What do you like about Meridian HS (FCCPS)?

[Anonymous]

We are moving back to Falls Church City from further afield, with a rising 9th grader. We haven't been nearby since Meridian was renamed/remodeled and would love to hear from some local parents what they like about it. Thanks in advance.

[Anonymous]

Welcome back! I've only got middle schoolers so can't give much detail but I do adore the Secondary Campus leader and think she's developed an incredible community where teachers feel heard and valued. Obviously, Meridian is a beautiful school.

[Anonymous]

Be aware of how grading works:

https://meridianlasso.org/16238/features/breaking-down-standards-based-grading/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Welcome back! I've only got middle schoolers so can't give much detail but I do adore the Secondary Campus leader and think she's developed an incredible community where teachers feel heard and valued. Obviously, Meridian is a beautiful school.

Are you a teacher? I’m curious how you know they feel heard and valued?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be aware of how grading works:

https://meridianlasso.org/16238/features/breaking-down-standards-based-grading/

OP here. Thanks. Does this have an impact on college admissions in terms of how candidates are compared?

[Anonymous]

Well, there are many factors at play. Are you coming from a rigorous Middle Years programme? Are you thinking about colleges your child might apply to?
For students applying to the same school, your child will always be compared to the other students. It can cause an atmosphere of unhealthy competition because their is so much stats-sharing these days.
Just FYI, IB diploma looks good to UVA, yet UVA gives far more course credits for AP than IB. You can see the info on UVA’s website.
UVA admissions are aware of how schools are grading now. Test-optional might end if more schools follow MIT.
There is still so much unpredictability wrt admissions!

[Anonymous]

Sorry, there is so much stats-sharing these days

[Anonymous]

The new building is great. The student body is small, more like a private, which has both pros and cons. (More pros for us). You should make sure you are on board with the IB program, though. Because it’s a small IB school, there aren’t many AP options for strong students who don’t want to do IB for whatever reason (and there are several that are valid, including that IB is very rigid with two-year courses).

[Anonymous]

For those of you saying the new building is great and beautiful, do your students like it? My kid does not. 7 floors, small rooms with uncomfortable furniture… maybe the younger students who never were in the old building appreciate it more.

[Anonymous]

*your own kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The new building is great. The student body is small, more like a private, which has both pros and cons. (More pros for us). You should make sure you are on board with the IB program, though. Because it’s a small IB school, there aren’t many AP options for strong students who don’t want to do IB for whatever reason (and there are several that are valid, including that IB is very rigid with two-year courses).

Thanks. What's a good way to learn the ins and outs of IB?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, there are many factors at play. Are you coming from a rigorous Middle Years programme? Are you thinking about colleges your child might apply to?
For students applying to the same school, your child will always be compared to the other students. It can cause an atmosphere of unhealthy competition because their is so much stats-sharing these days.
Just FYI, IB diploma looks good to UVA, yet UVA gives far more course credits for AP than IB. You can see the info on UVA’s website.
UVA admissions are aware of how schools are grading now. Test-optional might end if more schools follow MIT.
There is still so much unpredictability wrt admissions!

Thank you. We're coming from a non IB middle school. We don't have specific colleges in mind and our child doesn't yet either. I guess I'm just wondering if it's a disadvantage to have a nontraditional grading system.

You raise an interesting point about competition. I assume regardless of the grading there will be a lot of competing. We really hope to help our child navigate thr upper years without obsessive pressure on performance.

What are some things you like about Meridian? Would you choose another school if you had the option?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Welcome back! I've only got middle schoolers so can't give much detail but I do adore the Secondary Campus leader and think she's developed an incredible community where teachers feel heard and valued. Obviously, Meridian is a beautiful school.

Are you a teacher? I’m curious how you know they feel heard and valued?

Based on conversations I've had with multiple teacher friends. They wanted to organize and parents came out en masse to support them and SB passed it.

[Anonymous]

The non-traditional grading is awful and nearly impossible to understand. The teachers are not allowed to average quarter grades so the final grade seems to be highly subjective and not at all transparent. It’s very difficult for a student to estimate where the final grade is headed (and to adjust study habits accordingly if needed) when quarter grades vary and averaging them is prohibited. I would not have knowingly put my students in this situation but the grading system changed recently, many years after we moved to FCC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Welcome back! I've only got middle schoolers so can't give much detail but I do adore the Secondary Campus leader and think she's developed an incredible community where teachers feel heard and valued. Obviously, Meridian is a beautiful school.

Are you a teacher? I’m curious how you know they feel heard and valued?

Based on conversations I've had with multiple teacher friends. They wanted to organize and parents came out en masse to support them and SB passed it.

I’m a teacher there. You are referring to collective bargaining, which has become important to some teachers. Others are not really following this or it’s not a main focus of the year.

When I think of being supported and understood, I’m thinking of it in terms of my day to day job and understanding what goes on in classrooms with students. Many teachers share the frustration of SBG referenced by the above poster. I wish we could have control over how we assess students and that they would take into consideration our opinion on what is best for students. We have meetings and surveys but do always feel heard.