MES School Information for In-person Learners

The first day of student attendance for all learners is Monday, August 31. Our school hours are 8:00 am - 1:50pm grades 1 - 5; and 8-11am for Kindergarten.

Sanitation and the health and safety of our students and staff is a top priority. We will work to teach our students social distancing and ways to be healthy and safe.

All car riders/walkers should be dropped off/picked up at the MES North Doors entrance. The doors will open at 7:30am. Students should not be dropped off prior to 7:30. Bus riders will be dropped off/picked up at the MES main entrance. We will once again have the pull through drop off line at the north doors in the morning. There will be staff at the doors to assist your child to get to their classroom and breakfast if needed. Parents will not be allowed to walk students into the building. If you are walking your child up to the door, please wear a mask.

Students who are being picked up at the end of the day will be brought out to the north doors entrance beginning at 1:45. They will come out staggered by grade level, beginning with 5th grade. We ask that only one person come up to pick up your child and a mask be worn. If there is inclement weather, students will be in the gym and staff members will meet parents at the door and call for students to be brought out. Walkers will wait in the cafeteria for all car and bus traffic to clear and then they will be dismissed to walk home. Please share with your child’s teacher what they will be doing at the end of the day.

If you have a kindergarten student, kindergarten teachers will be sending you out kindergarten specific information in regards to lunch and pick up procedures.

Your child must have a mask on before entering the building (or school bus), and you will need to self-certify that your child is healthy before he or she arrives at school in the morning. More information will be provided on the self-certification process before school begins. We recommend that you send an extra mask to school with your child to leave at school, in case something would happen to theirs during the day. Each child will be provided with a breakaway lanyard to be used to hold their mask while they are at lunch, recess,and PE.

If your child is registered to ride a bus, you should hear from your child's bus driver by noon on Thursday, August 27. Any questions can be directed to Paula Ray (rayp@meridianhawks.net or (217) 764-3896) at the Bus Garage.

If your child is bringing a lunch from home, it needs to be in a throw away paper bag with their first and last name on it. Teachers will collect lunches when students arrive and then they will be stored in the cooler until lunch time. Teachers will then pass the lunches out. The bag and any uneaten contents will be discarded at the end of the lunch period. Students should bring a disposable drink in their lunch or they may purchase a milk if they would like to. Cost is .30 cents and it will be deducted from their lunch account balance. Students will eat in the cafeteria or the gym foyer area where tables have been set up. Students will be spaced out at the tables.

Breakfast will be available to purchase each morning. We will have a serving line at each entrance and students will take breakfast to their classroom to eat. Breakfast cost is deducted from the student’s lunch account balance. Please make sure your child knows if they are to eat breakfast at school.

Students will go to recess after lunch. The playground has been divided into two areas and students will go to their assigned area. Teachers will also be able to sign up for an additional recess time during the day. Masks will not have to be worn at recess as long as social distancing is maintained.

Students may bring a filled up water bottle to school. We will not be using water fountains to drink from, but will use them to fill water bottles if needed later in the day.

If something needs to be brought to your child during the school day, there will be a drop off table in the office breezeway to drop it off. School staff will then get it to your child.

Guests and visitors will not be allowed throughout the building. If you need to pick your child up, you will be buzzed into the office and then we will call your child down to leave.

No treats from home may be brought to school to be shared with the class. The school will provide snacks/treats for any special occasions -ex. Birthdays, holidays, etc.

Please check out your child’s teacher’s website for classroom information, a virtual tour of the classroom, and other important information. Our school website is www.meridianhawks.net and each teachers website can be found under Staff and the teacher.

We will offer a drive thru drop off of school supplies on Wednesday, Aug. 26th at the below times for each grade level. The drop off will be at our north doors. You do not have to drop supplies off, students are welcome to bring them the first day of school. Please have all supplies in a bag or backpack with your child’s first and last name marked on the bag. If you have children in multiple grade levels, you may pick whichever time works best for you. Teachers will be assisting with the drop off. You should not get out of your vehicle, we will walk out to you.

Meridian Elementary School