All Students Back March 30th!
Please review MMS's updated Health & Safety Plan below.
Welcome Back to All Students!
Starting Tuesday, March 30th, all students will return to MMS four days a week. Mondays will continue to be remote for the remainder of the school year. We are thrilled and excited to be all together again!
MMS's Health and Safety Plan has been updated to reflect the changes that will be in place starting March 30th. This plan is based on current guidance from Central District Health and is subject to change as information and understanding of COVID-19 evolve.
-MMS Administration
Tuesday, March 30th
- We will open the doors early to welcome all students back.
- Doors will be open at 8:00 am.
- Krispy Kreme donuts and milk will be provided.
- It will be a Spirit Day, so students are encouraged to wear their MMS Gear and Black & Gold.
Spirit Week is March 30-April 2!
Wednesday: Twin Day: Dress up the same as one of your friends, or all of your friends!
Thursday: Silly Outfit Day: Wear some crazy socks, a funny mask, an outlandish hairstyle -- all dress code appropriate, of course!
Friday: Meme Day: Dress up as your favorite school-appropriate internet meme humor!
Calendar Reminders
- April 8, 2021: End of Quarter 3 (deadline for late and missing work)
- April 9, 2021: No School Grades K-8/Inservice
- May 31, 2021: Memorial Day Holiday, No School K-12
- June 8, 3032: Deadline for late and missing work
- June 10, 2021: End of Quarter 4/Last Day of School
MMS's Updated Health and Safety Plan Starting 3/30/21
Daily Protocols and Mitigating Measures
- All students and staff will wear a proper mask or facial covering every day.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes.
- We will continue to sanitize high touch surfaces according to the WASD's guidance and the MMS Health and Safety Plan.
- Hand-washing and use of hand-sanitizer will be encouraged.
- If you have symptoms, stay home!
Monitor for Symptoms
- Fever of 100.4 or higher
- Loss of smell or taste
- Chills
- New or unusual headache
- Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
- Cough
- Muscle aches
- Sore throat
- Shortness of Breath
- Fatigue
- Congestion/Runny Nose
If your student has any of these symptoms, please contact your healthcare provider for further guidance and inform school attendance at 208-855-4230. Refer to Central District Health's guidelines at https://www.cdh.idaho.gov/
Arriving at School
A staff member will supervise the bus loop providing guidance to release students from the bus at the appropriate time.
Students will remain on the bus until they are given the okay to be released.
Students will be dropped off within the parent drop-off/pick-up loop near the tennis courts.
If you use the parent drop-off, please do not park in this area. Allow your student to safely exit the car and move forward to allow the cars behind you to proceed through the loop.
Once the students are in the building, they will be required to appropriately walk through the building and report to their Advisory classroom.
Students are to arrive no sooner than 8:10 am Tuesday through Friday.
If the temperature is below 20 degrees or it is it raining, students will be allowed to enter the building at 8:00 am.
Appropriate physical distancing is expected.
Staff will verbally prompt/remind students to sanitize their hands.
Students in the Building
- Students are to move through the building by walking on the right side of the hallway as much as possible.
- Students may sanitize hands upon entering and exiting classrooms.
- Students will always be required to wear a proper mask properly (covering the nose and mouth) while on campus except while eating or drinking.
Release & Transition Times
- Staff members will be in the hallway during transitions (passing periods, break, and lunch) to support and reinforce safety protocols.
- Students are expected to immediately report to their next-period class.
- Students will check-in with their teacher, leave their backpacks in the classroom and use the restroom as needed.
Breakfast
- The cafeteria is open for breakfast from 7:40 - 8:10 am.
- Students can get breakfast items before Advisory begins at 8:15 am.
- Physical distancing and sanitizing protocols will be followed.
- Students should use hand sanitizer from several available dispensers.
Break
- 7th and 8th-grade students will have an outdoor morning break without food options.
- 6th grade students will have an outdoor afternoon break without food options.
- In poor weather, students may remain in the building for their breaks.
Lunch
- Students will physically distance as much as possible in the cafeteria. An alternative location for maximum physical distancing will be provided for students who choose not to eat in the cafeteria.
- Masks are always required except when students are actively eating or drinking.
- When students are not in the cafeteria, they will be outside and supervised by staff.
- Students may sit on the floor stickers in the Main Building if the weather is too cold or wet outside.
- Students are allowed to sit in designated areas while physically distancing.
- Teachers may choose to allow no more than five students to eat in their classrooms. Teachers will remain in the classroom for supervision.
- Staff members will be present to support and reinforce our safety plan at lunch and in the hallways.
- All students will be reminders to wash their hands or use the available hand sanitizer prior to and after eating.
Student Lockers
- Lockers will not be issued for the remainder of this school year.
- Students may continue to use backpacks.
- If a parent requests a locker for their student for a specific need, one will be assigned to them.
Classrooms
- Student desks will be arranged to maximize distance and minimize face-to-face contact.
- All nonessential items have been removed from classrooms to maximize available classroom space.
- Hand sanitizer is available in every classroom.
- Students will be trained to use sanitizers upon entering and exiting the classroom.
- Seating charts will be maintained and utilized for contract tracing purposes.
Physical Distancing
- 6 feet of physical distancing will not occur when all students are back in the building full time.
- MMS will continue to focus on mitigating measures -- hand hygiene, sanitizing, and continue to facilitate as much physical distancing as possible.
Assemblies and Dances
- Schoolwide Assemblies are cancelled for the remainder of this school year.
- Dances are cancelled for the remainder of this school year.
- Grade level assemblies will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
- Our Awards Assemblies and Turning Point Assembly will be live-streamed.
Main Office & Counseling Office
- We will minimize the number of visitors in the office at one time.
- Please call email the person you would like to see or call the school at 208-855-4225 to make an appointment with an administrator, counselor, or teacher.
- Visitors will not be admitted without a previously scheduled appointment.
- If you need to check out your student, please call the MMS Main Line at 855-4225 in advance. We will send your student to your car.
- Please use the access camera at the front door if you are leaving something for a student. We will retrieve the item(s) from the basket and deliver them to your student.
Nurse's Office
- Our Nurse is Linda Daley, RN.
- Office Number is 208-855-4245
- Email is daley.linda@westada.org
Message from Nurse Daley
Please send students to school READY TO LEARN! For a student's success and best physical and emotional health, they should be well-rested, have the supplies they need in their backpack (including a water bottle), be dressed appropriately for the weather or the day's activities, and be nourished before coming to class.
Medications that can be dosed at home should be given at home to be at therapeutic levels when classes begin. Medications that are scheduled during school hours will be kept in the health office and administered by the school nurse.
Additionally, the WASD medication policy has been updated to allow secondary students to self-carry a single dose of over-the-counter medication such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or seasonal allergy treatment for self-administration if that is the parent's choice. OTC medication must obviously identifiable either by packaging or markings on the tablet itself.
Keep students at home if they are sick. The current illness policy requires students who are called into the attendance line or are sent home for illness are to remain at home for 72 hours (3 days) from illness onset, and all symptoms resolved before returning to school.
Students who are sent home due to illness at school need to be picked up within 30 minutes of notification.
Quarantine is required for any community-based or school-based COVID exposures.
The interactive tool for self-reporting can be found on the WASD website and the MMS website.
Refer to the West Ada website for information about immunizations and post-COVID questions. The home page has been updated with a direct link for school vaccination requirements for easy parent reference.
The Meridian School Clinic is an excellent resource for our student's health needs. They accept most insurances and Medicaid. They offer discounted rates for families based on their income level and family size – No one will be refused care for the inability to pay.
Linda Daley, BSN, RN