As the Meridian Public School District enters the second semester of the 2016-17 school year, I reflect back on the work of our administrators, teachers, staff and students during the first semester, and it is truly remarkable.

The Meridian Public School District is dedicated to providing every student a high quality education each day, and this goal is not something that is taken lightly. During the first semester, changes were implemented to the instructional practices of the district, and the fruit of that labor is beginning to show. Our teachers and support staff are working extremely hard to share resources, model lessons and individualize instruction so that each student can have a strong educational foundation.

The district has seen student success in so many areas this year. I am excited to report that on College Application Day, 92 percent of the seniors at Meridian High School filled out admission applications to the college of their choice. The MHS Academic team continues to win tournaments and earn top honors across the state. Students in the Visual and Performing Arts arena have had an extremely successful year including All Superior ratings for the ‘Greatest Band in all of the Land,’ Superior ratings for the Concert Choir, Best Ensemble Acting award for the Wildcat Players, and All-State Honor Choir participants from our elementary, middle and high schools. In addition, MHS art students earned 11 National Scholastic Art Awards in this year’s competition.

Ross Collins students designed and created a working carousel for the annual Meridian Christmas Parade and earned the Mayor’s Trophy for their outstanding efforts. Students across the district have spent time and effort raising money to give back to our community through city-wide projects as well as projects that the students have created and coordinated themselves. I am extremely proud to say that the district has five MHS students who have earned a score of 30 or higher on the ACT giving them limitless options for post-secondary education.

On the field, Meridian has seen our student-athletes excel as well. From an outstanding football season to the number one ranked boys’ basketball team with successful softball, volleyball, cross country, and soccer seasons in between, MPSD students are working very hard and representing Meridian well both in and out of the classroom.

Another area of student success is in behavior. In the fourth year of implementation of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program, I am very pleased to report that office discipline referrals have declined by 48 percent and exclusionary discipline (out of school suspension or expulsion) has declined by 67 percent. This progress is a tribute to the hard work of our students, teachers, behavior counselors, PBIS coordinators, administrators, and parents. I am so proud of the accomplishments that the district has made in this area, and I look forward to continuing this work in order to build upon this success for students and support for our teachers.

In the Meridian Public School District, 2017 will be focused on ensuring all students receive quality instruction each day, retaining and recruiting highly qualified teachers, and continuing to strengthen partnerships with parents and the community.

The future looks bright for the students of Meridian, and the district values your support as we continue moving forward to ensure all students are prepared for the college and/or career of their choice.

I continue to Believe in Blue, and I hope you do too!

Amy Carter is superintendent of Meridian public schools.