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A N N UA L R E P OR T 2 0 1 5 – 2 0 1 6

Heart & Mind

Contemplation & Action

Individuality Community

COMMITMENT TO &

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Message from the Head of School and Assistant Head of School

39th Year—Program Improvements Healthy schools have common characteristics: an engaging and challenging curriculum, a strong faculty that promotes growth and development in students, an active community of learners who value social-emotional learning as well as academic knowledge—all supported under an umbrella of engaged and generous parents. As we review the 39th year of The Meridian School and look forward to the 40th, there are many accomplishments to celebrate.

Innovation is a word that figured prominently in the past year. The acronym S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) describes a set of skills that allow students to create, design, and implement solutions to problems, both real and imagined. These skills have been integrated into our program in many ways. Our newly constructed Science and Creativity Labs, as well as improvements in the library, will more fully integrate S.T.E.A.M. into our curriculum.

Engaged and Generous Donors Enhance Our ProgramAs we move into Meridian’s 40th year, art will become a full component of the Meridian program, further complementing students’ creativity and problem-solving skills. We are grateful for a $25,000 anonymous gift that will renovate the Extended Day room in phases to fit the needs of both art and after-school programs.

Last fall, the music program received a $40,000 anonymous gift to enhance music education and performance. This gift has provided program enhancements such as a class set of ukuleles, costumes and sets for musical performances, professional small-group ensembles, and experts in residence.

This year’s generous Fund-the-Faculty raised more than $125,000 to support and promote teacher excellence. In June, staff participated in training from the Columbia Teachers College Reading and Writing Project, which will develop students’ writing at a deeper level. In the spring, the Meridian board of trustees approved a new faculty salary and compensation model that will allow the school to retain and attract the best and brightest teachers.

Strengthening Our Community Partnerships During our yearlong focus on Asia in Global Studies, we were fortunate to establish a collaboration with the Wing Luke Museum. This connection was championed by Meridian parents Jill Nishi and Howard Nakase. Museum experts gave presentations and collaborated with teachers to plan their studies of Asia, including a trip to the museum for every grade. The Wing Luke also hosted an evening parent experience, “The Power of Untold Stories: From the Japanese American Incarceration to Social Justice Issues Today,” with a tour, panel, and conversation. We are thrilled that our partnership with the museum will continue during our study of Oceania.

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In collaboration with the University of Washington, Seattle Parks and Recreation, City Fruit, and the Good Shepherd Center, Meridian students planted four heritage apple trees in Meridian Park. Every Meridian student participated in unloading and planting the new trees. The fruit will be harvested by City Fruit and shared with local food banks. The experience was an excellent example of community and S.T.E.A.M. concepts coming together to contribute to solving hunger in Seattle.

Nurturing Character Through Social Skills Alongside Academic Skills From Morning Meetings to all-school recess and collaborative work in the classrooms, students frequently use social-emotional skills. Throughout the past year, teachers participated in multiple Responsive Classroom and Social Thinking professional development sessions to hone their craft at teaching students to use these essential skills. These life lessons came to fruition as Meridian third, fourth, and fifth grade students shared lunch with the elderly at the Wallingford Community Senior Center, fostering a mutual sense of belonging for both the seniors and the Meridian students.

Into the Future … Curriculum, Community, and Character Our 40th year will be the most innovative and exciting yet at Meridian. Our new science, creativity, and art spaces will foster students’ S.T.E.A.M. skills, including creativity and problem-solving. The generous donations of our community will provide teachers and students with support and resources to continue to innovate and refine our use of S.T.E.A.M. concepts throughout the year. Turning to Global Studies, Oceania will be our focus. This geographic region provides a terrific opportunity to integrate concepts of science, design, and engineering, as students explore topics such as boats and their design for travel in the past and present, as well as the effects of climate change on food sources in the region. In 2016-2017, Customized Learning will continue to be an embedded part of our program. Not only will students receive support and extension from the Customized Learning team, but they will also be exposed to differentiated material in class throughout their days and weeks of learning.

Above all else, Meridian’s 40th year will be about creating the balance in a child’s life that has been central to the school’s mission throughout the school’s existence. The joy of childhood can be nurtured in many different ways. We encourage students to discover and use their strengths to find inspiration and satisfaction in all they do at Meridian. Some students find this joy in books and all-school recess; others find joy in science experiments and field trips. The 2016-2017 school year, just like every year at Meridian, will encourage students to discover and use their strengths to motivate themselves in both work and play, mind and heart, and contemplation and action.

Jack Shea HEAD OF SCHOOL

Meghan Kimpton ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL

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Mission Statement: The Meridian School promotes a balance of mind and

heart, of contemplation and action, of individuality and a commitment to the community.

Tuition & Fees89.8%

Fundraising9.8%

Investment & Other Income

0.4%

Salaries & Benefits

66%

Other Operating Expenses

10%

Fundraising2%

Tuition Assistance

9%

Curriculum5%

Rent & Maintenance

8%

Sara AllanSandy AslanianRonnie CunninghamMaria GingerichTed KalmusTaylor Kanemori

Rebecca MoeJustin PallariGary PetermanRob PhillipsDan RaymondKatie Renschler

Haeryung ShinAnthony TodaroLesley TodaroKimberly WatsonJen Zell

Ex-Officio: Nonvoting Jack Shea, Head of SchoolJason Profit, Faculty AppointeeAlice Ikeda, Parent RepBarb RichardsonHarold MalkinSonja Gustafson

Meridian School Financial Summary 2015-2016

EXPENSES

Salaries & Benefits 3,294,328

Other Operating Expenses 492,779

Rent & Maintenance 423,673

Tuition Assistance 455,225

Curriculum 238,047

Fundraising 88,789

Total 4,992,841

INCOME

Tuition & Fees 4,606,444

Fundraising & Development 502,487

Investment & Other Income 19,491

Total 5,128,422

Financial Summary based on unaudited statement.

2015-2016 Meridian School Board of Trustees & Nonvoting Members

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Auction Update – ASIA ‘Illuminating Our Minds’ Our 33rd auction, led by Development Associate Hayley Walters and the

fabulous Auction Committee, received generous support from sponsors,

trustees, and parents to create a joyful and successful event!

3 91% of our families participated in the 33rd auction, by procuring items, bidding, and attending.

3 The live auction raised $76,075, helping bring our auction total to more

than $179,000.

3 There was something for everyone and at every price point – guests spent from over $15,000

right down to $10.

Fund–the–Faculty We asked our school community to invest in “a project for supporting professional growth of our teachers

and staff,” and our community supported this goal by raising $125,865.

These funds will be expended over the next three years with a focus on literacy and language arts,

social-emotional learning, and S.T.E.A.M. Teachers have already attended a Social Thinking conference.

We are all looking forward to integrating new ideas from the Science of Imagination conference and the

Teachers College Writer’s Workshop training.

Matching Gifts – Charitable Community SupportThe money you give doubles, sometimes triples! We raised more than $40,000 in matching funds!

Many employers offer matching gifts that increase your donation. Thank you for taking the time to apply

for these funds!

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The Meridian Community Enhances Our Mission —

Thank You!

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Volunteers – Time and Talent Enhance Our MissionWithout your help all this would not be possible! Thank You!

Endowment – From Intention to Action The Campaign to Fund Access & OpportunityAn excellent Meridian education thrives in an increasingly diverse community.

3 The board established a $1.5 million endowment to support tuition assistance for

underrepresented families.

3 A planning study was conducted using Campbell & Co. (national and local) to establish a strong

case statement to support additional gifts to the endowment. The survey conducted four focus

group meetings: one of board leadership and three of the parent community. Seven interviews

with 10 people were also part of the study. During this process, several lead gifts emerged that

will be acknowledged at a later date.

More information regarding this initiative will be distributed in 2016-2017.

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Thank You, Loyal Donors

Thank you for your commitment and enriching our mission.

Annual Fund 187,278

Auction 179,344

Fund-the-Faculty 125,865

Restricted 10,000

Total 502,487

Leadership LevelGifts of $10,000 & moreAnonymous

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Glenn Draper and

Kimberly Watson

Woods and Izumi Fairbanks

Duncan Haas and Birgit Walbaum

Justin Pallari and Becky Frank

William Sunderland and

Alyssa Kreider

Monarch LevelGifts of $5,500 to $9,999Joel and Sandy Aslanian

John Choe and Judy Kuo

Brent and Leslie Curran

Michael Davidson and Edie Bishop

Anthony Moore and Kris Lee

Howard Nakase and Jill Nishi

Jacob Oshins and Anne Phillips

Scott and Katie Renschler

Celebration LevelGifts of $3,500 to $5,499Matt and Maile Bohlmann

Derek and Jessica Crain

Todd and Heather Enoki

Mark Foltz and Jessica Strong

Jamie and Kirsten Frits

Sam and Hwashing Heyworth

David Hyde and Anitra Ingalls

Jesse and Ashley McClelland

Andrew and Dorey Miller

Ken and Michelle Miyoshi

Adam Orkand and Anne Theisen

Doug Reston and

Missy Ponder-Reston

James Schlenker and Lily Chang

Joe Shankar and

Paige Hansen-Shankar

Jack Shea

Wendy Watt

Founders LevelGifts of $1,976 to $3,499Erik Abbott and Kate Dunlop

Aaron and Kristina Brown

Dimitri Desmons and

Valerie Hancock-Desmons

Jeremy Elliott and Laura Shepard

Tarn and Karen Faulkner

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Phillip and Alison Grennan

Gordon Griffith and

Christian Reynolds

Keith and Brenna Holkins

Mark Iverson and Allison Capen

Eric Kitts and Yana Koubouris

Tom Laramee

Craig Lee and Joanna Muench

David and Karen Leeds

Erik and Joanne Marone

Zachariah and Rachel Morgan

Dan and Lisa Mudgett

Lasse Nord and Jennifer Winick

Rick Olson and Paula Zook

Jai and Sally Rampersad

Joseph and Tere Saylor

David Simpson and

Maritza Rivera Gaxiola

Anthony Smith and

Angelina Merola

Adam Szofran and Lisa Maves

Anthony and Kimberly Todaro

Steve Trautman and

Sonja Gustafson

Chris and Anne Weber

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General DonorsMatt Aalfs and Alys Weinbaum

Mike Albert and Manuela Giese

Mary and Shawn Allen

Amazon Smile

Eric Ames and Veronika Zantop

Emily Anderson

David and Alma Andrade

Barbara Bainum and Wil Busse

Michael and Jiun-Fei Beeler

Mark Belles

Chris Bibb and Andrea Black

Lisa Black

Christen Blunt

Dave Blunt

Libby Bode and Eric Hoyle

John Buchinger

Stephen Buerk and Tonya Zeppelin

Roger Buick and Betty Repacholi

David and Rebecca Butman

Robert and Meg Butterworth

Nicole Caden and Marco Calvo

Jay and Meaghan Carroll

Sean Carroll

Lisa Chang

Seif Chirchi and Rachel Yang

Nate and Tara Clark

Alex Cohen and Dana Kovalchick

Jennifer Coll

Clive Cook and Sara Allan

Doug and Romy Coppinger

Bruce Cordingly and

Anne Marie Ruljancich

Brian Cromer and Renee Devine

Ronnie and Wendy Cunningham

Sharon Current

Nick and Heidi DeVogel

Sean Donoghue-Neider

Keith Drabek and

Shawna Sweeney

Matthew and Elizabeth Dubin

Mrs. J. Thomas Echols

Larry Estrada

Matt Fingerhut and Susie Frazier

Kent Fisher and Barbra Richardson

Ms. Sally Flynn

Erin and Sam French

Glenn and Rebecca Gardner

Denis and Angela Gaynor

Christopher and Maria Gingerich

Steve and Sarah Gire

Paul Gleason and

Missy Stern Gleason

Diane Gordon

Grateful Bread Bakery

Philip Guess and Alice Ikeda

Kristen Hamilton

Glenn Hampson and

Drienna Holman

David Hansen and Nancy Swierkos

Mary Ann Hansen

Todd Hargrove and Jemila Dwyer

Nathaniel Eli Hastings and

Lili Sperry

Mr. Doug Herrington and

Ms. Barb Herrington

David and Martha Hill

Eleanor Hodgins

HomeStreet Bank

Damien and Maria Huang

Justin and Angela Hugeback

Jackie and Tyler Hughes

Benjamin Humphrey and

Anne Prins

Mark Jackson and Julie Zirkle

Allen and Holly Johnson

Ted Kalmus

Taylor Kanemori

Richard and Julia Kassissieh

Meghan Kimpton and

Jeremy Koren

Emilia Kister and Ted Poor

Tim Koeppe and Erika Teschke

Oliver Kotelnikov

Paul Kreider

Jeffery and Laura Krinsky

Adam Lacy-Hulbert and

Lynda Stuart

Tricia Lambie and Lisa Adriance

Lydia Laurant

Kevin and Christine Lee

Peter Leonard and Beth Fishman

Brien and Lisa Lindstrom

Jason Lucas and Elizabeth Amon

Harold Malkin and

Jennifer Porter

Nancy Manzo

Miles Mayhew and

Vanessa Murdock

Shavette McGhee and

Jamaal Hackett-Cook

Christian McLaughlin and

Tabitha Baker

Elisabeth McLaughlin

Sam Meade and Kathy Ahl

David and Rebecca Moe

James and Kelley Moline

Mike and Erane Myint

Gregory Narver and

Priscilla Cypiot

Eric Ohlsen and Debra Tesh

John Olson and Colleen Dillon

Orcas Island Community

Foundation

Paula Palmer and David Jones

John Pauk and Karen McDonough

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General Donors Cont.Braden and Megan Penhoet

Ryan and Michelle Perham

Mike Perkowitz and

Erica Goldsmith

Gary and Sissy Peterman

Mark Phillips and

Jennifer Schweickert

Rob Phillips and

Jennifer Bandy-Phillips

Jurgen Pichler and Kelley Shields

David Powers and Amy Chasanov

Jason and Brenna Profit

Mary Ann Radley

Chris and Kate Raykovich

Dan and Emily Raymond

Karen Rea

Mike Rea

Nancy Reed

Mr. and Mrs. Rod Reston

Joan Reynolds

John and Amy Richards

Mychal and Sunita Richardson

Jose Rodriguez and Kevin Brown

Maurice Rump and Sarah Bilton

Yar Runyon and Rachel Acosta

Ramiza Saheed and Anzees Khan

Denis and Bernedette Sampson

Laura and Tim Schaut

Robin Scher and Andrea Morland

Todd and Karen Schultz

Greg Schwartz and Colleen Butler

Scott and Jennifer Seiwert

Cory Shelest and Emily Gable

Annabel Sherwood

Claudia Sibila and Alfredo Arnaiz

Harley Sitner and Cathy Summers

Daniel and Katie Sluss

Dan and Lisa Smith

John and Amy Smith

Sten and Elizabeth Sorby

Peregrin Spielholz and

Anneliese Schleyer

Brett and Kelly Stacey

Ron and Larilyn Stenkamp

Tom and Ranmalie Taggart

Target Take Charge for Education

Regis Thevenet

Jim and Nancy Thomson

Jim and Jess Thomson

Bob Thordarson and

Sandra Wright

Stephen and Bonnie Tilghman

Thomas and Lesley Todaro

John and Susan Tomlin

Ivana Topalovic

Joe Tuininga and Thea Billing

Wadiya Udell and Sheryl Kalbach

Joel and Lori Van Etta

Phillip Vedovatti and Laura Ishak

Beth Vineyard and Becky Ginn

Kelsey and Jonathan Vollmer

Andrew von Nordenflycht and

Haeryung Shin

Michael and Yaneth Vrentas

Olga Vrentas

Brad Wakeman and Nancy Carroll

Hayley Walters

Jay and Kymber Waltmunson

Martha Walton and

Thomas Acosta

Meredith and Bob Ward

Brian and Yonnie Watkins

Amy Weber

Larissa and Duff Weber

Kennedy White and Abby Wilson

Nancy White

Drew and Angie Whittemore

Shannon and Laura Wilkinson

Kelley Williams

Sandra Wilson

Dave Wine and Kat Steinglass

George and Jennifer Wing

Franklin Wirtz and

Jessica Thompson

Anna Woodard

Andrea Yee

Mike and Jennifer Zell

Matching Funds10,000ft

Adobe

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Boeing

Bright Funds Foundation

Callison

Cambia Health Foundation

Google

Microsoft Corporation

In-Kind GivingThea Billing

Brian Cromer and Renee Devine

Philip Guess and Alice Ikeda

Duncan Haas and Birgit Walbaum

Karen Leeds

Amy Smith Photography & Design

Anne Theisen

Please accept our sincere apologies if your name has been omitted or misspelled.

Contact the Development Office with any corrections.

(206) 632-7154 x304 www.meridianschool.edu