| Principal’s Message
We have a lot of great learning happening at our school and many fun events. It’s been magical at IRE. We finished this week up with a number of assemblies that celebrated surpassing our Trojan Trot fundraising goal. Our PTA set a goal of raising $25,000 and we hit over $51,000. This money goes to providing for field trips, yearbooks and so many other learning opportunities. Thank you to our families and community businesses for your support. Huge shout out to the PTA for putting on so many amazing events.
Additionally, we have some high-level learning happening with the use of our laptops provided by our community’s support through the technology levy. Take a moment to read about the exciting work happening in Ms. Berkompas’s class in 5th grade below.
Also, a common tradition for many of our families is celebrating Halloween which is coming up shortly. At IRE, we ask that families keep Halloween candy at home. We have a process in place for all food, snacks, and candy with classroom celebrations to keep our students safe. Many of our students have peanut, gluten and other food allergies, some can be life threatening. Thank you for honoring our food policy.
Lastly, as a school we do not collectively celebrate Halloween. Some of our families celebrate it and some do not. If students want to wear costumes or dress up because it is an important holiday for them, it is perfectly acceptable. Students can dress up for any important day, their birthday or holiday as long what students are wearing does not become a major distraction from learning. As always, we do not allow masks, gore, scary items or weapons at school any day of the year. |
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| Vision and Hearing Screening – October 23-27
State-mandated vision and hearing screening will take place next week. If your child typically wears glasses, please be sure they have them next week.
If your child fails one or both screenings, you will receive a letter in the next few weeks. You will not receive anything if your child passes both screenings. If you have questions about the screening or the referral letter, please call the school and speak to Nurse Amber. Thank you!
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| School Treats
As Halloween approaches, we would like to remind families that all treats brought to school must be from our Safe Food List and be checked off by nursing staff before they can go to the classrooms.
If your classroom is having a celebration, please check with your teachers about sending treats. We ask that all celebration treats arrive before Halloween, not on the day of. |
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Any food that is not on the approved Safe Food List will not go to classrooms and will be sent back home with your student. Thank you for understanding and helping to keep our staff and students safe.
Click here for the Safe Food List
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| Using Technology to Simulate the Rain Cycle
Fifth graders in Heather Berkompas’ class at IRE are using a simulator on their school-issued Chromebooks to manipulate the path of water molecules and experience how the rain cycle works. |
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Students learn about water vapor in the air and where it comes from. Using their school-issued Chromebooks, they can create a simulation where they are able to move water molecules with the wind and see how that affects where rain falls. Students can replay the run to look closely at individual molecules, and track their path. Later they will use the simulator to investigate the temperature of different parts of the atmosphere and see how that affects water molecules.
“They are engaged in the learning and have access at their fingertips to making science happen. They can make the weather!” Berkompas said.
After a few simulations on their laptops, students had a discussion in class about the path the water molecules followed and water vapor in the air. They then write down their observations.
During the lesson, students learn about the rain shadow effect and then can see it in action using the simulator. This helps them to understand why one area may get more water (rain) than another in an interactive and visual way.
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Students really do love using the simulator to see things that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to, unless it was just told to them,” Berkompas said. “They get to be the wind and move the molecules. They get to be as hands on and up close as possible without actually going in an airplane with a microscope to see molecules condensing!”
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Introducing PSE’s Bill Discount Program
Income-eligible customers can now reduce their PSE energy bills by up to 45% a month through the Bill Discount program. It only takes a few minutes to fill out the online application, and no income documentation or social security number is required to apply.
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Program participants will get an automatic discount on their energy bills every month in addition to any other assistance they may be receiving. If a household has received energy assistance in the past, it is likely that they qualify for the Bill Discount program.
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Family Skate Nights
October 18th & 23rd – 5:30pm-8:00pm
| Lynden Skateway is reserved just for Meridian families. We encourage K-2nd grade families to skate on the 18th and 3rd-5th grade families to skate on the 23rd. However, if you can’t make it to a particular night, you may attend the other night. With over 750 students at IRE, we encourage you to use your best judgement and attend when you can. We want everyone to have the opportunity to have fun and be safe. Come and join the fun!! |
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All children must be accompanied by an adult. Snacks and food are available at your own purchase.
Charge is based off of skate rentals:
$4.50 with your own skates
$7.50 with skate rental
If a parent doesn’t skate, there is no charge.
Holiday Help?
If you need help with gifts for your kids this holiday season, the Salvation Army is taking applications now through October 31st. Don’t wait. Spots will fill up fast.
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