Monday Message
October 26, 2020
SSC/SGT Meeting
Wednesday, October 28 / 2:00-3:00
Zoom link: https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/j/85600761244
All parents are invited to attend the School Site Committee (SSC) meeting. The SSC is a shared decision-making body composed of parents, staff, and students. Our Council identifies needs for academic programs and sets budgets to support these programs. More information, agendas, and minutes can be found on our SSC/SGT webpage. For questions, please contact Principal Browne at cbrowne@sandi.net
YEARBOOK
The 20-21 school year will be unlike any other. We will be talking about it for the rest of our lives. This year’s yearbook is going to be different too...because it will be crowdsourced and made by YOU!
Send in Halloween Photos!
From Oct 27 - 30th
- Show your Halloween Spirit by sending in a photo! This can be of the student's costume, fun decorations, or even a festive dessert!
- Make sure to include the name of the student and the grade level.
- These photos will be displayed in next week's Monday Message!
Here are instructions to submit your photos through TreeRing.
Calling all kids! Let's Kahoot!
Thursday, November 5, 12:00-12:30
ASB is going to be hosting a virtual Kahoot! event!! All grades are invited to join in on the fun! The questions will be MEA related, with some random trivia thrown in too! Make sure to bring your quick fingers...
MEA Winter Fundraiser
Teacher at work
Ms. Patterson stopped by her classroom to pick up materials, and agreed to have her picture taken. Nice props, Ms. Patterson!
Chromebooks for Edgenuity Classes
Students that are taking a class through Edgenuity will need a SDUSD Chromebook in order take their class midterm and final exams. Chromebooks will be available for pick up on campus between 10:00-1:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- For usage questions, please contact the subject teacher
- For pickup questions, please email kiwamoto@sandi.net
Elementary Parent/Teacher Conferences
Week of November 2
Study groups via zoom for grades K-4 will be cancelled the week of November 2, as elementary teachers will be meeting one-on-one with parents during that time.
Updates from the MEA Foundation
President - Hanyi Chrisman
Secretary - Karen Krampe
Treasurer - Karen Iwamoto
They are asking that you complete a short survey to share your thoughts and ideas for the best use of the the funds raised. Please take two minutes to answer their survey found here. All ideas welcome!
The MEA Foundation will be organizing an online auction soon using the goods and services collected last Spring. We hope everyone will participate and send the link to friends and family.
END OF SEMESTER VS END OF MONTH 5
During most school years the end of the Month 5 attendance month coincides with the end of the first semester. Both of these dates are set at the district level and something that we as a school site cannot change. This year is an anomaly. Semester 1 ends on Jan. 22 while Month 5 ends on Jan. 29. We want to let everyone know now (well in advance) that all work for Semester 1 will be due the 3rd week of Month 5. Any work assigned to be completed during Week 4 of Month 5 will count towards Semester 2. Teachers will make this clear on their assignment sheets as well as in Google Classroom and/or Canvas.
** Extracurricular Activities **
Club Fair
Wednesday, October 28 / 12:00-12:30
Zoom: https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/j/85756682562
Mt Everest’s annual club fair is coming up soon! This week, Wednesday October 28 from 12:00-12:30, ASB will be hosting the club fair over zoom. Please come join us!
CLUB LEADERS:
Please arrive 10-15 minutes early in order to secure your spot. In addition, please create an interest form/‘application' for your club that can be distributed during the club fair. This form may be separate from or on your club’s website. Here is all the information of the clubs attending the club fair:
- Horror Club - led by Toki
- Drama Club - led by Gabriella Martien
- Art Club - led by Ava G, Renee D, Alexis A.
- Rubik's Cube Club - led by Shawn Zhuang
- MEA Mental Health Club - led by Leena Iwamoto
- Academic League - led by Kate Papen
- Musicing Club - led by Malyvn Lai
- Film Club - led by Petunia Rizo
- GSA Club - led by Jody and Luci
- Yoga/Meditation Club - led by Chloe Lutosky
- MEA Hack Club - led by Yusuf A.
MEA Hack Club
The MEA Hack Club is a programming club where students of all experience levels can join and code together. Whether you've never programmed before, or you're a seasoned developer, you can learn and work collaboratively with other students on projects in areas such as web and game development. You'll be able to showcase what you've worked on and show off your creative side. You will also get a chance to connect with professionals involved in the computer science and engineering fields (we already are working on bringing in one for our first meeting!). The club will also be associated with the global Hack Club community, where students can connect with other student programmers around the world.
Link to our club website and flyer (we will also be at the club fair at Wednesday).
If you are interested, let us know when you will be available by filling out the form so we can quickly finalize a meeting time.
ART CLUB
FIRST MEETING: This Wednesday, Oct. 28, 12:00-12:30
This year, seniors, Alexis A., Ava G., and Renee D., are starting the first MEA Art Club. The club will focus on bringing people together through art, and we have plans to work on group projects, crafts, and donating to charities. Everyone is welcome, so don’t feel like you need to be good at art to join. Meetings will be held on Wednesdays at 12:00, and they will end around 12:30.
Please fill out this google form so we can learn more about you. You will receive emails for zoom meetings and hear about club updates. You need to give us your email in order for you to access the website, which we will share with you on Google Sites.
Our first meeting will be on October 28th. The first Wednesday of the third school month. We hope to see you then!
P.S. Our first project involves making handmade holiday cards to donate to the Monarch School, a school for homeless children!
Ally Action & ADL
FIRST MEETING: This Thursday, Oct. 29, 12:00
Zoom: https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/j/88954053806
Ally Action and the Anti-Defamation League will meet the first Thursday of the first week of every school month (M1 - M10) at 12 pm.
HORROR CLUB INTEREST CHECK
Grades 10-12, are you interested in a Horror Club?
We'd focus on different types of horror per week and gather from time to time to watch movies together, play games, read books, or anything else that concerns horror. Ideally, we would be able to analyze and discuss horror media, what makes it truly frightening, and how it reflects the fears and anxieties of that period. In general, I just want it to be a place where horror enthusiasts can relax (and also where people can learn more about the subject and that it's not all boiled down to gore and jumpscares).
This form is an interest check to see how many people would want to come. If you have any questions, please email meahorrorclub@gmail.com
Club Interest Surveys
Are you interested in being in a club, or starting one? MEA has a wide variety of clubs that will be continuing online! Fill out the first two links to start or join a club, and send the third to a teacher that you'd like to have run the club!
** ANNOUNCEMENTS **
Library
Weekly Pickups (except turn-in weeks)
Thursdays, 10:00-1:00 only
For material checkouts / exchanges / returns. There is no need to email the library in advance. However, when there are special distributions ready for check-out, they will be noted here in the Monday Message.
SPECIAL PICKUPS:
Chromebooks for Edgenuity Students
- Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00-1:00
For Ms. Patterson's Food & Nutrition class
- Pick up your petri dish (agar plates) for class experiment prior to month 4
- Thursdays during standard pickup times (10:00-1:00) on Oct 29, Nov 5, Nov 12
Contact the MEA library: kiwamoto@sandi.net
San Diego Libraries
San Diego County Library... The City of San Diego Library ..For excessive heat
Virtual Reading Fun
MEA Librarian, Karen Iwamoto, recommends these slightly-spooky themed virtual reads for our younger students.
Enjoy this heartfelt reading of Stellaluna !!!
**Complete Video Reading in American Sign Language and English (Bilingual) narrated by Holden Ewan (ASL) and unknown narrator (English)
Enjoy this hilarious book, The Librarian from the Black Lagoon
(The MEA Library has almost the complete series of the Black lagoon books.)
Animated version: **this has Halloween type music**
Read-aloud version: ** very cute**
Technology Resources and Supports
Music Classes with Mr. Johnson
To be held every Tuesday
- 8:00-8:40 Beg. Strings
- 8:50-9:30 Beg. Band
- 9:40-10:20 Choir
- 10:30-11:10 Adv. Band.
- 11:20-12:00 Adv. Strings
- 12:10-12:50 Music Theory (for older students)
Zoom: https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/j/3452041292
Questions? Please contact Mr. Johnson at kjohnson3@sandi.net
** COUNSELING CORNER **
Senior Appointments with Mr. Zappala
Seniors, please sign up for a time slot to talk with Mr. Zappala about your progress in completing the college application process as well as your FAFSA application.
UCSD Speaker - Juniors & Seniors
Monday, November 2 / 12:30-1:30
A UCSD admissions representative will speak to students and any interested parents. She will speak about the admissions process for UCSD and the UC system, and answer any questions you may have.
Open to 11th and 12th graders. Check your supervising teachers’ Google Classroom for Zoom link.
SDSU Speaker - Juniors & Seniors
Friday, November 6 / 11:00-12:00
An SDSU admissions representative will speak to students and any interested parents. She will speak about the admissions process for SDSU and the CSU system, and answer any questions you may have.
SAT 2020-21
For those of you thinking about taking the SAT this school year, here is everything you need to know. Although many colleges are not considering the SAT or ACT for admission for the Fall of 2021, some are test optional where the results can be considered for course placement. Reach out to Mr. Zappala with any questions you have about the SAT and ACT.
SAT Tests - SDUSD
All future SAT tests have been cancelled at San Diego Unified School District sites due to COVID closures. Testing will resume as soon as possible. Refunds will be issued by the College Board.
HBCU Virtual College Fairs
Explore opportunities at some of the nation’s Best-In-Class HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). HBUC will be hosting two Virtual College Fairs for the San Diego Unified School District.
To register for either session, scroll to the bottom of their Events page and find SDUSD.
Community College Summer Transcripts Needed
Students who took a community college Summer course for dual enrollment credit need to give Mr. Zappala an official, sealed transcript in order for the class or classes to be entered on your transcript. Please mail your transcript to Mt. Everest Academy or bring it to Mr. Zappala. If he is not on campus, you can put the envelope through the mail slot in Principal Browne’s door.
You can request official transcripts through your mySDCCD student portal or you can order them here.
Fall 2020 Mesa Deadlines
For students taking dual enrollment classes at Mesa College, the DROP deadline is this Thursday, 9/24/2020 and the WITHDRAWAL deadline is Monday, 11/16/2020. Students who drop before the drop deadline will not be penalized for dropping their course(s). Students who drop after the drop deadline, but before the withdrawal deadline will receive a W on their transcript and will no longer be eligible for Mesa College courses until they graduate high school. Students who remain in their course(s) after the withdrawal deadline will receive a letter grade and must maintain a 2.0 GPA each semester in all college work in order to remain eligible.
Students are welcome to self drop in the mySDCCD student portal.
National College Fairs
Hello Juniors and Seniors. With college descending upon us it is time for seniors to think about where to apply to college for Fall 2021 and for juniors to begin exploring colleges for Fall 2022. College Fairs will be virtual this year, so get information on which fair is right for you. Here is information that should prove helpful to both Juniors and Seniors:
- Attend virtual college fairs this Fall
- College fair information: nacacfairs.org/go
- Fair registration... Stem Fair registration
- List of colleges that will be at the.. Fair.... Stem Fair
- College application fee waivers
- Tips for picking the right college
Monday College Knowledge Webinar Series
Women in Computer Science
** COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS **
One Book, One San Diego Event
Tuesday, October 27 / 6:00-7:00pm
KPBS and the San Diego Public Library invite you to join them for a live virtual event with the author of the 2020 One Book for Teens, ‘They Called Us Enemy.” Actor and activist, George Takei, will discuss the graphic novel, created just for students aged 15-20.
SDUSD ART CHALLENGE WITH SAN DIEGO ZOO
Get outside, explore the world we live in, and capture the beauty of nature through art! SDUSD and San Diego Zoo Global are challenging you to capture “Nature in your Neighborhood.”
- Supported by Expanding Horizons #SDUSDVoices
- Submission deadline is November 23
- Winning students (TK-2, 3-5, and 6-12) will receive an annual pass as well as 4 additional day passes.
Remembrance Readings: Fireflies
Tuesday, November 10 / 6:00pm
JCompany Youth Theatre presents a free live streaming of “Fireflies,” which is based on the true story of Friedl Dicker-Brandeis, who brought hope and beauty to thousands of children at the Terezin concentration camp. This historical play about the Holocaust is being told by youth, for youth (grades 3+).