Int’l Program
ESL Program
Meridian School offers a 7th through 12th grade education for International students with F1 visas coming to the United States to learn English and prepare to graduate from an American high school. Students can receive specialized English instruction (ESL) within their core classes, and participate with the rest of the student body in math, fine arts, and elective classes. Students prepare for the TOEFL exam and seek to gain entry to an American college or university of their choice. Meridian is dedicated to developing students who will succeed in today’s world market and in their communities.
Meridian’s program is highly regarded throughout the United States, and the school is known as a leader among preparatory schools in the region. Colleges and universities know Meridian graduates as students who are capable writers, thinkers, and mathematicians, and valued contributors in their classrooms.
All instructors are trained, experienced, certified,teachers. The curriculum follows the state requirements in core classes and our methodology is based on curriculum guidelines from leading universities in English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs. The ESL Director coordinates with teachers, students, parents abroad, and homestay parents, to promote academic progress and facilitate a positive experience with homestay families.
Meridian School is a very safe, family oriented school. Many activities are planned during the year that allows our ESL students to associate with other students and families. Many teachers are parents at the school as well, and our Parent Organization takes great care in planning many social events during the year. Because of the small size of the school, the Headmaster and administration know each and every student. Your student will be watched over by many teachers and administrators at the school. Because of our close proximity to BYU (a very international school), Meridian’s ESL students are well-accepted in the general community as well.
Meridian Home-stay Program – Host Family Guidelines & Rules
International Exchange
Meridian seeks to open the world to its community through international exchange opportunities. Students and families are encouraged to open their homes to visitors from around the world for a unique and intimate cultural exchange experience. Foreign language skills are enhanced by exposure to “real world” situations. Most importantly, students learn to understand, cooperate with, and appreciate the differences and similarities between themselves and others in the world.
German American Partnership Program (GAPP)
The German-American Partnership Program is the largest and longest-running exchange program in the world. Meridian has been a member since the school was started in 1989, partnering with Robert Bosch Gymnasium in Wendlingen, Germany. Every other year during the month of October, fifteen students travel from Germany to Utah to stay with Meridian families, attend Meridian School, and visit a multitude of sights around the state. The visit is reciprocated the following June when Meridian sends fifteen of its students to Germany to reconnect with their German friends, attend Robert Bosch and tour Germany.
Japanese Exchange
Each March, Meridian plays host to two dozen students from Seiryo High School in Japan. The students spend two weeks in Utah, staying with host families from the Meridian community, exploring the Utah sites, and practicing their English. Host families enjoy an evening of Japanese culture on the final night of the stay.
Meridian and Seiryo become sister schools in March 2008, creating a reciprocal relationship where the first group of Meridian students will visit Seiryo in June of 2009.
France Trip
Every other summer, Meridian students join EFTours for The Grand Tour of France. Students explore France from north to south, including stops in the French Riviera, Carcassone, Normandy, and of course, Paris. French students are able to practice their verbal language skills and reinforce the classroom learning experience
