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

Fill up a mug of hot cocoa, tea, or apple cider, and join Mrs. Warnock for fun art project! You will need paper, crayons or oil pastels, a pencil, permanent marker, and watercolor paints.

Please submit a photo of your mug art to your SLPC during the week of December 12-16 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. Hopefully, you can snuggle up with a mug of your favorite warm beverage and a good book!

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!

Computer Science Education Week is December 5 -11. 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!

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.

Meridian School District will accept referrals for the highly capable program beginning Wednesday, Nov. 16. 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, families, and community members may refer any student in grades K-11 for assessment. Students in high school can self-refer.

Beginning Nov. 16, to refer a student for assessment, complete the Highly Capable referral form by Wednesday, Dec. 14 for eligibility in the 2022-23 school year.

If you have questions about the Highly Capable Program visit our website or contact Rebecca Montgomery, highly capable program coordinator, at 360-318-2509.

December is Read a New Book Month!

2- National Special Education Day

5-11 Computer Science Education Week

7- Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

18-26 Hanukkah

25- Christmas

26-Jan. 1 - Kwanzaa

19-Jan. 2- Winter Break

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.

Students exhibiting any of these symptoms at school will be asked to go home and may be required to have a COVID test before returning. Students who have a fever must be free of fever for 24 hours, without the use of medication, before returning. Students must also be free of vomiting or diarrhea for a minimum of 24 hours before returning to school. If you have specific questions about when it is ok to send your student to school or questions about COVID testing, please reach out to one of our nurses. Health Services

Stay home if:

• Fever or chills
• Shortness of breath
• Wet or productive cough
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• New loss of taste of smell
• If your child has had a COVID test. Students will not be readmitted without results. Please call with results before sending your student back to school.

Notify school if:

• Your child is going to be absent
• Symptoms of illness
• Hospitalization takes place
• Your child has a COVID test

Obtain a note from your doctor if:

• Your child needs medication of any kind at school
• Child has a communicable disease (lice, impetigo, pink eye)
• Child has a rash
• Child unable to participate in certain activities
• To notify about medical conditions (asthma, allergies, diabetes, etc.)

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 absents.

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.