"The 'thinking society' of the twenty-first century can no longer be content with graduates trained to take in and recycle information handed out by teachers and other authority figures. Today's students must be taught to think for themselves and to generate new information. But you cannot say: 'We will lecture to you about how to be creative, and then we will measure your creativity with this multiple-choice test.' We need a whole new approach to designing and running schools." (Smart Schools, Smart Kids: Why Do Some Schools Work? by Edward B. Fiske)

Organizational Structures for Students

Class Looping: Looping classes together for a two-year period with the same teacher (first graders stay together with the same teacher for second grade; third graders stay together with the same teacher for fourth grade; fifth graders stay with the same teacher for sixth grade).

Class Groupings: The Merriam School believes that the development of a safe and supportive classroom community provides the anchor for children's academic and social emotional success in school. In accordance with this belief, the staff works closely and thoughtfully together at the end of each school year to structure classes for the following fall. Serious consideration is given to the following:

• Grouping children with a comfortable peer (a peer with whom they work well).
• Balancing classes with respect to numbers of students, gender, special education needs, and academic, social, and emotional strengths and weaknesses.

Family Groupings: At Merriam School we value community. Supported by parents and teachers, all students are organized into mixed-age groupings. Students participate in the same family group (whenever possible) throughout their Merriam career. Embarking on all-school field trips, participating in core value work and experiencing school theme day celebrations, the children develop and deepen ongoing relationships which foster a strong sense of community. As students advance through the grades, they take on more responsibility.

Organizational Structures For Teachers

Classroom Assistants: Assistants are key supports in every classroom. The prime function of all fund-raising activities and efforts at Merriam School is to provide teachers with classroom assistants. Assistants work an average of 18 hours a week in a variety of ways, including: supporting project-based curriculum, working with small groups and individuals, supervising daily lunch and recess, and organizing materials.

Grade Level Meetings: Teachers on the same grade level meet weekly for an hour and a half on Friday (during the school day) to collaboratively develop meaningful curriculum, including projects.

Faculty Meetings: Merriam faculty meet regularly according to contract guidelines. Meetings are opportunities to discuss current teaching and learning topics of interest.

Triads: Triads is a peer mentoring model that consists of groups of three teachers (from across grades and disciplines) who support and observe one other during the teaching day on a monthly basis.

Organizational Structures For Parents, Teachers and Students

All School Meetings: Monday mornings and Friday afternoons, the whole school gathers together to start and end the week as a community. Students and teachers showcase curriculum via poems, plays, performances and other presentations.

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