Save the Date: Meridian’s 50th Celebrations

Reception

Friday, June 5, from 5:00-8:00pm

Spend time with current and past members of the Meridian Community who have contributed to what Meridian is today. This is an older teen/adult-only event in the main floor conference rooms/veranda of the Good Shepherd Center.

Family Day

Saturday, June 6, from 11:00am-3:00pm

Join us for Family Day on the Gazebo Field and the Shelter. Games, music, food, and laughter will all be here as we celebrate everything that has made the Meridian community special for 50 years!

*The Saturday celebration is in combination with the annual end-of-year Meridian picnic that was scheduled for Tuesday, June 2.

Historical Timeline

1946

E. Louise Perkins, a Seattle piano teacher, founded Perkins Musical Kindergarten in her home in Seattle’s Ravenna neighborhood.

1961

E. Louise Perkins and Betty Lea obtained a business license for a private preschool.

1972

Mrs. Perkins retired, and Betty purchased her share of the school.

1976

After expanding the program to include lower elementary grades, Betty rented classroom space, officially founding Perkins Elementary School.

1978

Betty applied for and received 501(c)(3) non-profit status for the school and hired Ellen Toole as a teacher and administrator.

1981

Ellen Toole found space in the Good Shepherd Center in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood, and Perkins Elementary moved to the historic building. Classes were located in the main building, and the school shared the gymnasium with Pacific Northwest Ballet. Ellen Toole was named Head of School the following year.

1989

The school acquired nearly full occupation of the South Annex and renovated the space. The School was accredited through PNAIS (now NWAIS) soon after.

1991

Betty Lea retired, and the school changed its name to The Meridian School shortly after due to its proximity to Meridian Park.

2002

Hundreds of people in the Wallingford neighborhood joined Meridian families and staff to raise money for new playground equipment. Students helped with the landscaping of the future playground site.

2004

After 25 years with Perkins Elementary and The Meridian School, Ellen Toole retired. During her tenure, the school grew from 30 students to 168. She left a legacy of strong and creative academic programs. The school established the Ellen Toole Endowment for Professional Development in her honor and raised funds for it.

2015

Long-time faculty member Marilyn Easton began working at The Meridian School in 1988. After her retirement in June 2015, the Marilyn Easton Endowment Fund was created to further the School’s commitment to equity and inclusion. Fundraising has continued to help the school build its unique educational program, enabling several renovations to the Good Shepherd Center’s leased spaces and the purchase of an adjacent house where the PreK program and a team of administrative offices are held.

2023

The Meridian School opened The Corliss House, located in a renovated house on Corliss Ave, directly next to the South Annex. The 2023-2024 school year marked the exciting launch of our PreKindergarten class!

Today

The Meridian School is proud to be the largest tenant at the Good Shepherd Center. We are dedicated to teaching our students the importance of being good stewards and partners of this remarkable space. Ellen built a legacy of a strong, dynamic academic program, a dedicated, engaging, and active staff, and a warm, welcoming climate. The school continues to benchmark itself as one of the best elementary schools in Seattle, Washington.

Looking Forward

“I wonder 50 years from now, where our students will be, or more importantly, what they will be doing. The Mission, Vision, and Values give you a hint. Our work is educating elementary-age students to go on and go out into the wider world with creativity, empathy, and humility. Bright minds ready to work and play with others, to be responsible, engaged, community-minded citizens.”