Melissa Ridge Education Center

Wow! What a fantastic Friendship & Valentine’s Spirit Week! Last week was bursting with love, laughter, and friendship! Thank you for helping us make Friendship & Valentine’s Spirit Week so special. From the adorable dress-up days to the sweet Valentine’s card exchange, our halls were filled with joy, happiness and kindness.

We loved seeing all the creative Valentine’s boxes and the smiles as students shared their cards with their friends. Moments like these remind us of the beautiful community we’re building together!

Thank you for your support and participation! Now, we’re ready to jump into another amazing week of learning and fun. We can’t wait to see what adventures await!

Looking forward to another great week,

Kimberly Cole

Principal

Dear Families,

This week, children will learn about many types of transportation used all around the world that take people from one location to another. They will learn that types of transportation can be categorized into three groups: land, air, water.

This week’s Family Connections activities can be found at:
https://portal2.frogstreet.com/wp-content/uploads/prek2/familyconn/ENG-FC-T6-W2.pdf

This week’s storybook, “How Do We Get There?” can be found at: https://portal2.frogstreet.com/ebook/?bookname=FS20076_HowDoWeGetThere_eBook.

We’re so excited to continue learning with your little one!

Sincerely,

MREC Staff

February

17 - Staff Development (Student Holiday)

24 - Circle Learning Institute PreK Assessment Window opens

March

3 - 7 Read Across America Week

17 - 21 Spring Break

24 - Staff Development (Student Holiday)

Please label all of your child's belongings (backpacks, jackets, water bottles, lunchboxes, and anything else) they bring to school! This helps us keep things organized and ensures that lost items find their way back home.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) designates February as Black History Month to celebrate the history and cultural contributions of Black Americans in the United States. This month highlights the achievements of the leaders, innovators, and trailblazers whose impact has shaped science, the arts, education, and beyond. By studying these legacies, we gain a deeper understanding of the rich and diverse history that has shaped the United States. Visit the TEA Black History Month webpage for resources to help your student learn more about these influential figures in American history.

In Melissa ISD, we celebrate Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month as a time to highlight how CTE prepares students for future careers. Through hands-on training, academic learning, and industry-recognized certifications, students develop the skills, innovation, and creativity needed to excel in high-demand fields. CTE connects students with real-world opportunities, ensuring they graduate ready to lead and innovate. It also fosters collaboration between educators, employers, and communities in developing the next generation of skilled professionals. Learn more at www.melissaisd.org/cte.

While the state requires attendance and it’s essential for your child’s learning, the health and safety of our Cardinals is our number one priority. Please keep your child at home if they are experiencing any of the following:

• Flu-like symptoms

• A fever (The Texas Department of State Health Services defines a fever as a temperature of 100.0 ºF (37.8 ºC) or higher. Students with a fever should remain home until they are fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.)

• Vomiting or diarrhea (Students should be kept home until they have been free of vomiting and diarrhea for at least 24 hours without medication.)

If your child is absent, be sure to complete the attendance form within three days of your student returning to school at http://www.melissaisd.org/attendance. Thank you for helping us maintain a healthy and safe school community.

Due to the recent wave of illnesses, we are taking extra steps to ensure the safety of our students. Our team is conducting deep cleaning and high-level sanitization in classrooms, beyond our regular cleaning protocols, to help minimize the spread of germs.

You may have heard about a recent cyber attack on the educational software, PowerSchool (HAC). Our Technology department has confirmed that our district systems were not impacted. Should any cyber attack affect our systems in the future, we will communicate promptly. In the meantime, we encourage you to remind your students to stay vigilant and follow best practices for online security and safety.

We’ve recently noticed an increase in speeding and reckless driving on Sparks Way, as the road has just opened. To ensure safety, the Melissa ISD Police Department will be monitoring this area and issuing tickets as necessary. We are also collaborating with the city to identify effective solutions to prevent dangerous driving in this area.

Reminder: There will be no school for students on Monday, February 17, 2025, as it is a Teacher Work Day. While the academic calendar designates February 17 as a Bad Weather Make-Up Day, Melissa ISD students will not need to make up the missed days from January due to inclement weather. We look forward to welcoming our Cardinals back to school on Tuesday, February 18!

After thoughtful consideration and discussion, Melissa ISD has updated its policy regarding parent notes for student absences. Effective immediately, families may now submit up to five (5) parent notes per school year to excuse absences, an increase from the previous limit of three (3) per school year. For more information, visit the following link: www.melissaisd.org/article/1947734

The Melissa ISD academic calendar for the 2025-2026 school year, as recommended by the District Site-Based Decision Committee, has been approved by the Board of Trustees. To access the school calendar, visit www.melissaisd.org/calendar.

Our new Community News Folder is designed to help local businesses and organizations share family-friendly programs, fundraisers, events, and activities with the community. The folder is updated regularly, so don't forget to check back often. This week, you'll find details on exciting events like performances of The Nutcracker, Selfies with Santa, and the Santa's Helpers 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run. If you'd like to feature your business or organization's events in the Community News Folder, please visit our Community Connections webpage for more information.

Stay informed about what's going on at our campuses and upcoming events by following us on social media. Melissa ISD can be found on Facebook and Instagram, and each campus has its own Facebook page. Melissa High School also has a dedicated Instagram account. Don't miss out—follow us today.