Meridian High School

“To inspire and challenge active learners to positively impact a changing world.”

1. Principal's Message
2. T-3 This Week
3. Family Input - Sexual Health Education Curriculum Material
4. HSBP Deadline - Seniors
5. College Bound Scholarship
6. Counselor Information
7. Scholarships
8. Senior Pictures for Yearbook
   
9. Senior Grad Ads
10. Hot Lunches for Next Week
    
11. Teacher Feature
12. National Holiday
    
13. Attendance Information
    
14. Bell Schedule
15. MHS Building Entrance
16. Meridian Class Booster Club Information
17. MHS Points of Contact

The last days of October mean the regular fall sports season is coming to a close. Our players and coaches have worked hard throughout the season to represent our school and community in a positive way. We wish them further success as teams begin their post-season runs.

As we look ahead into November, the days get a little shorter and the temperature gets colder. This week marks the halfway point of the first semester. If you haven't already done so, I hope you have signed up for Google Guardian to get daily or weekly updates of class information. A separate email was sent to all families about this earlier in October.

There is also an option in Skyward that provides a weekly progress report sent to your email. As busy as we all are it is sometimes easy to forget to check grades and missing assignments. The weekly email not only shares current progress but serves as a great reminder to follow up on any classes, ask questions at home or contact a teacher. Information about this option is listed later in the newsletter.

Please let me know if there is additional information we can share that would be helpful. We are so glad to have students back on campus and want to make sure both you and your student have resources available to maximize success.

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Go Trojans!

Derek O. Forbes

Senate Bill 5395, passed by the State Legislature in 2020, requires that all schools provide comprehensive sexual health education by the 2022–23 school year. Beginning in November, a Meridian task force will review and recommend curriculum and educational materials for sexual health instruction.

We are inviting families to complete a short survey to provide input to our Meridian School District Comprehensive Sexual Health Education Curriculum Identification Task Force. Your input will help us to select materials that best meet the needs of our students and families.

The due date for your High School and Beyond Plan has been set for December 15. This is a graduation requirement for the state of Washington. Seniors are continuing in the existing plan that they have been working on during their time in high school. Your complete plan must have a resume’ uploaded. There is no specific resume’ template that you must follow, but it must include a minimum of one reference.

If you have questions regarding the plan, please make an appointment with your counselor.

Congratulations to Landon Rische, a senior at Meridian High School. He is the first scholarship winner of the year. Landon wrote an essay for the Dave Henderson “Toys for Kids” scholarship and was one of eight students across the state chosen for a $5,000 scholarship. Rick Rizzs, the voice of the Seattle Mariners, along with other members of the organization surprised Landon at school on Wednesday, Oct. 27th. Applying for scholarships pays off - you can be a winner too!

See the scholarship database and start applying today!

Monday - Beef or Chicken Burger on WG Bun

Tuesday - Nugget and Mashed Potato Bowl

Wednesday - Bean and Cheese Burrito

Thursday - Rice Bowl

Friday - Nachos

Mr. Holz is the art teacher at MHS. He has been teaching here for the past 24 years, and this is his 25th year! He also used to go to the Meridian District when he was in school. He loves MHS because he’s from the community, and feels like it’s the best place for him. Mr. Holz says his favorite time to do art would be on the weekends, in his classroom, working independently. His favorite free time activities are running, coaching cross country and track and field, watching his own kids doing sports at college, having quality family time, and going on sweet, small adventures with his wife. He says his favorite things about teaching are the general interactions with the students and getting to know them. He loves to watch them grow and develop. One of the highlights that he can’t forget from his teaching career would be when one of his seniors had the opportunity to show her art at an art show in Bellingham. He said seeing the variety and growth from the four years she did art was something that he wouldn’t forget any time soon.

Students say that Mr. Holz is “very dedicated to the teams he coaches,” “has the best and funniest stories to tell,” and “doesn’t pressure his students, and always has a joke.”

Mr. Degrace is the music director here at MHS. He’s been working at Meridian for the past 13 years. What he loves about MHS is that it’s a small, tight knit school, where everyone knows everyone; and the staff always try to work together. His favorite thing about teaching at MHS is seeing his students working together for a common goal, and building a type of culture in his classroom. His favorite free time activities include cooking, woodworking, and making music. He said he prefers composing music over playing music any day. Outside of school Mr. Degrace also teaches a marching band in Everett in the fall time. The ongoing highlight in his time of teaching at MHS would be the amazing spring concerts. He loves seeing all the musicians from the high school and the middle school join together and do what they love, play music.

Students say that he “makes music fun and enjoyable,” keeps his students in mind at all times,” and “seems less like a teacher and more like a friend,”

Teacher Feature is provided by Bhavnoor Dhatt. Bhavnoor is a leadership student that will be providing the Teacher Feature as part of her personal project for Leadership class.

Diwali or Deepawali, known as the ‘festival of lights,’ is usually celebrated in October or November, and is on November 4 this year. Lasting over five days, the holiday is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs worldwide. The name of this festival is derived from ‘avali,’ which means ‘row,’ and ‘deepa,’ meaning ‘clay lamps.’ When merged, these words mean ‘a row of lights.’ For this reason, lights are symbolic of this festival and Indians go overboard with sparklers and fireworks to fuel the inner light that spiritually protects them from the darkness.

Diwali brings with it happy tidings and a promise of a better tomorrow. People zealously light lamps in their houses and throw grand feasts to celebrate happiness, good times, and good fortune. Purity, cleanliness, and brightness are all synonymous with Diwali. The new harvest and new financial year in the business community also begins on this occasion.

Diwali festivities last five days. On the first day, people clean their houses and buy kitchen utensils or gold as a sign of good fortune. On the second day, colorful decorations and clay lamps are furnished. Day three, the main day of Diwali, brings families together for Lakshmi pooja, during which they praise the Goddess Lakshmi and host grand dinners. The same festivities then continue on days four and five, with the exchange of gifts and welcoming families and friends into homes.

Being present in class is vital to be successful in school. We want to encourage all of our students to be at school every day! If you are missing school, you are missing out on learning!

If your kids miss a day or even part of a day of school for whatever reason, please contact our attendance secretary, Mrs. McMains by either phone (360-318-2260) or email (tgmcmains@meridian.wednet.edu)with the reason for the absence. If they are going to miss because of an illness, please call or email in the morning and let us know! If there is a planned absence, please contact her and she will take care of notifying teachers. If she is unable to answer the phone right at that moment, please feel free to leave the information on her voicemail.

The MHS office is open 7:30am - 3:30pm, Monday through Friday. To enter the building, you will need to go to the door by the auditorium. The doors to the main building will be open form 7:30am-8:00am every morning. The doors will be locked at 8:00am and unlocked again at 2:30pm. There will be someone stationed at the door to help students and families upon their arrival at school during school hours.

Hey senior parents, get connected to other parents in this grade by joining the Facebook Group "Meridian High School Class of 2022." Also, for upcoming announcements pertaining to the class of 2022, please email meridianhs2022@gmail.com and include the following information:

Your Name:

Seniors Name:

Email:

Phone Number

Please help support this year’s graduating class fundraise for graduation & a senior trip. They are selling amazing NubaySoft D-Luxe blankets. Use your Meridian Blanket at home, at the park or at the game and show your great Meridian spirit. They are $75 and you can reserve yours here: https://sites.google.com/spectatorblankets.com/meridiantrojans/home

Derek Forbes, Principal: dforbes@meridian.wednet.edu

Andy Donahue, Assistant Principal: adonahue@meridian.wednet.edu

Cheryl McBride, Counselor A-J: cmcbride@meridian.wednet.edu

Don McMains, Counselor K-Z: dmcmains@meridian.wednet.edu

Tami McMains, Attendance: tgmcmains@meridian.wednet.edu

Robin Brinkman, Registration: rbrinkman@meridian.wednet.edu

Chromebook Tech Support: chromebook@meridian.wednet.edu

Website-www.meridian.wednet.edu/mhs

The homepage has access to recent news.

Meridian School District on Social Media

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/meridianschooldistrict505/

Instagram: @meridianschooldistrict505

Twitter: @meridian505

The Meridian School District does not discriminate in any programs or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following employee has been designated to handle questions and complaints of alleged discrimination: Title IX, ADA, and Compliance Coordinator (RCW 28A.640/28A.642) Kurt Harvill, Director of Personnel, 214 W. Laurel Rd., Bellingham WA 98226. 360-398-7111. Section 504 questions