This week, we showed our #CPSDPride by giving a #SuperSchoolShoutout to to Meriwether Elementary School reading interventionist Jazmine Ross and fifth grader Liam Bennett.
Ross worked as a long-term substitute teacher at CPSD before becoming an interventionist at Meriwether two years ago. “It’s a gift for me to be able to read so I enjoy fostering that love in kids through a growth mindset,” she said. “I always remind them that I’m here to build on the skills they already have and give them new tools to use.”
Ross works with students from kindergarten through fourth grade, mostly in small groups. “In kindergarten, I work in the classroom, so I get to know all the kids,” she said. “They see me, know what my role is and feel comfortable learning challenging skills together.”
This year, Ross is proud to have become even more devoted to relationship building with students. “Getting to know kids and showing them that you care inspires them,” she said. “It gives them higher expectations of themselves and all they can do.”
Liam became an Explorer this year and immediately felt at home in Meriwether. “I was in Syracuse before, but I really like it here,” he said. “There’s a lot of cool people, and I love my teacher, Mr. Williams.”
Liam’s best subject is math because he is a natural mathematician, but he is most proud of his growth in science. “I’m really excited to work with my friend, Aidan, on our STEAM Fair project,” he said. “I really like what we’re learning in class right now about plants, animals and the Earth.”
Liam is proud of his helpful personality and is known throughout the school for being friendly and kind. “I want to be an elementary school teacher when I grow up because I like working with people and educating,” he said. “My teachers have helped me a lot and I’m inspired by them.”
Go Explorers!
One of the true academic success stories in CPSD located on JBLM as are 5 other elementary school success stories. These 6 elementary schools represent about 2/3rds of all “military connected” students in CPSD. The other 1/3rd of students are scattered in elementary, middle and high schools off-base. Rather than being an academic detriment, as often implied by CPSD, they represent what every CPSD school should be academically. CPSD School Board and Superintendent could learn a lot by visiting Meriwether Elementary or any of the other JBLM schools. When was the last time they did that?
Meriwether Elementary School
Summary:
Meriwether Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 285. This school stands out as a high-performing and diverse institution within the Clover Park School District, which is ranked 183 out of 247 districts in the state.
Meriwether Elementary consistently outperforms the district and the state of Washington in standardized test scores across all grades and subjects, with particularly strong performance among Hispanic and low socioeconomic status students. In the 2023-2024 school year, 59.32% of Meriwether students were proficient or better in SBAC/English Language Arts, compared to 38.13% for the district and 52.63% for the state. The school’s diverse student population, with a racial makeup of 45.96% White, 10.18% African American, 25.61% Hispanic, and other ethnicities, is a key differentiating factor compared to some of the nearby schools, which tend to have a higher percentage of White students. Meriwether Elementary also serves a significant number of military-connected students, ranking among the top 20 out of 39 Washington elementary schools in this category.
Meriwether’s consistent academic growth over the past several years, with its statewide ranking improving from 575 out of 1,130 Washington elementary schools in 2018-2019 to 337 out of 1,168 in 2023-2024, is a testament to the school’s effective teaching practices and support for student learning. The school’s performance also outshines many of the nearby schools in the Clover Park School District, such as Idlewild Elementary, Carter Lake Elementary, and Lake Louise Elementary.