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Board hears from Meridian Middle School Compass students and student reflections on D.C. CloseUp trip
Summary
Three Meridian Middle School 'Compass' student-advisors were recognized for contributing to school improvement; two students described their CloseUp Washington, D.C., trip, saying workshops and memorial visits deepened civic learning. The board praised the program as an information-gathering step to inform future adjustments.
The Meridian School Board recognized three Meridian Middle School "Compass" student-advisors and heard reflections from middle-school students who attended a CloseUp trip to Washington, D.C.
School leaders said the Compass program gathers regular student input to improve learning and school climate. "The experiences of one student will help us see the system," a presenter said, summarizing the program’s intent to use student perspectives as a springboard for incremental changes.
Staff introduced the three Compass students—an eighth grader described as a persistent leader who recently returned from a D.C. trip, a seventh grader highlighted for thoughtful reflection and leadership in student advisory, and a sixth grader who is multilingual and brings the perspective of a student who transferred systems. Teachers said the district challenged buildings to nominate students representing different grade levels and backgrounds with the explicit goal of using their feedback to shape classroom and school practices.
Board members asked how the students share information with peers. A student replied it was "half and half"—both personal experience and what they hear from friends—and staff said the program is currently an information-collection step that will inform future goals and changes. "No instant adjustments, just gathering information," a staff member said.
The board also heard a trip report from two Meridian Middle School students who attended CloseUp D.C. with 28 students. One student said, "I really enjoyed the trip to DC. I would definitely do it again if I had the chance," describing visits to Mount Vernon, the Air and Space Museum, memorials, and workshops on civic processes and lawful protest. Teachers explained fundraising and optional self-pay covered trip costs and praised CloseUp’s workshop curriculum as reinforcing classroom learning.
Board members thanked students and staff and commended the district for supporting experiential civic learning opportunities.
