Meridian Newsletter

Para la traducción, presione el ícono de persona / accesibilidad a la derecha, luego seleccione "Translate Newsletter", y elija 'Spanish' u otro idioma en el que desee leer el boletín virtual. / እባክዎ በቀኝ በኩል ያለውን ሰው የተደራሽነት አዶን ይጫኑ ፣ ከዚያ ‹ Translate Newsletter › ን ይምረጡ ፣ ከዚያ ‹ጽሁፉን/መጽሔት› ን ለማንበብ የሚፈልጉትን ‹Amharic' › ወይም ሌላ ቋንቋ ይምረጡ ፡፡ / Please press the person/accessibility icon on the right, then select "Translate Newsletter", then choose your preferred language.

Dear Meridian Families,

As we approach the end of an extraordinary school year, I am filled with gratitude for our resilient community. Our teachers, students, and families have faced unprecedented challenges this past year, and together, we have navigated through these uncertain times with determination and grace. I am proud of our students' progress and growth, and I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for the 2023-2024 school year. Across the board, whether its student attendance or achievement on our MAP tests, we have seen improvement from last year's results and we know that next year will be even better.

First and foremost, I want to remind you that re-enrollment for the upcoming school year is now open. Please submit your re-enrollment forms as soon as you can to secure your child's spot at Meridian Public Charter School. As we plan for the next school year, we are committed to providing a safe and engaging learning environment for our students. If you would like to have a conversation about re-enrollment, please feel free to reach out and I or another member of the team would be happy to talk more with you.

Lastly, I invite you to join us in celebrating the end of the school year by joining one of our end of the year promotion ceremonies or celebrations. These events will honor the hard work and achievements of our students, as well as recognize the dedication of our teachers and staff. More details regarding the events will be shared in the coming weeks.

Thank you for your continued partnership in your child's education. Together, we have faced adversity and emerged stronger. As we move forward, we remain committed to nurturing the potential of each and every student, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for our Meridian family.

Warm regards,

Matt McCrea

Access the Spanish version HERE.

Access the Spanish version HERE.

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

• MAP Testing - Testing will take place for grades K - 2 on Tuesday, May 23rd, and Thursday, May 25th.

• First Grade Field Trip - Our 1st grade students will be visiting the DC Zoo on Friday, May 26th. Click here for more details.

• Elementary Spring Dance - On Thursday, June 1st our 3rd and 4th grade students will have their Spring Fling Dance. On Friday, June 2nd our 5th grade students will have their Spring Fling Dance. Click here for more details.

• Kindergarten Promotion Ceremony - Tuesday, June 13th starting at 10 AM at Walker Memorial Church located a block from the Elementary School campus. The event will be live streamed on Facebook.

• 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony - Monday, June 12th starting at 10 AM at the Middle School. Limited seating available. The event will be live streamed on Facebook.

• 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony - Friday, June 9th starting at 9 AM at the Middle School. Limited seating available. The event will be live streamed on Facebook. View the full list of 8th end-of-year events HERE.

With only a few days of PARCC make-up testing, we wanted to say how congratulations to our 3rd-8th for their hard work during PARCC assessments. They really did KNOCK IT OUT THE PARCC!

Over the past few weeks, we have been running our PARCC Attendance Giveaway for 3rd-5th graders to recognize and celebrate their great attendance. These students are great role models for their classmates, showing them the importance of coming on time to class, especially during testing weeks! We have also been rewarding their families as well, it is because of them that these students arrive to school on time and ready to learn!

We also selected PERFECT ATTENDANCE prize winners for their superb attendance every day for an entire school week. Their families were even gifted a FREE drop-in class courtesy of Sweat DC, a premier Black-owned gym located just blocks away from our Middle School campus.

We hope that by celebrating great attendance, fellow students will be energized to improve their attendance! Take a look at some pictures of our giveaway winners below!

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 have any questions or would like to discuss enrollment, 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.

Produce Plus is funded by DC Health and administered by FRESHFARM. Produce Plus provides locally grown, fresh fruits and vegetables to Washington, DC residents with limited access to fresh, healthy food. The Produce Plus season runs from the beginning of June until the end of September.

How Does Produce Plus Work? Program participants get $40/month to spend on local fruits and vegetables of their choosing at select farmers markets and farm stands throughout DC. These funds increase access to fresh fruits & vegetables while simultaneously generating meaningful income for local farmers, many of whom are also first-generation farmers and BIPOC farmers.

How To Enroll Online or over the phone.

1. Online via the FRESHFARM website. *Completing the form linked below does not enroll you for Produce Plus. You will still need to receive approval and complete a DC residency check.
2. OR Call the Produce Plus hotline at (202) 888-4834 9 am – 3 pm, Monday – Friday to speak to a representative.

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.

The end of the school year brings about a whirlwind of emotions for both students and parents, as it marks the culmination of social, emotional, and academic learning experiences. The last days of school are filled with moments and events that can evoke a wide range of emotions, from excitement and anticipation to sadness and apprehension. It is important for parents not to underestimate the emotions that transition, such as the end of the school year, brings for their children.

To support your child and yourself during this time, we encourage you to try out activities Meridian students have been completing during Mental Health Awareness Month. Also, check out the helpful resources linked below.

• Try out the 5-4-3-2-1 Method. This method is a grounding exercise that can be done almost anywhere. Take a few minutes to learn how to complete the exercise and then try it for yourself.
• Try out a mediation video. Take a moment for yourself and encourage your children to practice mindfulness as well. Enjoy this mediation video that was shared with our students during Crew!
• Have only 10 minutes? Complete this beginner's yoga sequence solo or together as a family.
• Check out the special edition of Hillcrest's newsletter including amazing local resources and mental health tips.
• Visit readbrightly.com for some rituals for celebrating growth and wishing each other well, along with picture books to introduce the topics at-home.
  

We hope these resources will help your family as you navigate through the complex emotions that come with the end of the school year and the beginning of summer break. Happy Mental Health Awareness Month!

Join the Out-of-School (OST) time leaders on Tuesday, May 23rd at 5:30 PM at the Elementary School for their final family session to finalize their OST handbook and discuss available summer programs and resources!

Also, on Tuesday, June 6th, our OST program participants will be performing in their final OST showcase of the school year. Join us in celebrating their hard work and growth. More details to come.

This summer, we are offering Meridian Summer Discovery Camp from July 10 - August 3 from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. This program is offered to students (rising 1st - 8th graders) who need the greatest academic support and could benefit the most from additional learning opportunities.

Meridian Summer Discovery Camp is a dynamic extended program including three (3) hours of academic programming and three (3) hours of enrichment activities where students can explore a variety of interests and skills. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Additionally, we are offering Morning Extending Learning for one hour (7:00 am - 8:00 am) and youth development programming from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM through a community partnership. However, students are not required to join extended programs to attend camp. Full attendance for Meridian Discovery Camp (8:00 am - 4:00 pm) is required.

Students with the greatest need have already been invited to register. However, if those students do not join by 5/19, all Meridian students will be invited to attend. Students will be accepted in the order in which their registrations are received and as capacity permits.

Confirmation emails will be sent out by 5/19 and families who register after that date will receive confirmation by 5/26. Should you have any questions about program enrollment, please contact Shronda Edwards at sedwards@meridian-dc.org.

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

• Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month at the Fiesta Asia Street Fair, the longest-running, most inclusive & largest FREE Pan-Asian Festival in the DC area on Sat, May 20th. The Fair will feature over 1000 performers + artisans + entrepreneurs + food vendors + organizations on multiple stages representing more than 20 cultures. Learn more at fiestaasia.org/.

• Celebrate Jewish American Heritage Month by visiting the 2023 JxJ DC Jewish Film and Music Festival through May 21st featuring 50+ films, concerts, and conversations, many centering historic narratives through fresh new lenses. Learn more at www.jxjdc.org/.

• Visit the SparkLab located at the National Museum of American History. This is a space where visitors become inventors. Children between the ages of 6-12 can create, collaborate, explore, test, experiment, and invent. Activities incorporate science, technology, engineering, and math with art, history, and creativity.

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