One School, One Community, One City…
the World Intersects at Meridian
About Us
Meridian Public Charter School is a rigorous, community-focused PK3-8 school in Washington, D.C., anchored in three core pillars: Language, Literacy, and the Arts. Founded in 1999, we serve the diverse communities of Meridian Hill, the U Street Corridor, and Columbia Heights. We build strong academic foundations through research-based practices and culturally responsive teaching. At Meridian, we're developing confident, creative, multilingual citizens prepared to success in our city and share the world.
Our Mission
Meridian empowers students to become confident, multilingual learners and creative thinkers through excellence in language development, literacy, and the arts. Grounded in culturally responsive practices and enriched by our nation's capital, we cultivate joyful learning environments where every student's identity is honored and their potential is realized.
Our Vision
We prepare students to be strong communicators, passionate readers, creative problem-solvers, and engaged citizens who shape a more just and vibrant world.
Three Pillars: Language, Literacy and the Arts
Language
Language learning is woven into daily life at Meridian, reflecting the rich linguistic diversity of our community. Our Pre-K students enjoy full Spanish immersion to build strong bilingual foundations from the earliest years. All elementary students receive 45 minutes of weekly Spanish instruction through full immersion classes, while middle school students explore Spanish as well as other multilingual learning opportunities.
We celebrate our students' home languages through our Multilingual Learners Showcase during Hispanic Heritage Month, bilingual library collections, daily morning announcements in English and Spanish, and our "word of the week" program. At Meridian, we honor every student's linguistic identity while building bridges to new languages and cultures, preparing globally minded communicators for an interconnected world.
Literacy
Literacy is the foundation of learning at Meridian. Every student receives 90-120 minutes of daily literacy instruction using our aligned, evidence-based curriculum, taught by teachers trained in research-based practices. Elementary students benefit from a dedicated reading specialist and intervention teacher, while middle schoolers engage in our WIN (What I Need) block for personalized, targeted support.
We've built robust classroom libraries filled with culturally relevant texts that reflect our students' identities and experiences. Beyond the classroom, we foster a schoolwide love of reading through reading nights, book-of-the-month celebrations, poetry slams with DC Scores and Margie's Kids Kare, and family engagement events. Through partnerships with Howard University and community poets, we're creating a literacy-rich culture that engage students, staff, and families as readers, writers, and storytellers.
The Arts
The arts bring learning to life at Meridian and are central to who we are as a school community. Elementary students engage in weekly visual art classes, while middle schoolers explore hands-on creation through our CREW building club. We extend arts learning through afterschool programs, community art projects, and seasonal celebrations that tap into our teachers' diverse artistic talents and passions.
The arts are integrated across all content areas, making creativity an essential lens for teaching mathematics, science, literacy, and social studies. Leveraging our unique location in Washington, D.C., we partner with museums, theaters, artists, and cultural institutions to transform our nation's capital into a living classroom. At Meridian, the arts are a vehicle for expression, connection, and deeper understanding, ensuring every student has access to creative experiences that build confidence, imagination, and joy.
Join the Community
Learn more about our school by visiting our Pre-K, Elementary, and Middle School pages, or head to the New Students page to learn how to enroll today.
