Cheetah Chatter...2017/01/01 · Issue Five 2016—2017 January 11, 2017 Cheetah Chatter Page 1 Cheetah Chatter Published by Meridian Park School & Meridian Park PTSA Inside This

Issue Five 2016—2017 January 11, 2017

Cheetah Chatter Page 1

Cheetah Chatter Published by Meridian Park School & Meridian Park PTSA

Inside This Issue

Announcements ........................... 1 Cheetah Cheers ............................ 4 Principal’s Letter ........................... 5 Cheetah Notes .............................. 7 PTSA President’s Letter .............. 13 PTSA News .................................. 14 Community News ....................... 16

Upcoming Events

January 12

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Shoreline Community Center

January 13

9:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. MP Cafeteria

January 16 Martin Luther King Jr. Day No School

January 20 MP Staff Appreciation Lunch

January 21 MP Variety Show 7:00 p.m. Shorewood High School

January 26 Shoreline Hi Cap Advocacy Group Meeting 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. MP Library

January 27 End of First Semester

January 28 MP Emergency Locker Clean-Out 9:00 a.m. – Noon

January 28 Kinderfest 10:00 a.m. – Noon Shoreline Community Center

January 30 Non-Student Work Day No School

January 31 Westside District Band Festival 7:30 p.m. Shorewood High School

February 7 PTSA meeting (all are welcome!) 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. MP Library

Bond Proposition for Shoreline and LFP Voters - Tuesday, February 14, 2017!

At their October 10 meeting, the Shoreline Public Schools Board of Directors unanimously approved a resolution placing a bond proposition on the February 14, 2017 special election ballot.

“The bond proposal we are asking Shoreline and Lake Forest Park voters to approve is a critical component of our Future Shoreline initiative,” said Board President David Wilson. “Approval of the bond will provide our students and staff with learning facilities that will continue to support the highest levels of achievement by allowing us to align our instructional programs and configurations to give our students the very best learning experience possible well into the future.”

On Tuesday, February 14, Shoreline and Lake Forest Park voters will consider a $250 million school construction bond that will allow the school district to:

Alleviate elementary overcrowding and prepare for state-funded class size reductions

Provide learning environments to support student achievement Expand and enhance early learning opportunities Design new buildings to enhance school safety and security Capture an estimated 10 percent state match

Projects to be completed if the bond passes include: Constructing an Early Learning Center at the Shoreline Children’s

Center site to house tuition-based preschool, Head Start and Early Childhood Education

Rebuilding Einstein Middle School Rebuilding Kellogg Middle School Rebuilding Parkwood Elementary School

The Board made its decision based on a study completed by the Facilities Planning Committee (FPC), consisting of parents, staff and community members, over the past year. The committee thoroughly reviewed each facility’s building condition report, which ranks the facility’s structure, systems and safety components, as well as demographic studies projecting future enrollment growth. The FPC also heard reports and recommendations from the Instructional Program Planning Committee (IPPC), which reviewed the district’s current instructional programs and configurations.

“I want to thank these committees for the incredible job they did in developing a plan where the instructional needs of our students determined the construction recommendations,” said Superintendent Rebecca Miner. “They were very thoughtful and forward-thinking in their review and recommendation. I look forward to sharing this information with the community in the coming months and engaging in a conversation about the future of our amazing school district.”

Click on the image to the left to view the bond presentation video

(must be connected to the internet).

For more information, visit http://www.shorelineschools.org/

domain/1122

Please remember to vote on February 14!

http://www.shorelineschools.org/domain/1122


https://vimeo.com/195015451

https://vimeo.com/195015451



Box Tops Excellent work to all who are contributing Box Tops!! Please keep clipping and

submitting Box Tops. The next submission will be mailed at the end of February.

A collection sheet is available at the end of this newsletter.

Happy clipping! Submitted by Suzy Cowgill

Box Tops Coordinator

PTSA Staff and Teacher Appreciation Fiesta Lunch – January 20, 2017

We’re turning up the heat in the kitchen and treating our teachers and staff to a FIESTA LUNCH on

Friday, January 20, to help them thaw out from all this cold weather. We’re looking for contributions of

everything from tubs of sour cream to crockpots of beans. If you would like to contribute, please sign up at:

http://www.perfectpotluck.com/meals.php?t=UBES4093

You can also go directly to PerfectPotluck.com and sign up by searching under the last name of “PTSA” and password “9497”. Any questions? Contact [email protected].

Submitted by Laura Hungerford

Afternoon Mandarin Language Class Opportunity at Meridian Park If your student (K-6) would like to participate in afternoon Mandarin language classes at

Meridian Park, please contact Ms. Hua Zhang at [email protected] to let her

know of your interest. More information to come!

Submitted by Linda Tsai

Sign Up Now for Spanish Classes! Registration is now open for K-6 Spanish classes at Meridian Park! Classes will be held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m., January 24 through March 30. Sign up online at

www.TheSpanishLanguageSchool.com Click on the Meridian Park registration link on the right.

Questions? Contact Veronica Beck at [email protected] or 206-324-2043. Submitted by Veronica Beck

Lost and Found

Please check the Lost and Found located in the hall near the Cafeteria. There are a number

of sweatshirts and coats! As a reminder, all unclaimed items are donated to The Works.

Submitted by: Susan Duthweiler

Announcements

http://www.perfectpotluck.com/meals.php?t=UBES4093

mailto:[email protected]


http://www.TheSpanishLanguageSchool.com/




Meridian Park Drama Club

Tall Tales of the Wild West

Performances coming soon to a theater near you! Pre-sale tickets will be available starting in early February. Watch for flyers to be sent home through Kid Mail.

Rehearsals are Monday - Thursday, 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Performances will be at Shorewood High School on March 3 and 4, 2017

Kinderfest is Coming Saturday, January 28

10:00 a.m. - Noon Shoreline Center (18560 1st Avenue NE)

Kindergarten registration begins February 2. In order to attend kindergarten in the fall, your child must be 5 years old by August 31, 2017 and reside in the cities of Shoreline or Lake Forest Park. While early registration is helpful, families can register at any time beginning February 2 through the fall. Registration is NOT first come, first served – ALL resident families will be provided a kindergarten seat at Meridian Park or another district location.

Kinderfest provides an opportunity for families to learn about the programs offered by the Shoreline School

District. Families will receive information on food services, transportation, nurses, ELL/Special Services, the Highly-Capable Program, and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs). Each elementary school will have representatives available to answer questions, and Spanish, Amharic, Mandarin, Korean and Vietnamese interpreters will also be available. Limited, no-cost childcare will be on-site for children 2 years or older and potty-trained. Please note that food will not be allowed in the childcare room due to possible allergies.

For more information on registration, visit www.shorelineschools.org/enrollment. If you have additional questions, please contact Trinitee Swan at 206-393-4365 or [email protected].

Announcements

http://www.shorelineschools.org/enrollment




Shoreline District Food Drive

A big THANK YOU to our Meridian Park Families! Our school donated over 1,900 food items to the Shoreline District Food Drive in December.

An additional big THANK YOU to the families who helped sort and deliver the Meridian Park donations to Kellogg Middle School!

Photos

Cheetah Cheers



Principal’s Letter Welcome back for a new year in 2017!

Thank you for supporting the PTSA Food and Gift

Drive in December. Thanks also and congratulations to

Susan Duthweiler and her PTSA holiday helpers for leading this important community activity.

Our School Board recently decided to place a construction

bond proposition on the February 14 ballot. If approved,

the bond would alleviate elementary overcrowding,

expand and enhance early learning, and provide updated

middle school learning environments. Superintendent

Rebecca Miner will explain the bond proposition at the January 10 PTSA meeting. There are many other

community meetings scheduled. More information is included in this newsletter and at the following link:


Please be sure to vote on Feb 14!

Also this month, a district committee continues to review the Highly Capable Program and services. If you

are interested in learning about this work, contact Michael Power at [email protected],

or check the district website at http://www.shorelineschools.org/Domain/90.

As a reminder, we use a semester academic system like the middle and high schools. We plan to send

semester reports home with students in mid-February. Conferences are March 7 - 10. Please look ahead to

March and your teacher will contact you to sign-up for a conference. We value ongoing family communication

and look forward to meeting with you for a conversation at conference time.

This month we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In our classrooms, we

regularly utilize activities to celebrate the many cultures, talents, and traditions of families and our community.

We hope you will join us in teaching and expecting respect, kindness, and equity. Our assembly is scheduled

for January 13 at 9:30 a.m., and of course, you are always welcome to attend!

We are also completing mid-year reading and math benchmark assessments this month. These assessments

provide information to guide core instruction and interventions. The reading assessments are called DIBELS

(Dynamic Indicator of Basic Early Literacy) and SRI (Student Reading Inventory). The math assessment is

called EasyCBM (Curriculum Based Measurement). DIBELS is a national reading rate/fluency tool; CBM is

a national concepts/procedures tool; and SRI is a national lexile tool. Please see the links on the following page

if you are interested in learning more.

Safety is our #1 priority. While we believe our building and campus are safe from unwelcome visitors, we

are committed to making every effort to ensure our students, staff, and volunteers are safe each and every day.

As a reminder, entry to the building is allowed through the main entrance only and we require all

visitors to sign-in and wear a pass each time you visit. We appreciate our frequent volunteers and

visitors; please check-in and wear a pass even if only for a few minutes. Thanks.



http://www.shorelineschools.org/Domain/90



Principal’s Letter In the morning on Saturday, January 28 we invite your involvement with two activities:

Kinderfest at the Shoreline Center, 10:00 a.m. - Noon

Emergency Supplies Work Party at Meridian Park, 9:00 a.m. - Noon

Please contact PTSA President Callie if you would like to be involved! ([email protected])

Thank you for our partnership in 2017. I hope to see you at our Talent Show, school play, or another activity in

the coming weeks. While specific questions are best directed to the staff member closest to the situation, feel

free to contact me anytime on how things are going. I’m grateful to lead this wonderful school community and

send best wishes to your family for a great year in 2017!

David Tadlock

Principal

[email protected]

Tadlock Tip #5 - Winter Exercise and Activity

For students and parents alike, exercise routines are important to maintain in January and February. Get out

and walk for 20 minutes daily, take bike rides, or keep your commitment to the gym – and take the kids! We

know it’s a lot easier to get outside starting in March, but January and February are very important months to

be active and model outside (screen free) activities for our children.

Mid-Year Assessment Information

READING

DIBELS https://dibels.uoregon.edu/

SRI https://lexile.com/about-lexile/lexile-overview/lexile-infographic/

MATH EasyCBM http://easycbm.com/

Important Reminders

School will now be in session on May 15 rather than a Non-Student Work Day to make up for the

snow closure on December 9

Weather-related closures or late starts - please check the media or district website for an

announcement ; it is really helpful to limit calls to the school to keep our phone lines and staff free!

In the event of a:

Late start - school will start at 11:05 a.m. (students line at up at 11:00 a.m.)

Closure - if we have another weather-related closure, the make up day will be June 12

Please send kids to school with coats/hats. You may contact your teacher or Family Advocate Annie Gage

for cold weather clothing. If you have donations, please contact us or The Works.



https://dibels.uoregon.edu/

https://lexile.com/about-lexile/lexile-overview/lexile-infographic/

http://easycbm.com/



Cheetah Notes News from the Library Media Center

Greetings Meridian Park Families! Happy New Year! Below is information about some great events happening soon in the library.

Information Night – eBooks Library As I mentioned in my December article, I have received grants to purchase eBooks from Capstone Publishing for Meridian Park students. At this time, many of the books are social studies support texts, while others are high-interest books for all readers.

At the Tuesday, February 7 PTSA Meeting, I will present information to parents about how to access and

these books with their children, as eBooks are excellent tools for increasing reading comprehension.

I hope that many parents will join us to learn more about eBooks and how to use them. Please bring one or more of the following with you: a laptop, tablet such as an iPad, a handheld device such as an iPod, or a

smartphone.

Three-Day Residency with Guest Author Ben Clanton

Ben Clanton, author of several picture books including Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea (A Unicorn and Jelly Book), will be at Meridian Park Wednesday, March 15

through Friday, March 17. Mr. Clanton will facilitate writing workshops with all students, two classes per workshop. His workshops include several story and drawing games that get the creative juices flowing, interviews of characters with students to discover potential narratives to pursue and identify conflicts and potential solutions. He spends a fair bit of time on character development and asking questions as a great source for creating a narrative. He uses character charts and gives visual and written prompts. He also includes strategies for pulling upon observations and personal experiences.

Here is the workshop schedule - please join your children’s sessions if you’d like!

Wednesday, March 15 Thursday, March 16 Friday, March 17

9:15 - 10:15 5th/6th Grade Raki, Borovina

9:30 - 10:30 5th Grade

Peterson, Rudberg

9:15 - 10:15 6th Grade

Sezate, DuCharme

10:45 - 11:45 3rd/4th Grade Sabo, Peters

10:45 - 11:45 4th Grade

Phelan, Reiman

10:45 - 11:45 3rd Grade

Kushner, Lockwood

12:45 - 1:45 2nd/3rd Grade

Bachicha-Wells, Smith

12:45 - 1:45 1st Grade

Loes, Reed

12:45 - 1:45 1st/2nd Grade

Clark, Uran

2:20 - 3:00 Kindergarten

Ahron, Bentley/Jones, Gino

2:00 - 3:00 2nd Grade

Jenks, Anderson

2:20 - 3:00 Kindergarten Herold, Ildiri



Cheetah Notes News from the Library Media Center, continued

Spring Scholastic Book Fair

Our Spring Scholastic Book Fair will run Wednesday, April 12 through Friday, April 14, with previews on Tuesday, April 11. This spring’s theme is Camp Book Fair. If you would like to volunteer at the book fair, please contact me at

[email protected]. Thanks! Happy Reading, Jenny Hillger Teacher/Librarian (206) 393-4125 [email protected]

Music Notes

Happy New Year, 2017 to all Meridian Park Cheetahs and families!

The Winter Sing-Along was a wonderful event! Congratulations to the 6th grade and 5th/6th grade classes

for their great performance at the Sing-Along assembly on December 19! They sang “Rise up in Festive Song”

and “Carol of the Field Mice”. Songs were sung in two and three part harmony, with percussion instruments

accompanying “Rise up in Festive Song”. Great job! Several students from other classes and grade levels also

played instruments with our sing-along songs, which included folk songs, winter songs, well-known and

unfamiliar holiday songs from many countries.

2017 will bring exciting musical opportunities to your kids and your family! Please enter these

dates on your calendar so you don’t miss these wonderful events!

Meridian Park's Martin Luther King, Jr. Assembly will be held Thursday, January 12 at 9:30 a.m. in the Cafeteria.

Leadership/reading will be done by Ms. Sabo's 3rd/4th grade class and Ms. Phelan's, Mr. Reiman's, and Ms.

Peters' 4th grade classes.

West Side Choral Festival will be at Shorewood High School

Thursday, February 2. 6th grade students who qualified for

the 2017 6th grade Honor Choir need to return their signed

forms ASAP. See the “Documents” section on Mrs. Anderson’s

teacher website for a copy if needed (LINK). Thank you! The

6th Grade Full Honor Choir rehearsal and concert schedule is

also posted in the “Documents” section.

On Wednesday, March 1, 5th grade and 5th/6th grade classes will be taking a field trip to Seattle Symphony’s

Concert: Link Up (The Orchestra Sings) at Benaroya Hall.

Please mark your calendars for the Meridian Park Arts Festival Thursday, May 25, 6:30 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. Several

1st/2nd, 2nd, 3rd/4th, and 4th grade classes will perform!

~Mrs. Anderson and the Meridian Park Singing Cheetahs



http://learn.shorelineschools.org/meridianpark/sanderson/documents



Cheetah Notes P.E. News You Can Use

PROGRESS REPORTS

The end of the semester is quickly approaching and that means that you will soon be receiving your child’s first

progress report. Included on the progress report are marks for Physical Education. I would like to take a few

minutes to give an explanation of the areas in which your child is assessed and how I determine if your child is

meeting grade level standard.

Behavior to support learning: Participates actively and appropriately.

Each student in grades K-6 will receive a mark in this area. The three possible marks include “M” (meets grade

level expectation), “W” (working towards/demonstrating growth towards grade level expectation), and

“N” (needs improvement/not demonstrating growth towards grade level expectation). Receiving an “M” is an

indication that this student regularly follows classroom expectations and procedures, consistently

demonstrates a high level of effort, and is cooperative and respectful of others. Most students will receive an

“M” in the area of Behavior to support learning. Receiving a “W” in this area is indicative of a student who needs

regular support in the behaviors outlined above. It is important for you to remember that a “W” indicates that

the student is making progress in this area of learning, but may frequently need help in making the most

respectful, responsible and safe choices. I encourage you not to view a “W” with negative connotations , but

simply as an indication that your student has some room to grow and is demonstrating progress towards grade

level expectations. Receiving an “N” (needs improvement) in behavior indicates that your child needs daily

support in making safe, responsible and respectful choices and that he/she is not demonstrating growth

despite teacher support and behavioral interventions.

Demonstrates fundamental skills.

Skill assessment standards are derived directly from National

Standards and Grade Level Outcomes, developed by the Society of

Health and Physical Educators. Grade level skill standards can be

found here:

www.shapeamerica.org/standards/pe/upload/Grade-Level-Outcomes-for-K-12-Physical-Education.pdf

The standards can be divided into what the PE Specialist of Shoreline deem the “Power Six Domains”. The

six domains are:

Locomotor (K-1)

Balance and Weight Transfer (2-6)

Throwing & Catching (K-6)

Jumping and landing (K-6)

Striking w/ implements (K-6)

Striking w/out implements (K-6)

In the first semester of school, we worked on soccer skills (striking w/out implements), Thriller Dance (balance

and weight transfer), bowling (throwing and catching), overhand throwing skills and games (throwing and

catching), juggling (throwing and catching), jump rope (jumping and landing), and basketball skills (balance and

weight transfer, jumping and landing, striking w/out implements).

http://www.shapeamerica.org/standards/pe/upload/Grade-Level-Outcomes-for-K-12-Physical-Education.pdf



Cheetah Notes P.E. News You Can Use, continued

Students are assessed and given a mark with respect to the following criteria:

4: Student exceeds grade level outcomes.

3: Student meets grade level outcomes.

2: Student has not met, but is showing progress and effort towards grade level outcomes.

1: Student has not demonstrated effort towards attaining grade level outcomes.

Most student will receive a “3” with a minority distribution in the “4” and “2” range. A mark of “1” will certainly

come with prior contact from me about specific concerns with your child’s age appropriate motor development

or effort level.

Demonstrates knowledge of basic concepts.

No students will receive a mark in this area for the first semester, and a “*” will appear in this cell.

PHYSICAL FITNESS REPORTS

Each semester, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students participate in a battery of physical fitness tests to assess their

fitness level in three broad categories: cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and

flexibility. Shoreline Schools uses the Fitnessgram

testing protocol, which is different from the

Presidential Fitness Testing that many of us engaged

in as children. Fitnessgram tests measure the extent

to which students are achieving a proficient level of

health-related physical fitness (the Presidential Test measured more sport-specific levels of fitness). Students

are not compared to one another, but rather are asked to give their best effort to achieve a score that falls in or

above a “healthy fitness zone” for age and gender based on a criterion-referenced standards. The “healthy

fitness zones” indicate a level of fitness that if maintained, offers significant protection against lifestyle diseases

such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes and some types of cancer. Failing to meet standard in any

component of health related fitness is cause for concern, and I am happy to discuss strategies to help your

child grow in their fitness.

Your child will receive a fitness portfolio report with their progress report that details their current scores on

the fitness measures and past performance on the tests beginning in the fall semester of their 4th grade year.

Matt Alford

Physical Education Specialist

[email protected]




Cheetah Notes Families, Feelings, Friends, and Fun

LET’S WORK TOGETHER TO GET YOUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL!

Mornings can be hard. Work schedules can be challenging. Buses get missed. And people get sick.

But unless your student is the one who is sick, we want them at school! They NEED to be in school! Attendance

is a hugely important part of school engagement and success.

So what should stressed parents do?

Please, call me.

Let's work together and find the best solution

for your family.

On a temporary basis (depending on your

proximity to school), I can walk to your house,

then walk with your child to school. I can also

try to find other students and/or parents who can walk with your child to school. And I can even try to find

other families who can help with carpooling, too. And more!

Please do not let anything but a child’s own illness interfere with him/her getting to Meridian Park.

Contact: Annie Gage, MSW - MP Family Advocate, 206-393-1768, [email protected]

ADDRESSING “HATE LANGUAGE” AND BEHAVIOR

Parents have shared questions and concerns with me regarding “hate language” and behavior. What should

they say to their children if they encounter people behaving in a hateful or bigoted manner? Are there tools

parents can use for such situations? Has “hate language” increased at Meridian Park?

I have adapted some advice from the Anti-Defamation League website:

Parents, guardians, and teachers struggle with diversity issues every day. We need to take a hard look at

ourselves and explore our own biases and assumptions.

What "filters" impact the ways in which we view the world?

What words are we using to teach our children about themselves and their culture, as well as about

those around them?

Do our actions match our words?

Attempt to integrate information about different kinds of people into regular conversation and daily

activities. Relegating this type of conversation to "multicultural time" or to a specific holiday or month

sends a message that these activities are unimportant relative to other activities.

We must prepare ourselves to respond to acts of bias, even if they are unintentional. Children will carefully

observe how the adults in their lives intervene when someone is the target of hurtful or discriminatory

behavior. Silence in the face of injustice conveys the impression that adults condone the behavior or consider it

not worthy of attention. We must make it clear to our children that name-calling will not be tolerated and

explain the thinking behind "zero tolerance" when it comes to prejudice.




Cheetah Notes Families, Feelings, Friends, and Fun, continued

If you witness hate acts or hate speech when you are with children, here are some ideas about what to do,

which I have gathered from multiple sources:

Acknowledge what you saw/heard. Doing otherwise indicates acceptance. It also models that painful and ugly parts of life cannot be talked about.

You can say something such as “That was awful and hateful. In our family we never treat people that way.”

If you are going to engage with the situation, do so with the person being targeted. Pretend you know them; start talking to them about something neutral. Sit or stand close to them, and invite

them to move with you away from the person expressing hate.

Set aside time to talk with your children. Ask them how they felt about what they witnessed and what they thought about it. If they don’t want to talk

about it, don’t pressure them to. If your child seems troubled, but doesn’t want to talk, invite them to draw a

picture about it and tell you about it. As adults, it is often tempting to over-talk and over-explain. Try to respond

to your children’s questions and observations more than you tell them about your own.

Explain that the world is not perfect and there are people who hate others just because of

who they are. Let your children tell you what they believe is wrong with hatred and add your own, brief perspective if you

think they missed anything vital.

Giving children an action can help them feel more empowered after a troubling situation

touches them. Writing letters of support to people from the targeted group or showing solidarity with them in other ways,

such as community dinners, are common and effective approaches.

From what I have observed myself and heard from other adults in the building, including parents, there has

not been an increase in “hate language” at Meridian Park. My impression is that the level of mean behavior and

language among students has decreased in the 6+ years I’ve been here, including that which targets race,

ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, and ability.

You can find more information about hate crimes in general here:

https://www.youandco.org.uk/crime-info/what-hate-crime

You can find more information about ways to work against hate here:

https://www.splcenter.org/20100216/ten-ways-fight-hate-community-response-guide

Annie Gage, MSW

Family Advocate

Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

206-393-1768

[email protected]

https://www.youandco.org.uk/crime-info/what-hate-crime

https://www.splcenter.org/20100216/ten-ways-fight-hate-community-response-guide




PTSA President’s Letter Happy New Year!

Chilly weather means lots of coats, hats, and mittens. Please check the lost-and-found regularly, located

near the cafeteria. Although we had cleared it out before break, there is already a large collection of items. We have encouraged each classroom to check out the lost-and-found, but the kids themselves don’t always pick up their lost items. We donated over 100 items during the holiday break that had been collected since September. If you put your child’s name in their clothing, we will return it to his/her classroom. The PTSA strongly encourages you to write your child’s name on his/her clothing. If you put only their initials, it is nearly impossible to return the items. We call phone numbers, too!

The Variety Show is January 21 at 7:00 p.m. at Shorewood High School. It is FREE. It is a showcase of

Meridian Park talent. Come and bring some of your child’s friends. This is where our kids will attend high school, and attending is great way to help familiarize your student with the atmosphere and location. Let’s encourage our performers and support them! I hope there are lots of jokes!

All PTSA meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month in the Library at 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise announced. You are welcome to attend all meetings. There are 4 general membership meetings

throughout the year, and the remainder are considered Board of Director meetings. Again, all meetings are open and we would love to have you attend. The YMCA sends a staff person free of charge to watch children during the meeting as a community service. If you have something you want to discuss, you can always send it to me, and I will place it on the agenda of the meeting. Please email me at [email protected]. I am also at school on most Tuesdays and would be happy to talk PTSA, plan, and listen. You can find me in the workroom on Tuesday mornings and after 3:00 p.m.

I want to personally encourage any and all of you to get involved in the school. Lives are busy

and time is precious. I find the experience of squeezing in school volunteering so rewarding. It can be hard sometimes to get it all done, but the reward is knowing that you are putting effort toward the community in which your child belongs. We are looking for nominations for next year’s PTSA board of directors. Are you passionate about any of our activities and events? Do you want to see more or different things? Are you wanting to get involved, but just not sure how? This is a first step. Feel free to chat with any of us on the PTSA! We will help you find just the right fit for you. I know that your involvement will be beneficial to the school and that you will feel great doing it!

Speaking of opportunities... Seattle Storm has contacted me and would love to a schedule a Meridian Park Elementary group event during a Storm game. They are offering to work with us to

get discounted tickets and cool perks like video screen recognition. If someone wants to lead this up, we can do it! That is how this works. A parent says, “I can do this, I want to do this!”... then we do it! I am not sure how you find your inspiration for parenting and community work, but I

often get mine from TED talks. I want to share with you my latest favorite:

https://www.ted.com/talks/sam_kass_want_to_teach_kids_well_feed_them_well

I try to show a short (10 minute or less) TED talk at all the PTSA meetings, unless we have a guest speaker. I then post them on the MP PTSA Facebook page. I just realized we don’t post them to the website… I will remedy that soon; well, actually, our PTSA Webmaster, Heather Sterling, will! It takes a village. Imagine if we all were watching the same TED talk… a girl can dream! Anyway, just like our kids, we are growing and learning, too. My hope is that we get to do some of that together. May this year be full of learning, love, and peace.

Callie Steward MPPTSA President [email protected]


https://www.ted.com/talks/sam_kass_want_to_teach_kids_well_feed_them_well




PTSA News EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS LOCKER INVENTORY DAY The PTSA is assisting administration on the clean-up and re-stocking of the Emergency Locker on Saturday, January 28, from 9:00 a.m. - Noon. If you would like to help with the effort, please email [email protected]. MERIDIAN PARK’S GREEN TEAM Meridian Park is composting and recycling in the lunch room! In addition, we are collecting any unopened food and organizing a HopeLink pick-up for food recovery. The process is organized by parent volunteers and run by the students. The district is supportive of the efforts by providing appropriate bags and bins for the lunchroom composting and assisting with the procedure for food recovery. The PTSA encourages you to email the Shoreline School Board at [email protected] to let them know that you are proud of the Meridian Park Cheetahs for being GREEN and for the focus on composting, recycling, and the food recovery efforts. We hope that the district will support this as a permanent activity at Meridian Park and expand it to all Shoreline schools! Green Team Assignments are September-December, January-March, and April-June. A big “HIP-HIP HOORAY” to the Fall groups! Our Green Team participants:





PTSA News READ-A-THON UPDATE

Read-a-Thon at Meridian Park will begin in March! This is an opportunity to encourage reading at home

for PRIZES! WE ARE LOOKING FOR A TEAM LEADER. We have at least 3 seasoned volunteers who are

ready to help with the efforts and have organized a schedule. If you are interested in becoming part of the

Meridian Park PTSA leadership team for 6 weeks (February 21 - April 4) for emailing, stopping weekly at the

school, organizing paperwork, collecting Excel data, talking with teachers, and working with our awesome

Librarian… this is the JOB for YOU! If interested, please contact Callie Steward at [email protected].

UPCOMING EVENTS-AT-A-GLANCE

February 2017

February 2: Westside District Choir Festival at SWHS

February 7: PTSA BOD Meeting

February 9: School Skate Night at Lynnwood Skate

February 14: Westside Orchestra Festival at SWHS

February 20-24: Mid-Winter Break

March 2017

March 2: Drama Club Dress Rehearsal at SWHS

March 3-4: Drama Club Performances at SWHS

March 6: Non-Student Work Day

March 7: PTSA BOD Meeting

March 7-10: Conferences – Early Dismissal

March 30: School Skate Party at Lynnwood Skate

April 2017

April 3: Non-Student Work Day

April 4: PTSA BOD and General Member Meeting

April 13: Spring Family Fun Night and Science Fair

April 17-21: Spring Break

May 2017

May 9: PTSA BOD and General Member Meeting

May 15: Non-Student Work Day Snow Day Make-Up – School in Session

May 15: PTSA Teacher Appreciation Breakfast

May 17-19: 6th Grade Camp (dates to be verified)

May 25: Meridian Park Arts Festival

May 29: Memorial Day – No School

June 2017

June 6: PTSA BOD and General Member Meeting

June 6: PTSA Volunteer Appreciation

June 12: Non-Student Work Day

June 16: Field Day

June 22: 6th Grade Moving On Ceremony

June 23: Last Day of School




Community News “Physical Poetry”

January 13 and 14, 2017

7:30 p.m.

Shorecrest Performing Arts Center

15343 25th Ave NE

The State Champion Shorecrest High School Hip Hop Dance Team brings

"Physical Poetry" to Shorecrest Performing Arts Center on January 13

and 14. Both evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m.

Exciting, heart-stopping, foot-stomping featuring dance forms and styles

from companies all over the Northwest. Experience two spectacular

evenings on Friday and Saturday, packed with amazing talent from the

Greater Seattle Area. This is a family-friendly event that will have the

audience craving more!

This is the 10th year the team has hosted the event, which is one of their

biggest fundraisers of the year. This year's performers include:

Alchemy Tap Project

Gotta Dance Ensemble

Kontagious

Te Fare O Tamtoa

The Folks

Michelle Badion

Northside Step Team

Ladies of Lavida

Shorecrest Hip Hop

Varsity Co.

3rd Shift Dance

...and more!

Tickets may be purchased in advance for $15.00 at:

http://physicalpoetry2017.brownpapertickets.com/

Tickets will be $18.00 at the door; however, this show has sold out the past

3 years! Get your tickets now!

Meridian Park Elementary www.shorelineschools.org/

meridianpark/

David Tadlock Principal [email protected]

Julie Harris Instr Coach/Admin Intern

Hillery Clark Dir of Early Learning

Diane Randall Office Manager

Jill Gwazdauskas Registrar

Tama Leahy School Nurse

Katie McCain Counselor

Annie Gage Family Advocate

2016–2017 MP PTSA Executive Committee

www.mpptsa.org

Callie Steward President [email protected]

Rhonda McRae Secretary [email protected]

Joy Rieke Treasurer [email protected]

Mary Webb VP Clubs/Programs [email protected]

OPEN VP Events [email protected]

Standing Committees

Lee Lambert Grants

Adrienne Thompson Legislative [email protected]

Janet Shin & Nauko Grimlund Membership [email protected]

Linda Tsai & Diana Gray ‘Cheetah Chatter’ Editors [email protected]

Heather Sterling Webmaster [email protected]

Follow the MP PTSA on Facebook

Cheetah Chatter is published monthly by

Meridian Park Elementary and the Meridian Park PTSA

17077 Meridian Avenue N Shoreline, WA 98133

(206) 361-4251

http://physicalpoetry2017.brownpapertickets.com/

http://www.shorelineschools.org/meridianpark/

http://www.shorelineschools.org/meridianpark/


http://www.mpptsa.org










https://www.facebook.com/MeridianParkPTSA/

©General Mills

Thank you for helping! Clipped Box Tops are each worth 10¢ for your child’s school. Bonus certificates should not be attached to this sheet – please submit them separately. To see more ways to earn cash for your child’s school, go to BTFE.com. See more collection sheets at BTFE.com/collectionsheets.

Get cOzy wIth bOx topS

CUANDO: martes

17 de enero – 7 de marzo

HORA: 6:00PM – 8:00PM

LUGAR: Center for Human Services

17018 15th Ave NE

Shoreline, WA 98155

Clases para Padres: “Disciplina Positiva”

Criando a nuestros hijos con Amor y Firmeza

Esta es una serie de clases de ocho semanas para padres de habla

hispana de familias que desean tener relaciones más cooperativas

y respetuosas con sus niños de cualquier edad.

Costo: GRATIS Se les invita a los dos padres a participar. La clase será facilitada en español. Favor de registrarse.

El cuidado infantil es limitado.

Para más información y para registrarse favor de comunicarse

con:

Velia Lara al 206-631-8824 [email protected]

¿Estas teniendo retos con tus

niños con pelea entre

hermanos, rezongando,

problemas con las tareas y

para ir a dormir, entre otras?

Ven a aprender algunas

soluciones.

Aprende como:

- Ser más efectivo como

padre y divertirte en el

proceso.

- Disciplinar con

amabilidad y firmeza al

mismo tiempo.

- Criar niños responsables

y respetuosos.

- Reducir la lucha de

poder.

WHEN: Tuesdays

January 17th – March 7th, 2017

TIME: 6:00PM – 8:00PM

WHERE: Center for Human Services

17018 15th Ave NE

Shoreline, WA 98155

Parenting Class: Positive Discipline

Raising our children with love and firmness

This is a series of classes for eight weeks for Spanish speaking parents

who want more cooperative and respectful relationships with their

children of all ages.

Cost: FREE Both parents are invited to participate. Class is facilitated in Spanish. Registration is required. Limited child care available. For more information and to register please contact: Velia Lara at 206-631-8824 or [email protected]

Are you having challenges with

your children, fights between

siblings, whining, problems

with homework and bedtime

routines, among others?

Come to learn some solutions.

Learn how to:

- Be more effective as a

parent and have fun in

the process.

- Disciplining with

kindness and firmness

at the same time.

- Raising responsible and

respectful children.

- Reduce power

struggles.

STUDENT ACCOUNTS

KCLS is pleased to be partnering with the Shoreline School District to provide student accounts. Our librarians look forward to helping you access and u lize the resources that KCLS has available. We have a variety of programs and services to help you meet your goals as educators.

SCHOOL VISITS Our librarians are available to visit your school to provide:

CLASSROOM PRESENTATIONS

A librarian can visit your class to share news and informa on about library collec ons, programs and services. Presenta ons can be tailored to your classroom’s needs, including book talks, lessons about databases that relate to an assignment.

TEACHER WORKSHOPS A librarian can visit the school and work with a group of teachers on how to make the best of KCLS resources in the curriculum, including our many premium databases and eBooks.

IN THE LIBRARY Our librarians are eager to host teachers or students: for:

LIBRARY TOURS Schedule a date and time to bring your class into the local public library for a tour. Your students will learn about the resources available to them and how to use them.

CONTACT THE LIBRARIAN THAT SERVES YOUR SCHOOL NOW!

WWW.KCLS.ORG/STUDENTS

KING COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEMCONTACTS:

KALEE SHEARER [email protected] Briarcrest Elementary Brookside Elementary Lake Forest Park Elementary

LAURIE FIELD [email protected] Echo Lake Elementary Meridian Park Elementary Parkwood Elementary Ridgecrest Elementary Cascade K‐8 Community School

LESLIE CARTER [email protected] Highland Terrace Elementary Syre Elementary

AARENE STORMS [email protected] Einstein Middle Shorewood High

RICK ORSILLO [email protected] Kellogg Middle Shorecrest High

RESOURCE OVERVIEW Students in the Federal Way Public Schools can now seamlessly log in from school, home or

from any computer or device to use KCLS’ array of electronic resources, including the following:

HOMEWORK HELP Using their Student Account, students have access to live help from professional tutors online from 2 pm‐midnight daily. Online tutoring is available in English or Spanish from Tutor.com through the Student Portal at www.kcls.org/students. Students can choose the subjects they want to work, save projects in progress and review saved sessions. Students can also use the “Ask a Librarian” feature for research help at www.kcls.org/ask.

DOWNLOADABLES Using their Student Account, students can:

Download eBooks in several formats. Many tles are also available as audio books. The KCLS eBook collec on is searchable for Lexile scores, genre or subject.

Download popular digital magazines through Zinio. The collection has about every genre, including Popular Science, Wired, Discover and many others for scientific types.

Watch streaming videos, including many documentaries from Overdrive Videos and Access Video.

SCHOOL RESEARCH & LEARNING Each student’s account gives them access to more than 65 databases that include current and historical informa on on topics your students want, or need to know about. The more popular databases include:

Biography in Context: Biographical sketches and ar cles focusing on nearly 275,000 individuals.

Opposing Viewpoints: An online resource providing informed, differing views for each side of an issue.

Press Display: Full view newspapers from 100+ countries with 60+ languages.

NY Times Historical: Ar cles from New York Daily Times (1851‐1857) and New York Times (1857‐2009).

Lynda.com: An organized collec on of training videos for many types of so ware and computer skills.

SIRS Discoverer: Ar cles on reading, language arts, current events, science, social studies, history, health, and technology from over 2,200 sources.

Mango Languages: Language learning lessons with reading/wri ng/listening components.

Britannica Online: Explore the updated online encyclopedia from Encyclopedia Britannica.

COLLEGE AND CAREER PREP KCLS also provides informa on and resources to help students prepare for college and careers. Students can:

Use Test Prepara on services through Brainfuse.com to get help from online tutors 7 days a

week from 1‐10pm to help prepare for the MSP, HSPE, and SAT tests.

Use the Tes ng & Educa on Reference Center database to explore colleges and careers, or prepare for the ACT, SAT, and more with online books and prac ce tests.

Find scholarship resources and research poten al colleges and careers at h p://www.kcls.org/teens/lifea erhighschool.