Parent Newsletter

March 7, 2019

Sunrise over the playground

A Note from Principal Keffeler

Hello Meadow Ridge Families,

 

The weather is holding off until the weekend, which means a clear evening for International Night tonight! Please join us sometime between 6-8:30 for an open house of cultural community! We are expecting a great turnout, so be sure to park and take the shuttle from the high school.

 

Many of you are aware of the latest internet challenge that made the news this past week. The Star Tribune had an informational article in Monday's business section about what parents can do to keep their children safer when they are online. Speaking from experience, it is much easier for parents to set the rules when children are younger vs. changing them when they are older. For example, when my daughter got her first cell phone at 12, she knew it had parental controls, and we monitored her phone activity. We talked about digital citizenship and online behavior. We set the rule right away (we follow it as well) that there is no technology (tv, phone, computer) on the upper level, and our 16 year old abides by it because that's the way it's always been. Children need boundaries to stay safe, and it's our job as parents to set them.

 

Staffing update: Deb Godejahn will be the music teacher at North Woods, and Christina Marietti will be returning to Meadow Ridge to teach 5th grade next year. Some staff members will be participating in the Polar Plunge in Buffalo this weekend – watch for pictures of the event on Facebook. Thanks to those who donated--we raised almost $1000 for Special Olympics!

 

Best,

Karen 

Did You Know?

Girls' Junior Jammers Basketball Registration

Girls in grades Kindergarten through 3rd grade can learn the game of basketball by participating in the Wayzata Girls Basketball Association Junior Jammers program. The deadline for registration is March 11 or when registration is full. The non-refundable fee is $50.00 per session.

Lost and Found

 Families can check lost and found before school by 7:45 or after 2:30. Lost and found can be located in the cafeteria. Many hats and gloves are also in lost and found.

Reminders

International Night – Thursday, March 7

International Night 2019
When: Tonight!

Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Where: Meadow Ridge Elementary 

Cost: free (donations accepted)

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International Night promotes cross-cultural understanding and celebrates cultural diversity. Your student will have an opportunity to "travel" around the world and learn about different countries and cultures shared by fellow Meadow Ridge Staff and Families. We will have exhibit booths representing India, Australia, Colombia, Thailand, Slovakia, Pakistan, Germany, China, Greece, Peru, South Korea, France, Sri Lanka and Lebanon along with performances, activities, and food samples. Each visitor will be given a passport which will be stamped at each booth/country they visit.

 

Event Parking

Please use lower level south entrance to enter the building (doors will be locked until 6:00 p.m.). On-site parking is limited, so please consider carpooling as much as possible. A shuttle bus will be running to and from Wayzata High School during the event, see details below. Parking along County Road 47 is not allowed. Please be considerate if you park at the neighborhood community. A shuttle bus will be  running to and from Wayzata High School (WHS). The first shuttle bus leaving from WHS to MR is 5:45 p.m. The last bus leaving MR back to WHS is 8:45 p.m. The turnaround time between WHS and MR is 10-15 minutes
Shuttle Bus Pickup/Drop off Location:
Wayzata High School: park in East lots, pick up will be at the main entrance (see map), look for signs to wait for the bus
Meadow Ridge: Lower level south entrance
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Order Your Yearbook

It's time to order your Meadow Ridge Elementary School 2018–19 yearbook. Our school ID code is 12857419 . Standard book price is $16.00, upgrades available at additional cost. Orders due by April 1. Email Becky Petersen beckypetersen@gmail.com with questions.

PTO News

Movie Night - March 15

Join us from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The feature will be Wreck It Ralph. Feel free to wear pajamas and bring stuffed animals and pillows to be comfortable. Also, we will be collecting canned goods for donations.

Volunteer Needs

Around the District

Are Your Kids Ready?
Following the Minnesota State Statute 121A.15 (School immunization requirements) and Wayzata Public School Immunization Policy and Regulation, your child will not be able to start or remain enrolled at school without an immunization record that is up-to-date, actively in progress or without a legal exemption. Note: there are additional requirements for Kindergarten and 7th grade. It is best to receive vaccinations from your primary care provider, but in the event that you are unable to see your primary provider or if you do not have insurance that covers the cost of vaccinations, Wayzata Public Schools is a participant in the Park Nicollet Barrier Free Immunization Initiative. This program allows immunization-only visits on a same-day appointment basis, immunizes children without a doctor visit and provides immunizations with no direct charge to families.


Partners in Prevention Ask Ali

We've had so many great Ask Ali questions flooding our inbox over the past month. Thanks to all who have submitted! We want you to know Ali, along with her network of local experts, have been working hard to answer these questions. Responses are posted every Monday on her blog at partnersinpreventionmn.org/askali. Parents, you've got to check out the responses to these questions! There are some interesting ones that have been asked; chances are you might be wondering some of these things. Keep the questions coming!


Community Education

WISHES offerings at Meadow Ridge:
Engineering Club - next session starts April 9
Mystery Under the Big Top - begins March 11


Computer Sciences for Elementary: Python/Cloud Computing - Wednesdays, 6:30-7:45 p.m. at CMS, starts March 20

Youth and Adult Enrichment catalog is online now! Check out all our offerings!


Upcoming Event: 
Parenting with Vision - Gray Matter: Parenting through Complicated, Emerging Trends - A panel of experts discussing the difficult in-between areas of parenting. From vaping to privacy, these are just two of the gray topics that parents face trying to address emerging trends and raising youth in a world where things aren’t black and white. Tuesday, March 12, 7:00-8:30 p.m. at Central Middle School


Calendar

School Events

Friday, March 15, 2019
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
 
Tuesday, March 19, 2019
All day
 
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
All day
 
Friday, April 26, 2019
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
 
Tuesday, May 14, 2019
All day
 
Thursday, May 23, 2019
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
 
Friday, May 31, 2019
8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
 
Monday, June 3, 2019
8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
 

District Events

Tuesday, March 12, 2019
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
 
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
 

School Board Meetings

Monday, March 11, 2019
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
 
Monday, March 25, 2019
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM