Overview

Our Academics

At Meridian, learning is alive and led by students. Our teachers bring lessons to life through local field trips, hands-on experiments, real-world applications, and project-based assessments. Students ask questions, drive the conversation, and build their own understanding in classrooms where every identity is honored and every student is challenged.

Our curriculum is aligned to the Common Core, setting high expectations for every student and teacher across mathematics and English language arts.

Inquiry-Based, Student-Centered Learning

At Meridian, instruction starts with a question. Our inquiry-based model invites students to form their own understanding of a concept through discussion, investigation, and discovery. Students learn to explain their thinking, engage in civil discussion, and make connections between what they are learning and the world around them.

Student-centered instruction means that classroom activities are designed around each student's distinct learning needs, interests, and cultural background. Students take charge of their learning, show what they know in their own words, and build a genuine sense of pride and accomplishment in the process.

Small Classes, More Attention

Core to our mission is that every student, regardless of academic level, finds joy in learning. Our model gives students more one-on-one time with their teachers than a traditional classroom structure allows. With an average class size of 19 students and a school-wide student-to-teacher ratio of 13:1, our teachers know their students well and can adjust instruction to meet each learner where they are. In Pre-K, that ratio drops to 9:1, giving our youngest learners the individual attention that matters most in the early years.

Many classrooms include multiple teachers or instructional aides working with smaller groups at the same time. Teachers also co-teach with Special Education and English Language Learner teachers throughout the day to make sure every student has the support they need to succeed.

Language

Language learning is woven into daily life at Meridian, reflecting the rich diversity of our community. Our Pre-K program operates in full Spanish immersion, building strong bilingual foundations from the earliest years through play-based learning. All elementary students receive 45 minutes of weekly Spanish instruction through full immersion classes. In middle school, students explore Spanish as well as other multilingual learning opportunities.

We celebrate our students' home languages through daily morning announcements in English and Spanish, multilingual library collections, our word-of-the-week program, and our Multilingual Learners Showcase during Hispanic Heritage Month. 

Literacy

Literacy is the foundation of everything we do at Meridian. Every student receives 90-120 minutes of daily literacy instruction, taught by teachers trained in research-based reading practices. Elementary students benefit from a dedicated reading specialist and intervention teacher. In middle school, our WIN (What I Need) block provides personalized, targeted reading support.

Our classroom libraries are filled with culturally texts that reflect our students' identities and experiences. We bring reading and writing to life through schoolwide events including 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, students develop as readers, writers, and storytellers throughout their time at Meridian.

The Arts

The arts are central to who we are at Meridian. Arts learning is integrated into every subject area. Teacher micro-grants support art integration across mathematics, science, literacy, and social studies. Elementary students attend weekly visual art classes and participate in community art projects and seasonal celebrations. Middle schoolers explore hands-on creation through our CREW building club.

Our location in Washington, D.C. gives us direct access to museums, theaters, artists, and cultural institutions that regularly partner with our school, turning the city into a living classroom.

At Meridian, we develop the whole child. Social-emotional learning is embedded throughout the school day through morning meetings, advisory periods, closing circles, community meetings, and a dedicated block in each grade level. Through these structures, students build the knowledge and skills to understand and manage their emotions, set and achieve goals, show empathy, maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decidions.

Intervention and Support