We have outstanding staff in Meridian School District, each with their own incredible story. Please take a moment to get to know the wonderful people who work for our district and make it a great place to be!
Paige Shumway, ELL Teacher at Meridian High School
“I grew up in Burien, Washington and originally came up to Bellingham to attend Western. When I started college, I had no idea what I wanted to do, but about halfway through I realized I wanted to work with young people. I credit my mom for my interest in education; she was a teacher and had a huge heart for helping others.
At the age of ten, my family moved to Paris for six months, and it was my first experience realizing how big the world was beyond my home in Washington. In college, I studied abroad in Greece and grew to love the Mediterranean area. I had always enjoyed travel, so early in my career, I decided I would move abroad to teach. I landed a job in Turkey teaching at the American Collegiate Institute, a Turkish girls’ school, and I dedicated myself to two years there. It was an incredible experience that fostered my love for different cultures and for teaching English as a Second Language (E.S.L.) students.
Though I have not traveled as much in recent years, at MHS I have taught English to students from all over the world. Through them, I have been able to continue my learning about international cultures. I have had many amazing students who have embraced the difficult challenge of navigating a new school and culture. They have gone on to attend college, own businesses, and become successful members of the community. It is inspiring to see their growth and success.
Here at MHS, I have also taught 9th grade World Cultures and enjoyed hearing students note how people around the world live and think differently than we do here. As a teacher, you just must keep your heart open and listen and learn. By doing that, I was able to see my students gain new perspectives and think outside the box.
I have worked at Meridian for 23 years and have loved being a part of this small community. It is a place where you can really know almost all the students and have great relationships with co-workers. I am retiring this year and will miss it, but I look forward to spending time outside and with my family – especially my 95-year-old mother who first inspired me to teach.” (Paige Shumway retired in June 2022 after 31 years in education. Thank you for your years of service to our staff, families and students!)
Michele Apeles, Director of Transportation
“It was my aunt who first suggested I become a bus driver. I had been working at a casino, but I didn’t like working nights anymore. I had a young son and I wanted to have my summers off to spend with him. I had been a volunteer firefighter at the Laurel station, so I knew the area. I knew the roads and addresses and I was comfortable driving a big vehicle.
I completed the training and was hired as a substitute driver for about six months until I was hired on as a regular driver. I drove route 20, which is a Special Education route. I loved it and I loved the kids. I didn’t drive the route for long before one of my colleagues got sick and I started working in the office.
This job is challenging, and it is always changing. I’m not the type of person that can do the same things day after day. I like when things get busy and hectic. That’s when I calm down, hone in and get things done. The staff here, they are my friends. I don’t ever feel like, “oh, I have to go to work.” I get to go to work. I am excited to be here. I am happy for the opportunity to work here, and everybody is just so nice and kind. We have a great group here who work so well together.
I think most people don’t know how rewarding this job is. You hear it all the time, you’re the first person kids see in the morning and the last person they see before they go home. You can change a kid’s day in a matter of seconds, you can make their day better. In Meridian, we don’t have walk zones so any kid can ride the bus if they want to. I think that’s pretty special.
I know we make a positive impact on our kids. Even the route I drove for six months, those kids remember me and smile and wave at me when I see them. Those connections that you make with them in just a short amount of time lasts forever. These are memories they’re going to remember and that’s super important to me. I just wish that everybody would want to experience that and become a bus driver.
Sometimes my husband asks me if I want to move or change jobs, and I tell him no. My heart is not anywhere but here.”
Rob Dunn, Director of Food and Nutrition
“I’ve always loved food. I started my career as a dishwasher at an Italian restaurant when I was 16. Then I worked as a bus boy and a cook. I did that through high school and college. Later, I worked at the Marriott doing display cooking. I graduated from Oregon State University, (go Beavs!) with a degree in hotel and restaurant management. I worked for the Old Spaghetti Factory and moved all over the country. It was a lot of fun, but the hours weren’t great and I had a young child. I wanted a job with nights and weekends off, so that’s when I got into school nutrition.
This job is active. I’m not stuck in a cubicle all day. I’m up, walking around and talking to people. There are the usual tasks of ordering and receiving things, making sure that we’re storing food properly and cooking it properly but every day is different and I like that. During the summer I’m working on menus and signage. I’m working on my audit and closing up the year and planning for next school year.
When I’m working on building the menus I think about, what things are popular? What are the kids asking for? It is a balancing act of finding things kids will enjoy eating and making sure it meets all our requirements. School lunch has changed a lot since I was a kid, it is healthier now. Everything is whole grain, we have more lean proteins and low sodium foods.
I enjoy working in Meridian. We have a great team that really cares about our kids and it is beautiful here. I grew up in the suburbs, so I love driving between the schools, seeing the farmland and watching as crops start budding up from the ground. It’s just beautiful here.”