Meridian Happenings
Meridian Elementary
Shannan Painter, Principal
Phone #253.373.7664 Fax # 253 373 7666
Website
~Home of the Cougars~
“Every Student Matters and Every Moment Counts.”
September 10, 2010
Dear Meridian Students and Parents,
Welcome to the 2010-2011 school year. I hope this letter finds you healthy, rested and ready for the start of another academic year.
I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to you and share a little about myself. I have been a professional educator for the past 20 years at the high school, middle school and college level. Last year I served as interim Elementary Principal in Federal Way at Panther Lake and previously Elementary Principal and middle school Dean of Students. My husband is a Kent Police Officer and together we have two grown children.
As I have recently shared with my staff, my vision for Meridian is two-fold. In all that we do at Meridian every student matters and every moment counts. I’ve had the opportunity during district meetings, the recent Administrative Training, and in talking with staff and community I’ve met, to understand that Every Student Matters is the heart of Meridian. This is a school where every student is celebrated and valued as a part of our learning community. Every moment counts reflects the urgency of our task of ensuring that ALL Students are Successfully Prepared for TheirFuture. This is evidenced in the quality standards-based teaching, learning and assessment provided by our skilled Meridian staff.
My second vision for this school year is collaboration. To this end, Meridian will strengthen our coaching model, Professional Learning Communities, leadership teams and community ties. I am confident that as we increase our opportunities to work together and learn from each other, our instruction will improve and student achievement will soar!
I would like to thank our custodial, secretarial, instructional and administrative staff for all their hard work in preparing for the upcoming school year. These committed staff members work extremely hard during the summer to ensure that you will have a smooth beginning and an overall positive experience at Meridian.
I ask that you take time to reflect on how you can play a part in our continued effort to provide the best atmosphere for student success. We will ask for adult assistance on committees, responding to surveys and/or volunteering your time. Please feel free to stop by my office and visit anytime. I look forward to getting to know you and the Meridian community.Together we can make a difference in the lives of those who enter our doors.
I look forward to serving as your principal. You will find this learning community a place where “Successfully Prepare All Students for Their Future” is the order of the day. You and your student are important to us. Your success is our success- your growth is our growth. Working together we can continue to create and environment where “Every Student Matters and Every Moment Counts.”
Sincerely,
Shannan Painter
Meridian Elementary Principal
Calendar Dates for September
16PTSA General Membership Meeting ~ (6:00 pm)
22Open House/Curriculum Night (6:30 ~ 8:00 pm)
27Student Bus Rider Count (Please see information in this newsletter)
Calendar Dates for October
7PTSA Board Meeting (9:45 am)
8No School
20Elementary Early Dismissal
29OctoberFest (6:00 pm)
Please join us in welcoming the following new people to the Meridian Elementary family:
- Shannan Painter, Principal
- Bethanie Roddy, Kindergarten
- Susan Daniels, Kindergarten
- Liz Solomon, .5 3rd grade teacher
- Michiru Conrad, Primary Support Center
- Maria Sigurdson, Integrated Programs
- Parmjit Mahal, ELL
- Catherine Stemle, .5 Psychologist
- Emily Shultz, SLP
- Cheri Scarff, OT
- Melinda Frostad, PT
- Paul Johnson, Band
Safe Arrival/Student Absences
Please do NOT bring your student(s) to school before 9:10 am. There is no supervision before that time. Please DO NOT drop off your student(s) early in the morning before school so that you can go to work. Exceptions are made with the office Head Secretary under special circumstances only.
If your child is ill or going to be gone, please call the office and let us know or leave a message on the school’s voice mail. You may call 253 373 3178 or 253 373 1261or email Suzanne to leave a message 24 hours a day.
News from the Cook………… Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications
Meals are available free or at the reduced price of 40¢ for lunch to students who qualify based on USDA household income guidelines. Subsidized meals must be applied for each school year; students who were on the program in the previous school year have 30 days to re-apply for benefits to avoid any gap in their benefits.
Applications for Free and Reduced Price Meals are mailed home to all households in the district inAugust. Families who automatically qualify for meal benefits because they receive Basic Food (Food Stamps) or TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) will receive a notification letter instead of of an application packet. If you do not receive an application packet, they are available at schools or by contacting our office.
Applications are available at the schools and the Food & Nutrition Services office. The English-language application (red) is not available online.
The Spanish-language application is available at: La aplicación en español está disponible a continuación:
SOLICITUD PARA COMIDAS ESCOLARES GRATIS O A PRECIO REDUCIDO
Food & Nutrition Services can be reached at (253) 373-7275 or via e-mail at
The Meridian website is continually updated. This newsletter and other important information is available ONLINE! Just go to: and enjoy. If you prefer, you may receive the newsletter and other school information via your email. (Very popular)! Paper copies are discouraged, as Meridian is a GREEN school, but are available. Please Note: The 2010~2011 Student Calendar is now available online at
Helpful Tips………
The Kent School District Handbook is now available online at
Simply choose Ctrl and then click on the address to follow the link.
Lunch Menus Online:
KSD Lunch Menus are now found online in a printable format at and can be printed in English or Spanish.
Simply choose Ctrl and then click to follow the link.
School Safety and Security
ALL school guests entering the school must come in the front door entrance of the school, sign-in at the desk and, if necessary, wear a school badge. Please DO NOT come through the back or side of the building and go directly to a classroom to pick-up a student! The safety and security of your children is our most important job.
Student Bus Rider Count
If your child is eligible to be transported by the Kent School District, it is important that he/she ride the bus to and from school each day beginning Monday, September 27 through Friday, October 1.
State funding for Kent School District’s Transportation will be determined based on the actual count of students riding buses during this week. Total count makes a substantial impact on the district’s state revenues for transportation. The state pays each school district a rate per qualifying student based on the distance the student lives from school, state specifications and district policy. Thank you for your support!
Changing Your After School Plans?????
Please send a signed, dated note with your student if you are giving permission for them to change their normal transportation home, i.e., going home with a friend, riding another bus, being picked up by another family, etc.
We will not give permission for a student to go home outside of their normal schedule without prior permission from you.
Fingerprinting
Volunteer activities require fingerprinting. If you have not been fingerprinted at Meridian Elementary, you may NOT volunteer in the building or classroom.
Each year, volunteers who have been fingerprinted must fill out a new Criminal History Disclosure Form as it is required every new school year. A new background check will be run. With fingerprints on file and a New Criminal History Disclosure form run and on file, volunteer work may begin.
Please Join and Support your PTSA (Parent, Teacher, Student Association)
Your membership helps with things like playground equipment, field trips and supplying the book room with amazing new books that kids want to read.
The PTSA supported BOTH the Summer ReadingProgram by giving Meridian Elementary $2,000.00 to buy books as well as offering $1,000.00 for books for the Book Room. Those books are on the shelf to begin the new school year. The PTSA also pays for transportation for our 6th grade students to go to Camp Waskowitz Outdoor Camp each year. All this is due to the generous contribution of your PTSA. Please consider joining PTSA by signing a membership form. Forms are located in the Meridian office. Thank you for your consideration.
Wild About Reading
From:Janet Scott, Instructional Coach at Meridian Elementary
(or) at school at 253-373-3157.
Kent School District Mission Statement
Successfully Prepare All Students for Their Future
I am very glad to hear thatso many children enjoyed the summer reading program. I enjoyed it too and I believe it's safe to say so did all of the teachers and parent volunteers who participated. Many people have asked me for everyone’s impressions of the program and so I have decided to run this letter in the Meridian Happenings newsletter.
It was difficult to keep track of exactly how many kids came through the doors at Meridian or kids who were able to get books at the La Mirage or Rainier View locations, but we estimated that on several occasions we served about 100 kids a day! I am also estimating that we had around 1000 "swap" books available to kids each week - in large part because of the donation of the PTA and the enthusiasm it created among the kids and their families. They brought lots of books to swap for new ones. We also opened the library and the intermediate book room for check out.
We had two visits from our King County Children's Librarian, Jill Olsen who read books to the students, encouraged them to get a library card and even brought their new bright red van full of books the kids could check out!
Teachers spent time getting to know students who will be attending Meridian next year that we never would have gotten a chance to meet before school started if not for the reading program. This will make these students' beginnings at Meridian in September even better because they will have familiar faces to look forward to rather than a sea full of strangers.
Have a GREAT school year.
Cheers,
Janet Scott
Kent School District Mission Statement
Successfully Prepare All Students for Their Future
Kent School District Mission Statement
Successfully Prepare All Students for Their Future
Kent School District Mission Statement
Successfully Prepare All Students for Their Future