Meridian Community Unit School District #15

For students riding buses: please take notice of the conditions around bus stop areas as they may be cause for the bus driver to alter pick up and drop off location to ensure the safety of everyone. If you live in an area that has limited accessibility, please contact the bus garage regarding alternative pick up and drop off locations if necessary.

A recent court ruling in Sangamon County ruled on a lawsuit filed by more than 700 parents across the state that challenged state-mandated COVID-19 mitigations. Meridian CUSD #15 was not named in that lawsuit. It is anticipated that an appeal of this case will take place over the next few days and while the judicial process continues, Meridian will continue with it the current policies in place as outlined in the Executive Order for school mitigations. Students, staff and visitors are required to wear masks while on school premises and while on school buses. We understand the various viewpoints for this topic. Our goal is to provide a safe and productive learning environment for all students and staff while remaining open for in-person instruction. To date, our students, parents and staff have done a great job of working through the various frustrations this pandemic has created to progress through the school year. We hope that everyone will continue to be treated with respect while either working within their assigned job responsibilities or expressing their opinion on this matter. Sincerely, Andy Pygott, Superintendent Meridian CUSD #15

Due to extent of the winter weather at this time and continued travel concerns over the next 24 hours, Meridian will utilize an e-learning day for Friday February 4. Teachers will provide curriculum expecations. It will be considered a student attendance day and if your student is not able to "attend" please let your teacher(s) know. Unfortunately, due to the expected travel conditions, we will not be able to provide meal availability at either campus. Please be safe!

Due to the inclement weather forecast for our area, Meridian will use emergency snow days for Wednesday, February 2 and Thursday, February 3. If a travel advisory remains in the area for Friday, February 4, Meridian may utilize an e learning day. Students have been instructed to take the necessary materials home for this possibility. We are hopeful that we can return to in person attendance for Friday but we also want to ensure the safety of our students and staff members when considering the commute to and from school for our area. We hope our students, staff and families remain safe during this predicted weather event!

Meridian will have an early dismissal on Friday, January 14; MS & HS students will dismiss at 11:10 and MES students at 11:30. This In-Service Day was on the original calendar approved by the school board and was unfortunately omitted from the listing the district provided to students and parents listing important dates during the school year. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and we are hopeful that adequate notice will permit the necessary arrangements for this early dismissal day.

School districts have been aware of a circulating social media post threatening incidents of school violence for Friday, December 17. The post is general and not directed at any specific district or school. At this time, the origins of this post are unknown. The district administrative team is aware of this information as well as local law enforcement. Meridian remains diligent in our building's safety routines for students, staff members and visitors. While there is no indication of a known threat within our school district at this time, I wanted to share this information with you out of an abundance of caution. Safety will always remain a top priority at Meridian. Andy Pygott, Superintendent Meridian CUSD #15 "We Are Meridian"

Dear Meridian Parents, Our district’s transportation department has struggled since the beginning of the school year with staffing levels attributed to COVID-19. From staff members with positive test results, contact tracing quarantines and/or the care of family members in quarantine, our transportation department has not been fully staffed and in efficient operation since the first day of school. We sincerely regret the delays that have taken place and the inconsistencies in bus service expectations among our parents and students. In many cases, the staffing shortage has been unpredictable and sudden. Regrettably, we have also been hampered by sudden employee resignations due to additional work expectations placed on individuals that were not equipped to handle it. We have been hopeful that as each new week approaches, our staffing levels would return to the necessary level to adequately address the bus transportation needs of our students and parents. We remain optimistic that this will occur and that we will be able to return to normal daily bus route procedures and expectations. We continue to work on resolving these issues and apologize for the inconvenience this results in. We appreciate your patience and understanding for bus schedule changes that occur due to this. Sincerely, Andy Pygott, Superintendent Meridian CUSD #15

Due to a staffing shortage for district transportation, various bus routes will be impacted regarding their normal pick up and drop off times. Each school will do their best to provide contact for changes that may impact a student's drop off time at the end of the school day. Please be patient with us as we work through this current issue. Thanks!

Each Friday, the district will provide an updated COVID-19 report on the district main web page. The icon for the link is in the right hand corner (COVID-19 Reporting 2021-2022). This page will also include information regarding local testing and vaccination sites as those are made available and updated.