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.西雅图钢琴教师路易斯-帕金斯（Louise Perkins）在西雅图拉文纳社区的家中创办了帕金斯音乐幼儿园。

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

沃灵福德社区的数百名居民与 Meridian 的家庭和教职员工一起，为新操场设备筹集资金。学生们帮助美化了未来操场的环境。

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

子午线学校开设了科利斯之家（The Corliss House），位于科利斯大道（Corliss Ave）上的一栋翻新房屋内，紧邻南配楼。2023-2024学年，我们令人兴奋地开设了学前班！

今天

作为好牧人中心最大的租户，子午线学校深感自豪。我们致力于教导我们的学生成为这个非凡空间的好管家和好伙伴的重要性。 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 使命、愿景和价值观 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.”