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. Scheduling Your Conference
4. Vaccine Clinic
5. Drive Thru Testing
6. DO-IT Scholar Program
7. Website Survey
8. Hot Lunch Menu
9. National Holiday
   
10. Student Art
11. Counselor Information
12. Requesting Transcripts through Parchment
13. Attendance Information
    
14. Bell Schedule
15. MHS Building Entrance
16. Meridian Class Booster Club Information
17. MHS Points of Contact

We started our first full week of second semester this past week. The beginning of a new semester includes a fresh start in year-long classes, new semester-long classes, and preparation for student-led parent/teacher/student conferences next week.

All students with a Homeroom will prepare information to share during either an afternoon session on 2/8, 2/9 or 2/10. There is also an evening session on the 9th. You can start signing up for a time beginning Monday at 9:30am. Information on how to sign up can be found later in this newsletter.

We are excited to have you on campus and for your student to share about next year (including post-high school plans, making up credit for Incomplete or F grades, and talking about Running Start).

We believe this information will help with further planning in the spring as students register for classes for next year or work on their senior presentation.

If you have further questions about conferences or other questions about things taking place on campus please call us in the office (360-398-8111) or email me at dforbes@meridian.wednet.edu.

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Go Trojans!

- Derek

Meridian High School will be on an early release schedule so winter conferences can take place on February 8th, 9th and 10th.

Parent/Guardians can go into their Skyward account to schedule a conference with their student's Homeroom teacher on the either one of those afternoons or the evening of the 9th.

Below are three different ways to review instructions for setting up your conference. There is a video, a tip sheet, and an instruction packet for you to use. Conferences sign ups will begin Monday morning, Jan. 31st, at 9:30am. The earlier you schedule your conference the more times available to pick from in the Scheduler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs2WKxHtAfc&authuser=0

Health Commons Project is providing Meridian families an opportunity to sign up for free COVID-19 vaccines for children 5 years of age and older. The vaccine clinic will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 4 at Meridian High School, 194 W. Laurel Road. Appointments are required.

The clinic is offering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, both initial doses and boosters are available. No insurance is required.

For children under the age of 18, a parent must be present and consent is required. The vaccine will not be administered without parent consent submitted prior to the appointment.

Families must register for an appointment online as space is limited. If all appointments are filled, families can request to be put on a waiting list.

For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the CDC website or Washington State Department of Health website.

A drive-thru COVID-19 testing site will be open from 3 to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at Meridian Middle School beginning Jan. 31. The testing site will be open to Meridian students, families and staff. No appointment is necessary.

Students will be able to participate in the COVID-19 Student Survey in their Homeroom classes on Monday, February 14th.

The COVID-19 Student Survey was created by OSPI and UW to help capture the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of students during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, students have had to adjust to new ways of learning, socializing, and living. The purpose of this survey is to help teachers, school leaders and parents understand how they can better help meet the needs of their students. The survey is anonymous, voluntary and will be administered to students in grades 6 to 12.

Families can review a copy of the survey ahead of time and students may opt-out of taking the survey. Families can also review this Information for Parents and Students with frequently asked questions.

Have more questions about the survey? Feel free to contact contact@wacovidstudentsurvey.org.

If you wish to have your child not participate on the 14th please email Katie Miller at kmiller@meridian.wednet.edu. Students who do not participate in the survey will be given an alternative activity during that time.

We'd like to invite you to take a short survey about the Meridian School District website. We are currently working on many improvements and would appreciate your feedback. Our goal is to launch a new website in the fall. Please share your feedback by Feb. 4. Thank you!

Monday - Nachos

Tuesday - Nugget & Mashed Potato Bowl

Wednesday - Corn Dog

Thursday - Spicy Chicken Burger on WG Bun

Friday - Mariner Hot Dog and Fries

Groundhog Day on February 2 is the day when we ask are we in for six more weeks of Winter or will we have an early Spring? Only a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil knows for sure. Each year on Groundhog Day, people flock to Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to await the forecast of the local rodent celebrity. Originating with German settlers, who came to Pennsylvania in the 1700s and brought their seasonal superstitions with them, legend has it that if Phil sees his shadow on February 2, the winter chill will continue. Oddly, if the weather is cloudy and he doesn’t see his shadow, we can expect warmer temperatures and early spring.

Meridian High School has partnered with parchment.com to fulfill transcript requests for current students and MHS alumni. Transcripts are securely sent electronically to colleges and universities across the nation, resulting in a reduction of lost documents at the financial aid offices. The service is free of charge to current students. Alumni pay a small fee. Please make sure that your intended college accepts electronic transcripts.

Please find the “Order transcripts through Parchment” link under Families & Students/Resources on the MHS website. Current students may call Mrs. Brinkman or Mrs. Waterman to receive their Parchment access code at the MHS office 360-398-8111.

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

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