The School District of Philadelphia

William M. Meredith K-8 School

Parent/Student Handbook

2019-2020 Academic

Lauren Joy Overton, Principal

Dr. Sonya Harrison, Assistant Superintendent

Neighborhood Network 3

This is an informational handbook that should be used as a reference throughout this academic year. The material contained is not all-inclusive, but highlights information most often needed. Among its contents are specific procedures for the operation of the school, procedures and protocol for students and parents, as well as policies laid forth by the School District of Philadelphia. Please remember that all policies are developed for the good of the children, the staff, and the greater school community. If changes are made, you will be alerted to the changes through the home and school email blast.

Table of Contents

Principal’s Message                                                                        pg. 3

Mission, Vision, Values                                                                pg. 4

School calendar                                                                        pg. 5-8

Arrival Procedures                                                                        pg. 8

Dismissal Procedures                                                                pg. 9-10

Emergency School Closing and Delayed Opening                                pg. 10

Legal Custody & Release of a Child                                                pg. 10

Attendance                                                                                pg. 11

Emergency Contact                                                                        pg. 11-12

Personal Electronics                                                                pg. 12

School District Acceptable Use of Technology                                        pg. 12-14

Discipline Policy                                                                        pg. 14-18

Dress Code                                                                                pg. 18-19

After School Activities                                                                pg. 19-20

Lost and Found                                                                        pg. 20

Library Policy                                                                        pg. 20-21

Trips                                                                                        pg. 21-23

Parent-Teacher Conferences                                                        pg. 23

Meeting with the Principal                                                                pg. 23

Classroom Visits                                                                        pg. 24

Home and School Association                                                        pg. 25

Tips to Keep Up To Date                                                                pg. 26

Middle School Specialty Class Schedule                                                pg. 27

Lunch Schedule                                                                        pg. 28

Welcome Letter from the Principal

August 2019

Dear Meredith Families,

Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year! Last year was a great year for growth and learning. We made every single target goal that we set for the 2018-2019 school year. We improved our attendance rates as well as our Math, Science, and English Language Arts PSSA scores. To learn more about our progress and programing I invite you to come meet your student’s teachers and learn about their expectations on Back to School Night. Two back to school nights will be offered to differentiate for Elementary and Middle School programming.

I am deeply committed to working with you, our teachers, and students to provide the optimal conditions for exploration, learning, and joy within our school. I am looking forward to cultivating a positive relationship with you and your children. It is a privilege and honor to be able to roll up my sleeves to work with you and your students. Here is to another successful year at William M. Meredith!

Sincerely,

Lauren Overton, Principal

Vision- Where we are going?

William M. Meredith is committed to building a brave, just, and joyful community.

Mission- Where we are now?

William M. Meredith is a caring and collaborative community where students are empowered to own their educational experience through exploration and innovation. We cultivate reciprocal relationships between families, students, faculty, and staff. We encourage and foster a growth mindset for all members of our learning community.

         Values- The beliefs that guide us

• There is great joy in discovery and learning.
• Educators are facilitators of growth
• All students have unique and valuable talents.
• Differentiation is the key to academic success.
• Differences are not deficiencies.
• People thrive when they adopt a growth mindset.
• Failure, challenge, and success are all part of the educational process.

Meredith School Staff List: 2019-2020

Building Engineer: 215-351-7364                                                                   Cafeteria: ext. 4004

Teacher’s Lounge: ext. 2051                                                        Back Office Phone: ext. 1014

Auditorium: ext. 1180                                                        Office: ext. 6                                                                                                        Faith Zaback: ext. 1062

School District Calendar 2019-2020

 Since the calendar is subject to change during the course of the school year, the web version may contain updates not reflected in the printed version of this publication.

The following is the calendar for all schools and Pre-Kindergarten Programs for the 2019 – 2020 school year:

Meredith School General Policy/Operations

Arrival and Dismissal

School begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:09 p.m. Children should be in line by 8:28 am. All children must be picked up on time

Arrival

Students may arrive at 8:00 a.m. for breakfast in the cafeteria. Breakfast is served from 8:00 - 8:20 a.m. Breakfast is free to all students.

Students NOT eating breakfast at school should report to the yard outside and not be in the building unless there is inclement weather including temperatures below 32 degrees.

Students should not report to school earlier than 8:00 a.m. There is no supervision until that time. The school assumes no liability or responsibility for children on school grounds until supervision begins.

Parents are not permitted to walk their children to their classrooms.

In the case of inclement weather:

• K-5 students should report to the auditorium and sit by class.
• Sixth through eighth grade students should report to the cafeteria and sit by class.

Late Arrival

Any student who arrives after 8:30 a.m. is considered late and will be marked as such. If a student is late, he/she must report to the main office for a late slip. Late arrivals are recorded on a student's attendance record and can affect a student’s chances of acceptance to a high school of their choice. Lateness is disruptive to the instructional day. Punctuality is expected. There is no such thing as “excused lateness” for doctors, dentists, appointments etc.

Dismissal

It is imperative that parents/caregivers pick up their children on time during regular and early dismissal days. The faculty and administrators will not supervise children after school.

Students are dismissed to the schoolyard at 3:09 p.m. on regular dismissal and 12:09 p.m. on early dismissal. Please arrive promptly to pick up your child. Kindergarten students are dismissed from their classrooms. Parents and caregivers must sign kindergarten students out and may do so as early as 3:00 p.m. (no earlier).

*STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT SUPERVISED MAY NOT REMAIN IN THE SCHOOL YARD*

If an older student from the school, or another adult, is picking up a younger child, written permission must be given by the parent/guardian. A student will not be released without written permission to any other adult other than those who have been designated.

Students are not allowed on the playground after school unless supervised by an adult. Students may play on the playground during the public hours beginning at 4:15 p.m. (as many of our after school programs use this space). The playground area cannot be used as a waiting area for your child to be picked up. Once the school day ends, this area is unsupervised. The School District of Philadelphia is not responsible for students on the playground once the school day ends at 3:09 p.m.

Dismissal from After School Activities

All after school activities will dismiss students to the school yard at 4:15 p.m. (The only exception is Girls on the Run.) Parents are not permitted to enter the building after 3:15 p.m. Parents should meet their child in the school yard for pick-up. The parking lot gates will be unlocked. Early dismissal from after school programming is not permitted. If the student cannot stay for the entire duration of the after school program, they are not permitted to stay for programming that day.

Early Dismissal

If the need for an early dismissal arises, the parent/guardian must come to the main office to request the dismissal.                                                                                                         

The parent/guardian must report to the main office and sign the "Early Dismissal Book" in order to have a child released from school.

Parents must wait in the main office as their children will be dismissed from the main office. ID is required.

THERE WILL BE NO EARLY DISMISSALS PERMITTED AFTER 2:45 PM. PLAN ACCORDINGLY!

Emergency School Closing and Delayed Opening

In the event of an emergency closing for the school, the announcement will appear on the School District of Philadelphia's website (www.philasd.org). We will also send a robocall to parents. It is imperative that your contact information is updated with the office so that emergency contacts are available to the school at all times.

If there is a citywide closing of all public schools, especially during the winter months, the announcement will appear on the School District of Philadelphia's website (www.philasd.org), through the Meredith facebook page, and on our instagram page. Robocalls will also be made when possible.

Please refrain from calling the school office to find out if school is closed. The phone lines are needed during this time to communicate with the faculty and the School District of Philadelphia.                                         

Legal Custody and Release of a Child                                        

Legal Custody

Parents/guardians are asked to inform the main office and the child's teacher when legal custody of a child resides with one parent. School personnel can only make decisions about the child (e.g., permission to pick up a child from school) based on official legal documents. It is important for the school to have a copy of the custody decree. Custodial parents/guardians likewise are asked to supply the school with copies of restraining orders.

Release of a Child

A child will not be released to a parent/guardian who does not have physical custody without the written consent of the custodial parent/guardian. To determine the custodial parent/guardian, all separated or divorced parents must provide the school with a copy of the court order or custodial agreement adjudicating that determination of custody. This court order/custodial agreement is placed in a confidential file.                        

Attendance

It is important that children come to school every day prepared to learn. Regular attendance is critical to academic success. Continued absences will result in a truancy court hearing.

Absences

A child who has been absent from school is required to bring a written note to be turned in to their homeroom teacher upon returning to school. This note must be received within 3 days or the absence will be automatically coded as an unexcused absence.  An example of an acceptable absent note will be sent home on the first day of school. If a child is absent, an automated voice message from the School District of Philadelphia will alert the parent of the absence.

For absences extending beyond two days, a doctor's note is required. If an absence note is not received when the child returns to school, the absence will be recorded as an unexcused absence and coded Parental Neglect. If you have a discrepancy between your record and the school’s, please contact the homeroom teacher and the secretary.

Only requests needing special approval need to be submitted to the principal.

Vacation

Taking family vacations when school is in session is strongly discouraged. These absences are not marked as excused. Parents/guardians should contact the principal directly if there is a need for a child to be away on vacation when school is in session. In the event that a child goes on vacation, assignments must be completed upon returning to school.        

Emergency Contact Information

It is important that the school maintains a current, accurate address and telephone numbers (home, office, cell, etc.) for every child at all times. Should there ever be a change in address or telephone number, it is the parents'/guardians' responsibility to make sure the teacher receives that information immediately. The teacher will forward any changes to the main office. This will enable the school to reach parents/guardians quickly in case of an emergency, such as illness or school closure due to inclement weather.

On this form, indicate names and telephone numbers of two people who may be called in case of an emergency. A form will be sent home at the beginning of the school year requesting this information. These emergency contacts will only be called after an attempt to reach the parents/guardians has been unsuccessful. They will be called in the order indicated by the parents/guardians on the Emergency Contact Form.

Personal Electronics

IPhones, IPods, Cell Phones, SMART Watches, PSP’s, Nintendo DS and items like these may not be used during school hours. These items are disruptive to learning and can be easily lost or misplaced. Any electronics brought to school will be collected and secured by the teacher at the beginning of the day and returned prior to dismissal. Any electronics not turned in will be confiscated and held for parents to pick-up the first time. The second time, the item will be held until June.

School District of Philadelphia Acceptable Use of Technology        

• The Internet is a rich source of information, and provides opportunities for research, skill development and communication. All students have access to the Internet in their classrooms and in the Instructional Media Center.
•                                                         
• Parents should monitor their child(ren)’s use of the home computer. Parents should periodically check the sites visited such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter. This recommendation is suggested to protect the safety of your child.
•                                                         
• At the beginning of each school year, each parent and child will be given an Acceptable Use of Technology Policy. The contents are summarized below.                                 

Cyber-bullying occurs by use of electronic or communication devices through means of email, instant messaging, text messaging, blogs, photo and video sharing, chat rooms, bash boards, or websites and is prohibited per School District of Philadelphia policy. Should cyber-bullying affect the function of school, the school will take disciplinary action.        

1. Acceptable Use                                

• At school, students may use the Internet for research, to learn, and to communicate with others. Students agree to trail the rules of appropriate behavior while on the Internet.
• Students will not copy material and say that they wrote it themselves.        
• Students will cite all URLs that they use.
• Students will use web sites that are suitable for children.                        
• Students will not download any music or plug-ins that take up valuable bandwidth and slow down the system.                                                
• The use of file sharing and media streaming services, such as downloading and listening to music on the Internet is wasteful, disruptive, and is STRICTLY PROHIBITED on all District computers and networks.                                

2. Privileges

Being able to use the Internet is a privilege, and teachers, staff and administrators are the decision-makers when it comes to whether a student uses the Internet. If a student does not use the Internet appropriately, then Internet privileges will be eliminated.                

3. Etiquette

Students are expected to follow rules for appropriate behavior on the Internet. These include, but are not limited to, the following.                        

• Students will be polite when writing a message.                                        
• Students will use appropriate language.                                                
• Students will remember that email is not private.                                
• Students will remember that others can see what they write.        
• Information that a student retrieves from the Internet is for the student's use. The student does not own it and did not write it. A student must identify where it was found by citing the URL.                                                                         

4. Online Safety and Cyberbullying Prevention                                                 

• Students will not give their last name, address, telephone number, or parents'/ guardians' work address or work telephone number to anyone on the Internet.
• Students will not give out an email address without permission.        
• If something is found on the Internet that makes a student uncomfortable or nervous, the student will get an adult to help immediately.                        
• If a student gets a message that is mean or frightening, the student will tell a responsible adult.        
• If a student finds him/herself on an inappropriate site, the student will click the Back or Home button to leave that site within 5 seconds. The student will then tell an adult.
• Students can be disciplined for off-campus cyber-bullying that can have an adverse affect on the safety and well being of other students.                                        

5. Truthfulness

Students understand that not all information on the Internet is true. The School District of Philadelphia is not responsible for the truth or the quality of the information found on the Internet.                                        

6. Security                                        

Many students will use the Internet and it is important to have adults in charge of the system. Students will not connect to the Internet without permission. Passwords are important and students will keep their passwords secret. Students will not ask other students for their passwords.                                        

7. Vandalism

Students will lose the privilege to use the Internet, and perhaps the computers themselves, if they are responsible for any intentional damage to the computers, the computer setup, or files that belong to others.

Procedures

Discipline

Philosophy of Discipline                                                        

• The mission of Meredith School is to provide a caring and collaborative community where students are empowered to own their education experience through exploration and innovation. We cultivate reciprocal relationships between families, students, faculty, and staff. We encourage and foster a growth mindset for all members of our learning community. One of the school's most important goals is to establish an atmosphere in which students feel safe and welcome, and have the greatest opportunity to learn and grow to their fullest potential. At Meredith School, it is understood that the successful, nurturing, high-achieving school to which the faculty and staff are committed cannot exist without discipline.
•                                                         
• At the heart of Meredith School’s discipline plan is the expectation of respect and responsibility for others, our surroundings, and ourselves. A community school holds a unique position in the life of a child, moving from home into a greater role in the wider community. Helping students learn respect and responsibility takes a partnership that includes the student, family, teachers, administration and community. With the cooperation and support of home, school and community, students will grow in their understanding of what effect their actions have on the school community, and will hold increasing responsibility for their own self- discipline.
•                                                         
• It is helpful for parents/guardians to review the following expectations with their children at home, and to speak with the teacher for any clarification.
•                                                         
• Disciplinary Action
•                                                         
• Students committing any of the offenses listed below while in school or on school trips shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action. A detailed explanation of the offense and consequence will be sent home separately. Repeated offenses will be reflected in a student's report card behavior grade. This list is not exhaustive, these are just some examples.
•                                                         
• Offenses:                                                                                                         

• Derogatory Language
• Lateness                                                                                 
• Uniform violation                
• Running or making excessive noise in the school, cafeteria, hallways        
• Eating in class without permission                
• Smoking on school property
• Loitering
• Disruption of class, study, or instruction
• Showing disrespect to a teacher or other adult

• Showing disrespect to peers        
• Possession of personal electronic (beepers, pagers, cell phones, etc.)        
• Fighting, hitting or being physical        
• Stealing                                                                                 
• Spitting        
• Abuse of computer or Internet        
• Forging signatures        
• Defacing school property or other people's property        
• Cheating        
• Touching peers in inappropriate ways        
• Use of abusive, profane language or gestures        
• Bullying, harassment, threats        
• Leaving the classroom without the teacher's permission        
• Refusing to follow the directions of a teacher or any other staff member        
• Exhibiting defiant behavior

Consequences:                

• Parental notification
• Demerit (Grades 5-8)
• EH-20 (Pink Slip)        
• Loss of trip privileges        
• Suspension or removal from after-school activities                                
• Ineligibility for participation in extracurricular organizations (e.g., drama club middle school sports)        
• Suspension or removal from special in-school activities         
• Loss of privilege to attend special extracurricular activities
• After-school detention
• Suspension from school                                                        

Fighting                                                        

Fighting will result in suspension for any individuals involved. Length of suspension will depend on who started the fight. It is our policy that there are adults available throughout the day to help students mediate conflict. Fighting will not be tolerated at Meredith.        

Being Respectful to All Adults in the Building                                        

All adults in the school building are to be treated with respect. At no point in time should any student speak in a disrespectful manner to an adult in our building. That means any adult: teacher, classroom assistant, cafeteria manager, building engineer, parent or volunteer. Disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated.        

Cafeteria Norms

• Walk
• Be respectful to adults supervising in the lunchroom
• Use good table manners
• Clean up your area of the table
• Throw away your trash
• Sit at your table until you are dismissed
• Ask permission if you need to use the bathroom
• No glass bottles are allowed

Act 26 - Possession of a Weapon                                                        

The Pennsylvania General Assembly has enacted legislation (Act 26), which requires all public schools to take a mandatory course of action in dealing with a student found to be in possession of a weapon. There is no requirement that the student use or try to use the weapon. No one may carry a weapon for protection. A weapon is defined as a gun, knife, sharp object or any other object that can be used as a weapon. Act 26 is designed as a safeguard to ensure that all public schools are safe havens in which all students may interact in an environment and climate that fosters learning and strongly discourages potential acts of violence. Any student found with a weapon will be subject to automatic suspension and transfer to another Philadelphia public school or disciplinary school. Depending upon the age of the student and severity of the situation, the student may be arrested.

Uniform Dress Code Policy 2018-2019

What happens if my student is out of uniform?

Grades K-5

1. Phone call home for a change of clothes
2. If a parent cannot be reached- Uniform shirt will be provided by the office
3. Note home from Ms. Overton
4. If issue persists, meeting with Ms. Overton

Grades 6-8

1. Demerit issued
2. Loss of privileges will occur in accordance with the Middle School demerit system

MEREDITH AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES                                                                                  2018-2019

Dismissal from After School Activities

All after school activities will dismiss students to the school yard at 4:15 p.m. (The only exception is Girls on the Run.) Parents are not permitted to enter the building after 3:15 p.m. Parents should meet their child in the school yard for pick-up. The gate by the parking lot will be open. Early dismissal from after school programming is not permitted. If the student cannot stay for the entire duration of the after school program, they are not permitted to stay for programming that day.

* Indicates that club is offered for a fee

Please note:

• Many clubs and after school activities are on a first come, first serve basis.
• Many of our activities are free to all children. However, there are some that have a fee.
• Parents and children will receive information to enroll in a timely fashion.

Lost and Found

The Lost and Found is located in the cafeteria. Lost and/or unclaimed items are placed in the Lost and Found on a daily basis. Upon request, students may go to the Lost and Found (located in the office and on the hooks in the cafeteria) to look for misplaced items. Parents/guardians are asked to clearly mark children's clothing and personal property. The school will accept no responsibility for lost articles and money. All unclaimed Lost and Found items are donated to a charitable organization.

Meredith Library Policy

• Students are allowed to take out books any time. They may borrow 1 book for pleasure reading and 1 for research.
• Books must be returned or renewed each week. Books can be returned at any time, and there are room bins inside the library door for this purpose. Books may be renewed up to three times. This means a book may be borrowed for up to a month, but it must be renewed each week.
• Failure to return or renew your book on time, will result in a detention. One detention will be given for every 3 days the book is not returned.
• Damaged books must be brought into the library for repair. Please do not try to repair the book on your own. If a book is damaged beyond repair, or lost, you must pay for or replace that book.
• Please follow these simple rules and the Meredith Library will stay a place for enjoyment for everyone.

Field Trip Guidelines for Chaperones

We believe that field trips provide a valuable educational experience for students. Field trips increase student knowledge and understanding of a subject and add realism to the topic of study. Without the help of volunteer chaperones, most field trips would not be possible. Thank you very much for giving your time and support.

In order to help ensure that school-sponsored field trips result in safe and rewarding experiences for all participants, we have prepared these guidelines to provide information about volunteering as a field trip chaperone.

Walking Slips

Walking slips will be distributed at the beginning of the year and be returned immediately. This serves as a rolling permission slip for neighborhood trips. These trips will be announced with prior notice by the teachers.

Becoming a Volunteer Field Trip Chaperone

Student safety is our paramount concern.  All volunteers must have notified the teacher in advance of the field trip of their desire to chaperone. Not all parent volunteers can always attend a field trip due to space or destination rules. All volunteers must complete a Chaperone Application Form.

Guidelines for Volunteer Chaperones

Before the field trip, the classroom teacher will provide you with information regarding the activities planned for the trip, expectations for supervising students and emergency procedures.  

In addition, the following general guidelines will help you be a good chaperone.  If you have questions regarding these guidelines, please speak to the teacher or the principal.

1. Chaperones must maintain a positive attitude and tone throughout the trip. We reserve the right to not allow parents to chaperone if they exhibit negative behaviors around the students.
2. All school rules apply on school sponsored field trips.  Chaperones are expected to follow school rules, follow the directions given by the coordinating teacher, work cooperatively with other volunteers and school staff members, and serve as a role model for students.  The chaperone will follow the trip plan developed by the teacher.
3. Students must be supervised at all times while at a school-sponsored event.  As a chaperone, you will supervise a small group of students, helping them learn and making sure they behave well and are safe.  Students must stay with you, their chaperone, at all times. Check to make sure you know where all students are regularly and before changing activities.  Be sure you know when and where to meet the rest of your group at the end of the visit.  Count, count, count, all day!
4. Student behavior is your responsibility. School rules related to student behavior apply. Go over the rules and standards of behavior, safety rules, and any site-specific rules with students.  Ensure that students do not get involved in any extra activities not pre-approved by the teacher. You are responsible for student behavior, but it is the responsibility of the teacher to discipline a student who is misbehaving.
5. Chaperones are responsible for ALL of the children in their assigned group, not just their own children.
6. Chaperones and their assigned students must stay with the large group or on the destination property at all times unless the teacher in charge has stated otherwise.
7. Chaperones:

• May not use or possess alcohol or drugs.
• May not use tobacco.
• May not administer any medications, prescription or nonprescription, to students.
• May not use a cell phone for non-emergency or non-trip related purposes. It is not acceptable for outside work or reading to be completed while you are supervising students.
• Must adhere to the field trip itinerary and not deviate from it.
• Must be properly attired and refrain from using foul language. Keep the conversations age-appropriate.

8. For the protection of both the student and the chaperone, chaperones should not be alone with a student at any time– for example in the vehicle, in a restroom, etc.
9. Siblings and family members may not participate in a school-sponsored field trip. Young children can easily distract you from your primary responsibility of supervising your group of students.
10. Be sure you know what to do in an emergency (medical emergency, natural emergency, lost child, serious break of rules, etc.).  Know who is First Aid trained, where the First Aid kit is located and where your cell phone is.  Keep the cell phone contact number of the teacher and other chaperones available. Contact the teacher immediately in the event of an accident or emergency situation
11. Please follow the directions of the docents and guides even if other groups do not.
12. When transporting students, stay with the group, do not make unauthorized stops unless there is an emergency, do not skip planned stops and make sure that all students have the appropriate safety restraints.

We ask that chaperones acknowledge that their participation is important to the learning experience of the students involved, and that they will follow the above guidelines. Failure to follow any of the above guidelines may result in the chaperone being removed from the chaperone list.

Thank you for your attention to these field trip chaperone guidelines.                

• Parent-Teacher Conferences

•                                                         
• Communication among parents/guardians, teachers, and school personnel is essential to a successful educational program. Conferences are of prime importance in sharing information about a child's progress during the school year. They provide opportunities for the exchange of information between parents/guardians and a child's teacher regarding academic and emotional growth.
•                                                         
• Report card conferences, involving the parents/guardians and teachers, are held at the end of the first and second marking periods, at which time report cards are distributed. These conferences are usually scheduled for 10 -15 minute blocks of time. Conferences must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance. If parents/guardians are unable to attend the conference at the scheduled time, the teacher must be notified at least 24 hours prior to the conference. If a longer conference is needed to address particular issues, a separate appointment should be made with the teacher.         

In addition to the above regularly scheduled conferences, a parent/guardian may arrange a conference at any time during the school year. Appointments can be made either by sending a note to the teacher or leaving a phone message for the teacher. The teacher will return the call so that a mutually convenient time can be arranged.

Meeting with the Principal

If you would like to meet with Principal Overton, you must schedule an appointment with Ms. Cheri our school secretary or through email. You can contact her at loverton@philasd.org. Please allow for a 24 - 48 hour turnaround period regarding e-mail correspondence. Please be reminded that for our school to grow further, a majority of the day is needed for observation in classrooms and grade group meetings with the faculty.

Classroom Visits                                

Parents/Guardians are welcome to visit their children's classroom at the Meredith School. However, to limit interruption of instructional time, parents/guardians who wish to schedule a visit need to contact the teacher to make sure this is ok.

Parents/Guardians must go to the front office and sign in the visitor log book prior to entering the classroom. A lanyard or volunteer badge must be worn when visiting. Please allow a few minutes for this in advance of your scheduled visit time. For safety and security reasons, visitors are only permitted in the classroom when the classroom teacher is present.                                 

Class Parents

Class parents are not responsible for collecting money for school activities including field trips, 8th grade dues, or donations to the Home and School Association.

Home and School Association

General email: meredithhomeandschool@gmail.com

Website: http://www.meredithmatters.org

The Home and School Association is a 501(c)(3) organization that sponsors community- building events for children and their families, provides information to parents about how to support their children at the School and raises funds to enhance student programs.General membership meetings of the HSA take place once a month during the School year and are organized to offer information and to permit parents and guardians to participate in discussions about current issues. All parents and guardians are automatically members of the HSA and are encouraged to participate in its many activities throughout the year. There is a Home and School Association mailbox in the Main Office at the School.

Meredith School Advisory Council (SAC)

General email: sacmeredith@gmail.com

The School Advisory Council is an advisory body formed by the School District of Philadelphia to support parent involvement to advance student achievement. Nine members serve on the PAS SAC: principal, two staff members selected by the PFT building committee, home and school association president, four parent representatives elected by the families and a community representative

Tips to Keep Up To Date

• Review the monthly school calendar sent home at the beginning of each month.
• “Like” our official Facebook page: William M. Meredith School
• Follow us on Instagram @official_meredith_school
• Check out our website: https://meredith.philasd.org/
• Make sure your phone number is up to date with the office so you receive our robo calls.
• Attend our monthly coffee with the principal.
• Familynet/Family Portal Gradebook: the SDP’s grade book allows you to see your child’s cumulative grades each marking period. Login in through www.philasd.org

Meredith Middle School, Meredith Specials, and Lunch Schedules

2019 - 2020

Middle School Roster 2019 - 2020

2:00 - 3:00                         Middle School Enrichment Schedule

Meredith Middle School Specials Schedule

2019 - 2020

Meredith Specials Schedule 2019 - 2020

William M. Meredith School

2019 - 2020

Regular Day Lunch Schedule

10:15 - 10:30                        Recess- Kindergarten B5, 105

10:30 -11:00 am                         Lunchroom- Kindergarten B5, 105

                                                    Lunchroom                            Recess

11:00 -11:22 am                         1st  & 201 (1st graders)              2nd  & 201 (2nd graders)

11:22 -11:45 am                         2nd  & 201 (2nd graders)          1st  & 201 (1st graders)                     

12:00 -12:22 pm                        3rd                                           4th/5th

12:22 -12:45 pm                        4th/5th                               3rd

1:00 - 1:15 pm                                 6th/7th                                                8th

1:15 - 1:30 pm                             8th                                       6th/7th

*Teachers please be on time when dropping off and picking up students

Early Dismissal Lunch Schedule

9:30 - 9:45 am                             6th and 7th grade -lunch        8th grade -recess

9:45 - 9:55 am                           8th grade- lunch                   6th and 7th grade -recess

10:00 - 10:20 am                         4th and 5th grade

10:30 - 10:50 am                         3rd grade

11:00 -11:20 am                         1st grade and 2nd grade

11:30 -11:50 am                         Kindergarten

*Teachers please be on time when dropping off and picking up students