Our Students
At Meridian PCS, we serve curious, creative young people from the diverse communities of Meridian Hill, the U Street Corridor, and Columbia Heights. From Pre-K through 8th grade, our students grow into confident communicators, passionate readers, and engaged citizens who are prepared to shape a more just and vibrant world.
Who Our Students Are
Our school community reflects the rich diversity of Washington, D.C.
621 students, Pre-K 3 through 8th Grade are:
- 68% African-American
- 26% Latino/a
- 6% Asian, White, or Multi-Race
- 45% Female, 55% Male
- 30% Multilingual Learners
How They Learn
Our classrooms are intentionally small, so every student gets the attention and support they need to thrive.
- Pre-K student-to-teacher/apprentice teacher ratio: 9:1
- K-8th grade average class size: 19 students
- K-8th grade student-to-teacher ration: 13:1
Small class sizes mean our teachers know their students well. They can identify what each student needs, adjust instruction to meet them where they are, and build the kind of trusting relationships that make learning possible.
How They Grow
Students arrive at Meridian as curious learners. They leave as well-rounded young people with the skills and confidence to take on high school, college, and beyond.
Across their years at Meridian, our students:
- Build strong reading and writing skills through 90-120 minutes of daily literacy instruction, guided by teachers trained in research-based practices
- Develop as multilingual communicators through Spanish immersion beginning in Pre-K through middle school
- Grow as artists, performers, and creators through weekly visual arts classes, music instruction, performing arts, and hands-on building through our CREW club
- Learn to think critically and communicate clearly through classroom discussions, civil debate, and real-world investigations
- Build self-advocacy skills and explore their futures through our College and Career Readiness program
- Connect with Washington, D.C. as a living classroom through partnerships with museums, theaters, artists, cultural institutions, Howard University, and community poets
Who They Become
At Meridian, we develop the whole child. Our students graduate 8th grade as strong communicators, creative problem-solvers, and globally minded citizens who understand and appreciate the world beyond their own experience.
Many of our students will be the first in their families to attend college. We take that seriously. From the literacy support we provide in the earliest grades to the College and Career Readiness instruction our middle schoolers receive every day, everything we do is oriented toward setting students up for long-term success.
Our graduates carry with them fluency in multiple languages, a love of reading, an appreciation for the arts, and the confidence to lead.
