IB schools worldwide are evaluated once every five years to ensure the standard qualifications required for the IB programme are being followed. The other primary purpose for the evaluation is to provide a score which reflects the schools’ mastery of the programme.
Evaluations are less about concerns regarding removal or poor program application, and more about learning how the school can adapt to changes in the programme and what other schools are doing.
Meridian has long enjoyed the distinction of being the first school in Virginia to adopt the IB programme in 1981 under the directive of then-principal George Thoms.
On Monday and Tuesday, the IB team visited Jessie Thackery Preschool, as well as Mount Daniel and Oak Street Elementary Schools. On Wednesday, all evaluators met at Meridian High School for a meeting with the administrative team of the entire division, including Superintendent Dr. Terry Dade, school board members, and programme leads.
“Based on the awesome work our educators and students do, we’re not worried,” IB programme coordinator Josh Singer commented. “They’re going to come in and know that we’re doing a great job implementing the programme, and that we have our unique Meridian flair to it, but that we’re doing it.”
At the conclusion of the 2023-24 school year, Singer met with other coordinators and central office leaders to prepare for this evaluation. In January 2025, teachers and school leaders began to work on reflective documents assessing the application of IB’s criteria for educational standards. The same criteria is also assessed during the in-person visits designated for FCCPS’s evaluation.
However, at Wednesday’s meeting, a large topic of conversation was the application of IB for students in special education programmes and parents’ concerns with the prestigious and selective nature of the programme. The concern was not met with a clear answer nor ideas for change during the duration of the meeting.
Students then led the evaluators on a guided tour through both Meridian and Henderson. The Lasso followed Meridian student ambassador Carter Chirico and Henderson ambassador Rosa Fiddy. The purpose of the tour was to highlight where to find classes for each subject, what certain spaces were used for, and student opinions on everyday life at school.
On Thursday, evaluators were in and out of classrooms, meeting with students and educators to reach a more personal understanding of the culture at Meridian. On Friday, the coordinators, school leaders, and evaluators met for a time of feedback and reflection of their week.
After the final bell on Friday afternoon, Meridian faculty and staff were invited to a debrief at the Learning Stairs with both the IB evaluators and school administration. During the ten-minute meeting, Principal Laub complimented the entire staff on an overwhelmingly positive evaluation from the team, supported by enthusiastic remarks from the lead IB evaluator as well as Superintendent Dade, who joined in via teleconference.
“‘Evaluation’ seems kind of harsh. Really, what it is is an opportunity to celebrate the things we do as an IB school, and to showcase to people all the great stuff we do,” said Laub.
