Merriam Elementary 

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Merriam School is committed to creating and sustaining an environment that promotes academic excellence, encourages social development, fosters emotional well-being, and instills a passion for lifelong learning.  Joy in learning is the ultimate goal, where students feel safe, seen, valued, and inspired to be themselves and pursue their unique interests and abilities. We accomplish this by holding community at our center: Merriam parents, teachers, and students learn and work closely together.

Project-based learning is central to Merriam's educational approach. Students are assigned projects that integrate and deepen learning across different disciplines. This method emphasizes inquiry, research, collaboration, experiential learning, and interdisciplinary studies, culminating in a final product or presentation shared with an authentic audience. Both teachers and students actively participate in the ongoing process of reflection, refinement, and assessment.

Students grow in confidence not only from their work in the academic disciplines, but from the time spent learning with others and by giving to their community. Older children are assigned to younger children as buddies. Children across grade levels are assigned to mixed-age family groups to create bonds and to share learning at school events such as All School Meeting, Community Day, and Field Day. All classroom teachers implement Responsive Classroom, Social Thinking, and Second Step curricula that work in harmony to promote social-emotional skills, conflict resolution tools, and self-regulation strategies. In addition, school-wide curriculum themes provide opportunities for the community to work together. For the 2024-2025 school year, all students are involved in studies related to the overall theme of "flexibility".

Merriam parents come to three conferences during the school year to hear about their child's progress. They meet with the classroom teachers for both beginning-of-year and end-of-year conferences. Mid-year, all students participate in a unique, student-led conference. Every student in grades Kindergarten through six leads an independent conference with caregivers to reflect on their personal goals, expectations, and progress, and then organize this material into an informative, rewarding presentation for their parents. In this way, students are empowered to become leaders of their own learning. It is often a highlight of the year for both parents and children.

The Merriam community draws its strength and pride from the joint efforts of staff, parents, children, and community representatives. These groups have historically worked together to design Merriam at its founding, and this collaborative spirit is still in practice today. Collaboration among community members continues through committees that perform a variety of services, from fundraising to event planning to finding unique ways to engage and welcome all community members in meaningful ways.