Students and teachers dove deeper into learning this week -- engaging in shared reading, problem solving collaboratively and engaging in small group work!  It is exciting to see our students settle into their new grades -- with fifth graders embracing being role models and kindergarteners seeing themselves as part of a big school community!  

Next week is our first PTA meeting of the year on Tuesday and all of our parents and guardians are invited to join us.  The meeting begins at 6:00 in the media center -- at this time, child care is not provided.  As we shared last week, our PTA is an important part of what makes Meadowside such a special place to learn. From fun student events and family activities to supporting our teachers and creating special memories for our students, the PTA helps make so much of the magic happen!  There’s a role for everyone! You don’t need to have lots of time or be able to volunteer at every event. Maybe you can lend a hand once in a while, share an idea, help behind the scenes, or simply become a PTA member and show your support. Every bit makes a difference!

If you haven’t done so already, please take a moment to let the PTA know your child’s shirt size by completing the T-Shirt Form. T-shirt sizes are due by September 18.

Hold the Date!  You are invited to our 2026 - 2027 Open House on Tuesday, September 22nd from 6:00 to 7:45.  We are hoping you will be able to join us for a fun evening of meeting new teachers, visiting classrooms, hearing about our learning community and getting excited for our new school year.  Throughout the evening, we will be hosting two 30 minute sessions in each of our grade level classrooms as well as drop in opportunities to meet our specialists and support staff throughout the building.  Be on the lookout for more information this coming week! Please note: Open house is designed for our parents and guardians.  It is not a student event.  Thank you for helping us make the evening a meaningful opportunity for families and teachers to connect.

Arrival and Dismissal: A couple of quick reminders about arrival and dismissal: If you are picking up your child as a walker, please remember to bring your identification. While our teachers will get to know their students and families very quickly, there may be times when another staff member is dismissing a class and may not yet recognize you. Student safety is always our number one priority, so please don’t ever be offended if we ask to see your identification. Thank you for partnering with us to keep our students safe!

Food to kids is an organization whose mission is to provide free meals to families of children who attend local schools.  If you are interested in learning more about this program or have any additional needs that we might be able to help with, please reach out to our School Social Worker Jenna Stanczyk at jstanczyk@ milforded.org or our School Counselor Brittany Smith at brittanysmith@milforded.org. 

Breakfast is available free of charge to students upon arrival in the morning to pick up and bring back to the classroom.  Breakfast is free for all for the 2026-2027 School Year and families who qualify for reduced meals will receive lunch at no cost! Information on school meals, including links to the Free/Reduced Price Meals Application, can be found on our district Food Service Webpage.  Please take a moment to talk with your child about whether you want them to get breakfast and/or lunch daily.  

Thank you to those who attended the Instrumental Music Petting Zoo earlier this week!  If you are interested in having your children participate in band or strings and didn’t get a chance to attend -- it is not too late!  Please take a moment to sign up through the district webpage:  https://sites.google.com/milforded.org/mpsinstrumentalmusic/home  Any questions please reach out to Brian Boots at bboots@milforded.org.  

We are thrilled to launch a new school-wide initiative right in our front lobby: The Meadowside Fridge! Just like the fridge at home, this bulletin board will be a high-visibility spot to showcase the incredible things happening in our building.

What is the Meadowside Fridge? It is a space dedicated to celebrating student growth, ownership, and success. Whether it’s a high-scoring math assessment, a stunning art project, a writing piece, a photo from an important sports game or recital or evidence of a personal goal crushed, if a student worked hard and feels proud of it, it belongs on the fridge!

Both teachers and families can submit postings for the Meadowside Fridge. If you would like to send in a photo from an extracurricular activity or accomplishment from home, please send them via email to brittanysmith@milforded.org (our School Counselor) with the subject line “Meadowside Fridge”  and she will post it to the fridge. 

Thank you for helping us celebrate our students and their wins.

School Year Calendar Link