Well – that was certainly a short “week”! We hope you all had a chance to enjoy the snow! Stay tuned for official communication on how the snow days impact our last day of school.
Next week marks the last week of the first semester, and is a good time to take one final look at your student’s grades in Skyward. Schedules for next semester are also 99% finalized and available in Skyward. While we will hand out copies in Homeroom this week, we would advise taking a peek online to make sure your student is as prepared as possible.
Our mid-year conferences are fast approaching and are now available for you to schedule in Skyward. We’ve also developed these instructions to help you navigate scheduling if you’re unfamiliar with the process. We can also help you via phone by calling the MMS office. We hope to see 100% of our families engage with our staff at conferences in meaningful two-way conversations about how things are going. We will have report cards, i-Ready data, and attendance reports ready to share! These conferences will be held February 6, February 7, and February 8, with evening conferences available on the 8th. Our school will be on an early release schedule those days with student dismissal at 12:20pm. Lunch will be available for pick up but will not be served at school on early release days.
As always, let us know if you have any questions or concerns!
GO TROJANS!
-Todd Torgeson, Principal
-Robert Kratzig, Assistant Principal
UPCOMING EVENTS
Monday, January 22
Black Day
8th Grade Boys Basketball at Lynden MS, 4:00pm
7th & C-Team Boys Basketball at Franklin Academy, 4:00pm
Tuesday, January 23
Gold Day
Art Club, 2:45pm in Room 51
Wednesday, January 24
Black Day
Board Game Club, 2:45pm in Room 12
Boys Basketball vs Lynden MS, 4:00pm at MMS
Thursday, January 25
Gold Day
Fellowship of Christian Athletes, 7:30-7:45 in Small Gym
Acceptance Club, 2:45pm in Room 32
Boys Basketball vs. Nooksack MS, 4:00pm at MMS
Friday, January 26
No School – Semester Break
COUNSELING CORNER
No Counseling message this week due to snow!
GENERAL MMS INFORMATION
Mid-Year Conferences
Our mid-year conferences are fast approaching and are now available for you to schedule in Skyward. We’ve also developed these instructions to help you navigate scheduling if you’re unfamiliar with the process. We can also help you via phone by calling the MMS office. We hope to see 100% of our families engage with our staff in this way. We are ready to have meaningful two-way conversations about how things are going, and will have report cards, i-Ready data, and attendance reports ready to share! These conferences will be held February 6, February 7, and February 8, with evening conferences available on the 8th. Our school will be on an early release schedule those days with student dismissal at 12:20pm. Lunch will be available for pick up but will not be served at school.
Yearbook Photos and 8th Grade Baby Pictures
Families and Students, if you have pictures from sporting events or other school related activities that you would like considered for the yearbook, please follow the instructions below to be considered for the yearbook. Make sure pictures consist of ONLY MMS students (no siblings, family members, or students from other schools).
Calling all 8th graders! Keeping up with tradition, we need baby pictures of 8th graders for the yearbook. Please submit them digitally through yearbookforever.com or bring a physical copy with your students name on the back to the office.
To submit digitally, go to yearbookforever.com and enter Meridian Middle School, Lynden WA (make sure you select the correct one, not Idaho). Select Yearbook Snap and enter the code mms to upload your students baby picture!
All pictures are due no later than March 29th
6th Grade Outdoor Education Candy Bar Sales
Meridian Outdoor Education camp is coming up this spring for all 6th graders. This has been an exciting and valuable part of the middle school curriculum for many years. We will be going to Camp Orkila on Orcas Island Monday May 13th – Wednesday May 15th. The fee for each student to attend camp is $100. This fee will cover their camp tee shirt, use of facilities, transportation, workshops, meals, and lodging. We are pleased the district is committed to this program and committed to keeping costs down for each family by covering the rest of what this trip costs which is a lot more than $100 per student. We will be providing a fundraiser for families that wish to participate to help cover the cost for their child. Please read this letter to learn more about the fundraiser opportunity.
Attendance Tips
Winter weather can make it challenging to get to school. Making a backup plan can help avoid missing school due to weather. Some examples include checking with your community to see if others can provide a ride, forming a “walking bus” with other families to get to school safely, and talking to school administrators about transportation challenges and asking if they have plans. Together, we can get there!
MMS Booster Club Update
Want to volunteer with the boosters club? Volunteer opportunities range from helping with projects for the school, staff and students to running concessions during dances and athletic games. You can find out more about the middle school boosters by following our Facebook page and/or emailing us at meridianmiddlebooster@gmail.com.
Whatcom County Health Department Pediatric Resource
Do you need some assistances deciding if your child is well enough to come to school? With this time of year comes frequent illness for many students and families. The Whatcom County Health Department put together this resource to help families better make decisions about their student’s health and ability to attend school. Check it out!
Family Services Center
The Meridian School District Family Resource Center is open daily from 8:30 to 3:30 in portable 400A on the Irene Reither campus.
Students who qualify for free or reduced meals can stop by to get school supplies or sign up for Operation School Bell which provides new school clothes for students enrolled in Meridian School District. We also have the clothing closet available for any Meridian family looking for gently used adult and kid clothing.
Students who can’t make it in to the family center to get school supplies can pop into the middle school office to get the supplies they need.
Questions? Contact Alicia Roberts (English) at 360-988-1949 or Elvira Trautman (Spanish) at 360-306-2886.
Weekly Cordata Food Pantry
There is a weekly food pantry for students and families who live in the Cordata area from 2:30-4pm every Friday at Cordata Presbyterian Church (400 Meadowbrook Ct). Just stop by if your family is in need!
Summer Enrichment Scholarships
The Assistance League of Bellingham (ALB) is thrilled to announce the Enrichment Scholarship Program (ESP) for the 2023-2024 school year. From December 1, 2023, to February 16, 2024, your child can download scholarship application packets from the ALB website. Ensure the letter of recommendation form is submitted with the application. Each student is eligible for one scholarship, even if the full amount isn’t utilized. While the summer program choice isn’t required at the application stage, it should be finalized by March 29, 2024. ALB provides a helpful sample scoring rubric and a checklist to guide students. This year, there’s an impressive $55,000 available for scholarships. Encourage your child to seize this opportunity to broaden their horizons. Visit the ALB website for more details. Don’t let your child miss out on this chance to shine! You can read about past scholarship winners here
