Meridian Community Unit School District #223

MERIDIAN JUNIOR HIGH IS THANKFUL FOR OUR VETERANS! Meridian Junior High School celebrated Veterans Day on Monday, November 11th. During the day, the students attended various activities: wrote holiday messages to be sent to SVHS Alumni serving in the different branches (Stillman RED), painted popsicle sticks to make a giant flag, walked to the Stillman Run Monument, they completed a 1-mile walk for Dark Horse Lodge Trek for Troops, and listened to Sergeant Adam Frisbie and Petty Officer 3rd Class Brad Dewey. They started the day with an assembly where they were able to listen to the 7th/8th grade band, 6th, 7th & 8th grade chorus, and Taps that was performed by Ms. Risner and Mr. DeLaRosa. Students were also able to invite Veterans to the assembly and introduced them to all MJHS students and staff. Student Council also sponsored a breakfast before the assembly began. The school also held a Dress for Dark Horse Lodge fundraiser earlier in the school year. Students from MJHS and staff had a week of dress-up days in which they would donate $1 each day that they dressed up. That week MJHS students and staff raised $333. DarkHorse Lodge is located in Tennessee - please look them up on Facebook or darkhorselodge.org. MJHS students and staff would like to thank ALL Veterans for their service to our country. In addition, a special note of appreciation for Mrs. Becky Barton for organizing this excellent opportunity for our students. During the assembly, MJHS students and faculty honored Mrs. Kelly Gale, a retired MJHS teacher, for all of her work supporting Veterans. Through these activities, MJHS students gained a deeper appreciation for Veterans and the immense sacrifices they have made. The entire MJHS community extends its gratitude to all Veterans for their service and contributions to our country.

Welcome, Nurse Makenzie, to our Health Services Team and Highland!

Our annual onsite dental clinic will be January 16th and 17th! Use this link to sign up your student for no-cost dental care: https://opdsdentalservices.formstack.com/forms/meridian_223

Meridian CUSD 223 is hosting a screening for preschool consideration on Friday, December 13th. Any child who lives in the Meridian district and is between the ages of 3-5 years is eligible for a screening. Our preschool is a needs-based program and some students may not qualify. Call Highland Elementary at 815-645-2230 to schedule an appointment. Please see the flyer for what documents are required.

Basketball registration for Meridian Youth Basketball League is now open!

MJHS is hosting their annual Veterans Day celebration. Please see the flier for more information. We are excited to recognize our Veterans on this special day!

🎉 We’re officially Great Place to Work-Certified™! 🎉 At Meridian Community Unit School District 223, 84% of our employees say it’s a great place to work, compared to 57% at a typical U.S. company. Plus, 87% of our team members said they feel welcomed when they join us. 💼👋 We couldn’t have achieved this without the dedication and commitment of our amazing staff. A huge THANK YOU to each and every one of you for making this possible! 💙

The Stillman Fire Association is hosting their Candy Scramble on Saturday, Oct. 26 at 11:00 am. This year it is in the SVJH gym. There is a costume contest for all ages (Pre-K-8th) including a group category.

These are the winners of the School Bus Coloring Contest! A big thank you to Royal Blue for their donations, which made this contest possible! Video: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XyBo76aOZTFZihL9mpx4cFkSzadg1mEq/view?usp=sharing

📢 Parents: Need to Access Rooms Without the App & Set Up Email Notifications? You can access Rooms on the web and customize your email notifications to stay informed! 🌐 Log in here: https://id.edurooms.com/ Or visit meridian223.org to find the login page. 🎥 Watch this tutorial to learn how: Access Rooms on the Web & Set Email Notifications - Tutorial

Attention Veterans: You're Invited! Please see the information below. MJHS is looking forward to our annual Veterans Day celebration.

The Health Services Newsletter for the 2nd Quarter may be viewed here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18ljVeXUCwAWNI5GHdlpgCoFQKmhFxjEUYFeMhMAq-Nk/edit?usp=sharing We are also helping support UW Health's Pediatric Band-Aid Drive - See more info below! Donations will be accepted through Wednesday, October 16th.

Please join Monroe Center Grade School for an evening of fun. We will have opportunities to create your family mission statement just like our students do in their classrooms with teachers, have a light snack, and enjoy kicking off our One Book One School and introducing the book chosen. Hope to see families there on Thursday the 10th. #We AreMCUSD

Our flu shot clinic is tomorrow, Tuesday Oct. 8th, from 2:30-4:30pm at MJHS! Open to all students (with parent present), families, and community members.

🎉 Happy School Custodian Appreciation Day! 🎉 Today, we want to recognize and thank the amazing custodians at Meridian CUSD #223 who work tirelessly day and night to keep our schools clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone! 💪✨ A special shout-out to: SVHS Custodians Dee, Don, Gezim, Marcus, Greg, Jacob HES Custodians April, Kelly, Lynette MC Custodians Danni, Mike, Craig MJHS Custodians Ashley, Matt, Allen Substitutes Brian, Rob We appreciate your hard work and dedication for our students and staff! You are true heroes!

We will host our annual flu shot clinic with the Ogle County Health Department on Tuesday, October 8th at Meridian Junior High School. The clinic is open to all students, families, and community members!

Both Highland and Monroe Center Parent Teacher Conferences are now open for scheduling through Skyward Family Access. Please see the attached directions to schedule your conference time. Thank you

The Health Services Newsletter for the 1st quarter may be viewed here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t0bHMEytgWYJBFGaHOoD9Dt-NQAVDBRre9urCE716uM/edit?usp=sharing

"Happy National IT Professionals Day! 🎉 Today, we recognize and celebrate the incredible efforts of our Meridian CUSD #223 Technology Department! 💻📱 Their dedication to keeping our systems running smoothly ensures our students, staff, and community can connect and thrive every day. From troubleshooting to innovative tech solutions, they are the unsung heroes behind the scenes. Thank you for all you do!

📢 Parents: Rooms Notification Settings Ensure you stay informed about your child's school activities. Update your notification preferences in Rooms through the Meridian CUSD #223 app to get the updates you need when you need them! 🎥 Watch this quick tutorial to learn how: https://youtu.be/-kojLt-Yt0k?si=tJht5TkLyzQxHljy