Meridian Community Unit School District #223

Monroe Center staff is looking forward to meeting students and families on Monday, August 12th from 5-5:45 during Open House. Feel free to bring supplies drop them off and meet your teachers. PTO will also have sign-ups for room parents and volunteers. All class lists will be posted to Skyward on Friday, Aug. 9. Excited to begin a new year with you!

Grandma Bonnie's School Supply Closet will be open for those families in the community who need school supplies. Thank you to the Regional Office of Education for sharing both this opportunity for supplies and another fun way to enter into the school year for students from Pre-K to 3rd grade. Regardless of age and grade level, if your student is in need of school supplies and is older than 3rd grade, always let your school know at the beginning of the year should you need assistance.

📚✏️ Back to School Update! ✏️📚 We hope everyone is enjoying their summer break! As we gear up for the new school year, we have some important updates to share: 📝 Student Registration: Don't forget to register your student for the upcoming school year. Registration is open now and can be completed online at https://www.meridian223.org/. Ensure your student is enrolled and ready for the first day of school, as well as helping our Transportation Department assemble route lists! 🩺 Health Requirements: Please ensure your student meets all health requirements before the school year begins. This includes up-to-date immunizations, physical exams, and any necessary health forms. Visit Health Requirements for more information on Pre-K, Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, 6th Grade, 9th Grade, 12th Grade, and all grade level requirements for the coming school year. 📋 School Supply Lists: Get a head start on your shopping! Our school supply lists are now available on the district website. Visit your child's school building tab and "Student Resources" or "Parent Resources" to find your child's grade level list. 📱 Download the Meridian 223 App: Stay informed on the go! Download the Meridian 223 app to get instant access to school news, events, and important updates. The app is available for free on the App Store and Google Play. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XxlUHVCBUagImLgTb_OLTNqoktaeVlzb/view?usp=sharing 📲 Invitation to "Rooms": Stay connected and informed! Parents who are not yet connected will receive an invitation to "Rooms". This platform is essential for staying up-to-date with school announcements, classroom activities, and more. Moving forward, this will be the only app teachers and coaches use to communicate updates throughout the school year, along with email. Be sure to check your email/text, look for your Magic Code, and join us on "Rooms"! 📅 Back-to-School Night Dates: Mark your calendars! Our Back-to-School Nights are scheduled as follows: Highland Elementary School: Monday, August 12 - 4:00-4:45 pm Monroe Center Elementary School: Monday, August 12 - 5:00-5:45 pm Meridian Jr. High School: Monday, August 12 - 7th/8th Grade - 5:00-6:00 pm; 6th Grade - 6:00-7:00 pm Stillman Valley High School: Wednesday, August 21 from 6:00-7:00 PM 🏈🏐🎽 ⚽Fall Sports Registration: Fall sports registration for MJHS and SVHS is now open! Ensure your student-athlete is registered for their desired sports. Visit https://schools.snap.app/StillmanValley to complete the registration process. We're excited to see everyone back at school on Wednesday, August 14, at 8:00 a.m. (there will be NO late start). Let's make this year the best one yet! If you have any questions, feel free to contact your child's school office.

Fall Sports/Activity Registration is now open! If you have any questions, please reach out to the Athletic/Activities Director, Henry Robison, at hrobison@mail.meridian223.org. Go Cardinals!!

Our Meridian School District app keeps getting better and better! Parents/guardians who have already created a Rooms account can now access new app features like chat and class streams via web and in the app. Download for Android https://bit.ly/3PhCXhY Download for iPhone https://apple.co/3yzKHpM

Monroe Center Grade School 3rd Grader Leads Fundraiser for Local K-9 Unit Monroe Center, IL – June 18, 2024 Monroe Center Grade School is proud to announce that one of its own, Ainsley McCarthy, a dedicated 3rd-grade student, successfully organized a "Dress for a Donation" event to raise funds for the local K-9 unit. The initiative aims to support Officer Kyle White and his K-9 partner, Gator, by providing essential gear and resources for their work in the community. Ainsley's creative fundraising event encouraged students and staff to participate by donating money in exchange for special dress-up days at school. The initiative garnered overwhelming support, with participants eager to contribute to the cause. Ainsley’s enthusiasm and commitment to the project have inspired her peers and highlighted the importance of community involvement and support for local law enforcement. When asked why Ainsley wanted to do this for Gator she shared, “I love all animals, and making sure they are all safe is why I wanted to help my friends out. I want to do this because I know K9 Gator and want to ensure he goes home to his family. This is something I want to do every school year.” Officer White and Gator are integral members of the Monroe Center community, playing a vital role in ensuring safety and security. The funds raised through Ainsley’s event will help provide Gator with the necessary equipment and training materials, enhancing the K-9 unit's capabilities. This partnership between the school and the police department underscores the strong bond between education and public service. Deputy White shared, “K9 Gator, Ogle County Sheriff's Office K9 Unit, and I are incredibly thankful for the donation from the students and staff at Monroe Center Elementary School. We were happy to meet the third-grade student who organized it. Ainsley took it upon herself to organize raising the money. The Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit is primarily funded by fundraising and donations. We look forward to continuing our positive relationship with the community.” The Meridian District and Monroe Center Grade School are proud of Ainsley’s leadership and initiative. Principal Mrs. Deana Simpson commented, "Ainsley’s efforts are a shining example of the positive impact our students can have on the community when combining their leadership ability and natural talents. Her dedication and compassion reflect the values we strive to instill in all our students." Monroe Center Grade School extends heartfelt gratitude to all the students and staff who participated and supported this noble cause. Ainsley’s project not only raised much-needed funds but also fostered a sense of unity and purpose among the students and staff, demonstrating the powerful impact of young leaders in our community.

Say “hello” to two-way messaging and classroom announcements in the Meridian School District app! With the addition of Rooms, our district app keeps getting better. Parents/guardians check your email/texts for instructions to sign up and access new features.

Say “hello” to two-way messaging in the Meridian School District app! The same district app now offers class streams, class announcements, and parent- teacher chat. Look for your personalized invitation to begin using this feature in our app after June 17th. Download for Android https://bit.ly/3PhCXhY Download for iPhone https://apple.co/3yzKHpM

Incredible community service project idea from Ainsley in 3rd grade. She wanted to do a fundraiser for Officer Kyle's partner Gator. By doing dress for a donation Monroe Center was able to raise $500 through Ainsley's leadership and the support of her teacher Mrs. Mandzen and MC. This will provide support and supplies for Gator and the K9 program. #WeAreMCUSD

🎉 Congratulations to the Class of 2028! 🎓 Last night's 8th grade promotion ceremony celebrated your hard work, dedication, and incredible achievements. As you take this exciting step forward, remember that the best is yet to come. Keep reaching for the stars, pursuing your dreams, and making us proud! Here's to your bright futures and all the amazing things you will accomplish in high school and beyond. 🌟

The 25th Annual Winnebago-Boone Farm Bureau® Foundation Farm Breakfast will be held June 22, 2024, at the Boone County Fairgrounds, Belvidere, IL. We are bringing the farm to town. Breakfast consisting of all-you-can-eat pancakes, whole hog sausage, applesauce, ice cream, milk and coffee will be served from 6:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. Activities include horse drawn wagon rides (weather permitting), barnyard animals, children's activities & games, 50/50 raffle, antique tractor and farm machinery display, The Matthew Wundrow Band, and more. Adult Tickets- $10 Child Ticket (Ages 6-12)- $5 Child (Ages 5 and under)- Free (CASH ONLY

Thank you to all the teachers and coaches who work tirelessly to ensure students are successful! The work you put in is greatly appreciated!

The paraprofessionals and interventionists are amazing staff members who work to ensure students are successful! A huge amount of gratitude is owned to them for everything they do!

Our students and staff are fortunate to have great support from our buildings and grounds, athletics, and activities staff, who help create opportunities for extracurricular events for the students! Meridian CUSD is lucky to have heroes working here!

Where would Meridian CUSD 223 be without our amazing transportation staff and health service staff? They are instrumental in ensuring our students are here at school and able to do their best! Thank you for everything you do!

Meridian CUSD 223 is a successful district due to the many staff members who work here to make it that way! Thank you to the food service staff, the technology department, and the library staff! Your impact on student achievement does not go unnoticed and is greatly appreciated!

We are currently experiencing issues with Frontier that are preventing our calls from going through. Frontier is currently looking into the issue. - MCUSD Technology Department

The first 4th&5th grade choir concert was excellent. Students were led by the collaboration of Mrs. Zern, Ms. Risner, and SVHS's own student director, Mr. Evan Stahl. Such a pleasure to see our students learn from 3 different choir directors. Their hard work paid off tonight!

Our Staff Wellness Committee is excited to host our 4th Annual Meridian Wellness 5K! It is open to our entire Meridian 223 community! 5K sign up link: https://forms.gle/gGiJiKCuwFUBikWGA T-shirt only order form: https://forms.gle/n7chAB6AL3oiBeAU8

Time in the library at Monroe Center is priceless. Mrs. Poliska's class was so engaged during the Mrs. Kerr's read aloud. Love when there are new books to share and students have many opportunities and ways to access and read them. #WeAreMCUUSD