The Mercer Island School District will be closed on Monday, Jan. 20 in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. There will be no school-related activities.

During the weeks surrounding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Mercer Island schools will be marking the day in a variety of ways.

“Martin Luther King, Jr. brought a message of non-violence and equality to our country in a turbulent time,” said Mercer Island School District Superintendent Dr. Gary Plano. “His words are fundamental to our history and we aim to share his message with all of our students through activities at each school.”

At Mercer Island High School, teacher Charlie Hilen has worked with students and staff to coordinate small group and school-wide activities around the holiday. Islander Middle School has started each day of the week with announcements from teacher Gary Barone about King’s life while quotes from King were placed around the school. A video was also produced intertwining King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech with students sharing their own dreams (the student portion starts at 4:40). Additionally, IMS librarians constructed displays including the full text of that speech to inspire discussions about civil rights and social justice.

On Jan. 16, Island Park Elementary held an all-school assembly to honor King, learning about his history and contributions to civil rights, hearing portions of his famous speeches and singing songs related to his impact. More of these types of activities will continue into February.