Thank you for your flexibility as we navigated the repairs in our parking lot this week. Everything is back to normal (which you may have already seen). Special thanks go out to our district maintenance team for getting the repairs coordinated so quickly!
We’d like to give one final reminder that next week begins our spring Smarter Balanced Assessment on Tuesday. This annual state test is a great opportunity for us to collect data on our performance as a school and to ensure that we are providing a continually improving course of study for our students. We appreciate any conversations you can have at home to encourage your student to try their best, even if they face difficult questions, so that we can get accurate data that we’ll use to make instructional decisions moving forward. We also appreciate you helping to ensure they come to school each day during testing with a charged Chromebook, having gotten a good night’s sleep, and eaten a filling breakfast. Additionally, our testing begins first thing in the morning, so having your student here on time on those days helps ensure they don’t miss class later for make up testing. We are excited to see the growth that everyone has made thus far!
As always, let us know if you have any questions or concerns!
GO TROJANS!
-Todd Torgeson, Principal
-Robert Kratzig, Assistant Principal
UPCOMING EVENTS
Monday, April 29
Black Day
7th / 8th Grade Baseball at Mt Baker JH, 4:00pm at Mt. Baker JH
Girls Soccer at Blaine MS, 4:00pm
Tuesday, April 30
Gold Day
SBA Testing – Reading
Track Meet, 4:00pm at MHS
Wednesday, May 1
Black Day
SBA Testing – Reading
Board Game Club, 2:45pm in Room 12
Girls Soccer at Mt. Baker JH, 4:00pm
Thursday, May 2
Gold Day
Fellowship of Christian Athletes, 7:30am in Small Gym
SBA Testing – Reading
Acceptance Club, 2:45pm in Room 32
Friday, May 3
Black Day
Late Arrival, School Begins at 9:05am
COUNSELING CORNER
Dear MMS Families,
As we gear up for the upcoming SBA state testing next week, we want to ensure that your child feels prepared, confident, and supported throughout the process. State testing provides us with valuable insights into your child’s academic progress and helps us tailor our instruction to meet their needs effectively.
Here are a few important reminders and tips to help your child succeed:
Rest and Nutrition: Encourage your child to get plenty of rest and eat a healthy breakfast on testing days. A good night’s sleep and nutritious meals will help them stay focused and energized during the tests.
Positive Attitude: Remind your child to approach the tests with a positive mindset. Encourage them to do their best, stay calm, and trust in their abilities. Positive thinking can make a big difference in their performance.
Practice and Preparation: Review any study materials or practice tests with your child to reinforce key concepts and test-taking strategies. Encourage them to ask questions and seek help if they’re unsure about anything.
Relaxation Techniques: Teach your child relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or visualization, to help them manage any test-related anxiety or stress. Encourage them to take short breaks during the test to relax and refocus if needed.
Support and Encouragement: Let your child know that you’re proud of their hard work and effort, regardless of the test results. Offer words of encouragement and support to boost their confidence and motivation.
We’re here to support your child every step of the way. If you have any questions or concerns about the upcoming state testing, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Sincerely,
MMS Counselors
GENERAL MMS INFORMATION
Yearbook Preorder
Pre-order your yearbook for $35. Please bring cash or check to the MMS office between May 6th and May 17th. There are limited quantities available so secure yours soon! Yearbooks should be delivered in early June.
District Art Show
The district student art show will be from 6-8 p.m. on Monday, May 6 at Meridian High School. Student art from every school will be on display in the commons. There will also be performances by our school choirs and bands, and color guard. The event is free and open to all ages. We hope to see you there!
Chromebook Call
You will now receive an alert from ParentSquare if your child forgot to bring their Chromebook to school. It is important that students come to school each day with their Chromebook charged and ready, as we have a limited number of loaner devices to provide. Without a device, students may not be able to access their learning materials. Thank you for partnering with us to provide the best educational experience for your child.
8th Grade Promotion
This year’s 8th grade promotion ceremony and celebration will be held here at Meridian Middle School on Monday, June 17 at 9:30am. Families are invited to come and celebrate the achievement of their students as they promote on to high school. After the celebration we’ll have a social time for families, including refreshments.
Each year a parent committee forms to plan a celebratory dance for our 8th graders that evening, as well as to help with decorating for the promotion ceremony. If you are interested in being part of that parent planning committee, please send an email to Mr. Kratzig by Friday, April 26.
Attendance Tips
Did you know you can already look at next year’s calendar? As you plan vacations and trips, you can use this tool to make sure you’re missing as little school time as possible. When students miss ten days of school during a year, they miss over 5% of classroom instruction, which is often not easily made up at home. Take advantage of the calendar to do some intentional planning!
TDaP Vaccine for Incoming 7th Graders
The TDaP (tetanus, diphtheria, and polio) vaccine or a medical exemption signed by a Washington state healthcare provider are required by state law for all 7th graders. Proof will need to be provided to the health office before the beginning of 7th grade. If the school does not have proof of the vaccination or exemption your student will be excluded from school until one or the other is provided.
Spring state assessments will begin soon for students in grades 3 – 8 and 10. English language arts (ELA) and math are measured with Smarter Balanced Assessments (SBA). Science is measured with the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS) in grades 5, 8 and 11. At MMS, we’ll be testing for SBA on April 30, May 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 and WCAS for 8th graders on May 14 and 15.
The results from the state assessments will help us improve instructional practices and give families information about how their student is doing and where additional help might be needed. The assessments also give us a more accurate picture of whether students are on track to be ready for college or career by graduation. For students in grade 10, the Smarter Balanced tests can also be used as a graduation pathway. Results are reported by September of each year. Final reports will be provided to families if their student participated in state testing.
You can help support your child in doing their best during state assessments by having them come to school on time each day, encouraging a good night of sleep and eating breakfast. Most students will take the assessments online using their Chromebook. Please remind your child to have their Chromebook device fully charged for school.
Our Spring Craft Fair is coming up next weekend! Saturday, May 4th. We are looking for volunteers from our middle school family. We have 1-2 hour shifts running from 6am to 5pm that includes set up and break down and concessions at the high school. Proceeds from this event go to help our students and middle school. Please email meridianmiddlebooster@gmail.com if you are interested.
Teacher appreciation week is quickly approaching! We’d love to spoil our teachers with treats! We currently have an explanation of plans and where to donate set up for the week posted on each grade’s FB graduation group or you can email meridianmiddlebooster@gmail.com for more information and to make a donation.
Looking for a fun volunteer opportunity to help our middle school students and school? We are looking for our 2024-25 booster representative! Come join an amazing and supportive community of parents whose main goal is to help our students, staff and school! Please email meridianmiddlebooster@gmail.com for information and be apart of this very rewarding opportunity.
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
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
Summer Grocery Benefits to Eligible Families
Beginning this summer, Washington will provide grocery benefits through a program called Sun Bucks to help families with eligible school-age children buy groceries during the summer. Families will receive $120 per eligible child. Families that qualify for free or reduced-price meal benefits for the 2023-24 school year will be eligible to receive Sun Bucks. For more information visit:https://www.fns.usda.gov/sebt
Cooke Young Scholars Program
The Cooke Young Scholars Program is a selective five-year, pre-college scholarship for exceptionally promising 7th grade students with financial need. It provides comprehensive academic and college advising, as well as financial support for school, Cooke-sponsored summer programs, internships, and other learning enrichment opportunities.
The application closes May 9, 2024. For more information visit their website.
