Family Newsletter 2/14/25

Dear Families,

We’re looking forward to meeting with you next week for Winter Conferences! If you haven’t yet signed up for a conference time, please refer to the information below or contact the front office for assistance. Your partnership is invaluable to us, and we truly appreciate the opportunity to connect with you and your student to discuss their progress and future goals.

Wishing you a restful—and hopefully warmer—four-day weekend!

-Todd Torgeson, Principal

-Jill Hammack, Assistant Principal

​Winter Conferences are February 18, 19, and 20. Students will be dismissed at 12:20pm.

Please sign up for a conference time on Skyward and contact the front office if you need support.

These conferences provide an important mid-year check-in to discuss:

Please sign up for a conference time on Skyward.  Please reach out to the office if you need support!

We look forward to meeting with you soon!

Olivia Engels provides reading support for students at MMS. Before students engage with a text, she clearly defines a thinking task to guide their reading. As they work through the text, she strategically pauses them at key moments to refocus their attention on the purpose set beforehand. By establishing a clear objective, Ms. Engels fosters active engagement and helps students stay focused, ensuring they understand both the expectations and the intended outcome of their learning.

This approach isn’t limited to traditional reading materials—it can be applied to any text, including books, articles, images, audio, videos, charts, or graphs!

We are committed to continuously improving our school district and providing the best education for all our students. To do that, we need your feedback!

Please take a few minutes to complete our annual survey. Your insights will help us identify key areas to focus on, ensuring we deliver the highest quality education. This survey is also crucial for tracking our progress towards the goals outlined in Our Commitments, our strategic plan.

We want to hear your thoughts on various topics, including school communication, learning expectations, and your interactions with teachers and administrators. The survey is available in multiple languages.

Please complete the survey by March 7.

​Assistance League of Bellingham (ALB) is offering summer scholarships for students in grades 6-11 (student’s grade level at time of application) who attend public schools in Whatcom County, including home-schooled students with a Whatcom public school affiliation.   The Enrichment Scholarship Program is accepting applications through March 15, 2025. For more information visit the ALB website at:

Check out the attached list of some of the summer camps/programs that students have attended in past years.

As your student prepares for high school, you may be wondering about opportunities to get a head start on college and career pathways. At Meridian High School, dual credit programs allow students to earn both high school and college credit at the same time—often at little or no cost. These courses can help students explore interests, build confidence, and prepare for the future. Check out this letter to learn more about dual credit options at MHS and how your student can take advantage of these opportunities!

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We are excited to share a great opportunity for our students. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is offering free tutoring resources through Math Nation Washington for grades 6-12. These resources are available in multiple languages, available 24/7 and includes virtual tutoring and personalized instruction. This program provides valuable support to help our students excel in math. This free tool is a great way to support your child with math at home.

To access Math Nation, have your child sign on with their district Chromebook:

Getting Started:

If you have additional questions about Math Nation please contact your teacher or Instructional Coach Cynthia Richardson, crichardson@meridian.wednet.edu.

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Applications are available now to apply for the 2025-2026 American Indian Endowed Scholarship (AIES) awards.

The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) will accept signed and completed applications that are postmarked by March 3, 2025. Applications must be accompanied with all required attachments.

To download the application and instruction materials, go to https://wsac.wa.gov/american-indian-endowed-scholarship, and click “How do I apply?” (download requires Adobe Acrobat Reader, Version 11.0 or newer)

To be eligible, an applicant must:

·         Have close social and cultural ties to an American Indian tribe or community in Washington state

·         Intend to use his or her education to benefit the American Indian community in this state

·         Be enrolled full-time for 2025-26, beginning fall term, at a participating college or university in-state

·         Have demonstrated financial need (as determined by the college financial aid office, per FAFSA)

·         Be a Washington state resident

·         Have not received a total of five years of this scholarship

There is a priority for upper-division and graduate-level students, however, all qualified applicants are considered. IMPORTANT: Late or incomplete applications will not be reviewed by the selection committee.

A selection committee composed of representatives from the American Indian community in-state will review and score the applications. The number of scholarships and amounts awarded are based on an evaluation of the interest earnings available in the endowment. Scholarships generally range between $500 to $2,000 each for the academic year. Finalists are announced in the spring.

Mail the signed application, with required attachments, postmarked by March 3, 2025, to:

American Indian Endowed Scholarship Program

Washington Student Achievement Council

PO Box 43430, Olympia, WA 98504-3430

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