Thursday, December 2, 2021

December 2021

 A Note from the Principal...

I am excited to release this month's newsletter to you all, as it is the first digital newsletter from Meachem Elementary.  Each month please expect to be sent the newsletter link so you can stay connected with Meachem.  

Last month, Meachem students spent time during the school day and in afterschool discussing what they are grateful for.  Some of our students were highlighted on the SCSD Facebook page, I shared them on our Meachem Facebook page as well; please be sure to check it out.  Thank you to everyone who sent in items for our Thanksgiving food drive, we were able to supply over 15 Meachem families with a Thanksgiving dinner.  

Please stay connected with us at Meachem.  We have a Meachem Facebook page and a SCSD Meachem page.  Also, we send home information through School Messenger (emails, texts, and robo calls) and Talking Points.  Please contact the school if you have not been receiving messages, 315-435-4610.

Afterschool Program

The Afterschool Program at Meachem is available to all students in grades K- 5.  The program runs each day, Monday through Friday, for 2 hours, from 3:15- 5:15 pm.  If you have not already signed your child up, it is not to late.  You can sign them up at any time, please call the main office to request an application or you can  click here to register; transportation is available to all families (busing can take up to 2 weeks to begin).


Student Council

We have officially launched Meachem's 5th Grade Student Council! The 5th grade students that were interested in becoming part of student council had to meet behavioral, attendance, and academic requirements. Those students then wrote and delivered speeches about their qualifications and what efforts they would put in, if elected, to the position they were running for.  I was so proud to see them stand up in front of their peers and read their speeches. Everyone did a phenomenal job!   


Congratulations to the following students: 

President: Paxton C.  

Vice President: Ni'Tese N. 

Secretary: Violette A.

Treasurer: Alexis H.  

General Members:  Mya B., Isaiah C., Olivia M., Jaiden G., Natalia H., Rileigh H., Tamarian T., and Cedric H.


PTO

Mark your calendars for the 3rd PTO meeting of the school year; it will be held on Tuesday, December 7th at 6:30.  PTO meets via Zoom each month- you can sign on by clicking the link that is sent out through Talking Points or go to bit.ly/MeachemPTO . The PTO is always looking for new members to join and help plan school events.  


December's Life Skill: EMPATHY

Each month Meachem has a different life skill to support character education.  Each Monday, the students watch a video on the life skill and have discussions around it at Morning Meeting each day.  

This month's life skill is 'EMPATHY.'  Empathy is the ability to know how another person is feeling.  This is a skill that can be developed and nourished in children, leading them into a lifelong ability to connect with others, tolerate differences and take an active role when they see that someone needs help or understanding.  

How Can Families Help Children Develop Empathy?

1. Provide children with the support they need to develop strong emotional regulation skills: when children struggle to identify what emotions that they are feeling- support them by helping them name the emotion they are experiencing, instead of dismissing them, identify triggers to their negative moods and collaborate with them to plan how to handle strong emotions when they arise.     

2. Consistently model empathy for your children: when you encounter someone with emotional pain, discuss with your child how that person must be feeling.

3.  Help kids identify what they have in common with others: teach your children to look for similarities, rather than differences in others.  


PAX Leaders of the Week

Each week classroom teachers choose one student per grade level that exhibit PAX characteristics of being 'Peaceful, Productive, Healthy and Happy' while they are here at Meachem.  This award is given to students that consistently follow the Meachem expectations and to students that have significant improvements in following expectations.  The PAX leader is recognized each Monday on the virtual morning announcements and is celebrated throughout the week.  

Congratulations to our November PAX Leaders:


Week of November 8th

Week of November 15th

Week of November 29th

K- Ei'Ell B.

1st -Kingston G.

2nd -Gabby H.

3rd -Eanuaj D.

4th -Frankie P.

5th -Rileigh H.

Specials Dray-ana B.

K- Emadiel  A.

1st- Nyla C.

2nd -Laila D.

3rd Brandan H.

4th-Den'aya B.

5th-Isiah C.

Specials-Tommie F.

K- Jibril J.

1st - Xavie’ C.

2nd -Ty’Jae L.

3rd- Madison S.

4th -Si’Niyah R.

5th- Paxton C.

Specials- Zion M.


Reminders for Winter Weather

Students go out each day unless there is rain or temperature that is below ten degrees. Please have your child wear appropriate clothing for the colder weather. Students will not be allowed to play in the snow without snow boots and snow pants. Please make sure that all outer clothing items are marked with your child’s name. If a child brings home an article of clothing that is not his/hers, please return it to school.


Spirit Week: December 20th- 23rd



Important Dates:

Friday, Dec. 10th: Half Day, Dismissal begins at 11:25 am

Friday, Dec. 24th- Friday, December 31st: NO SCHOOL



May 2023

A Note from the Principal... It's May!  I can't believe the school year has gone by so quickly.  This month's newsletter is full...