MEREDITH HILL MESSENGER

Welcome Back to School!

Meredith Hill students and staff are off to a great start this year! Thank you for participating in our first orientation day. You certainly did support your children by participating in the orientation activities. Thank you for attending!

Meredith Hill is now a preschool through fifth grade school with approximately 458 students. With the decrease in student population due to the sixth grade students being moved to Kilo Middle School, we are enjoying a little extra elbow room. When you come into our school, you will notice that the pods and hallways are now open and more available for students to work in. All the teachers and para-educators now have classrooms where they work with students rather than in the hallways.

For you convenience, we have included in this newsletter a list of all the teachers, their room numbers, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses. Please keep in good communication with your child’s teacher so that he/she can support your child’s learning.

You are welcome in our school anytime. When you want to visit a classroom, please contact the teacher a day ahead of time, if possible. When you get to the school, please check in at the office where you will be asked to sign in and will be given a visitor’s badge. We also love volunteers at our school. Many of you have already signed up to help in the classroom. There are many other ways of volunteering—things that you could do at home in the evening or on weekends that the teachers could use help with. We appreciate the many ways you support the classrooms.

I have taken time the last week to visit all the classrooms to visit with the students about proper clothing for school and about weapons and bullying. Mrs. EagleCruz will be following up in the classrooms with specific lessons that teach the children strategies to use when they encounter difficult situations that involve bullying or are aware of someone who has a weapon at school. Included in this newsletter is a Safe School Tip-Line which provides you contact information. I encourage you to call this tip line or the school office (945-3200) anytime you need to report a weapon or any unsafe activities you observe at Meredith Hill whether school is in session or not.

Thanks for a wonderful beginning of the school year. Please contact me by phone (253) 945-3200 or e-mail (ckelsey@fwps.org) anytime you have a concern or compliment.

Cindy Kelsey, Principal

Mark Your Calendar

SEPTEMBER

11 – PTA Cookie Day

15 – NO SCHOOL – Waiver Day

16 – PTA Entertainment Book Fundraiser iiiiiiiiidue

25 – PTA Cookie Day

OCTOBER

2 – HIV/STD Prevention Curriculum nnmReview at Education Service Center

nnm7-8 p.m.

10 – NO SCHOOL – State Teacher Inservice

13 – NO SCHOOL – Waiver Day

Student Drop-off and

Pick-up

At Meredith Hill, the student drop-off and pick-up locations vary depending on the age of the child. The safety of the children is most important to all of us. Please drive slowly and defensively anytime you are on the school campus. Here are the guidelines for those days you transport your children.

Kindergarten and Preschool Students

The circle in the front of the school has been designated for the preschool and kindergarten student drop-off and pick-up. Please park your car in the front lot and walk your child to and from their classroom. The circle drive is marked as a loading zone for busses. The busses have difficulty maneuvering through the circle when cars are parked in the loading zone.

First Through Sixth Grade Students

Children in grades one through five will be dropped off and picked up in the upper lot behind the school. Please park your car in the parking spaces and wait for your child or meet them on the sidewalk. At times the waiting line can be long, so it is a good idea to give yourself extra time if you know that you will be transporting your children in your own car.

Fall Orientation Survey

The orientation day on September 2nd was a first for Meredith Hill. The turn out was fabulous! We are all thrilled with your high level of participation and support of the orientation. The teachers felt that the day was very fruitful and helped everyone get off to a positive start. Our first full day of school on Wednesday went so smoothly.

Welcome New Staff Members

We extend our warmest welcome to each of these staff members!

Mrs. Jane Arthur returns to Meredith Hill as our new office secretary. Mrs. Arthur previously worked in our library. When you telephone the Meredith Hill office, you will probably be greeted by Mrs. Arthur.

Mr. Hoang Vo is Meredith Hill's new night custodian. Mr. Vo has been working as a substitute custodian in the Federal Way schools for a couple of years. Mr. Vo has subbed at Meredith Hill and did a wonderful job keeping our school looking like a show place. Welcome, Mr. Vo!

Mrs. Laura Kexel is our new 1st grade and afternoon kindergarten music teacher. Mrs. Kexel also teaches orchestra at Kilo and Totem middle schools.

Mr. J. D. Wilson is our new morning kindergarten music teacher. Mr. Wilson teaches band at Lakota Middle School. He is an avid wind surfer!

Also, Miss Flynn, Meredith Hill's resource room teacher, was married over the summer and her new name is Mrs. Lentz. Congratulations, Mrs. Lentz.

Safe Schools Tip-Line

(253) 945- SAFE

The Federal Way Public Schools Security Department announces a new tip line to report weapons or any unsafe activities at your school. You don’t have to give your name, just the information when you call. The tip line is answered 24 hours a day.

What’s the Perfect Time to Arrive at School?

Our school hours this year are from 9:20 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. We request that students arrive no earlier than 9:10 in the morning. Teachers are busy with meetings and planning before school, and we do not have any playground supervision at that time. Students are asked to line up quietly at their designated areas. A warning bell rings at 9:18, and the tardy bell rings at 9:20. Teachers have a full day of instruction planned, and we want everyone to be here and ready to participate.

Good September Advice:

Write Your Child's Name

on EVERYTHING!

As you send your child to school with personal supplies, lunch boxes, sweaters and coats, please remember this golden rule: Write his/her name on EVERYTHING! Each semester we send a heap of coats, sweatshirts, lunch containers and fine Tupperware to the clothing bank when it over-crowds our Lost and Found. Items with children's names are easily returned to their owners. Please help out by taking a few moments to identify your child's belongings with ink or permanent marker.

Dress Code Reminder

Parents, please remind your children that even with warmer weather, students are expected to observe "school" rather than "summer" dress. Short-shorts, halter tops, spaghetti straps, tops with low-cut necks or armholes, and bare stomachs are not allowed at school. Flip-flop shoes are considered summer dress. Wear shoes that will protect your feet and avoid leg and ankle injuries.

Medications at School

All medications, whether prescription or over-the-counter, require an authorization form signed by both the doctor (or prescribing health-care provider) and the parent/guardian. These forms are available in the school office. Most medications can be prescribed to avoid school hours all together, but if this is not possible, the school requires that an adult bring the medication in the original, pharmacy-labeled container. We know the policy can be inconvenient at times, however the safety of our students is a top priority, and these are the district policies to help ensure their safety. Thank you for your advance planning and assistance.

Community Resource Center Scales Back

This month the Community Resource Center (CRC), located in SeaTac Mall, will modify the services it offers and reduce the number of hours it’s open to the public. A combination of state funding losses and increased fixed costs required district-wide budget cuts, and the modification of the CRC reflects those cuts.

Created more that five years ago, the CRC has given the community access to school-related information in a convenient location and beyond normal business hours. From the beginning, SeaTac Mall graciously allowed the CRC to occupy one of their empty storefronts and will continue to do so throughout the mall’s remodeling construction.

Beginning September 2nd, 2003, the CRC will be open from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays, and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. (Tentative hours.)

(Community Resource Center, continued:)

The following services will continue to be provided at the CRC:

- Basic school information services and direction to appropriate resources

- Five computers with Internet access available for public use when the CRC is open

- Processing requests for distribution of materials to schools

- District-wide publications, some translated into different languages.

These programs will remain at the CRC:

AmeriCorps, Traffic Safety, Community Relations, and Family Advocate.

The following programs and services will move to the Educational Service Center (ESC) at 31405 18^th Ave. South: Home Schooling, Running Start, Foreign Exchange students, job applications and employment information.

Individual schools will handle these programs: Choice Enrollment and school registration.

The CRC space will take on more of a family center look where Trise Moore, the school district’s Family Advocate, will facilitate workshops and meetings for parents and families. People will be able to get information from Moore, and use her as a liaison. Evening meetings may be scheduled on an as needed basis. Other groups may use the meeting space as well.

Questions about these changes should be directed to the main school district number, (253) 945-2000.

Health and Safety Reminders

All visitors and volunteers are asked to sign in at the office prior to entering any space on campus, both classroom and playground areas. This is for your safety as well as the safety of all Meredith Hill students.

Also, Washington State Law requires that any person volunteering within a public school district have a Washington State Patrol background check completed. This form is available at any school office. It takes very little time to complete and is valid for two years. Volunteers having regularly scheduled unsupervised access to children must be fingerprinted. We appreciate your cooperation on behalf of the safety of all our children!

Non-Student Day on September 15

Throughout the year, several days have been designated as non-student days, Waiver Days, so that our Meredith Hill teachers can continue working on the transition. These planning and work days for the teachers are extremely valuable in helping staff be able to work toward making sure that all students are successful learners and to be able to support our families.

Voter registration forms are available in the school office.