Parent Communications

Dear Elementary Families - 

Registration for Elementary (K-5) After School Sports through the Mead School District's partnership with SYSA is open for Sessions 4 and 5! Dates, times, locations and how to register can be found at the link below. For questions, contact Spokane Youth Sports Association directly at receptionist@sysa.com. 

Mead After School Sports Program

Registration Deadlines:
Session 4 – January 5th (Session runs Jan 16-Feb 10)
Session 5 – February 16th (Session runs Feb 27-Mar 24)
Please note that transportation info for the After School Sports Program will be sent after the registration deadlines to all participants who are registered.

Dear Mead School District Families, 

Due to icy, difficult road conditions, the Mead School District will be on a two-hour delay to start school today, Friday, December 9. Buses will also run two hours late. 

In addition to school starting two hours late, please note the following:

• NO Breakfast Program
• NO AM Preschool
• NO Before School District Programs (academic, music, athletic, extra-curricular, etc.)
• NO AM NEWTech Skills Center Busing 
• NO Zero-hour classes for high schools

Dear Mead School District Families - 

The Mead School District has continued to monitor the difficult road conditions, especially on the residential streets. Today, some of our buses had a challenging time navigating side streets, and Spokane County officials informed us this afternoon that residential streets will not be plowed until Sunday. Given these factors and expected worsening road conditions this evening into tomorrow, all extra-curricular events this evening have been canceled, and school will be canceled for tomorrow, Friday, December 2, 2022. This school day will be made up during a Snow Make-up Day scheduled for May 26, 2023. 

Dear Mead School District Families,

Due to inclement weather and difficult road conditions, the Mead School District will be on a two-hour delay to start school today, Thursday, December 1. Buses will also run two hours late and on snow routes. 

In addition to school starting two hours late, please note the following:

• NO Breakfast Program
• NO AM Preschool
• NO Before School District Programs (academic, music, athletic, extra-curricular, etc.)
• NO AM NEWTech Skills Center Busing 
• NO Zero-hour classes for high schools

Dear Mead School District Families,

Due to inclement weather forecasted overnight, activities scheduled to start before school are now canceled for Thursday, Dec. 1. As of this notification, school will begin on time, but all before-school activities, including athletic practices, zero-hour classes, clubs, music and other extra-curriculars are canceled for Thursday morning.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please monitor email, phone and the district website for updates about the start time for school tomorrow. District administrators are continuing to monitor the weather forecasts and the impacts it may have on our school district. You will be notified as soon as any additional delay or closure decisions are made. 

Dear Mead School District Families, 

Due to inclement weather and difficult road conditions, the Mead School District is canceling school for today, Wednesday, November 30, 2022.

This is includes the cancelation of all after-school activities, including athletic practices, plays, concerts, games and clubs.

This school day will be made up during our first scheduled Snow Make-up Day on January 30, 2023.

Dear Mead School District Families,

Due to inclement weather forecasted overnight, activities scheduled to start before school are now canceled for Wednesday, Nov. 30. As of this notification, school will begin on time, but all before-school activities, including athletic practices, zero-hour classes, clubs, music and other extra-curriculars are canceled for Wednesday morning.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please monitor email, phone and the district website for updates about the start time for school tomorrow. District administrators are continuing to monitor the weather forecasts and the impacts it may have on our school district. You will be notified as soon as any additional delay or closure decisions are made. 

For those who would like to opt-in to receiving SMS text message alerts from the Mead School District, you can do so by sending the word "YES" to 67587 on your mobile phone.

Due to icy, difficult road conditions, the Mead School District will be on a two-hour delay to start school today - Tuesday, November 8, 2022. Buses will also run two hours late. 

In addition to school starting two hours late, please note the following:

• NO Breakfast Program
• NO AM Preschool
• NO Before School District Programs (academic, music, athletic, extra-curricular, etc.)
• NO AM Skills Center Busing 

For more information about two-hour delays, click here.

Dear Mead School District Families and Staff - 

With the cold and possibly snowy months ahead creating the potential for a weather event to impact the school day, we wanted to share some information and links to help you be prepared in the case of a school delay or closure! Please read below how a delay will work on our Late Start Wednesdays, too.

There are many factors taken into consideration when deciding whether to delay or close schools for the day. It is always our goal to keep schools open and on time during snowy weather, but safety comes first. Parents, guardians and students should always assume the school day will be conducted as normal unless they hear from the district via phone call, email, district webpage, facebook and twitter accounts or the local media.

These decisions take into account road conditions for our school buses, walking routes to schools and the day’s forecast. Families should take their own situation into account when deciding whether their child should attend school or not and be sure to make an attendance call if staying home is the best option. Our goal is always to make the decision to delay or close by 5:30 a.m., with information pushed out to families, social media and news media before 6 a.m.

Two Hour Delay Information (be sure to read new Wednesday info) 
A two-hour delay will mean that your bus will be at each stop two hours later than the normal – M, T, Th, F – pick-up time (example: 7:05 a.m. would become 9:05 a.m.). If a two-hour delay occurs on a Wednesday, buses will run two hours later than the regular-day (M, T, Th, F) schedule. This means that if a two-hour delay is called on a Wednesday, just add two hours to the M, T, Th, F bus pick-up and school start-time schedule.

For more information on School Delays and Closures, including snow routes, early dismissal and impacts on before and after-school activities, breakfast programs and preschool, go to www.mead354.org/delay.

Dear Elementary Families - 

The Mead School District Learning and Teaching Department would like to share information regarding upcoming parent teacher conferences that will take place on October 12-14 in all of our elementary schools. 

This year, these conferences will take place in person. Families may let their classroom teacher know if meeting virtually is necessary. Parents will receive information from each child’s school with a link to sign up for a conference time. 

Conferences are a valuable resource for parents and teachers alike. They provide an opportunity to build strong communication channels between home and school. Information provided by families during conferences also assists teachers in creating the most effective learning environment possible for each student. 

Conferences take place twice each school year. This first conference will be used to set the stage for the year, with parents/guardians and teachers talking through ways to ensure success for that student. The next conference - taking place in February - is another opportunity for parents/guardians to learn more about their child’s progress. 

Each set of conferences takes place over a three-day period. 

In honoring families who have special circumstances, we do have procedures in place for those of you that need multiple conference times. Please contact the school for assistance. 

If you have other questions, please contact our Learning and Teaching Department at 465-6000.

Dear Mead School District Families - 

On September 20, the Mead School District hosted the first of three events in our Future Ready Series. Hosted at Mead High School, the event drew more than 250 community members! Attendees were able to connect with more than 25 local partner organizations, listen to a keynote speaker and take part in a Q&A with local mental health professionals. The event is part of our commitment to providing an educational experience in which all students feel welcome, supported, and are ready for their future.  In order to support that commitment, our district will be hosting two more Future Ready community events during the 2022-23 school year, and we want to hear from you!

Below is the link to a survey for us to gather feedback from both community members who attended the event and others who weren't able to attend. This information will help us plan our next event.

The survey will take about 5-7 minutes to complete. We appreciate your time and support!

Click here to complete the survey.

Dear Mead School District K-6 Families, 

On behalf of Hooptown Youth League Basketball, the link below contains more information on the Hooptown Youth League and links to register. The deadline to register is Thursday, Sept. 22. 

Hooptown Youth League

Please direct questions to: hyl@spokanehoopfest.net.

Dear Mead School District Families and Staff - 

Preparing our students to be future ready is multifaceted and having the skills to navigate challenges, be resilient, and care for oneself is critical. As the first event of our Future Ready Series, the Mead School District is excited to provide an opportunity for our community to come together with local agencies to discuss student wellness and mental health, as well as connect with some of the resources available to our families. See below for more details!

Community Resource Event feat. Guest Speaker Tessa Stuckey
Date: Tuesday, September 20th, 2022
Time: Doors open 5:30 p.m., Event ends at 8:30 p.m. 
Location: Mead High School Mall and Theater

5:30-6:00 p.m.

• Hotdog and chips served
• Book fair available
• Childcare check-in
  • Childcare available in the library for kids ages 5-10

6:00-7:00 p.m.

• Guest Speaker, Tessa Stuckey - Author of For The Sake Of Our Youth
  • Raising kids in a digital and social media world brings unique challenges. Tessa will speak to the importance of connecting with kids and establishing the protective factors necessary to help our kids when they need it most.  

7:00-7:30 p.m.

• Community Resource Fair
  • Visit with community agencies from the Spokane area to learn more about the services they offer to support mental health and wellness.  

7:30-8:15 p.m. 

• Panel Discussion
  • Ask questions of our guest speaker and our community partners as part of a forum discussion related to student wellness.  
  • Topics will include: Understanding our Youth, Building Resiliency, Enhancing Protective Factors, Developing and Reinforcing Positive Relationships.

Dear Mead School District Families -

The Mead School District is continually exploring options to serve our families, and one way we’ve done that recently is the launch of our Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program in the Spanish language at Midway Elementary. This program was made possible by state grant funding, and as a requirement to this grant, we are looking at the possibility of expanding the DLI program to an additional elementary school in the district based on interest from families and students. 

Below is a link to a short (1-2 minutes) survey to gauge potential interest and languages of interest from our community. This survey is optional, does not collect any contact information and is not a commitment to any future program.

The deadline to complete this survey is Friday, Sept. 23, 2022.

Click here for the Dual Language Program Potential Expansion Interest Survey

Dear Mead School District K-6 Families, 

On behalf of Hooptown Youth League Basketball and for those interested, the link below contains more information on the Hooptown Youth League and links to register. 

Hooptown Youth League

Please direct questions to: hyl@spokanehoopfest.net.

Dear Mead School District Families - 

This is a reminder that our Wednesday Late Start schedule begins tomorrow, Sept. 7. Bus routes will run on the 40-minute late start schedule, so please plan accordingly. 

• Elementary (Grades K-5)
  • Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri.: 9:00 a.m.-3:20 p.m.
  • Wednesday: 9:40 a.m.-3:20 p.m.

• Middle School (Grades 6-8)
  • Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri.: 7:55 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
  • Wednesday: 8:35 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

• High School (Grades 9-12)
  • Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri.: 8:00 a.m.-2:35 p.m.
  • Wednesday: 8:40 a.m.-2:35 p.m.

Schools will open their doors at the normal time on Wednesdays with supervision available for students who need additional support. This time frame until they transition to breakfast or class lineup will be supervised, but not structured with activities.

Wednesday Late Start does not apply to students in Mead Learning Options programs, including North Star, Five Mile Prairie, Mead Virtual Program, Aspire or Outdoor School. Students in those programs will begin at their normal start time. 

Reminders for High School students who attend Skills Center Programs on Wednesday:  Each Wednesday, students must board a bus at 8:40 a.m. at Mead High School or Mt. Spokane High School to travel to their program of study at NEWTech Skills Center. 

For more information about Late Start Wednesdays, click here.

Dear Mead School District Families and Staff, 

We are excited to share with you a save-the-date for the first of three family engagement community events we'll host this year as part of our Future Ready initiatives. This first event will feature a guest speaker and a number of community partners to help connect our families and staff with local mental health resources and information on Sept. 20 at 5:30-8:00 p.m.

A week prior to the event, we'll send out more specifics about our guest speaker, community partners and timeline for the evening.

Please look for more information in the near future! 

Dear Mead School District Families - 

With Washington’s State of Emergency coming to an end at midnight today (Monday, Oct. 31, 2022), the Department of Health (DOH) has revised its illness-related guidance in regards to COVID-19. 

The full document, which covers requirements, recommendations and strategies for disease mitigation, can be found here: 

• Washington DOH K-12 Guidance
• Spokane Regional Health District K-12 Guidance is expected to be updated this week. It will be linked on our District website as soon as it is available. SRHD has shared that its guidance will be similar to the DOH document above and reinforce strategies for preventing and responding to COVID-19. 

The school district is required by the document linked above to do two main things: (1) work with the Local Health Jurisdiction – SRHD – in the investigation of cases, suspected cases, outbreaks and suspected outbreaks that may be associated with the school, and (2) to continue posting the number of positive case of COVID-19 at each of our schools on our COVID-19 Dashboard. 

Overall, students who are ill should stay home, and then return to school when symptoms have mostly resolved. This prevents both recurrence of the illness and exposure to others, which keeps our population of students and staff at its healthiest. Our schools will follow school district Illness Guidelines for all symptoms (found here) as had been done prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Please know that testing for COVID-19 will also be available for all students and staff at our schools who choose to get tested due to symptoms or exposure. 

So far this year, our school nurses have seen a number of cases of COVID-19, Influenza and RSV that have contributed to illness in our schools. For those who are interested, here are some helpful resources and recommendations:

• SRHD Influenza Resources
• SRHD RSV Information  |  CDC RSV Resources
• Additional Resources from SRHD for Communicable Diseases

Thank you for your help and diligence as we work together to keep our students and staff healthy! 

Dear Mead School District Families,

Over the past couple of months, our community has asked a lot of great questions about what our students are learning in the Mead School District. This interest has given us an opportunity to reflect on our current practices and work together to ensure we are meeting the ever-changing needs of our students. Community inquiries have led to us utilizing our website to put more information at our community’s fingertips and presenting reports on policies and procedures related to curriculum materials, libraries and learning standards. 

At the September 12th Board Meeting, the District presented reports on Library Media Center policies and procedures, Curriculum Adoption policies and procedures, and processes for community members to share curriculum or book concerns. Following that meeting, a community member shared some concerns with an online materials collection accessible to some students. The websites listed in the collections were posted online for a high school research assignment in 2015 and had not been reviewed for content since that time. The collection was immediately reviewed and subsequently removed due to being out of date and no longer being utilized. The district has made specific changes moving forward to enhance screening of library resources meant to be used for classroom assignments. 

We’ve also committed to creating an easy way for our community to access curriculum and learning standards for every grade, course and content area in the Mead School District. On the district website, we have begun a long-term project to outline all learning standards, curriculum and supplemental materials used in our classrooms. We’ll be adding more on a weekly basis; please click here to see the progress we are making so far with our elementary grades. 

Finally, we’ve also received significant interest from parents/guardians who’d like to review lists of book titles available in our libraries and/or to have access to books their child may be checking out. To access our libraries, parents can utilize Follett Destiny to search collections, check out books or place holds (click here for how to login). Furthermore, if you have concerns about materials in our libraries, the process for “reconsideration” of library materials can be found here. 

We are proud of the efforts of our educators to live our mission of “Ensuring high levels of learning for ALL students” each and every day in the Mead School District. We will continue to do whatever it takes to also ensure our families stay apprised of what that learning looks like in our classrooms. 

Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,
Shawn Woodward
Superintendent 

Dear Mead School District Families - 

Next month, the Mead School District is hosting an informational family night for the families of students who access special education services in our district. Parents will have a chance to connect with staff members and volunteers, ask questions and learn more about the district's special education services. 

The event is open to the families of Mead School District students ages 3-21 who access Special Education Services on Thursday, November 10th from 6-8 p.m. at Mead High School, 302 W Hastings Rd.

Save the date! 

Dear Middle School Families - 

The STEM Forward Series continues this year with the annual Medical Mystery Investigation event hosted by WSU Spokane. Mead School District students in Grades 6-8 are invited. The registration for this event will open Monday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. via a link sent to all families of students in Grades 6-8.

Registration Begins: 7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 24, with a link to registration emailed to Grades 6-8 families
Spots Available: 150

Program Information
This will be a three-week virtual event series, with an in-person reveal on the evening of December 2nd.  It will involve students watching recorded videos released November 14th, 17th, 22nd, 28th, and 30th. The event begins with a Welcome Video and the first clue on November 14th and culminates in an in-person celebration event on December 2nd to reveal the mystery diagnosis.

Each registered participant will receive a Medical Mystery T-shirt delivered to their school. Participants will watch the videos via Google Classroom. These will be recorded by WSU Health Sciences programs and will include a clue and activity. Using deductive reasoning skills, participants will work throughout the month to discover the cause of the medical mystery.

Participants are able to watch the clue videos on their own time, while also having the opportunity to submit questions throughout the week through the Google Classroom link.  When the clues are revealed they will include a task for students to complete. Students are encouraged to submit recorded video, photos, or written email in the Medical Mystery Google Classroom link showing their participation.

On Friday, December 2nd, students will have a chance to make a diagnosis and see if they're correct at the culminating in-person celebration at the downtown campus of WSU Spokane. This celebration will include a STEM bag, dinner and a Financial Literacy event for students.

If interested, please look for a link sent via email at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 24 to register!
Because this is an online event, there will not be a waiting list.

Dear Mead School District Families and Staff -

Tickets are now on sale to the general public for the 2022 Battle of the Bell football game between Mt. Spokane and Mead High School! We are expecting a sold out crowd at Union Stadium, so don’t wait to check out the information below on how to purchase your tickets. 

Game Information

Varsity Football: Mead HS (visiting team) vs. Mt. Spokane HS (home team)

Friday, October 28, 2022 at 7 p.m.

Union Stadium - 12509 N Market St, Mead WA 99021

Televised locally on SWX

Ticket + Attendance Information
Tickets are now available for purchase on the “Tickets” page at gowildcatsgsl.org or by scanning the QR code below!

• Up to four (4) tickets allowed for purchase per account
• High school students with current ASB designation on Student ID card and all GSL Sports Pass Holders do not need to purchase tickets to attend. Simply show the ID or Sports Pass at the gate to enter.
• Please accompany students 8th grade and younger (ticket required) with an adult if attending the game
• No outside food/drink and no re-entry allowed.
• Purses, diaper bags and clear bags are allowed. No backpacks allowed, and all bags are subject to search.
• No RV or trailer parking in the paved lots.

The 2022 Battle of the Bell football game between Mt. Spokane and Mead High School is right around the corner, and we are expecting a sold out crowd at Union Stadium! If you are interested in attending, here’s your early heads up on the ticket availability and sales process. 

Game Information
Varsity Football: Mead HS (visiting team) vs. Mt. Spokane HS (home team)
Friday, October 28, 2022 at 7 p.m.
Union Stadium - 12509 N Market St, Mead WA 99021
Televised locally on SWX

Ticket + Attendance Information
Ticket sales will go live to the general public this Monday, October 17th at 3 p.m. on the “Tickets” page at gowildcatsgsl.org! You will also receive an email at that time with a link to purchase tickets.

• Up to four (4) tickets allowed for purchase per account
• Students with current ASB designation on Student ID card and GSL Sports Pass Holders do not need to purchase tickets to attend. Simply show the ID or Sports Pass at the gate to enter.
• Please accompany students 8th grade and younger (ticket required) with an adult if attending the game
• No outside food/drink and no re-entry allowed
• Purses, diaper bags and clear bags are allowed. No backpacks allowed, and all bags are subject to search.

Dear Mead School District Families - 

This message is a friendly reminder that there is no school this Friday, Oct. 7. This day is reserved as a Learning Improvement Day (LID) for our teachers and staff to engage in professional development activities. Our school district has two LID days scheduled each academic year – Oct. 7 and March 17 this year. 

For students who access before and after school programs at either the YMCA or Boys and Girls Club, please note the following:

• YMCA Before and After School Programs will take place at the YMCA on Friday, Oct. 7, Thursday, Oct. 13 and Friday, Oct. 14 for students that are enrolled in those programs. Questions can be directed to Multisite Coordinator Payton Williams at 509-777-9622.

• Boys and Girls Club will be closed on October 7th and October 12th-14th due to insufficient staffing. Questions can be directed to Club Director Nick Neely at lsgprogram@bgcspokane.org. 

For reference, the full academic calendar can be found on any school or district website under the Academics dropdown menu, or by clicking here.

We hope you enjoy the long weekend and know that our staff is working hard to ensure high levels of learning for all students!

Dear Mead School District Families - 

As part of our learning program, the Mead School District provides Chromebook access to all students. This device is the property of the Mead School District. Families have the opportunity to enroll in the district’s optional Chromebook Insurance Program (CIP) annually. 

While not mandatory, this insurance program is highly recommended as it provides coverage in the event the device is lost or damaged.  

To opt into the insurance program, there is an annual fee. Free/Reduced lunch options requests available at your school.  Fees must be paid prior to September 16, 2022.  To purchase Chromebook insurance, follow the directions here: Purchasing Chromebook Insurance Using Online Payments.

Chromebook insurance costs, coverages and more information are available at the links below:

• For Grades K-2 (excludes Mead Learning Options), please note that Chromebook Insurance is NOT being offered for K-2 students, as these students’ Chromebooks will reside mainly in the classroom and will be managed like other K-2 classroom materials.
• Elementary (Grades 3-5) Chromebook Insurance Flyer
• Secondary (6-12) Chromebook Insurance Flyer
• Mead Learning Options (K-12) Chromebook Insurance Flyer
  • MLO includes North Star School, Five Mile Prairie School Elementary and Secondary, Mead Virtual Program 6-12, Engine K-5 Mead Virtual Program, Mead Outdoor School

Opting out of the program means families of students in Grades 3-12 (K-12 for Mead Learning Options) will be held financially responsible for the full cost of repair or replacement associated with any damaged, lost or stolen equipment. A fine will be placed on student accounts for the cost of replacing or repairing the equipment. 

Lack of action prior to September 16, 2022, will be considered an opt-out. 

Questions? Please contact your child’s school with questions on how to purchase Chromebook insurance.

Dear Mead School District Families - 

The Washington Department of Health released updated K-12 COVID-19 Requirements for the 2022-23 school year - the full document is linked here. Important changes to the state guidance are listed below, but please refer to the DOH document linked above to get the full update.

• Students or staff who have tested positive are required to isolate for 5 days before returning on Day 6. The date of symptom onset or positive test is Day 0, the following day is Day 1. 
  • The individual may return to school/care after the isolation period if:  
    • Their symptoms have improved or they are asymptomatic, AND 
    • They are without a fever for the past 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medications.
• Students/staff who have symptoms of COVID-19 are required to follow this symptom flowchart here. 
  • COVID tests are available at school. 
• The District will update our COVID-19 dashboard and report to SRHD with positive cases on a weekly basis. 

Our goal is to keep our classrooms healthy and safe, and the best way to do that is to keep students/staff home who are sick. Thank you for your assistance in keeping our schools a positive and healthy environment!

The following message was sent to families of students who are registered to ride the bus for the 2022-23 school year.

Dear Parents/Guardians, 

Thank you for registering your student(s) to ride the bus with Mead School District Transportation Department. Your student(s) have been assigned to a bus and routed for the upcoming school year. Please confirm your student(s) bus route number, departure/arrival time and bus stop location before the start of school. You can access this information here by entering your Home address.

Important note: Beginning on Sept. 7, bus riders will be picked up 40 minutes later on Wednesdays.

If your student(s) is a pre-schooler or has an IEP, you should receive a phone call from our office staff no later than the following Friday. 

For questions, please contact us by email at transportation@mead354.org or by phone at (509) 465-6107.

Sincerely,
Mead School District Transportation Department

Dear Mead School District Families, 

Mead School District Nutrition Services welcomes you to the 2022-23 school year. This important newsletter linked below includes beneficial information for all families in our district, including meal prices, meal payment procedures, free/reduced meal qualifications and forms. Please read through the entire linked document for information pertaining to your family. 

For questions regarding meals or Nutrition Services, please email nutrition@mead354.org or call (509) 465-6100. 

2022-23 Nutrition Services Information Packet (PDF)

Thank you,

Mead School District Nutrition Services