MMS families,
This week brings two exciting opportunities for your family to support both the learning that happens at Meridian Middle School and the culture of belonging we’re building together.
First, our Meridian Middle School Boosters are hosting a Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5 from 12–6pm right here at MMS! Families can enjoy a Haunted Maze, Ring Toss, Tic Tac Toe, Face Painting, and many more games and activities for all ages. Admission is just $20 per family or $5 per individual, and children 5 and under are free. It’s a wonderful way to spend time together, celebrate the season, and support the incredible work of our Booster Club.
Second, our fall fundraiser kicks off on Friday, October 10. Our sales rep will be on campus to help students set up their fundraising accounts, and this year we’re trying something new: ship-to-customer gourmet popcorn sales! Our goal is to raise $15,000 in profit for ASB, which funds student activities such as dances, assemblies, sports teams, field day, and more. Every dollar counts, so be on the lookout for your student to bring home more information this Friday.
As always, please reach out if you have any questions.
Go Trojans!
-Robert Kratzig, Principal
-Jill Hammack, Assistant Principal

 

UPCOMING EVENTS
harvest festival
Monday, October 6
  • Black Day
  • Fastpitch vs. Nooksack Valley MS, 4:00pm at MMS
  • Boys Soccer vs. Horizon MS, 4:00pm at HMS
Tuesday, October 7
  • Gold Day
  • 7th Grade Football vs. Lynden Christian MS, 4:00pm at MMS
Wednesday, October 8
  • Black Day
  • Boys Soccer vs. Nooksack Valley MS, 4:00pm at MMS
  • Cross Country Meet at Hovander Park, 4:00pm
  • School Board Meeting, 5:00pm at MMS Library
  • Fastpitch (7th) vs. Lynden MS, 5:30pm at LMS
Thursday, October 9
  • Gold Day
  • 8th Grade Football vs. Lynden Christian MS, 4:00pm at LCHS
Friday, October 10
  • Black Day
  • Late Start (School begins at 9:05am, please no drop off before 8:45am)
  • Fundraiser Kick-Off in Science Classes
popcorn

Fall Fundraiser Begins October 10
Our school’s all-online Popcorn Fundraiser kicks off in October! This is an easy way to support our students—no cash to collect, no forms to fill out, and no products to sort. Everything is ordered online and shipped directly to the customer. Students will register at school and share the fundraiser with friends and family near and far. We would truly appreciate everyone’s participation to help us reach our fundraising goal of earning $15,000 profit for our school.
Please reach out to our ASB Advisor, Spenser Stumpf, with any questions at sstumpf@meridian.wednet.edu.
hys

Healthy Youth Survey 2025
Our school will participate in the Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) this Fall. Youth in Washington State have been taking the HYS since 2002. The number of young people taking the survey has grown from only a few thousand to over 215,000 a year! The survey asks about how youth are doing, social relationships, mental health, substance use, risks for injury, and more. Communities, districts, schools, and public health agencies use survey results to inform policies and programs designed to support youth well-being. The HYS is a meaningful way for youth to guide the future of our state. Your youth’s participation is appreciated. Please share this information with your youth. Then talk about the survey and decide if your youth will participate. The survey will take place the week of October 20.
If you have any questions about the purpose of the survey or survey procedures, please contact the Healthy Youth Survey Principal Investigator at (877) HYS-7111 or by email at healthy.youth@doh.wa.gov. More information about the Healthy Youth Survey can be found at: www.AskHYS.net
If you would like to opt your student out of participating, please email Ashley Hoelzle at ahoelzle@meridian.wednet.edu
EL

Erika’s Lighthouse in 7th Grade Health
We have adopted a mental health and depression awareness program called We
All Have Mental Health. This program was developed by a highly respected mental health
education and advocacy organization, Erika’s Lighthouse: A Beacon of Hope for Adolescent
Depression. All of these lessons meet National Health Education Standards.
The program goals include:
● Raising awareness of good mental health.
● Reducing the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
● Encouraging help-seeking skills and, if necessary, additional support services.
These fact-based, student friendly and hopeful programs promote the messages we need our
students to hear, everyone deserves to have good mental health. The following lessons will be
taught, once a week over four weeks by our health teacher.
● Lesson 1 – Intro to Depression: To raise awareness of depression and reduce
negative attitudes of depression and its treatment.
● Lesson 2 – Depression is Treatable: To effectively communicate with friends in need.
● Lesson 3 – Help-Seeking: To increase student engagement and communication in
activities which promote good mental health.
● Lesson 4 – Unit Assessment: Students will have the opportunity to put their knowledge
and skills developed in this program to practice.
Dates: 
Lesson 1- Black 10/27, Gold 10/28
Lesson 2- Black 10/29, Gold 10/30
Lesson 3- Black 11/3, Gold 11/4
Lesson 4- Black 11/5, Gold 11/6
Our school wants all of our students to be healthy, both physically and mentally. We encourage students to take control of their mental health and learn how to seek help for themselves or a friend if needed. One of the biggest challenges to mental health is teen depression, a common, yet widely overlooked mood disorder that impacts 15–20% of young people before they reach Adulthood.
We look forward to working together to better inform students of healthy mental health and
provide the tools students need to navigate challenging times. For more information on this
program, please visit erikaslighthouse.org.
veteran

Veterans Day – Information Needed!
On Monday, November 10th during Homeroom, Meridian Middle School will hold our Veterans Day Assembly. To honor the service of your family members, we invite you to share their name, branch, years of service, photo, and their connection to your student. In addition, if you have a veteran in your family who would be interested in attending and possibly speaking at the assembly, we’d love to include them.
Please send information and photos to our ASB Advisor and Leadership teacher, Spenser Stumpf, by Monday, November 3rd so we can prepare to recognize them. His email is sstumpf@meridian.wednet.edu.

 

FAMILY GUIDES

We often hear from families that they’d like more information about what their children are learning at school. Last year, we started sending out Family Guides alongside each quarter’s report card. These guides gave families a snapshot of what the grades represented and what students had been working on.
This year, we’re taking it a step further. Instead of waiting until the end of the quarter, we’ll make Family Guides available during the quarter. This way, you can see the standards and learning targets your child will be engaging with while they are happening. Our hope is that this helps you ask more specific questions, celebrate progress along the way, and feel more connected to what’s happening in the classroom.
We know that when families and schools work together, students thrive. The Family Guides are just one way we’re trying to keep that partnership strong and make learning more transparent for everyone.
6th Grade Family Guide – Q1
7th Grade Family Guide – Q1
8th Grade Family Guide – Q1

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Attendance Office Notes
Transportation Changes
All requests must be made before 2:00 pm. If your student already knows their transportation is different for the day (for example, they usually ride the bus but today you’ll be picking them up), you do not need to contact the office.
Bus Change Requests
If your student is riding a different bus (such as going home with a friend), a written request from a parent/guardian or a phone call to the office is required. Requests must be submitted to the main office before 2:00 pm.
Early Dismissals
The best way to ensure your student is ready for an early pick-up is to send a note in the morning. If you call instead, please contact us at least 10 minutes before pick-up time so we can transition your student to the office.
Pick-Up by Someone Other than Parent/Guardian
If someone other than a parent, guardian, or emergency contact will be picking up your student, the office must hear directly from a parent. Please provide the person’s name and relationship to your student.
WCLS

ConnectED Library Partnership
Meridian School District is partnering with the Whatcom County Library System to give every K–12 student free access to books, digital resources, and learning tools through the ConnectED program. Students can use their school ID as a library card to borrow materials, access eBooks and audiobooks, and use online educational resources from home or school. No action is needed to participate—students are automatically enrolled. Families who prefer to opt out can return a signed form to the school office (English / Spanish). Learn more at   wcls.org/youth-services/connected.
Tissue Box

Reminders: When to Keep Your Child Home
A Message from Health Services
Fall is quickly approaching and so is cold and flu season! Please help us keep our school community healthy by keeping your child at home when they are not feeling well. Keep your child home if they are experiencing any of the symptoms: fever or chills, shortness of breath, wet or productive cough, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, runny nose, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea.
We encourage regular attendance and students may return to school as soon as they are feeling better, and are fever-free for more than 24 hours without fever reducing medication. While in school, your student can help slow the spread of germs by covering their nose or mouth when coughing and sneezing, and washing hands frequently with soap and water.
Please contact your child’s school if they are going to be absent due to illness. If you have additional questions, please visit our Health Services webpage or contact our school nurses.
FRC

MSD Family Support Center
The Meridian Family Support Center’s Food Pantry and Clothing Closet will be open as follows:
  • Monday–Friday: 8:30 AM–4:00 PM
  • Wednesdays: Open until 5:30 PM
  • Location: Portable 400A on the Irene Reither Elementary campus
Questions?
  • Alicia Roberts (English): 360-988-1949
  • Elvira Trautman (Spanish): 360-306-2886