Dear Meridian Family,

As we move toward the end of spring break, we're sharing with you what Meridian's administration has been working on, what the plan will be starting on Monday, March 23, and other general updates regarding your concerns.

Community Update: Mr. Bittner is isolated at home recovering. He has not been hospitalized. We have received communications that a high school student, not in contact with Mr. Bittner, has been very ill and hospitalized. We understand she has been tested, but the results are not yet in. We have another staff member who was ill, tested, and determined to be negative. We urge everyone to follow the guidelines for social distancing and hand washing to protect yourselves, your families, and your community.

Information Updates : Since late last week, leadership has participated in daily conference calls with state and regional agencies to keep up-to-date with the very latest information. These include the Williamson County Health Department, the Commissioner for the Texas Education Agency, Region 13 Education Service Center, and the Texas Department of Agriculture. A meeting of Meridian's Health and Wellness Advisory Committee was held Monday with school leaders to share news and concerns. We are thankful to those who participated at Meridian or via Zoom. Based upon the information garnered from these meetings, we will update the FAQs currently posted to our website beginning next week for various questions that arise as answers become clear. 

Instructional Support:  As previously stated, we are committed to providing continuity of instructional support for all of our students, including those receiving special education services. Beginning Monday, Meridian staff will meet in various locations using Zoom, our current platform for remote meetings. Teachers are given the option of working at Meridian in their classroom while practicing strict social distancing protocols, or from home depending upon their preference and situation. Staff who have traveled internationally, to high-risk areas, or who have had contact with someone confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 have been instructed to self-isolate. They will collaborate online to determine the best way to create and deliver content, maintain class culture and structure, offer individual assistance and counseling services to those in need, while also recognizing that school provides one of the main venues for socializing with friends, which of course, is now sorely lacking. 

Structure is another feature that school provides. We are exploring ways in which we can offer structure while at the same time understanding that some families, who will not have parents at home during the day or who have limited devices, will want more flexibility. Thus we anticipate a combination of live and on-demand lessons.

Timeline:  The goal is for teachers to familiarize themselves with online systems and to develop content during the week of March 23 in order to begin delivery to students on Monday, March 30. In the meantime, our teachers have collected resources that your student can access for daily practice, and of course, the number one recommendation is to READ - for pleasure and/or information.

Devices:  For K-7 families who do not have an iPad, laptop, or desktop computer that can be used by your child, please contact Meridian at tech-assist@mwschool.org to borrow a device. There will be a check-out process, but no deposit. As 8th-12th grades are a BYOD environment, students should have a device. If a student's device is not working properly, please email the address above to request a loaned device.

Internet Access:  For families who do not have high-speed internet or who have data limits, most internet providers are providing free installation and service for a period of 60 days. Enter your address HERE to find local providers, then visit their individual websites to learn more about the special services each company is offering.

Medications at School : Nurses will contact families early next week to arrange pick-up of student medications. We ask that all medications be picked up through either the primary or middle school lobbies by the end of next week. The high school lobby will not be open at this time. Again, the nurses will contact these families with more information.

School Meals : At this time, Meridian will not be servicing meals for our students. For those families who qualify for Free or Reduced Meals, Meridian will provide a list of school locations where breakfast and lunch will be available. The state has acknowledged that those who qualify may expand as the economic situation changes, and we will keep families informed as information develops.

School Hours : In an effort to maintain the safety of our limited staff who will be on campus, Meridian will be closed to walk-ins until further notice. We ask that parents who must come to Meridian to pick up medication or to check out a device, coordinate a time with the appropriate staff member: nurse@mwschool.org and tech-assist@mwschool.org .

School Closure Period:  While our closure has been announced through April 3, which matches the Governor's mandatory closure decree announced today, we acknowledge that a longer term closure is likely. As promised, we will confirm that no later than Monday, March 30.

As TEA Commissioner, Mike Morath has stated many times over the course of the last week that we are in uncharted territory and will inevitably make mistakes. He has asked for our patience and grace. We recognize the same and ask that each of us extend patience and grace to all members of our community as we move forward in this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Rick Fernández

Head of School