Meridian Community Unit School District #223

Thank you to all of those who made Monroe Center's Leadership Day a huge success. Our students did a fantastic job giving tours, enjoying dodgeball with their families, sharing their incredible leadership abilities, and simply being the incredible individuals we know they can be every day! The leadership they exhibited today made us all very proud. Enjoy a few of the many photos taken today. We're so appreciative of all those able to attend today. You made our event the best it's ever been!

Rounding out our Staff Appreciation Week, we would like to thank our principals and administration! Your support, guidance, and vision allows our students and staff to thrive - Thank you!

During this week of Staff Appreciation, we want to honor all the Administrative Assistants! Their dedication makes each building a warm and inviting place to enter!

During this week of staff appreciation, we want to recognize all the staff and departments that make Meridian CUSD successful! Today we celebrate our Building & Grounds Department and our fantastic Custodial Staff for all they do for students, families, and staff! Thank you!

🍎 Teacher Appreciation Week 🍎 During Teacher Appreciation Week, we’re celebrating the heart of our schools—our teachers and substitute teachers! 💼✨ To our teachers: Thank you for showing up each day with passion, creativity, and unwavering commitment to helping every student succeed. You inspire, guide, and shape the future—one lesson, one connection, and one student at a time. 📘💡 To our substitutes: Thank you for stepping in with flexibility, grace, and a can-do attitude. You keep learning moving forward and bring calm to the unexpected. We couldn’t do it without you! 📝🙌 This week, and always, we appreciate you. 💙

Continuing our Staff Appreciation Week . . . it's time to thank our School Counselors and Health Services Department! The extra support that these caring professionals provide to our students is crucial to their success and well-being. Thank you, today and always!

💙 Paraprofessional & Interventionist Appreciation 💙 This week, as we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, we want to give a special shoutout to the incredible paraprofessionals and interventionists who support our students every single day! 🙌 Your patience, dedication, and behind-the-scenes efforts make a huge difference in the lives of our learners. From small group instruction to one-on-one support, you are the steady hands and big hearts helping students grow and thrive. 🌱📚 Thank you for being the champions our students can count on. We appreciate you this week and every week! ❤️

During this week of staff appreciation, we want to recognize all the staff and departments that make Meridian CUSD successful! Today, we celebrate our Transportation Department, our Coaches, and our Athletic Department for all they do for students, families, and staff! Thank you!

Thank you so much to Mr. Lichty for helping Monroe Center's student lighthouse team learn about the history of Monroe Center Grade School. They did a school tour and were able to interview and take notes to learn all about our beginnings. it was so exciting listening to the conversations!

There was a lot to celebrate and honor at the BOE meeting last night. Congratulations to all! The 4th Grade Team for their continued work with Leader in Me and the global symposium. Ms. Cali Carl for her Those Who Excel recognition, Mrs. Angela Palmer for her IPA Leadership Award, and huge congratulations to our SVHS Esports team and coach Mr.Devin Standard for their incredible accomplishments this year. Well done everyone!

So proud of the 4th and 5th grade choir. Beautiful job this evening. All of your hard work paid off big! Thank you so much to Mr. Evan Stahl, Mrs. Zern, along with Ms. Risner for your time with our students. Wonderful evening and so much more to come from MJH and SVHS choirs this evening!

Congratulations to Mrs. Stahl's 3rd grade classroom for ALL making it onto MC's million word wall. Whether they made it to 250,000 or 1,000,000 making it on that wall as a class is a tremendous accomplishment! Way to go!!

🚴‍♀️ Pedaling Toward Safety at Highland Elementary! 🚴‍♂️ Thanks to an IDOT Safe Routes to School grant, Highland Elementary has a full classroom set of bikes and helmets! Mr. Vos rolled out a bike safety curriculum + bike rodeo with amazing results: ✅ 95% of 1st & 2nd graders riding two wheels ✅ 75% of kindergarteners riding independently While we didn’t receive the infrastructure grant for a Pine Street sidewalk, Meridian CUSD #223 continues to work closely with the Village of Stillman Valley to explore future funding opportunities for safer walking routes. 💪👟

Meridian CUSD #223 is seeking the following positions for the FY26 school year. Please view posting and apply online at meridian223.org.

Week 4 of our One Book One School Questions at Monroe Center. Answer the questions below or send them in with your student to enter our drawing. Have fun reading as a family. How does Odder’s personality change throughout the story? What events contribute to her growth? What does the story teach us about the importance of protecting marine ecosystems? How does the story present the complex decision of whether to release Odder back into the ocean? ¿Cómo cambia la personalidad de Odder a lo largo de la historia? ¿Qué eventos contribuyen a su crecimiento? ¿Qué nos enseña la historia sobre la importancia de proteger los ecosistemas marinos? ¿Cómo presenta la historia la compleja decisión de liberar o no a Odder al océano?

Join the fun for our annual Meridian Wellness 5K! Open to the entire Meridian 223 community. #MeridianWellness Sign up link: https://forms.gle/m9fgK4G5QbUB8unB6

Monroe Center's looking for responses for the next questions to their One Book One School - Odder book Current Week: What are the potential drawbacks of keeping wild animals in captivity, even for rehabilitation purposes? How does the relationship between Odder and her human caregivers, especially Kairi, influence her development? ¿Cuáles son las posibles desventajas de mantener animales salvajes en cautiverio, incluso con fines de rehabilitación? ¿Cómo influye la relación entre Odder y sus cuidadores humanos, especialmente Kairi, en su desarrollo? and Do you think it is always the right thing to release animals back into the wild, even if they may struggle to survive on their own? How does the story illustrate the impact a single species can have on an entire ecosystem? ¿Crees que siempre es correcto liberar animales a su hábitat natural, incluso si les cuesta sobrevivir por sí solos? ¿Cómo ilustra la historia el impacto que una sola especie puede tener en todo un ecosistema? MC families please respond in the comments below to be entered into a drawing or send responses with your student to school.

Meridian CUSD #223 is seeking the following positions for the 25-26 School Year. Please go to meridian223.org and click on Employment to view positions and apply.

🎉 Thank You for Your Support! Over 130 people attended the Meridian Education Foundation’s Drawdown Event at PrairieFire, raising over $17,000 for senior student and teacher classroom scholarships! Huge thanks to our amazing sponsors and everyone who bought tickets, donated, or joined the fun. Your support helps us give back in a big way next school year! 🙌 👏 Sponsors include: Amboy Bank, Benning Group LLC, Constellation, Eats and Speaks, Engie, Farrell-Holland-Gale Funeral Home, Gensler Gardens, Green Associates, Helm, Holcomb Bank, Knead House Bread, Loves Truck Stop, Maplehurst Farms, MC Storage, Rustic Roots Co., Specialty Floors Inc., Spigot Tech Systems, Stillman Bank, Tucker Smith Properties. #WeAreMCUSD ❤️🖤

🎉 Honoring 138 Years of Service! 🎉 Friday night, Meridian CUSD #223 celebrated the incredible dedication of five amazing retirees at our annual retirement dinner held at Lino’s Italian Restaurant. Together, they’ve given 138 years of service to our students, staff, and community! 👏 Join us in congratulating: ✨ Cindy Meyers – 13 years ✨ Dana Brooks – 31 years ✨ Doug Schiltz – 26 years ✨ Deb Thibodeau – 36 years ✨ Scott Wilhite – 32 years The evening was filled with laughter, memories, and well-deserved recognition. Thank you all for your commitment to MCUSD #223—you’ve made a lasting impact, and you will be missed! ❤️