The Meristem Monitor is a listing of activities and news items occurring at Meristem. This newsletter is a student-centered effort (with a parent advisor) to help students, staff, and parents stay updated on and involved in the Meristem community. For items to be listed or questions and comments, please contact Laura-Lynne Powell at lauralynne.powell@gmail.com, or Taylor Oide, Meristem Marketing Coordinator, at tayloro@meristem.pro.
February 17-21
Day Program
Donations Welcomed for Trip to Snow Country
Shea Smith, director of the Day Program, is making plans to take students to the Lake Tahoe area for a day in the snow. She is asking if anyone has fun in the snow kinds of equipment they could donate for the trip such as sleds, discs, inner-tubes. (No skis or cross country equipment will be needed). Also, the program could use unused or outgrown ski pants for men and for women, snow boots, gloves, and coats. Send these items in a bag with your student and have them drop the bags off in Shea’s office, across from the Cafe.
Talent Show Event on Saturday – All Are Welcome!
Meristem is partnering with UCP of Sacramento and Northern California (formerly United Cerebral Palsy) on a talent show to be held on the Meristem campus on Saturday, February 22. Interested students are welcome to participate in this annual event meant to provide people with disabilities an opportunity to showcase their talents. For more information, contact: rec@ucpsacto.org. Event tickets are $25 for performers and $5 for spectators. The event runs 4-6:30 p.m. Spectators are asked to register online, www.ucpsacto.org.
Mark Your Calendars for Meristem’s Craft Conference
Meristem’s first annual Craft Conference is March 15 & 16, right after the Meristem Experience. Parents who have always wanted to experience a full day in Herbal Arts, Woodworking, Metalworking, and more are encouraged to attend! Meristem instructors and community members will be teaching sessions all weekend. Register at the link here.
ILS/Dorm Program
Meristem’s Valentine’s Day Dance a Success
The Valentine’s Dance was a success! Students from both Day and ILS had a blast playing games, taking photos at the photobooth, and dancing. Students in ILS helped plan the decor, activities, and songs for the dance, and even made props for the photobooth!
TAP/Work Skills
Internships Back Up and Running in the New Semester
The Garden internship is a newer internship that Meristem is running this semester. Students in the garden internship help to take care of all of the plants, fruits, and vegetables growing in the garden, as well as the chickens and cats that live on campus. Maya, one of the students interns (pictured on the left), shares that one of her favorite parts about the internship is working with nature and seeing how the plants grow as time goes on.
Student Coordinators
Family Support Group Meetings Updated Calendar
Family support group meetings continue. Part of each session has been educational with discussions about setting up special needs trusts and conservatorship and caregiver self care. Those presentations are followed by group discussions and support. Meetings are confidential. To join or for more information, contact Shelby Takenouchi at st@meristem.pro. There are two groups, one meets Thursdays and one on Mondays.
Thursday support group meetings are 7:15-8:45 pm, by Zoom only, except as noted. Thursday meetings are held:
Feb. 20
March 6
March 20
April 3, 6-7:30 p.m. *note the time change
April 17
May 1
May 15, 6-7:30 p.m. *note the time change
Monday meetings are a hybrid option with some Zoom participants and some in person. They are ALWAYS held 1:30 -3 p.m. Monday meetings are held:
Feb. 24
March 10
March 24
April 7
April 21
May 5
May 19
Student Coordinator Helpline
A reminder that students and parents should use their SC as their primary contact and utilize the SC helpline if a quick response is needed (or to report absences, etc.) Perhaps text BOTH your SC and the helpline to be sure your message is received. The SC help line is 916.546.9422.
Cafe Updates
Bakery Donates Desserts to Fair Oaks Rotary Club
Meristem’s Bakery provided several desserts that were auctioned off at Fair Oaks Rotary Club’s 32nd annual Mardi Gras Crab feed last weekend. Chef Shannon prepared, and Twyla delivered, a gluten-free vegan lemon loaf, gluten- and dairy-free brownies, and gluten- and dairy-free chocolate chip cookies.
Cafe is Serving, But Grand Opening Delayed Until Late Winter
In order to make the Cafe the best experience for our customers, we will be postponing our grand opening until late winter/early spring. We can’t wait to serve you as best as we can! The Cafe is open to the public on a soft opening basis with a new menu on Thursdays and Fridays. Come taste our new gluten-free, dairy-free, and natural sugar menu and enjoy some soup and other delicious lunch items made from produce harvested from Meristem gardens. Email reservations to us at reservations@meristem.pro, or call us at 916.768.6390.
Administration
Mark Your Calendars for the Meristem Experience | March 13 &14
The dates have been set for this year’s family experience, two days of talks and programming to help family members and caregivers get to see up close their students’ experiences at Meristem. The program includes talks, social activities, and attending classes with your student. It is held the days before Spring Break (which is March 15-22) so family members in town to pick up their students can also attend Meristem Experience events. RSVP via the calendar invite that Salina sent out.
Thursday, March 13, 3-6 pm:
Appetizers and refreshments
Activity and snacks for day students who may be waiting for their parents
Speakers: Rhett Beal, of Van Hulzen Financial Services, specializes in legacy planning for families with special needs children; Matt Harmetz, DDS; Amy Schulz, Sierra College; several speakers from the Self Determination Program.
Friday, March 14:
7:30am – 8:30am Breakfast w/ Erin Schirm (Families only)
8:45am Morning circle
9am First session with your student
10:30am Snack
11am Second session with your student
12:30pm Lunch
1:30pm Third session (Students only)
1:30pm Recreation (Families only)
3pm Afternoon circle
Family Survey was Resent Last Week
At the end of the program year, a survey was emailed that seeks to find out more from parents and family members. It was a busy time, so Salina resent the survey last week and Erin asks that parents and family members take the time to fill it out and submit it. It is quick and easy. Information will be used to grow and improve Meristem’s programming.
Meristem Monitor Also Available Online
This newsletter is now available online, which means its contents are available at any time (including such things as the school lunch menu, always a lot of interest in that!). This is part of an overall redesign of the Meristem website. One long-range goal is to have an archive of past newsletters online so folks can search past editions. For now, the current newsletter is online. Head to Meristem’s new landing page and hit the “Latest” tab. The Monitor will also continue to be emailed weekly to students, staff, families.
Next Parent Zoom Meeting with Erin is Wednesday, February 19
Monthly parent Zoom meetings with Executive Director Erin Schirm are held the third Wednesday of the month. The next one will be on Wednesday, February 19, at 5 p.m. Salina will email families a link prior to the meeting. Contact Salina at salinas@meristem.pro if there are any questions.
Job Openings
The following job opportunities are available at Meristem: Independent Living Instructor, three positions: one the week day shift and two the weekend shift. Details on careers at Meristem are here.
