Students, staff at Merrimack Valley Learning Center highlight progress and annual Thanksgiving tradition
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Teachers and students at the Merrimack Valley Learning Center presented student personal statements and described a family-style Thanksgiving lunch that staff and students prepare each year. Students credited MVLC with academic and social gains.
Staff and students from the Merrimack Valley Learning Center (MVLC) presented to the school board on Dec. 1, sharing student personal statements and a trifold describing the program’s longstanding Thanksgiving lunch tradition.
Ken Fuller, administrator at MVLC, introduced English teacher Melissa Jones and student speaker Jason Lessard. Jones described two student products: a class presentation of personal statements and interviews conducted by students, and a trifold showcasing the MVLC Thanksgiving lunch. Jason, a sophomore, gave a first-person statement describing how MVLC helped him mature, learn appropriate social timing, and make meaningful relationships with teachers and peers.
Jones said the Thanksgiving lunch — prepared and served by staff and students on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving — emphasizes community-building and social skills. She described staff who prepare and serve the meal and said the activity helps students practice social skills and strengthens the MVLC’s small, family-like environment.
Multiple student interview excerpts shown to the board described academic turnarounds and increased belonging: students spoke of improved grades, supportive teachers, and a sense of community. The board thanked the MVLC team for the presentation and for keeping the program in district facilities.
Next steps: MVLC left a trifold for board members to review and staff noted board support for continued investment in the program.