Click the image to download your entry form for the 2013 Meridian Public School Foundation Golf Tournament. See you at Shuksan Saturday, June 29th.
May 042013
Steven Auld Jr Memorial Scholarship
Uncategorized
Comments Off
Mar 192013
“A beloved husband, son, brother and a great friend to many within the Laurel community, this endowment was created to keep Steven’s memory alive and strong at the Meridian School District.”
Learn more about the latest Meridian Public School Foundation endowment here.
Contributions can be made here or by contacting the MPSF.
Feb 122013
A crew of volunteers recently worked to dismantle pieces of the Meridian High School’s old gym. They will be sold as memorabilia items with all proceeds going towards the Meridian Public School Foundation to provide scholarship funding. Please contact Paul Kratzig at 360-319-1727 to place an order.
Gym lockers are available in sets of 3, 4, and 6 ranging in price from $200-$350.
Clear grain fir from the 1950′s in 1″ x 11″ 16′ lengths is also available, call Paul for pricing and availability.
Gymnasium floor pieces are currently being finished and framed and will be available soon.
A big thanks goes out to the community members who assisted in various capacities with the project:
John Holz, Jim Holz, Bill and Mary Chambers, Duane Zander, Al Larsen, Dave Cirnich, Sara B, Selena, Paul K., Don Boyd, Gary Squires, Mike Bucholz, Gary York, Lee Stockton, and Ron Vekved.
Scholarship Recipient Says Thank You
Uncategorized
Comments Off
Jan 232013
I would first off like to thank the Meridian Public School Foundation for their support over the years. It has almost been six years since I graduated in 2007. The path leading to where I am today, all started back at Meridian High School. Whether it was Mr. Shick pushing us to understand AP Calculus, Mr. Protzeller pushing us to better our writing capabilities, or Mr. Lawrence pushing us to comprehend world issues. All through high school I kept hearing that the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields would be growing and producing jobs in the near future. I have always had an aptitude for the construction industry, so why not go after a good job doing something I enjoyed. Somewhere between high school and community college, I decided to head for the engineering field. After I graduated I went to Whatcom Community College to receive my Associate of Arts and Sciences degree. I focused my studies in math and sciences which would help when I transferred to a 4-year college. While I was at Washington State University I started receiving financial help from the McClellan Trust Fund through the MPSF. From the time I started at Washington State to the time I graduated, tuition jumped over 30%. A lot of students are working to pay for these increased costs of college, which makes it very difficult to put adequate time into the courses. The McClellan Trust fund allowed me to approach the rigorous coursework without having to work during the school year. I was not only able to excel in my coursework, but become part of campus life. I was able to spend time at sporting events, enjoy intramurals, and attend engineering clubs. During my time in Pullman we were exposed to many Professional Engineers, Marketing Reps, and peer interns in the Industry, one of which lead to my current position as a Project Engineer here in Bellingham. I would like to thank the Meridian staff, the MPSF board members, and Mr. McClellan for supporting my journey.
Kyle M. Aamot
Own a piece of Meridian’s history
Uncategorized
Comments Off
Dec 202012
Ever the creative thinking entrepreneur, MPSF president Paul Kratzig has announced a deal recently struck to raise funds for Foundation scholarships that will allow Meridian grads and community members to own a piece of history.
In early February, a crew of volunteers will begin to dismantle and prepare for sale pieces of Meridian High’s ‘Old Gym’. Items will include portions of the gym floor, baskets and backboards, scoreboards, the beautiful clear grain fir seats from the east side of the gym, lockers from the shower room and a variety of other small items. The gym floor will be cut and finished in twelve inch squares and sold to former players from basketball and volleyball teams. Material from benches will be used to frame portions of the floor, which will make a beautiful border in contrast to the floor.
As Paul aptly described, “This is a way the old jocks can own a piece of history. I know one player who wants the bench he warmed for three years on the basketball team in the late fifties.”
Naturally, all proceeds from sale of memorabilia will put put directly to use in providing awards and scholarships for the ongoing education of graduates of Meridian High School. Please contact Paul Kratzig at 360- 319-1727 with any inquiries regarding the project.
Golf Tournament Fundraiser Recap
Uncategorized
Comments Off
Jul 062012
The Meridian Public School Foundation’s Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser was held on
Saturday, June 23, 2012 at Shuksan Golf Course. The golf, food, and camaraderie could not
have been better. It’s always a pleasure to see the alumni that participate; each year we are
humbled by the amounts of non-alumni who come out to support the Meridian Public School
Foundation. Continue reading »
Meridian’s Mr. Lawrence selected as Washington History Teacher of the Year
Uncategorized
Comments Off
Jun 162012
Meridian High’s Steve Lawrence knows his place in history class
Published: June 14, 2012
By KIE RELYEA — THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
Picked as 2012 Washington History Teacher of the Year
LAUREL – The Meridian High School seniors sitting in a circle in Steve Lawrence’s class are talking to each other about what they believe when it comes to God and the afterlife.
The 51-year-old Lawrence has been named the 2012 Washington History Teacher of the Year and the discussion – fed by questions from Lawrence – shows the approach that has earned him the honor. Continue reading »
Apr 182012
via the Bellingham Herald:
1916-2012
“Home again,
Home again . . .”
Mary Alice Pratt Rowe, born December 4, 1916 in Burley, Cassia County, Idaho to Sarah Etta Bailey and Leonidas Moroni Pratt passed away on April 15, 2012 in St. Louis, Missouri where she had been living for the past two years with her daughter, Deanne and her husband Bob. Previous to that she had lived for fourteen years with her children in Utah. She was 95 years old and, in her own words, “it has been a good life.” She was the second oldest of eight children. She attended elementary schools in Canada and Bellingham, Washington and graduated from Meridian High School in 1935.
(more after the jump)
Meridian Names New Superintendent
Uncategorized
Comments Off
Apr 092012
via the Bellingham Herald, March 28 2012
The superintendent of the 300-student Hood Canal School District will be the new superintendent for Meridian schools beginning in July.
The Meridian School Board on Tuesday, March 27, unanimously selected Tom Churchill to replace Tim Yeomans, who is leaving the top job at Meridian to be superintendent of Puyallup schools.
“Tom Churchill has more experience and more credentials to effectively run the school district,” school board chairman Brian Evans said.
“He understands rural school districts like Meridian. I think he’s going to extend the good work done at Meridian,” Evans added.
Churchill beat out David Forsythe for the superintendent post. Forsythe is executive director of teaching and learning for Meridian School District and former principal for Ten Mile Creek Elementary School in the district.
“I feel honored to be selected. I look forward to building relationships with the people in Meridian. We’re in a people business so it’s all about relationships,” said Churchill, who also is principal in the Hood Canal School District.
He said he looked forward to being part of Meridian’s leadership team – comprised of core administrators, principals, assistant principals and department leaders in the school district – and working with the school board.
Churchill, 49, praised the work that Yeomans has done.
“Tim will be a hard act to follow,” he said, adding that Yeomans “is a pretty dynamic guy” and that there were many good things in place in Meridian because of his leadership.
Meridian School District has about 2,100 students, and Yeomans has been its superintendent since July 2007.
As for his plans for Meridian, Churchill said that will be guided by a transition plan being put together by Yeomans and the school board.
“They’re in the middle of some pretty major construction projects, so that will obviously be a high priority,” Churchill said. “I need to get to know the leadership team and the work that’s being done there and to get up to speed. My highest priority will be building relationships with folks in Meridian.”
Churchill also has previous experience as a superintendent when he served in that capacity in the Entiat School District from 2002 to 2004.
Although he’s coming from a smaller school district – with a $4.6 million budget compared to Meridian’s $17.5 million – Churchill said he will be able to hit the ground running because the responsibilities of state reporting and budgeting are the same for all school districts in Washington state.
“We all have the same responsibilities to the state and federal government and local taxpayers no matter the size of your school district,” he said.
Churchill also was a finalist for superintendent of the nearly 2,000-student Mount Baker School District, but the Mount Baker school board last week picked Charlie Burleigh, principal of Kendall Elementary School, to be the new superintendent.
Churchill said he was interested in coming to Whatcom County as a step up in his career and also because he had two grown sons in Bellingham.
“We spent a lot of time, my wife Patty and I, in Bellingham visiting our sons,” he said, adding that one son has moved to L.A. to try to make it as an actor.
The Puyallup School District board hired Yeomans for the Puyallup superintendent job on March 6. That district has about 21,100 students.
Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/03/28/2458120/hood-canal-schools-superintendent.html#storylink=misearch#storylink=cpy
Jan 232012
The Meridian Public School Foundation is proud to announce a partnership with the Meridian FFA Booster Club to award college scholarships for Meridian High School students having participated in Future Farmers of America.
More information on the scholarship is available here.
To donate to the FFA Booster Club Scholarship or any other click here or contact the Meridian Public School Foundation at 360-676-0507.