynden Hop. No pass is required. Just let your driver know you're 18 or younger when you step on board. ​

​​How to ride:

Taking the bus for the first time? It's no problem! Your bus driver is here to make sure your trip runs smoothly. If you have any questions about your ride, you can always ask the driver. Travel Training is also available for one-on-one assistance.

To find which bus to take, download WTA’s BusTracker app or use the Trip Planner at ridewta.com.

Want to ride like a pro? Check out our video about Youth Ride Free.

For more information on our Youth Ride Free program, visit www.ridewta.com/free or call our offices at 360-676-7433.

The MP3 office will be closed for winter break from December 20-January 3. Campus classes will resume on Monday, January 6th, 2025.

Looking for support with holiday meals this season? The Whatcom Asset Building Coalition offers a helpful Holiday Food & Meal Guide with resources for families in Whatcom County. This guide lists locations, dates, and times for community holiday meals, food banks offering special holiday items, and tips for accessing additional support. Meal events are available throughout November and December across the county, including Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, and other areas. You can view and download the guide here to make your holiday planning a little easier.

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. There is also a 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.

Our teacher teams have collaborated to create grade-level reviews based on the learning happening in campus classes. We encourage parents to utilize the information from these campus class reviews in their monthly submissions in SchoolData.

Show your winter spirit by dressing up each campus day throughout the month of December.

With winter weather approaching it is always nice to receive communication about school delays and closures. MP3 is part of the Meridian School District so please make sure you are checking information for Meridian School District rather than your resident district.

As a friendly reminder, if the Meridian School District is having a late start due to weather conditions, the MP3 campus classes will be canceled for the day. We have families traveling outside our district boundaries and we want to keep our families safe during inclement weather.

Below you will find information about the Meridian School District's winter weather procedures. You can find a more detailed explanation about these procedures by following this link - www.meridian.wednet.edu.

In the event of a school closure or delay, we will use a variety of methods to notify you.

• An email, text, app notification and/or phone call will automatically be sent to you via ParentSquare.
• Tune to local media: 790 AM, 96.5 FM, 104.1 FM or Seattle media.
• Check http://www.meridian.wednet.edu/
• Check @meridianschooldistrict505 on Facebook or Instagram or @Meridian505 on Twitter

The district uses FlashAlert Newswire to notify local TV and radio media of school closures or delays.

We love having your child on campus however we understand vacations, appointments, and illnesses will occur. Please contact our MP3 office if your child will be absent along with the rationale. Please email mcampfield@meridian.wednet.edu or call (360) 398-9324.

Also, if your child will be absent from campus classes for a whole week please make arrangements with your SLPC to fulfill weekly contact during that same week of the absences.

Save the date for the MP3 Share Fair on Tuesday, January 21 from 9:00 am-10:00 am. The positive feedback from last year has made this an annual event. We are super excited for friends and family to stop by the MP3 campus to see the amazing learning happening on campus. Students will self-guide their families from class to class to share about their learning in campus classes from first semester. It is suggested that families come during staggered start times to accommodate parking. Looking forward to seeing you at this family event!

Please visit our district food service program for free and reduced meal applications, meal prices as well as other FAQs. School lunch deposits can be set up through my meal time online application. Please contact Rob Dunn, Director of Food Services at 360-318-2267 for questions about the food service program.

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.