The Meridian Hoot
December 2025 Family Newsletter
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- ለስፓኒሽ፣ ሙሉውን ጋዜጣ ወደ ስፓኒሽ ለመተርጎም በዚህ ገጽ አናት ላይ ያለውን የ"TRANSLATE" ቁልፍን ጠቅ ያድርጉ።
Working Together - Soaring Together
Mission:
- The mission of Meridian Public Charter School is to inspire a passion for learning in our students and to help them build their self-confidence and self-respect through academic achievement.
Vision:
- One Student, One Community, One City... the World Intersects at Meridian
From the Desk of Dr. Taylor
Dear Meridian PCS Parents and Families,
As we wrap up the season of thankfulness, I want to share my appreciation for the strong sense of community we continue to build together. Our annual Family Fall Feast was a wonderful highlight—over 80 families joined us for a Thanksgiving-style dinner, games, and student entertainment. Thank you to our amazing staff and to Walker Memorial Baptist Church for their partnership and for hosting a Thanksgiving basket giveaway just for Meridian families.
We also celebrated the hard work of our multilingual learners during their Q1 Showcase. Students from grades K–8 shared reading projects, creative artwork, stories, and performances. Their growth and confidence truly stood out.
As we move into a chilly but enjoyable winter season, we have several exciting events ahead: NWEA MAP testing, the Scholastic Book Fair, Cookies & Cocoa for perfect attendance at ESC, Winter Spirit Week at MSC, and EdFEST. Quite a few things are happening as we near the end of this year; however, with our staff and families' continued support, we will surely accomplish all we set out to do together.
Thank you for being such an important part of our community. Please stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy the upcoming holiday season with your loved ones.
With gratitude and excitement,
Dr. Rikki Taylor
Executive Director
December Upcoming Events
- Monday, December 8 - Middle of the Year MAP Testing
- Tuesday, December 9 - Middle of the Year MAP Testing
- Wednesday, December 10 - Q2 Progress Reports (emailed home)
- Saturday, December 13 - EdFEST
- Monday, December 15 - Friday, December 19 - Winter Spirit Week (MSC)
- Tuesday, December 16 - Friday, December 19 - Scholastic Book Fair (ESC)
- Friday, December 19 - Cookies & Cocoa Celebration (ESC)
- Monday, December 22 - Friday, January 2 - Winter Break
- Monday, January 5 - Asynchronous Day (remote learning day for students)
- Tuesday, January 27 - School Picture Day (8th grade cap & gown)
*Reminder: There will be no afterschool programming (YMCA, Margie's Kids Kare, late pick-up, sports) on Friday, December 19.
Beyond the Classroom
2025 Family Fall Feast
Our 2025 Family Fall Feast brought together over 80 Meridian PCS students and their families for a warm and exciting evening at the ESC. Family members enjoyed a Thanksgiving-style dinner, many hands-on games and activities. Students also covered a custom gratitude wall with their own messages of gratefulness and holiday thoughts. With music playing, students laughing and parents chatting away with staff, the night truly made for the perfect community dining experience.
We're grateful to our Family Engagement & Communications Team, staff, and volunteers from Walker Memorial Baptist Church for helping make the event a success. Special thanks as well to Walker Memorial for hosting a Thanksgiving basket giveaway exclusively for our Meridian PCS families.
Q1 Multilingual Learners Showcase
The Multilingual Learners showcases are opportunities for our ML students to display the culmination of their learning in addition to their evolving English language skills. Each grade level has been working hard on projects that highlight our EL priorities around mastery of knowledge and skills, high-quality work, and habits of character/Meridian's core values. These showcases also provide students a platform to share their work with their community.
Thank you to the ML team for their diligence and care as well as the supporting staff for celebrating our student success!
Boys Basketball Team Wins Big
For the first time in Meridian PCS basketball history, our boys’ team kicked off the season 1–0. Student athletes secured a strong 29–11 win over Friendship Armstrong. See a few team highlights:
- 8th grader Caleb Parker led the scoring with an incredible 25 points, along with two assists to fellow 8th grader Michael Leonard.
- 7th grader Erickson Gonzales made a major defensive impact with six steals, helping hold Armstrong to just 11 total points
Note: Meridian PCS basketball games are currently closed to the public, which includes parents and students at this time. Stay connected for further updates.
ESC & MSC Campus Connect
Cookies & Cocoa for Students at the ESC
To celebrate our ESC students’ commitment to Perfect Attendance for the month, we are hosting a special end-of-the-month Cookies and Cocoa celebration. Students who arrive on time and attend school every day during these final weeks will be receive an invitation to attend.
Meridian Mixer for Students at the MSC
Spirit Week will take place next at the MSC! Each day will have a fun theme, and all students are encouraged to join in and show their school spirit. (Note: All outfits must still follow the school dress code.
Spirit Week will go out with banging as we welcome MSC students to a Meridian Mixer! This will be a special time for students to build friendships, have fun, and celebrate our school community. We look forward to a great week of joy, connection, and school pride!
Owlstanding Updates
Scholastic Book Fair
Get ready, readers! Our Scholastic Book Fair is returning Tuesday, December 16 - Friday, December 19. Explore a great collection of books for every age and interest. Students and families can discover new stories, build their home libraries, and support our school community.
Stay tuned for more details and ways to join in on this literary experience! In the meantime, click here to preview the books at our fair.
Parent Volunteers needed. If you are interested in volunteering for the Scholastic Book Fair, email familyengagement@meridian-dc.org to learn more.
Inclement Weather Policy Reminder
As we move closer into the winter season ahead, please review our Inclement Weather Policy for SY25-26.
We will continue to communicate any adjusted school activities throughout the coming months.
Let's Hear from You!
Community Nest
Check out what's going on around the District with community programs and resources below:
- WSSC Water Financial Assistance Programs
- Free Food Distribution for Federal Workers and Contractors via The Capital Area Food Bank
- Department Employee Services (DOES): Resources for Impacted Federal Workers
- THEARC Food and Farm Fridays - Free Vegetables for You
- Weekly Veggie Giveaway at Department of Parks & Recs Communal Farms
Stay Connected
Email: info@meridian-dc.org
ES Phone: 202-387-9830 | MS Phone: 202-793-2667
Website: www.meridian-dc.orgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/mpcsdcOWLS/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpcs_dc/