Meridian High School
November 8th - 14th, 2020
Our Mission:
Principal's Message
Monday morning marks the shift back to our 1/3/5 classes as we begin the second half of our fall semester.
There are other events this month that I want you to be aware of to help with your planning, beginning with the end of November.
As you may have read, Dr. Everett has shared the progress of students returning to campuses, beginning with our Kindergarteners on October 19th. With favorable results, we hope to welcome our students back at the end of this month. More information about district plans will be shared by Dr. Everett.
Freshmen - To prepare for students returning to campus, we hope to put together a "Freshmen Orientation" later this month to give 9th grade students a chance to meet their teachers and get to know different aspects of our school. There are several components to be worked out. As soon as we have a date to share we will be letting freshmen know in Homeroom and contacting freshmen households.
You may have noticed on the district calendar that we have conferences on November 24th. These conferences will be for identified students and not the entire student body. More information about our fall conferences will come out later this week.
Speaking of November 24th, both that day and November 25th will be early release days. For our virtual setting, the early release schedule means an adjustment to our bell schedule. School is tentatively scheduled to start at 10:20am and end at 12:10pm. There will be no homeroom or T3 on either of those days. We will add the early release bell schedule to the MHS webpage as well as to next week’s newsletter.
Future newsletters will share more information about these events. 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
Periods 1,3,5 Start on Monday, November 9th!
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
Our automated phone calls have begun! You should be receiving a phone call from the school if your student has missed class at some point during the school day. Please call Mrs. McMains (360 - 318 - 2260) and leave her a voicemail any time 24/7/365 to excuse an absence or to let her know of an upcoming absence. (see attendance information below)
Trojan Wellness and Resources
Running Start Students and Winter Verification Forms
It is that time again: Verification Form for Running Start registration are due. Please remember this requires that you make an appointment with your high school counselor to review your graduation requirements and your High School Beyond Plan (HSBP). During this remote time the best way to do this would be to email your counselor. Attach to your email your verification form with the student section completed and the classes you are planning to register in. The recommended Running Start classes will be discussed in your meeting.
After the meeting your counselor will send you your Verification Form with their signature. It is the students responsibility to turn the form into the college. If you attend Whatcom Community College email to rstart@whatcom.edu. If you attend Bellingham Technical college send your form to Mark O'Connor at moconnor@btc.edu.
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
Class of 2021, we are asking for your contact information
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 mhsclassof2021@outlook.com and include:
Your Name:
Seniors Name:
Email:
Phone Number:
MHS Students of the Week
Class of 2024
MHS History Moment - World War II and MHS
The most visible effect of the war on our school was the addition of a little tower on top of the school building. This tower was called the observation post, but most people referred to it as the watch tower. Every hour of the day or night you would find a student, teacher, or community member, taking the post to observe and report to the filter center in Bellingham, all planes seen or heard. These volunteer workers were under the direct supervision of the United States Army. Student volunteers, would be assigned hour long shifts during the school day. Staff and community member would fill the other shifts. This constant observation may have seemed of little importance, but if any one observer failed to report a plane, and it happened to be an enemy plane, destruction of property and loss of life might occur before this plane was spotted and reported by another observer. This aircraft warning observation post was one of the many thousands that were all over the United States. They felt, at the time, that having responsible observers across the nation could help prevent enemy bombings.
Meridian Students were like many students across America during this time. They were proud to be able to do whatever they could do to promote the war effort. They took part in observation post duty, fuel oil rationing, food rationing and took first aid courses.
Keeping the school buses running proved to be quite a problem. There was fuel rationing during the war, which caused the school to be aware of the gas usage and the wear and tear on the tires(since it was hard to get tires with the rationing). It was decided that the buses would only leave the garage for the usual bus runs. There would be no other transportation. This caused some events to be cancelled or changed.
Many Meridian students and alumni were in the military during World War II. Some students left high school to participate in the war. We thank them for their service.
*The picture next to the article, was drawn by a student for the 1942 yearbook.
Happy Veteran's Day!
Veterans Day, originally celebrated as Armistice Day, was first issued on November 11, 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson a year after the end of World War I. The purpose of Armistice day was to honor the fallen soldiers of The Great War for their sacrifice and bravery. 7 years later in 1926, Congress adopted a resolution requesting President Coolidge issue annual proclamations on November 11, making Armistice Day a legal holiday.
In 1945, World War II veteran Raymond Weeks had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans rather than just the ones who died in World War I. He led a delegation to General Dwight Eisenhower, who was all for the idea. Weeks then conducted the first Veterans Day celebration in 1945 in Alabama and every year until his death in 1985. In 1982, he was honored by President Reagan with the Presidential Citizenship Medal. Weeks was also named the “Father of Veterans Day” by Elizabeth Dole.
Ed Rees, the U.S. Representative from Emporia, Kansas, presented a bill establishing the holiday through to congress. Eisenhower, who was now President and also from Kansas, signed the bill into law on May 26, 1954, 8 and a half years after Raymond Weeks held the first Veteran’s Day. A few weeks later, June 1, Congress amended the bill replacing “Armistice” with “Veterans.” The National Veterans Award was also created in 1954, first received by Congressman Rees for his support in making Veterans Day a federal holiday. Though the holiday is currently and was originally celebrated on November 11, the day was moved to the fourth Monday of October in 1971 due to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act. However, only 7 years later in 1978, it was moved back to November 11.
We thank all Veterans everywhere for their service! Especially the ones that are MHS Alumni and Laurel Community Members! Happy Veteran's Day!
Meet Our Staff
Mike Holz
Some fun facts about Mike:
- He graduated from Meridian in 1989
- He has been teaching at MHS for 23 years. During this time he has been the cross country coach for 22 years, track coach for 23 years and the bowling coach for 1 year.
- He enjoys running. He finished in last place in every race that he ran as a freshman. He ran for Western in 1989-1993. He ran 5 marathons for Western.
- He was the youngest walker in the Walk for MS at the age of 5.
- The picture may show him holding fish, like he enjoys fishing, but he actually does not like to fish.
Don McMains
Some fun facts about Don:
- He was Mr. Stacy's high school basketball coach.
- He is VERY colorblind.
- He has 13 kids ages 4 to 40 and 10 grandkids with 2 more on the way.
- Mr. Kurz, Mr. Holz, and Mrs. Gookstetter were all in 8th grade his first year teaching at MMS.
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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