Merriam's Mission and Vision Statements

Revised Dec. 16, 2003.

Merriam School Mission Statement

The mission of the Merriam School Community is to create and sustain an environment that promotes academic excellence, encourages social development, fosters emotional well-being and instills a passion for life-long learning.

Merriam School Vision Statement

The Merriam School strives to combine the thought provoking, enriching qualities of a children's museum with the nurturing and support of a family and the focused learning of a school.

The Merriam School holds community at its center. Merriam parents, teachers and students learn and work closely together. Deeply rooted in Merriam's philosophy is the idea that students, teachers and parents share an active role in decision making and feel empowered through their involvement with the school. Students have opportunities to make choices in their classrooms that really affect them, from creating classroom constitutions to deciding what to sell in the school store. Teachers are empowered to make significant decisions, including those regarding the school's budget, curriculum and operation. By design, parents are also deeply involved in making a wide range of important decisions, such as setting the school's goals, evaluating the school's progress, hiring new teachers and designing the plans for school improvement.

Shared Beliefs among Merriam Staff Members

The Staff at Merriam believes:
  • All learners can have successful and satisfying experiences through active participation in the educational process.
  • Learning takes place in a dynamic environment which arouses curiosity, supports innovation and promotes a love of learning.
  • Education prepares the learner for effective participation in communities beyond the school.
  • The school is a central member of a community and family team that shares responsibility for the development of children.
  • Learning takes place through experiences which link the learner's world to the great chain of ideas, past to future.
  • Every learner comes with personal gifts.

Learn about the Merriam School Structures and Strategies which were designed to support and explicitly implement the School's mission and vision.

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