Meridian Newsletter

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Dear Meridian Public Charter School Families,

I hope this message finds you and your family well as we enter the delightful season of spring. Our dedicated staff and students have been hard at work, and I am excited to share some updates with you. As we approach the end of the school year, we are preparing for the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) testing. Testing dates are between May 8th and May 19th. Our teachers have been implementing rigorous instruction and practice opportunities to ensure our students are well-prepared for the assessments. To support their efforts, please ensure your child gets a good night's sleep, eats a nutritious breakfast, and arrives at school on time during the testing window.

Spring is a wonderful time to celebrate the growth and accomplishments of our students, and as the weather warms up, we are also planning various outdoor activities to further enrich their learning experience. Be on the lookout for announcements regarding field trips, outdoor classroom activities, and other exciting opportunities. Additionally, I would like to remind all families that Teacher Appreciation Week will be held from May 8th to May 12th. Our teachers have shown incredible resilience, dedication, and creativity throughout this school year, and their efforts have been instrumental in fostering a positive and engaging learning environment for our students. We encourage students and families to take this opportunity to express their gratitude and recognize the extraordinary work of our teachers.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child's education. The Meridian Public Charter School community thrives because of the commitment and collaboration among students, staff, and families. Together, we will celebrate the milestones of this school year and look forward to the bright future of our young learners.

Warm regards,

Matt McCrea

Access the Spanish version HERE.

Access the Spanish version HERE.

• May 8-12 is Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week
  

• School will be closed for Memorial Day on Monday, May 29th.

• There will be no OST programs (YMCA, MOMIEs, clubs, or sports) on Wednesday, May 10th.

Meet the Family Engagement team and fellow middle school Meridian families! Families of all grade levels are invited to join us on Tuesday, May 9th from 5:30 - 6:15 pm in Principal Blair-Barzey's office. This is an opportunity for you to provide us with feedback about family engagement and share how we can personally support you and your Meridian student. We hope to see you there!

There are two steps that must be completed to officially be re-enrolled at Meridian Public Charter School:

• STEP 1 - Complete online registration: You are not required to upload health certificates or immunization records (valid for one calendar year) to complete registration, although the option is available to you.

• STEP 2 – Submit Proof of Residency: (Click here for the list of documents we can accept for Proof of Residency)

If you do not plan to re-enroll your student at Meridian next school year or if you are undecided, please email enrollment@meridian-dc.org as soon as possible to avoid receiving repeat reminders and calls about re-enrollment. Any students not re-enrolling for next year must complete a withdrawal form using the last day of the current school year at bit.ly/MPCSwithdraw in English or bit.ly/MPCSretiro in Spanish.

If you need assistance to complete enrollment, please visit the Elementary or Middle School Campus during the following times:

Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Wednesday: 8:30 AM -12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

SPIN TO WIN! - For EACH student with complete enrollment (or the Enrollment Team receives notification that they are undecided or will be enrolling elsewhere) has a chance to SPIN TO WIN an item of Meridian swag (this includes water bottles, pens, and notebooks) Any parent/guardian, emergency contact, or authorized pick-up person for the student can collect the prize once enrollment is completed.

As we head into the warmer months, we want to remind you of our uniform policy that must be followed year-round. We also want to ensure students are dressed appropriately for the changes in temperature. Please take a few minutes to review this information at bit.ly/440JEMN. Should you have any questions about these policies, please do not hesitate to contact us.

This week the Middle School is having a PARCC Spirit Week to gear up for the start of PARCC testing next Monday, May 8th. Below is the daily schedule of activities! The celebration will finish with a Pep Rally on Friday, May 5th for all Middle School students.

1. PARCC Spirt Week

• 5/1 Monday ~ Pajamas Day

• Theme: Don’t sleep on your skills, do your BEARY Best

• 5/2 Tuesday ~ Athletic Wear

• Theme: Swing high and kiss those jitters goodbye

• 5/3 Wednesday ~ Red

• Themes: Don’t Stress and Dress to Impress in your Red Attire

• 5/4 Thursday ~ College and Career Readiness: Rep your College/College Gear

• Theme: Grab a tootsie roll if college is your goal

• 5/5 Friday ~ Celebration PARCC Shirts

• Theme: Owls make some noise because we’re going to knock it out the PARCC!

2. PARCC Pep Rally

On Friday, May 5th our 6-8th graders will close out spirit week with a special PARCC Pep Rally! Their achievements leading up to PARCC will be recognized with some special student performances from the Step Team and the Middle School band, a motivational poetry reading, and an EPIC karaoke sing-along. Awards and rewards will also be given out!

1. Attendance Giveaways:

Attendance is imperative every day, especially as we prepare for PARCC testing which will begin on Monday, May 8th! Over the next few weeks, teachers will be tailoring lessons to prepare their classes for the PARCC assessments, and it is important students are on time and come ready to learn.

Earlier this week we kicked off our daily PARCC Attendance Giveaway for 3rd-5th graders. Through May 12th we will be holding daily giveaways on our social media accounts to reward students (and their families) who come to school on time! Students must be seated in their classrooms by 8:30 am to be considered on time. We will select a random winner from our daily Attendance List every morning to receive a prize! Also, students with PERFECT ATTENDANCE for the week will be eligible to win a special prize on Friday, May 5th, and Friday, May 12th. To stay up to date with the daily giveaways and other PARCC announcements, be sure to follow us on Instagram at @mpcs_dc and Facebook at @MPCSdcOWLS.

2. Friday PARCC Parties:

To get Elementary students invested and excited about PARCC we have been hosting a series of PARCC Parties on Fridays! Teachers have been creating specific class goals related to PARCC boot camp lessons and students who meet their goal on 4 out of 5 days earn a special invite to the weekly party. Check out some pictures below from the Movie & Popcorn party held for students before Spring Break.

3. Spirit Week - The ES will also be having a PARCC Spirit Week this week! See below for the daily schedule.

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Saturday. We welcomed over 200 students and their families into our Elementary School campus for an amazing Block Party and Enrollment Saturday! We are especially grateful to our partners for providing resources and information about their services to our guests. Check out our social media accounts for pictures and videos of the event.

Every 1st Wednesday and 3rd Thursday from 11 am - 1 pm, WMBC is partnering with Capital Area Food Bank to help community members in need. Please register yourself and your family to receive the groceries at wmbcdc.org/grocery-giveaway.

Every 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 1 pm - 3 pm, WMBC serves free soup and sandwiches through their Gospel Soup Ministry program. This program takes place in front of their church located at 2020 13th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009. No registration is required for this program.

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month! It's a great opportunity for each of us to take stock of our mental health and well-being. Follow along this month as we share resources and mindfulness activities to celebrate and advocate for mental health care and show how teachers are discussing mental awareness in the classroom.

Below is a brief overview of some activities students will participate in:

• Mindfulness Mondays - Short meditations via YouTube for classes to do during crew in the morning to get the week started.
• Mental Health and Wellness Tables on Tuesdays in the cafeteria students will get information about mental health and wellness as well as swag or treats.
• What Gives You Wings - Students will be given the opportunity on Wednesdays to fill out a "feather" (a template) to share what or who has encouraged them during the week. It will culminate at the end of the month in the creation of a set of wings on the counseling bulletin board with all their feathers on it.
• Yoga Exploration Thursdays - There will be short yoga YouTube videos shared to practice during the reading section of crew.
• Color Fridays - on the first Wednesday and subsequent Fridays a color will be chosen to highlight an emotion or a mental health concern: Green - 5/12, Blue - 5/19, and Yellow - 5/26

Let's start with the importance of positive self-talk. Below are some activities and resources to help you discuss and explore positive self-talk with children.

Scenarios about Positive self-talk

Positive Self-Talk for Kids

Positive Thinking Affirmations

10 Things You Need to Know to Develop a Growth Mindset

Please check out the special edition of Hillcrest's newsletter highlighting Mental Health Awareness Month HERE.

Thank you to those who joined us last night at our 2nd Out-Of-School Time (OST) Parent Session. The OST team really enjoyed meeting you and hearing your feedback on how they can best support your family.

Take a look at what games and practices are coming up in May.

Martha's Table will be offering an array of events all centered around wellness, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. They will also be hosting a documentary screening and panel discussion focused on the impact of forced displacement on mental health, families, and community self-determination. Visit MThealing.com to register and learn more!

This FREE event aims to educate and create awareness regarding the importance of mental health, inclusion, healthy lifestyle choices, and wellness. This event is devoted to educating and sharing information in the form of brief powerful conversations, resources, workshops, and entertainment. Reserve your spot at Mental Health Wellness Day

Join Wake the 8 DC and Amerigroup in their Family & Friends Fitness Challenge series. Register at Family & Friends Fitness Challenge.

Email: information@meridian-dc.org
Website: www.meridian-dc.org
Location: 2120 13th Street Northwest, Washington, DC, USA
Phone: 202-387-9830

Email: information@meridian-dc.org
Website: www.meridian-dc.org
Location: 770 Kenyon Street Northwest, Washington, DC, USA
Phone: 202-793-2667