Meridian Elementary School

The Midland County Health Department is scheduling Hearing and Vision screenings for children entering Kindergarten that have not yet been screened. The parent/caregiver can call the Health Department to schedule an appointment. If the child has been screened for hearing and vision at their preschool, or at the Health Department between the age of 3 and Kindergarten entry, the parent/caregiver can call them and they will fax a copy of the child's record to the school. To schedule an appointment, call Christy at 989.832.6673. If you need to schedule an appointment for immunizations, call 989.832.6665. Please see attached flyer for Hearing & Vision screening dates.

Good Morning, ​ The Sanford-Meridian Flood Relief Fund was designed to assist our students and their families affected by the recent flood. The Sanford-Meridian Disaster Relief Committee consists of several community members and agency representatives. Together the committee is working to distribute resources to residents in the Sanford-Meridian community whose livelihood and primary homes have been impacted by the 2020 flood and dam breach. The information you provide will be reviewed and used by the committee to help distribute financial support by means of a $500 in-store voucher for eligible primary households in the Sanford-Meridian community. Applications are due by Wednesday, August 5th at 3 PM. PLEASE NOTE: SUBMIT ONLY ONE APPLICATION PER HOUSEHOLD. Apply here: https://bit.ly/merpsrelief2​ Thank you

If you are looking to enroll your student at Meridian Elementary, go to our online registration link www.bit.ly/merpsenroll or stop in at the Administration office to pick up an enrollment packet. The Admin office is open Monday thru Thursday, 8:00 - 4:30pm.

July 15, 2020 Dear Meridian Mustang Families: The last few months have been very difficult for our community as we have faced the challenges of both COVID-19 and dam failure. No one could have predicted either of these events or provided guidance on how schools, families, and communities should respond. We are now asked to tackle the task of rebuilding our community and coming up with plans to return to learning this fall. There is still a tremendous amount of uncertainty as we head into the 2020-2021 school year. We face additional uncertainty due to the potential loss of students as a result of the flood and the certain loss of state funding due to COVID-19 that may result in historically large cuts in school funding. Fortunately, we are well-positioned to overcome these challenges. We will continue to support our students with one-to-one technology, provide free internet services, and be a statewide leader in education. On June 30th, the Return to School Advisory Council issued the 2020-21 Return to School Roadmap. The Roadmap provides schools with requirements and recommendations for returning to school depending on which MI Safe Start Phase the region is in (currently Phase 4). · Phases 1-3-Schools are closed for in-person instruction · Phase 4-In-person instruction is permitted with required safety protocols · Phase 5-In-person instruction with minimal safety protocols Schools are required to develop plans for each of these three phases which must be approved by the Board of Education by August 17, 2020. Superintendents have agreed to work cooperatively, and in consultation with county health department officials, to develop common plans. Those plans will include in-person instruction, a hybrid model, and virtual learning options. Meridian Public Schools will do everything in our power to return to in-person instruction in the fall with appropriate safety protocols. We know that this is the best option for learning. After what this community has endured, we know that our students need to return to school and have a sense of normalcy. They need to be surrounded by the familiar faces of their classmates and teachers. We know that many of our children are still suffering from trauma as a result of our community tragedy. School and normalcy is more important than ever for these children. We will also be offering a hybrid model in the event that we move between phases or are required to close due to illness or other issues that are outside of our control. The hybrid model will be similar to what occurred this spring. This will allow us the best return to in-person instruction with the least amount of interruption. The last option that we will be offering is a virtual learning option. This will be a K-12 available to all children. We will be hosting a virtual webinar on August 4, 2020, for those who are interested in learning more about this option. The registration link is: https://tinyurl.com/merpsvirtual There is still a lot of work and planning that will occur over the next few weeks, so more detailed information will be coming. Please know that many of the choices will not be within the control of local schools and both public and private schools within each region will be required to follow the Return to School Roadmap. Educating our children will bring us new challenges in the upcoming months, but the Meridian staff will ensure that learning and safety are always the priorities. Sincerely, Craig D. Carmoney

Grade level classroom supply lists are now posted on the website. Go to www.merps.org, Elementary page, click on MENU, DOCUMENTS, CLASSROOM SUPPLY LISTS. Happy shopping!

Dear Mustang Families, at this time of year we are usually sending home a note to families that provide an opportunity to request a specific teacher for the upcoming year. Due to these unprecedented times in education, we will not be offering teacher requests this year. We regret any inconvenience this may cause you, and we thank you for your support as we navigate these times together. Sincerely, Joshua Hook

Locker items (including desk items), report card pick up and Chromebook/iPad drop off to occur at the same time on Wednesday, June 10th, 10am-12pm AND Thursday, June 11th, 3-6pm, at Meridian Elementary's bus loop, south end of the building. Parent/guardian pick up only! Please have proof of identification ready and remain in your vehicles. Items will be delivered curbside for your convenience and safety.

Impacted or helping with flood relief efforts? @DwynesDreamTeam is offering a drive-through gumbo lunch TODAY at 12pm at @ The Red Oak in Sanford! (Please note location change) Thanks to @UnitedWayofMidlandCounty for connecting us with them. #LiveUnited #SanfordStrong

We are going to be restarting our food program effective Thursday May 28th. We will no longer be offering delivery due to the current road conditions, we apologize for the inconvenience this may cause. Please complete this new form even if you have signed up in the past. Summer Meal Program Sign Up bit.ly/summermeals1 We have new times and locations to choose from; this form must be completed by Wednesday noon to be eligible to pick up 7 days worth of meals on Thursday, the 28th. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we get started up again.

Impacted or helping with flood relief efforts? @DwynesDreamTeam is offering a drive-through Jambalaya dinner tonight at 6pm at @MeridianJuniorHigh and a gumbo lunch tomorrow at 12pm at @CleftoftheRock. Thanks to @UnitedWayofMidlandCounty for connecting us with them. #LiveUnited #SanfordStrong

Help Sanford-Edenville-Beaverton-Greater Midland Area Clean Up All volunteers looking to assist with the flood cleanup in Sanford, Edenville, and Beaverton areas should report to the United Way volunteer check in center everyday between 9AM-4PM. Volunteers will be given a cleanup site to fit their time, ability and focus! Additional volunteer check in locations have been added to support the impacted surrounding communities. New Check in locations: Meridian Elementary School 3353 N. Meridian Rd Sanford, MI Cleft of the Rock Church 2575 N. W. River Rd Sanford, MI Village of Sanford locations: 28 W. Saginaw Road Sanford, MI Intersection of Center and Oak Want to help but not sure where to go? Need information on how to help? Text UWS to 31996 to receive information on where to volunteer and resources available!

Help Sanford Clean Up All volunteers looking to assist with the flood cleanup in the greater Sanford area should report to United Way volunteer check ins everyday between 9a-5p. Volunteers will be given a cleanup site to fit their time, ability, and focus! Check In Locations: Pharmacy Parking Lot 28 W. Saginaw Rd Intersection of Center & Oak Want to help but not sure where to go? Want information pertinent to volunteers? Text UWS to 31996 to receive information on where to volunteer and resources available!

Residents of the greater Sanford area: We have created a hotline if you are looking to report a need for volunteer assistance at your home! If you need help with damage, debris removal, or general clean up, you can call (989) 495-2284. Please note the call center is staffed from 8a-5p, but answering service is monitored 24 hours a day. We look forward to serving you!

Looking to sign up for the meal program? Sign up at bit.ly/merpsmeals. If you have already signed up, we have you on the list. This is for new families. Registration for meals is open Friday 8am through Sunday at noon.

MECHS is putting a video together to thank all of Meridian's essential workers! If you would like to say thank you to them, send us a picture with a message of thanks to Sarah.Rivard@merps.org by Thursday, 4/30, at 8pm. #ReachHigher #ThankYouEssentialWorkers

April 20, 2020 Dear Meridian Elementary Families, Our highest hope is that you are safe and healthy during these times - we can’t say that often enough, as the health of our community continues to be the highest priority. If there are resources we can connect you to, please let us know. One way you can check out potential resources to assist your family with is to reference this document posted on the Meridian Public Schools website. This excellent resource lists contact information for possible supports such as mental health, food assistance, rent/utilities, internet services, and more. And, once again, here is a request form if you have a technology need. The district is actively looking to provide technology support for as many homes as is feasible. Our technology department will be in touch with you either directly or through mass communication (Facebook, district website, Meridian Public Schools App, etc.) if you submit a request. Our teachers have been reaching out to families through the same methods they’ve used during the year to set up continued learning. If you don’t happen to be getting communication for some reason, please reach out to your child’s teacher by email (firstname.lastname@merps.org) or by calling the main office (989) 687-3500. Regular communication between families and the child’s teacher is very important to us, even if it is brief. As you already know, student learning is being supported through a combination of online learning and physical materials prepared in a packet form. At this time all elementary students should have received their work packets by parent pick-up or U.S. mail. If this is not the case, please reach out to your child’s teacher and we will work to address that. The online learning and physical materials are similar in educational value, but if we can assist with technology to open the door for additional learning options, let us know by using the request form above. As part of our learning plan, our teachers are holding virtual classroom meetings using Zoom at least once per week. As best as you’re able to support it, we find it extremely beneficial for our students to attend these meetings for the additional learning opportunities they present and the social-emotional connection that takes place. Teachers are also holding office hours for you to reach them with questions or updates. We invite you to take advantage of this opportunity to connect with teachers and let them know how things are going for your child. You’ll notice classroom instruction is prioritizing the essential content areas of reading, writing, and math, although at times you may see some science or social studies content being used for reading and writing purposes. Most learning is covering the review of essential skills, with the exception of a small amount of math skills identified as a necessary skill that can be successfully introduced from a distance. You are also seeing links to learning activities provided by your child’s specials teacher so that continued engagement in art, music, Spanish, and gym can occur. For families that are able to support their child’s learning in specials classes, we welcome your participation and we hope your kids enjoy it. Please know that we understand each home is juggling unique levels of challenge, and we won’t penalize a student for their inability to fully participate. With that said, we do request student engagement and participation to the fullest extent families find feasible. You might be wondering about collecting items your child has at school. At this time, the district is not yet setting up times for families to collect their child’s belongings from their cubby or locker. Stay tuned for future communication on that and other topics. This is quite the challenging time we are experiencing together. In all sincerity, we thank you for all the ways you have supported your child, their teachers, and the community. If you have some constructive feedback you would like to share in order for us to make improvements, please send it to joshua.hook@merps.org. If you feel you’d like to share something positive or encouraging to someone on our staff, please use THIS FORM and we'll pass the good word along and celebrate it! We look forward to seeing you again! Sincerely, Joshua Hook Principal Meridian Elementary School

Looking to sign up for the meal program? Sign up at bit.ly/merpsmeals If you have already signed up, we have you on the list. This is for new families. Please note: the location of the evening pickup has changed. The 4pm-6pm pickup location is now at MERIDIAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes. Thank you for your support! 💙

April 9, 2020: Update Dear Meridian Elementary Families, As mentioned previously, we are re-launching our learning-at-home plan on April 13th. We have planned online learning opportunities for those able to participate, while all students will receive physical materials to continue their learning. We know students will receive their work packets at varying times across the coming days, so please rest assured, students won’t be considered “behind” if they begin this next round of work after April 13th. Before starting the week beginning April 20th, we should all be moving ahead together at the same pace. For families that have requested technology supports through our survey, the tech department is working hard to produce a solution to your needs and will be reaching out to you. Section III.B. of Executive Order 2020-35 permits parents and guardians of students to visit the school property to pick up materials to support the district’s learning plan. Your health and safety is important, so curbside pick-up of materials will be provided by staff with personal protective equipment. 
1. If you are NOT signed up to receive the meals program from Meridian during this stay-at-home order, please pick up student work packets (curbside pick-up) at the main entrance of Meridian Elem on April 10th (9-11a), OR April 13th (4-6p).
2. If you ARE signed up to receive our current meals program AND you pick up the meals from us, you will receive packets at meal pick-up (curbside) on April 13th.
3. If you ARE signed up to receive our meals program BUT meals get dropped off to you, you'll receive packets in the mail (arriving approx. April 16th).
4. If your child also sees a teacher other than their general education classroom teacher, your child will also receive a mailing (arriving April 13-16th).

Did you miss meal sign up? Don’t worry! You can still sign up here: bit.ly/merpsmeals Reminder that meal pickup or deliver is on Monday and Thursday! If you have already signed up, no need to sign up again; we have you on our list. #ReachHigher

Meal signup reminder: if you are looking to sign up your child 18 or younger for our meal program, please do so by 8am Wednesday. You can sign up at bit.ly/merpsmeals If you have already signed up, we have you on the list. Please do not sign up again. Thank you!