It’s the third week until school ends and summer begins. Staff Appreciation week starts off on May 4th, with food and appreciation letters for our Meridian community. Plastered up in the high school and middle school are handwritten notes for teachers and staff, and our thanks for doing what they do best for our school. In our thanks, the teachers and staff have had a long needed break and a way to decompress and enjoy the end of the year!
Throughout the week, there were several activities spread across the 5 days that the staff could participate in so students could show their appreciation for their teachers/staff. Such as Ro Sham Bo amongst teachers from Wednesday-Friday, Dress retro/neon on Monday, and strips of paper that students could give to staff based on what was written on it (ex: You make me feel understood and are patient with me).
On Monday they had chips and dip, Tuesday a candy bar, Wednesday breakfast, Thursday make your own trail mix, and a yogurt parfait bar on Friday! Mrs.MacFarland, the college readiness and public speaking teacher, notes that she especially enjoys the VIP lounge with all sorts of snacks, and the hotdogs on Wednesday. While staff enjoyed the lounge and all its goodies, some wished that the Wellness Wednesday’s extra hours were spent not working, or an idea raised by Mrs.MacFarland, a google form for each teacher that students could fill out and express their gratitude separately for each teacher.
Mr. Muncy the Algebra 2 and Geometry teacher shares that throughout the week “The Student Council did a great job providing doughnuts and coffee to the teachers, that was much appreciated.” And the food provided by the admin made the staff feel seen and appreciated. And while other staff members go out of their way to compliment their peers, 10th graders Simpal Singh and Gabriel Martinez share ideas on what they would do to show their appreciation towards their teachers. Gabriel suggests “Some sort of gift when they enter the class” or a small plant with a signed pot. unique to the teacher and class period, reminding their teacher of their students as the plant grows, which Simpal proposes. A heartfelt and well thought out gift is what teachers appreciate most, according to Mrs. Baker, the Physics and DP Chemistry teacher here at Meridian.
Throughout the 2025-26 school year, there’ve been many memorable moments for staff and students alike, but what are the specific moments that stand out? Mr. Muncy shares that when a student exclaims to never understand a concept before his class, he feels touched and proud of his job, being able to help students get past all the obstacles Algebra and Geometry supply. Mrs.MacFarland enjoys “reading college application essays”, with it being her most favorable memory this year. She enjoys learning more about her students, and seeing where their future will take them, and what career paths they take. While the teachers are appreciative of all that their students have done for them during this week, some students share just how much the support provided by their teachers means to them.
Gabriel especially likes when teachers give him independence in his assignments, giving him the liberty to work as he likes and on his own terms. He likes it when he gets to visit Mrs. Rothenburger, the Geometry teacher, during lunch, and he gets to connect and talk with her. He enjoys how easy it is to communicate and relate on certain topics with her. Gabriel notes that during the Spring Band Concert, even after Mr. Garvery, general and band music teacher, left Meridian for a short while. Still came to visit, taking a picture and talking for a while with him, a moment Gabriel will never forget. Similar to Gabriel, Simpal appreciates the MYP math teacher Mrs. Saipetch, and “how much effort she put into making sure students actually understood the material. She would take time to explain concepts in different ways and never made anyone feel uncomfortable asking questions.”
Simpal really admires her for her patience and ability to explain difficult topics to her so she could really understand the subject. Building her confidence in not just algebra, which she struggled with before, but in learning overall. A moment that Simpal will never forget was on the day of her math STAAR, visiting Mrs. Saipetch’s room, extremely nervous and anxious. Mrs.Saipetch handed her a calculator and told her “I trust you. You can do this” easing her anxiety, with the words in the back of her head Simpal says she was able to get through the STAAR with a lighter head and more confidence. And since then Simpal holds onto those words whenever she gets stuck on a problem.
Mr.Man, Meridian’s MYP/DP school counselor, is always a person Simpal, and other students could lean on. She shares how during their first interaction, she was nervous and overwhelmed with course selection. He helped her step by step, explaining each class and helping her pick what would be best for her. Simpal is grateful for his support, especially when she needs someone to vent her frustrations and anxieties too, Mr. Man was there for her. Meridian students couldn’t be more grateful for their teachers and staff supporting them as they learn and explore, pushing through challenges and having fun whilst doing it.
Staff Appreciation week comes to an end here at Meridian World School, with all the fun, snacks, and notes, we hope teachers and staff got the chance to relax. To feel appreciated for all the work they’ve put in this school year,
