Elementary School
Pre-Kindergarten
Children are playful by nature. Their earliest experiences exploring with their senses lead them to play, first by themselves and eventually with others.
Our Pre-Kindergarten curriculum, Creative Curriculum, promotes this fun of learning through activities that teach children about the world around them. Creative Curriculum is a comprehensive, research-based curriculum that uses exploration of the environment and discovery as a way of learning, enabling children to develop confidence, creativity, and lifelong critical thinking skills.
Children change a lot throughout their Pre-K year. To address these changing needs, Creative Curriculum is adaptable and engaging, particularly good for children with special mobility or cognitive challenges.
Some examples of Pre-K lessons and activities:
During math center, children learn shapes using clay by making squares, circles and triangles.
In dramatic play, children retell the story “The Three Little Pigs” using costumes and props.
During play activities, children learn to share classroom materials and use their words to express themselves with their peers.
In SY19, 100% of our students achieved grade-level expectations in both mathematics and reading based on the TS-Gold assessment, and in SY20, our PreK staff exceeded all of the city targets on the CLASS assessment, a nationally-recognized measure of teacher performance!
Elementary School
Elementary students are interested in their community and their world. We nurture that curiosity through development of core skills and engaging, hands-on activities that require teamwork and communication. Our students often work to solve problems and create together.
The focus for students in K–5th grade is to develop their independence and take responsibility for their own learning through engaging student-led conversations. Conducted in every subject area, these conversations give them time to explain their thinking and show them how to provide feedback to each other.
In all classes, our curriculum emphasizes applications to real-world situations. For example, in math, numbers and mathematical concepts are linked to everyday situations, like calculating the dimensions of a classroom or multiplying a recipe.
In English Language Arts (ELA) courses, students connect their reading material to current events and their own lives. They discuss specific passages in small groups to uncover deeper understanding. The process makes sure that all students participate and get support from each other without feeling singled out.
Examples of classroom projects and events include:
Acting out a scene from the day’s reading assignment
Learning about fractions by making slime
Using the scientific method to investigate how seeds germinate and grow
Creating rhythms and compositions in music class
A message from the Elementary School Principal:
We are so excited to build on the great work and achievements of last year. While last year was challenging on many levels, we rallied together as a Meridian family and showed resilience and ended the year strong. Your dedication and feedback has allowed us to be even more intentional with our structures and systems to ensure every student has a plan to exceed their goals and achieve this academic year. It brings me great joy and esteem to announce our Elementary School Leadership Team. This dedicated team of leaders' first priority is to collaborate with you this year. It is this degree of partnership that is needed to model a complete level of support for each of our students.
A little bit about me. After graduating from Prince Georges’ Public Schools, I continued my education at Grambling State University in Grambling, Louisiana. I returned home to complete my graduate studies at American University where I earned a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. I gained acceptance in Leaders where I successfully completed both Emerging Leaders and Aspiring Principals programs. I have eleven years of teaching and leadership experience in Washington, D.C. and San Jose, California.
I am please to be joined by fellow School Leaders, Nichole Lowery, ASsistant Principal, Lower Elementary, Jewel Taylor, Assistant Principal, Upper Elementary, and Marcus Brown, Dean of Students.
A message from THE Assistant Principal, Lower Elementary:
My name is Nichole Lowery and I am the Assistant Principal of Lower Elementary. I am excited to begin this academic journey with you and your students. Meridian has been my home for the last 16 years. I started as a classroom teacher in Pre-Kindergarten and served as the Early Childhood Instructional Specialist. I am truly honored to continue making an impact on students' lives. I hold a Bachelor’s from the University of the District of Columbia in Early Childhood and a Master’s of Science in Administration with a Specialization in Early Childhood from Trinity Washington University. I have focused on early childhood in my career due to my strong belief in giving students a solid foundation.
I am originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. So I continue to be a huge hometown supporter and a die-hard Eagles fan. I made the DMV my home when I attended Howard University as a Biology/Pre Med student. I soon found my niche in teaching and have loved every second of it. My goal as the Assistant Principal of Lower Elementary is to continue Meridian's long history of providing a quality program to its youngest students and educating the whole child. I look forward to continuing to serve our families and support our teachers.
Sincerely,
Nichole Lowery
A message from the Assistant Principal of Upper Elementary:
My name is Jewel Taylor and I have the privilege of serving as the Assistant Principal of Upper Elementary for Meridian’s Elementary Campus for the 2022-2023 school year. I am a native of Chattanooga, TN, having relocated to the Washington, DC area to obtain my Bachelor’s degree from the illustrious Howard University. I also hold my Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Trinity Washington University. I am formerly a classroom teacher of 6.5 years, and have the honor of serving Meridian as a first year administrator in the 2022-2023 school year.
Throughout this school year, I look forward to forging intentional partnerships with students, families and teachers as a means to drive student achievement and foster a sense of community and belonging here with the Meridian Family. I look forward to supporting you!
Sincerely,
Jewel Taylor
A message from the ES Dean of Students:
My name is Marcus Brown and I am excited to be joining the Meridian community as the Elementary School Dean of Students! I am originally from Philadelphia, PA (Go Birds!) and graduated from Franklin and Marshall College and received my Master’s in Urban Education from the University of Pennsylvania. I am a history nerd who enjoys cooking and playing with my dog Puck in my free time. I believe that meaningful and purposeful relationships are the key to engaging students and families and driving student achievement and joy. I look forward to connecting with the Meridian community and having a great school year!
Sincerely,
Marcus Brown