Monday Message
November 2, 2020
MEA welcomes new Physics teacher!
I'm Donald Sheahan and I am excited to start at Mt. Everest Academy! A few things about myself: For my undergraduate degree, I attended Grossmont College and then transferred to UCLA where I received my BS in Physics. Physics is a source of endless excitement for me. I love contemplating mysteries both big and small, and I especially love sharing my excitement with other people. In my free time, I enjoy playing the piano and making music. I know this year presents us a challenge, but I am looking forward to working together to make the best of it!
Calling all kids! Let's Kahoot!
Thursday, November 5, 12:00-12:30
Zoom: https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/j/82936223006
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...
SPIRIT WEEK
The ASB is sponsoring the following spirit days. Express your creativity and show your school spirit!
- Meme Day - 11/17/20
- Mismatch Day - 11/18/20
- Pajama Day - 11/19/20
It is encouraged that students turn on their cameras during zoom meetings, so that they can show their spirit from home!
No Place for Hate
MEA is starting an Anti-Defamation League (ADL)! ADL is a nationwide anti-hate organization that works against bigotry and bullying. We are starting an ADL team at MEA to try and fight any hate going on, and bring students together. We are starting the campaign by asking all students to sign this pledge to make our school a better place. If you're interested in joining our team, you can also tell us that on the pledge. Anyone in 6th-12th grade is more than welcome!!
* * MEA WINTER FUNDRAISER * *
Sweet treats & warm drinks!
This week kicks off our annual See's Candy and Desert Sun Coffee Fundraiser through ASB. Every student at MEA from Kindergarten through 12th grade can help raise money through sales. 100% of the proceeds go to support student activities run by ASB!SEE'S CANDY
See’s Candy sales are all done online this year, and orders will be shipped directly to the customer. Here is our MEA ASB STOREFRONT LINK, which you can share with your family and friends. Although every sale will help our school, individual student sales will not be tracked via this link.
To Track Your Sales
For students that would like their sales to be tracked (and possibly win the Grand Seller’s Prize!), you can sign up by having your parents send us your email address. You will then be considered a “See’s Helper” and will get an email invite to your own STOREFRONT LINK to share with your family and friends.
PARENTS: When you send your student’s name and email address to Karen Iwamoto at kiwamoto@sandi.net, would you please put this in the subject line: “Register for See’s Candy Helper with consent.” Thank you!
DESERT SUN COFFEE
Mail in orders by Nov. 13 / Drop off orders by Nov. 20
- Southwest Morning
- Dark Canyon
- Peru Cajamarca
- Mountain Decaf
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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 online silent auction sponsored by the Foundation will be starting soon! Items include gift cards to local restaurants and attractions as well as hotel stays.
Halloween Fun
See all the photos at the Halloween 2020 photo gallery
ASB Instagram
MEA's ASB Instagram account is running again this year! Follow us to get updates on school events, spirit weeks, and more!
Account Handle: @mea.asb
ASB Events
ASB wants to know what times work best for you for school events! Please fill out this preferred times form to help us make our events work great for everyone.
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!
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.
** Extracurricular Activities **
Virtual Club Fair
In our first ever Virtual Club Fair attendees zoomed from one breakout room to another, meeting the Club Leaders and other interested students. Major kudos to the ASB for hosting this event!
Club Website links
- 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.
Drama Club
This year, MEA will have it's first regularly meeting drama club! Theatre kids are struggling to pursue their passion right now... so we want to provide a space for them to do that, even if it's still online. Gabriella Martien will be running the club, and anyone is welcome to join, though it will be geared more toward middle and high schoolers. The club will be doing scene study, games, small shows, and Shakespeare! The club will also be taught by Becca Myers, who directed last year's show!!
Ambassador Program
Calling all 3rd-7th graders! ASB wants student representatives from middle and elementary school to be ambassadors. Student ambassadors will work with ASB members to give their peers information about upcoming school events! Each ambassador will meet with an ASB member once a week (except turn in week) to discuss the important things happening that week. Then, you'll share this information with your class so that your peers know what's going on! Elementary students will be asked to present in their weekly classes, and middle school students will present in their English classes!
You'll also be the voice for your class! If your peers have an idea for something ASB should do, it'll be your job to communicate this with the ASB member you'll meet weekly.
We are looking for ambassadors with:
Apply here for the Ambassador Program
We hope to be meeting with you soon!
MEA ART club holiday card project
The MEA Art Club has a very exciting project! We will be creating handmade holiday cards to sent to members of the military overseas as a way to thank them for their service. The cards must be completed by November 10. To turn them in, you must drop them off in Ms. Browne’s mail slot in her office door by the 10th. You can turn them in any time, as long as it's before the 10th.
Be as creative as you want with these cards! Preferably, the cards would be handmade with your own art on them. It would be best if you made the cards just holiday cards, as not all the military members celebrate Christmas. (Ex: Write “Happy Holidays”).
This project is open to anybody. Members of the MEA Art Club are going to be making at least 5 cards each, but there isn’t really a minimum for non-members who want to participate. However, it would be great if you made multiple cards, since there are many people in the military! You don’t have to make them extremely complicated.
IMPORTANT: There are specific guidelines for this project. Please read them carefully and make sure to follow them.
- Please address the card to “Dear Warrior”. Be respectful and polite.
- Write a holiday greeting, keeping in mind that our Troops are diverse in their holiday practices and beliefs.
- Write a personal note. For example: How do you celebrate the holidays? What are your family memories of holidays?
- Sign your first name ONLY and the town and state where you live.
- If you are or have been in the Military, or a member of a club, or an elected official or a First Responder, please consider including that information in your Card.
- If your card is homemade, please keep the size to no larger than an 8 x 11 size paper folded in half.
- If you have an envelope, please do NOT seal it. Do not be concerned if you do not have an envelope!
For further information, please look at this website that explains this project (it also provides the instructions):
If you want to sign up for the MEA Art Club, here is the link to the Google Form.
If you sign up for the club, we’ll give you access to the website, where we’ve posted information about the project as well as several Youtube videos to help give you some ideas for the cards.
If you don’t want to sign up, but still have questions, you can contact us at
rkittydunlap@gmail.com , alexis.ausland@gmail.com, or ava.gnzales@gmail.com
Have fun with the project!
-MEA Art Club
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.
Thank you to Ms. Rice for being the MEA Hack Club advisor! We are planning to have our first meeting in the third week of this month.
Link to our club website and flyer
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.
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
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 **
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.
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.
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 **
Pre-College Programs with UCSD Extension
The Pre-College Programs department with UC San Diego Extension invites high school students to participate in their programs so to gain better insight and experiences on a field of interest. They are offering Research Scholars programs completely online this winter. Apply here.
In partnership with Boz Institute, the Molecular Biology Research Immersion program strives to provide high school students with an advanced educational opportunity through research.
Other course offerings are based on fun, experiential, at-home, hands-on lab activities. They are now accepting applications for the BE-ROW, and BE-SHIP courses.
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.
* * * * * * * *
Club Links
- 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.