Monday Message
3/23/20
Message from the Principal: Campus Closure Update
I'm sure many of you have received phone calls and messages from your friends for advice on homeschooling. You truly are the experts right now and everyone wants to know how you do it! In trying to make the best of the situation, I have had fun this week teaching virtual science lessons to my son, his friends, and cousins. For those of us working from home at this time, it certainly takes a village!
As of today, school is still scheduled to open on Monday, April 6, following Spring break. If this changes, and SDUSD remains closed, we will most likely officially move into "Distance Learning" mode. MEA teachers are exceptionally flexible and will continue to be so during this time as our number one priority is the well-being of our students. I want to stress that students will not be penalized for turning in Month 7 work late or having missing work from coversheets during this two week school closure period. Since MEA is set up differently than every other school in the district, we are doing our best to meet the needs of all families at this time. For some students, a mental break is needed. For others, they want to engage with their classes and teachers. As co-educators with us, MEA parents are more important now than ever. Please do what is best for your student and your family at this time.
Do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, comments, or needs at this time. We are here for you!
Principal Browne
Below are a list of community resources and links:
San Diego Unified School District
- District COVID-19 website: Information Page
San Diego Unified Food Services—FREE
The Food Service Dept. will be conducting a drive-thru/walk-up distribution of packaged prepared food. Children will need to be present to receive meals, and each child can take one lunch and one breakfast for the next day. There will be no congregate feeding. All food will be consumed off site. Meal distribution for all locations is Monday-Friday, 11am to 1pm:
- Clark Middle - 4388 Thorn St, San Diego, CA 92105
- Cherokee Point Elementary - 3735 38th St, San Diego, CA 92105
- Sherman Elementary - 301 22nd St, San Diego, CA 92102
- Zamorano Elementary - 2655 Casey St, San Diego, CA 92139
- Kearny High - 1954 Komet Way, San Diego, CA 92111
- O'Farrell Charter - 6130 Skyline Dr, San Diego, CA 92114
- Walker Elementary - 9225 Hillery Dr., San Diego, CA 92126
- Farb Middle - 4880 La Cuenta Dr, San Diego, CA 92124
San Diego Area Food Resources
Dial 211-Food Pantry Resources—these programs seek to meet the basic nutritional needs of the community by providing access to food products.
Foodfinder.com—award-winning site/app to help food insecure families find free food assistance programs quickly
Government Resources
- Link for Paid Family Leave, Paid Sick Leave, Disability and Unemployment and more: https://www.labor.ca.gov/coronavirus2019/
- San Diego County Covid-19 page: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/coronavirus.html
- San Diego County Community Support Page: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/community_epidemiology/dc/2019-nCoV/CommunitySectors.html
- Employment Development Department page: https://edd.ca.gov/about_edd/coronavirus-2019.htm
- CalFresh/SNAP: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/ssp/food_stamps.html
WiFi Resources
Spectrum is offering 60 days free wifi or broadband to any family with a K-12 student who does not already have internet access at home. Call starting March 16 (877-906-9121); there is no income requirement. If they do not service your area, they recommend Googling “FCC remote education emergency”, and it should come up with a list of other companies offering this plan.
Yearbook
Ms. Rice is working hard to ensure that MEA still has a yearbook printed for 2019-2020. Please assist us in finishing up some aspects of the book. That includes choosing high school student standouts! High school students, please login to your school Google Drive accounts and take the survey at the following link:
AP Exam Updates
Some good news!
MEA students made us proud at the recent San Diego County Science Fair Competition in Balboa Park!
Plant Sciences Senior Division:
First Place
Malvyn Lai, 9th Grade
Effects of Mycorrhizl Networks on Carbon Flow Between Plants
(Teacher: Pachon)
Computer Science Senior Division:
Second Place
Petunia Rizo, 9th Grade
Using Musical Notation to Encrypt Messages in Python
(Teacher: Negus)
Animal Sciences Junior Division:
Second Place
Ria Rizo, 8th Grade
Chicken Language Analysis over Time and Frequency
(Teacher: Negus)
Congratulations to them!
Work Due for Month 7
Turn-in details during school closure
Teachers have posted or emailed directions for turn-in. Some requested you submit work online while others may wait to collect it when we return. Please save audit pieces for Month 7 (dated correctly) for your supervising teacher when campus reopens. If campus does not re-open, instructions for turn-in and audit pieces will be posted.
School Parent Survey
Parents, We really need your help! Every year the state of CA surveys parents, student and staff at schools. This data is used to rate school climate and is published on the new CA Schools Dashboard. Many families report looking into our school because of the data they read online about us first. That data comes from student academic performance as well as this annual state survey. If you appreciate our school and the learning environment we create for your student(s), now is the time for your opinion to count. It is extremely important that we have a high participation rate! Thank you so much in advance for your support with this. Please take the survey at the link below or paper copies are available in the front office. The survey should only take you about 10 minutes to complete, but it’s importance can’t be stressed enough! Mt. Everest parents rock!
TAKE SURVEY: surveys.wested.org/csps/QP263CE
For more info please click here
**** COUNSELING CORNER ****
Choosing Classes for 2020-21
During Spring, students in grades 5-11 have the opportunity to plan their classes for the next school year. If you have yet to send in your student's articulation sheet, please email course choices to Mr. Zappala. If school does not re-open on April 6, Mr. Zappala will continue to hold articulation/planning meetings with students over the phone or via video conference.
Articulation Sheets:
Other Announcements
Fun Run
New Day and time TBD
The MEA Foundation is sponsoring this Fun Run to celebrate all the funds that have been raised to support our school!
* * PRIZE DRAWING * *
There will be a prize drawing at the Fun Run for all students who received donations for the MEA Foundation fundraiser.
At the Fun Run students can also jump in a bouncy house, navigate a new obstacle course, play with bubbles, and dance to the DJ'd music!
Fundraiser PRIZES
ALL students that get pledges donated will be entered in a drawing to win prizes from these businesses that are supporting our fundraiser:
- Rockin' Jump * Boomers! * Westfield Shopping * Velocity Paintball * IFly Indoor Skydiving * SkyZone * Mira Mesa Lanes * Bath & Body Works * Let’s Roam * and more!
Help the MEA Foundation raise $25,000
ALL MEA students (whether running in the Fun Run or not) can request online pledges from their family and friends to support MEA. Sign up instructions
Funds raised will be used for MEA science curriculum, art classes and workshops, robotics, garden education, professional development opportunities for staff, assemblies and guest speakers, physical education opportunities, and community building events