Meridian High School
November 15th - 21st, 2020
Our Mission:
Principal's Message
I wanted to provide some additional detail about events I shared last week that are taking place this month.
This Friday morning, November 20th, our freshmen are invited to attend Freshman Orientation to meet some of their teachers and become more familiar with MHS. We are excited to have our students on campus for a few hours. District safety protocols will be in place which includes having students wear masks properly, temperature checks, social distancing, and cleaning between classes. Further information will come out later this week in Homeroom, on our website, and phone calls home.
The decision to have a Freshman orientation at this time was to help our freshmen students transition to on-campus learning which is scheduled to begin on November 30th. More information around the switch to hybrid learning can be found in last week's superintendent's message (https://www.meridian.wednet.edu/blog/2020/11/12/superintendents-message-12/). If you have a student that will not be able to attend school in-person due to health or safety concerns, please contact me at the number or email listed below. MHS will not be able to continue the same remote teaching model when we shift to a hybrid model, so it is important to know what students and families can expect when not able to attend school on campus and to work to find a short-term solution until the end of the semester. At that time there may be another longer-term solution to finish out the year.
We will continue to plan over this month for a smooth transition to hybrid learning on the 30th. More information regarding hybrid learning and the hybrid daily schedule will be sent out next week. We look forward to having our students back on campus.
Please read through this week's newsletter to learn about other activities taking place. If you have questions about what I shared or anything else you read in this week's newsletter, please contact me by phone at 360-398-8111 or by email at dforbes@meridian.wednet.edu.
Stay safe. Stay healthy. Go Trojans!
Derek O. Forbes
T3 is designed for students to receive the support they may need in a particular class. This could be making up an assessment or working with someone in a small group to help ensure that concepts are being understood. Teachers can assign students to attend a T3 in which case attendance is mandatory.
Weekly Tech Tip
Here are some great tips to help your students be successful during remote learning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvVLauI73mM&feature=youtu.be
Trojan Wellness and Resources
Freshmen Counselor Meetings
The counselors need every freshman to schedule a telephone meeting with their counselor. This is different than the Parent / Teacher conferences that some of you may be having. The purpose of this meeting is to give both parties an opportunity to meet. We want to know how high school is going and just to check in on all of the students and their lives.
We also have to start the process of the state graduation requirement of the High School and Beyond Plan. There are several pieces of this plan that need to be completed during the freshman year. We are using a new computer platform this year, so all of us are starting at the very beginning! Our genuine desire is for every student to get off to a fantastic start so that as they progress through high school this plan is useful in planning for classes in high school and creating a viable plan for the years after high school.
For the week of Nov. 16 (Monday through Thursday only) and the days prior to Thanksgiving, our available times will be in the morning at 8:30, 9:15 or 10:00. After Thanksgiving, our available times will be from 1:30, 2:00 and 2:30 (again, Mondays through Thursdays).
Please call the high school office 360 398-8111 to schedule your meeting.
Please note that you are to call your counselor at your appointment time.
Jostens Senior Week
Attention Seniors and Families: Senior Week will be Next Week, November 16th through November 22nd. Senior Week is a week that Jostens has set aside to help you prepare for graduation. (cap, gowns, announcements, etc.) There will be a special class meeting Tuesday at 6:00 pm. You will meet with Scott from Jostens via Zoom. Parents are welcome to join. Scott will walk you through the ordering process and answer families most common questions. Please watch your email for a zoom link for the November 17th meeting. This information, including the zoom link was sent to senior students. If you do not receive the link, please email kgookstetter@meridian.wednet.edu. Mrs. Gookstetter will send you the link.
Click the link below to start preparing for Senior Week!
https://jostenspnw.clickfunnels.com/have-you-registeredncot5fr1
Food Service Update
The plan for food service will continue as usual on Monday and Thursday even with the 3-5 grades coming back to IRE.
The week of Nov 23rd (Thanksgiving week), we will hand out a 5-day meal kit on Monday the 23rd. There will be no food service on Thursday the 26th.
The week of Nov 30, when the MS and HS students start to return, we will move to daily meal service at all three campuses, Monday thru Thursday, with our meal kit disbursement (5-day meal kit) going to just Fridays. We will still have delivery, drop and go at Cordata and Pollman, and pickup at the MS. All times will stay the same EXCEPT, the MS time will be changed to 11:00 -12:30. This decision is based on weather, staffing, transportation, logistics and discussing with the other north end districts what they are doing.
We are also planning on moving inside the front doors of the MS. This will help keep the employees warm and out of the elements, the glass will allow us to see people arrive and with the tent that maintenance has been putting up for us, allow the employees to stay dry. And since it's Friday, students shouldn't be an issue.
If anyone has any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to reach out.
--
Rob Dunn, CDM
Food & Nutrition Director
360-318-2267
CLASS Of 2021 Senior Photo Information
THE SENIOR PICTURE:
DEADLINE: Senior pictures are due Tuesday January 5th for inclusion in the senior section of the Yearbook. However; we will accept them anytime before that date. Please be aware that if you do not submit a picture, and do not get a school picture taken when/if offered at the school (ASB picture), your student will not appear in the senior section of the yearbook.
WHAT DO WE WANT?
*A picture saved at 300dpi, hi res, in a JPEG/JPG format emailed to yearbook staff at yearbook@meridian.wednet.edu . Please include the seniors first and last name in the subject line. EXAMPLE: “Smith, Tim senior pic for yearbook” If you do not receive a reply from Mr. McGrew via Yearbook email, that means your photo has not been received OR it has not been accepted. It is your responsibility to contact your photographer and have the picture sent if that is what you choose.
*Pictures should be PORTRAIT ONLY (head and shoulders/ torso)
*Keep Backgrounds neutral… nothing too busy, we will crop if needed so we can see your smiling face.
*Please no props near head or face; full-body shots may need to be cropped and/or a different photo may need to be submitted, choose neutral colors, nothing wild and full of pattern. No cars, no animals. Keep the school dress code in mind.
We RESERVE the right to not use a picture deemed inappropriate.
SENIOR PHOTO DEADLINE: January 5, 2021
CONTACT: Justin McGrew, MHS Yearbook Advisor
Senior Grad Ads
This is an opportunity to give your senior student a shout out! One they will remember for years to come. Hurry these pages go fast and they are available on a first-come first-serve basis. You can pay Mrs. Heslep in the office now to reserve your space. Then turn in the pictures and text your would like to include by January 5, 2021. The Senior Ad form, with your pictures and text need to be turned in no later than January 5, 2021 to Mrs. Heslep. If you have any questions, please email Mr. McGrew at jmcgrew@meridian.wednet.edu
Class of 2021 *Information Change*
Class of 2021, we are asking for your contact information
* Email Address has been updated*
Booster parents want to keep you informed of all the hard work that has been going on behind the scenes. The soon to be graduates have their Senior Trip coming up in June and we need to get you the information, so your senior can attend. Please email us at mhsclass2021@outlook.com and include:
Your Name:
Seniors Name:
Email:
Phone Number:
MHS Students of the Week
Class of 2024
MHS History Moment
What's Been Happening in the Horticulture and Floral Design Class?
The past 4 weeks horticulture students have been busy growing plants! Students picked up germination kits from the high school and sprouted their own seeds in CD cases. The compressed case allowed students to watch the entire process, label parts and analyze the differences between seeds. Another project students completed was their leaf structure project. Students gathered leaves labeled their parts and recorded the leaf type, vein pattern and leaf arrangement type.
In Floral Design, students created corsage bows and practiced their wiring skills. I am very impressed with the skill that has been shown so far in class. Keep up the good work!
The Great American Smokeout is November 19th, 2020
Request Transcripts Through Parchment
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.
ATTENDANCE INFORMATION
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!
MHS Points of Contact
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
High School Office
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Twitter: @meridian505