MEREDITH HILL MESSENGER
Volume 8, Issue 6 www.fwps.org/Meredith January 2003
Cindy Kelsey, Principal Kerry Woller, Secretary
Mary Jane Henry, Office
Manager Lynette Edwards, Office Clerk
Happy New Year to all of
you!!! The month of January is a great
time to have discussions with your children about school and the goals they
have for the remainder of the year. As
you talk about this with your child, you can review the report card, the
Individual Academic Plan, and the goals that were set for Student Led
Conferences. Reassure your child that
he or she will continue to make progress with consistent attendance, work
completion, and a positive attitude.
The school staff supports the children and we appreciate all your
efforts at home.
I am pleased to announce a new
Meredith Hill staff member, Mrs. Trudy Briggs.
Mrs. Briggs is a paraeducator working in the LAP and special education
programs and also helps with recess supervision. Welcome Mrs. Briggs!
The staff and students at
Meredith Hill are preparing for the required assessments that are given each
year. In March, the 3rd and
6th grade students will be taking the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills)
and in April/May, the 4th grade students will be taking the WASL
(Washington Assessment of Student Learning) and the 5th graders will
be taking the science WASL. If you have
a child in these grades, please support their preparations by limiting absences,
especially during the months the test is administered. Reading with your child every night and
reviewing homework each night will also support their learning. We all want to reassure the children that
they can do their best on the tests!
The Meredith Hill school
community had a wonderful assembly on January 17 celebrating Martin Luther
King, Jr. The students made special
presentations including songs, skits, stories, and artwork. It is especially meaningful when so many
parents join us for the assemblies.
Thank you for attending the assembly and joining in the tribute to Dr.
King.
Sincerely,
Cindy Kelsey
Principal
Dates to Remember
January
23 – Honor
Choir/Steel Drum Assembly, 2:15 p.m.
23 – Honor
Choir/Steel Drum Concert, 7:00 p.m
30 – Cookie Day
30 – PTA General
Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
31 – SLT Meeting,
7:30 a.m.
February
5 – Class Picture
Day
6 – 3rd/4th
Music Concert, 7:00 p.m.
7 – PTA Family
Bingo Night
11 – PTA Board
Meeting
12 – Track
Information Meeting, 6:30 p.m.
13 – Cookie Day
13 – 2nd
Grade GATE Testing, 9:00-12:00 a.m.
17-21 NO SCHOOL –
MID WINTER BREAK
27 – Cookie Day
28 – SLT, 7:30
a.m.
Staff and students at Meredith Hill are busy preparing for the required tests given annually to all students in grades K-6. Our goal is to provide as few interruptions to learning as possible in the next five months as we prepare for these important assessments. How can you help? Here are some tips you can incorporate to help your child be successful:
In order to improve Meredith Hill’s test scores we ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER. Your support as parents is essential to the success of our students. We appreciate all you can do to help us in our efforts to raise standards this year.
HIV/STD
Prevention Curriculum Preview
February
6, 2003 at the ESC Board Room
At
7:00-8:00 PM
The Federal Way School District would like the opportunity to share with you the AIDS Prevention Curriculum which will be presented to students in grades 5-12. This curricula focuses on the transmission and prevention of the disease, emphasizing abstinence. The district has adopted The Great Body Shop and KNOW for this area of study.
The AIDS Omnibus Bill (2SSB
6221) of the State of Washington which was passed in 1988 indicates the
following:
Sec. 401 “Students shall receive such (AIDS) education at
least once each school year beginning no later than fifth grade,” and
Sec. 402 “No student may be required to participate in
AIDS prevention education if the student’s parents or guardian having attended
one of the district presentations, objects in writing to the participation.”
Curriculum used at each grade
level will be presented from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. in different rooms according to
grade levels so that you have the opportunity to preview the materials that
will be used at your child’s level.
Additional opportunities to
review the curriculum materials will occur on:
Monday, February 4, from 12:00-2:00
Tuesday, February 5, from 12:00-2:00
On these dates, the curriculum
materials will be available for preview in conference Room 5 at the Education
Service Center (ESC) 31405 18th Ave. South.
This
presentation is for parents only.
If you need further information, please call Pat Smithson at (253) 945-2033.
Safety First
With school back in session and daylight hours becoming longer every day, this is a great time to discuss safety with your children.
At Meredith Hill we use every opportunity we can to discuss making safety a habit every day with our students. Please reinforce this message by talking with your children about things they can do to stay safe in your home and neighborhood.
If your children walk to and from school or a bus stop, discuss a safe route for them to use, and ask that they stick to that same route all the time. If they are late, you will know where to look for them. Also remind your children to follow basic safety rules:
· Always walk with a buddy or in groups of students
· Use sidewalks or paths in clear sight of homes, businesses, cars and other people
· Never use shortcuts (like trails) even if others do it – stay where you can be seen
· Use crosswalks that have a crossing guard, and follow the guard’s instructions
· Walk facing traffic if there are no sidewalks
· Cross at corners marked with crosswalks, not part way up the block, and never cross an intersection “kitty corner”
· Wait on the curb until there is no traffic
· If there are traffic signals at the corner, use the pedestrian buttons
· Walk, don’t run, across the street
· Be aware of your surroundings, especially people and cars around you
· Don’t let anyone persuade you to come near or get into a vehicle, or to leave a public area
· Don’t allow a stranger to come close enough to reach you
It will help your child if he or she understands why these rules are a good idea. Give your child a chance to ask questions about them, and be prepared to explain the reasons behind them.
At Federal Way Public Schools, we are committed to the safety of your child. If you have any concerns or questions, please call FWPS Security Manager Rick LaBoyne at (253) 945-2291.
Public Academy Open House
The Federal Way Public Academy is an alternative to “regular” middle or high school. FWPA is located on 9th Avenue near St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way. The school can house up to 185 students, and students entering grades six through ten can choose to attend the Academy instead of the middle or high school in the geographic area where they live. Only families interested in a rigorous academic program for their child should explore this option. FWPA offers a challenging, college preparatory curriculum.
To help determine if this school is a good match for your sixth or seventh grade student, FWPA is hosting two Open House sessions and two information Nights. To attend an Open House which will give you the opportunity to observe classes in session, please call (253) 945-4681 or email cparisi@fwps.org. Open House dates are:
Feb. 6 9:30-11:30 a.m.
April 14 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Information nights will include presentations, as well as a question and answer period. These events will be at a church directly across the street from the Academy, and dates are:
January 16 7:00-8:30 p.m.
March 11 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Reservations are not required to attend either of the information night sessions.
If you have other questions, please call (253) 945-2264, or visit the website at: www.fwps.org/pa.
Music Is in the Air
Mark your calendars for upcoming music programs at Meredith Hill this year!
Thursday, January 23 – Honor Choir & Steel Drum Concert, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 6 – Third & Fourth Grade Music Concert, 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 25 – String Festival, 7:00 p.m., Thomas Jefferson High School
Thursday, April 3 – First/Second & 2/3 Grade Music Concert, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 24 – Fifth & Sixth Grade Music Concert
Thursday, May 8 – Kindergarten Music Concert, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 22 – Honor Choir & Steel Drum Concert, 7:00 p.m.
May 30, June 5 & 6 – 6th Grade Steel Drum Tour – day time tour.
Winter has arrived and along with it our usual cold, wet and windy weather. Please encourage your child to dress to fit the weather. Students should come to school with appropriate coat, gloves, and hats. Rainwear is also a good idea this time of year. Please remember that umbrellas are not allowed on the playground for safety reasons.
It is the school policy to have
the children go outside for recess as much as possible. Even if there is rain, children benefit from
the fresh air and activity. They are
however, encouraged to stay out of puddles!
Thank you for your help.
Parenting Children of
Divorce
Assisting parents minimize the effects of divorce on their children
This eight week closed group is designed to assist you in learning how to:
v Communicate with your children as you deal with divorce
v Build custodial parenting skills
v Deal with post divorce conflicts
v Manage emotions
Who: Parents that are divorced/separated or in the process
When: Monday evenings from 5:00-6:00 p.m.
Where: Federal Way Youth & Family Services
33705 9th Ave. S.
Starting: Monday, January 13, 2003
Ending: Monday, March 17, 2003
Facilitated By: Shirley Jacobs-Goodman, MA
Track Information Meeting
A Track Information Meeting will be held on Wednesday,
February 12th at 6:30 p.m. in the Meredith Hill Library. Parents, please plan to attend this very
important meeting to better prepare yourself and your child for the track
season which begins in March. Practice
for Meredith Hill students will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays, beginning
February 24th from 3:20-4:30 p.m.
Parent volunteers are always welcome!
Thank You Volunteers
Meredith Hill Volunteers worked 424 hours in the month of December. A BIG thanks to all of you for your commitment to our school.