October Newsletter 2024

It's fall already! I hope you are settling into the new school year and hitting your stride as your child's primary teacher. Hopefully, most of your curriculum has arrived or is on its way soon, so you can familiarize yourself with how the curriculum is set up. Please remember to give yourself grace and make adjustments as needed since the goal is to enjoy teaching and learning as you partner with MP3. Thank you for making a difference in your child's education!

There is a lot of information in our October newsletter, thank you in advance for taking the time to read all of the important information!

Your proud principal,

Michelle Siadal

Tuesday, October 1

• Learning Thrives! with Dr. Everett from 8:15 am- 9:00 am
  
• 30 Day Monthly Review Parent & SLPC Workshop from 9:00 am- 10:00 am

Friday, October 4

• Staff Learning Day (MP3 closed)

Saturday, October 5

• SchoolData ALE open for Monthly Reviews (Due Oct. 5th)

Wednesday, October 30

• MP3 Literacy Celebration!

Monday, November 4

• Picture Re-takes

National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)

Filipino American History Month

Indigenous Peoples' Day (October 14)

National Disability Awareness Month (October)

National Italian American Heritage Month (October)

Students can use i-Ready to build their skills for grade-level success. i-Ready Personalized Instruction uses insights from i-Ready Diagnostic to create a personalized path of engaging online lessons. In this way, students receive instruction and practice in areas where they need the most support. We are recommending students complete 2 lessons per week of personalized learning iReady lessons in math and reading.

You are invited to the Monthly Review Parent Workshop on Tuesday, October 1st from 9:00 am- 10:00 am. Our SLPC team of teachers will be hosting this event to support families with how to submit a monthly review of the progress of learning. Your SLPC sent out an RSVP request so they can plan accordingly based on the interest level. Thank you in advance for confirming with your SLPC if you'll be attending the parent workshop. As a friendly reminder, monthly reviews are due the 5th day of each month.

Lynden Skateway offers special rates for homeschool families on the 1st & 3rd Thursday of each month. This is a great way to connect with other homeschool families and get some exercise too. Prices: $6.50 with own skates or $9.50 with any rental skates

Upcoming skate days:

Oct. 3rd & 17th from 1:00 pm-3:30 pm

Nov. 7th & 21st from 1:00 pm-3:30 pm

Dec. 5th & 19th from 1:00 pm-3:30 pm

Check the Lynden Skateway website for updates on homeschool skate days!

On October 17th join "The Great Washington ShakeOut" for this at-home activity so your family is prepared to survive and recover quickly from big earthquakes. For more information and lesson plans, visit ShakeOut.

This month is digital citizenship week so it's a great time to talk with kids at home about being safe in a digital world. Here are some resources to start the conversation: Tips to talk to your student: Common Sense Cyberbullying and apps to be aware of: Family Education

Each year, the "Every Kid Outdoors" program offers a free pass to all 4th grader students. To sign up, visit https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm to get your pass for the year!

MP3 continues to use learning material vendors that support school district purchase orders. However, the ordering process with Amazon business accounts has changed so it is no longer an option for our MP3 families. Please work with your SLPC on accessing viable curriculum and learning materials to support your student learning plan!

Since the MP3 campus classes are workshops, the campus teacher teams have collaborated on creating grade-level reviews. Parents are welcome to use information from campus class reviews in their monthly reviews in SchoolData. Here is the link with information about MP3 Campus Monthly Reviews.

The MHS cross country team is doing a shoe fundraiser. If you have used athletic shoes that are no longer of use to you please feel free to drop off shoe donations at MP3. The team has provided a donation box in the MP3 office. See more details below about the MHS cross country shoe fundraiser!

We love having your child on campus however we understand vacations, appointments, and illness will occur. Please contact our MP3 office by emailing mcampfield@meridian.wednet.edu or call (360) 398-9324, if your child will be absent and follow up with your SLPC for weekly contact.

Students are invited to dress up as their favorite storybook character on Wednesday, October 30th for a special literacy celebration! We encourage homemade costumes related to children’s books. This is a great opportunity for students to share their favorite books and characters!

Important Details:

• Costumes: Homemade and related to storybook characters only. Store-bought licensed character costumes are not allowed.
• Materials: Feel free to use items from your closet, construction paper, and recyclables to create your costume.
• Book Sharing: Bring your favorite book if possible and be ready to talk about your character.

This is not a Halloween event, so please keep costumes focused on book characters. For inspiration, check out the internet and Pinterest for creative ideas. Our motto is: “Keep it simple and have fun with literacy!”

More information on event times and details will be provided soon. We’re looking forward to a fun and educational day celebrating reading!

Students who were absent on picture day or wish to have their pictures retaken can return their original packets for retakes. Students will have their portraits taken by O'Connor Photography Studio on November 4th. Students can Pre-order Portraits. Alternatively, you can visit the O'Connor Photography Studio website: www.oconnorphotographystudio.com. For any questions or assistance, please call the studio at 1-800-993-4929.

From time to time, campus classes may have celebrations that include snacks or treats. To ensure the safety and enjoyment of all students, please remember:

• All food items must be store-bought, sealed, and from a nut-free facility.
• Celebrations will be scheduled for the end of the day to avoid interfering with mealtime.

If your child has food allergies or dietary restrictions, please update their health information by contacting our school nurse, Stacy King, at sking@meridian.wednet.edu or 360-318-2289.

Thank you for helping us keep our school community safe and inclusive!

We’re pleased to offer access to the MP3 library for families on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 am to 11:00 am. We hope you’ve received most of your curriculum materials, but we want to ensure you have everything you need to support your child’s at-home learning.

Please note, the MP3 library is closed on campus days. During these times, our office/library space transforms into a health room, providing a calm environment for students and a space for special services. We appreciate your understanding as we prioritize student privacy and support.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Thank you to all our families for your excellent support with campus drop-off and pick-up! You’re doing a fantastic job navigating the pick-up loop. A few reminders to help keep things running smoothly:

• Please make sure your child is ready to enter and exit the vehicle promptly.
• Remain in your vehicle and pull all the way forward to keep traffic moving efficiently.
• If your child needs extra time, kindly use designated parking spots.
• For any changes to your child’s dismissal plans, contact the MP3 office before 2:00 pm. After 2:10 pm, we will be focused on the dismissal system and unable to answer the phone

Thank you for your partnership!

Please visit the district food service website for monthly menus, meal prices, applications, and more.

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