Meridian High School
Address
Map
121 Mustang Alley

,
22043
Coordinates38°53′52″N 77°11′31″W / 38.89778°N 77.19194°W / 38.89778; -77.19194
Information
School typePublic high school
Founded1952
School districtFalls Church City Public Schools
PrincipalPeter Laub
Grades912
Enrollment845 (2019-20)[1]
CampusSuburban
Color(s)      Red, White, and Black
MascotMustang
Feeder schoolsMary Ellen Henderson Middle School
Athletic conferencesVirginia High School League
AA Dulles District [lacrosse, swimming]
Websitehttps://mhs.fccps.org

Meridian High School (MHS), formerly George Mason High School, is a comprehensive public high school that serves the independent City of Falls Church. The school, which serves some 850 students in grades 9–12, is the sole high school in the Falls Church City Public Schools system. Opened in 1952, it is a hub of city activity for its facilities and athletic fields.

Until January 2014, MHS was located outside the boundaries of Falls Church, in Idylwood, an unincorporated area of Fairfax County, Virginia.[2][3] In 2014, a 38-acre (15 ha; 150,000 m2) parcel of land, including the school, was transferred to Falls Church City as part of the Fairfax Couty Water Authority's purchase of the Falls Church Water System.[4]

The school ranks gold in U.S. News & World Report's Best High Schools Ranking for 2020; Meridian High School (formerly George Mason) ranks #16 among all schools in Virginia and #649 in the United States.[5]

Demographics

Meridian High School's racial breakdown in the 2020-2021 class was 59% White (non-Hispanic), 6% Asian or Pacific Islander, 12% Hispanic, 4% Black, and 19% two or more races.[6] For comparison, the demographics of the city are: 79.37% White, 3.38% Hispanics of any race, 6.5% Asian, 4.9% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 2.01% from other races, and 3.68% from two or more races.

History

MHS was built on the site of a single-room school house that burned down in 1857. After the fire, the land sat empty until Falls Church was founded as an independent city in 1948, when residents sought greater control over their local school system, which, at the time, was segregated by race.[7] MHS was opened in 1952.

In 1981, the school became the first in Virginia to use the International Baccalaureate program.[8][9]

A design for a new main building was unveiled in 2017 and construction began in 2019. The new LEED-certified building opened to students in 2021, and the original was demolished.

In December 2020, the FCCPS School Board voted to rename George Mason High School and its counterpart Thomas Jefferson Elementary School due to their namesakes' association with American slavery.[10] After a period of deliberation and public comment, the school board selected Meridian High School as a replacement name.[11]

Sports and activities

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ "Fall Membership Build-A-Table". Virginia Department of Education. Archived from the original on 2022-04-26. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  2. ^ "Idylwood CDP, Virginia [permanent dead link]." U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on March 24, 2010.
  3. ^ "Home Archived 2009-01-25 at the Wayback Machine." George Mason High School. Retrieved on March 24, 2010. "7124 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, VA 22043."
  4. ^ Barton, Mary Ann. "It's Official: Fairfax Water Purchases Falls Church Water System for $40 Million Archived 2014-03-19 at the Wayback Machine" (Archive). Falls Church Patch. Retrieved on May 2, 2015. "This agreement also included a boundary adjustment that transferred 38.4 acres (15.5 ha) of land into the City of Falls Church. The largest parcel includes the 36 acres on which the City's George Mason High School and Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School sit."
  5. ^ "Archived copy". www.usnews.com. Archived from the original on 2020-05-28.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ "School Profile" (PDF). Archived from the original on 2009-09-20. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
  7. ^ The Falls Church NAACP Archived February 27, 2004, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "FCCPS Fast Facts" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 6, 2011.
  9. ^ "The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program: George Mason High School". Archived from the original on September 4, 2020.
  10. ^ "School Board Votes to Rename Thomas Jefferson, George Mason Schools". www.fccps.org. Archived from the original on 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  11. ^ "Falls Church School Board Renames Schools from People to Places". www.fccps.org. Archived from the original on 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
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  24. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-07-14. Retrieved 2015-07-10.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  25. ^ "Rankings - Mason Mustangs Soccer (Falls Church, VA)". Archived from the original on 2016-08-18. Retrieved 2016-08-17.
  26. ^ "Mason Athletics". Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
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  38. ^ "About us | George Mason High School Theater". Archived from the original on 2016-11-18. Retrieved 2016-11-17.
  39. ^ "Official MHS Athletics and Activities Website". Archived from the original on 2021-08-07. Retrieved 2021-08-07.
  40. ^ Marte, Jonnelle. "How this millennial saved $1 million by age 30". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 2019-06-08. Retrieved 2019-12-09.
  41. ^ "Mason Alum Turned Millionaire Shares Story with F.C." Falls Church News-Press Online. 2019-03-11. Archived from the original on 2019-10-15. Retrieved 2019-12-09.