StoryStudent Belonging and Mentorship ProgramOctober 27, 2026

Meadow Ridge Elementary Cultivates Belonging Through Innovative Mentorship Program

The Merryold Buddy Program, pairing fifth graders with kindergartners, was highlighted at a recent Wayzata Public Schools board meeting for fostering connections and teaching the value of community.

Published Oct 28, 2026

Meadow Ridge Elementary recently presented its "Merryold Buddy Program" to the Wayzata Public Schools board, showcasing an initiative designed to foster a strong sense of belonging and provide mentorship opportunities for its youngest students. The program, which strategically pairs fifth-grade students with kindergartners, aims to build community and cultivate essential social-emotional skills among participants.

The core of the Merryold Buddy Program involves older students acting as mentors, guiding their younger counterparts through various school activities and social interactions. This structured mentorship not only provides kindergartners with a trusted older peer but also empowers fifth graders with a sense of responsibility and leadership. The program was developed with a clear objective: to ensure every student feels connected and supported within the school environment.

A key aspect of the program is its measurable belonging goal. Meadow Ridge Elementary strives for 100% of its students to report a strong sense of belonging, both in relation to their peers and to adults within the school. This progress is tracked quarterly through a survey asking students three specific questions: 'I have a friend in class,' 'I have a friend at Meadow Ridge,' and 'I have a trusted adult at Meadow Ridge.'

Our belonging goal at Meadow Ridge is to have a 100% of students who will report their sense of belonging as related to peers and adults. So each quarter we will give them a survey with these three questions. I have a friend in class. I have a friend at Meadow Ridge. And I have a trusted adult at Meadow Ridge.
— Principal Sarah Beth Denui

The inspiration for the program stemmed from a desire among staff to actively create opportunities for students to build a stronger community. Staff members drew insights from an article describing the 'Marigold effect,' a metaphor used to illustrate how individuals, like marigolds, can foster the growth of others around them, in contrast to 'walnuts' which can be more solitary.

We started thinking if we wanted to see a stronger community, we had to actually create opportunities for students to build one. As staff, we read an article about something called the Marigold effect. It was essentially a metaphor that described people as being marigolds or walnuts.

Other Topics from This Document

Employee Recognition
Student Achievement Data and Achievement Gap Analysis
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Development of AI Use Policy in Schools
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Votes (4)

Recognition of Allison Frasier, Employee of the Month

No formal vote. This was a recognition item.

Dr. Virgin introduced the recognition, sharing remarks from Meadow Ridge Elementary. Allison Frasier, a school counselor, was lauded for her empathy, support for students/families, and proactive communication. Frasier herself spoke, crediting her mother (a lifelong educator) and sharing her motivation to prioritize children's mental health, inspired by the loss of her cousin to depression. She highlighted the district's elementary school counseling program, now in its fifth year with counselors in all nine elementary schools. She thanked staff, administrators, and the Meadow Ridge social worker.

School Spotlight Presentation: Merryold Buddy Program at Meadow Ridge Elementary

No formal vote. This was a presentation and discussion.

Principal Sarah Beth Denui, Associate Principal Brianna Blood, and teachers Lucky Omar and Sarah Gamik presented the Merryold Buddy program. The program, inspired by the 'Marigold effect' metaphor, aims to address a lack of leadership, responsibility, and community among students (especially older ones) by intentionally pairing older students with younger ones. The goal is to build relationships, friendships, and safe spaces that might not happen organically in a school of over 800 students. Data from a survey showed high rates of students reporting friends in class (98%), at Meadow Ridge (99%), and a trusted adult (96%), but also identified areas for improvement, particularly concerning trusted adults. The program involves intentional pairing, accessibility for special education students, and inclusion of all adults in the building. Feedback from students and staff was overwhelmingly positive, emphasizing the value of connections over activities. Board members praised the program for instilling a 'value of belonging' and fostering mentorship.

Administrative Reports: 2025-27 State Annual Report Student Achievement

No formal vote. This was an informational report and discussion.

Dana Miller and her team (Dr. Lackner, Austin Terson, Abby Bra, Julie Schneider) presented student achievement data for the 2025-26 school year. They covered KCER goals, local literacy plan objectives, and ANI goals, using FastBridge (screening/progress monitoring) and MCA (state accountability) assessments. Key findings included slight increases in K-1 literacy, but mixed results in grades 2-8, with a 2% decrease in overall proficiency for grades 6-8 aReading. Significant and persistent achievement gaps were noted across racial, economic, and special education groups in both reading and math MCAs, with Black African-American students showing the largest gaps. Math proficiency (72.14%) was higher than the state average but missed the district's goal. High school graduation rates showed students catching up by 12th grade, but gaps persisted in earlier years. The team emphasized continuous improvement through CEL, PLCs, and MTSS, acknowledging the difficulty and time required to close gaps. Board members expressed concerns about the slow pace of gap reduction and questioned the ambition of district-set goals and the definition of 'graduation readiness,' suggesting a need for deeper analysis of post-high school outcomes.

Responsible Use of AI Policy (Background Presentation)

No formal vote. This was a background presentation for a future policy reading.

Austin Terson and B. Phillips presented the background for a proposed AI policy. They explained the 'why now' by highlighting the exponential growth of generative and agentic AI since 2022, which goes beyond previous 'task-specific predictive AI.' The policy aims to provide clear guidance and protection, defining responsible use, building AI literacy, ensuring human accountability, and safeguarding data privacy/security. They outlined a 'human AI human' framework, emphasizing human inception and accountability in any AI-supported work. Expected outcomes include clarity, approved tools, teacher-directed student use with a developmental access approach (restricted in K-5, introduced in middle school, greater access in high school), and explicit limits on data entry. The policy and regulation have been developed over 5-6 months, incorporating feedback from MSBA, MDE, and district committees. The first reading is planned for the next board meeting.

Notable Quotes (17)

Meadow Ridge Elementary is pleased to announce Allison Frasier, a school counselor as the Wisetta Public Schools October employee of the month. Allison's warmth and empathy ensures that every student and family feels seen, heard, and deeply supported.
— Rob Virgin [0:01:42]

Recognition of Allison Frasier, Employee of the Month

What's best for kids is having adults who are trained to identify and respond to mental health needs early so that families can find the right support. What's best for kids is proactive social emotional learning, how to handle conflict, how to be resilient, how to use coping skills.
— Allison Frasier [0:05:07]

Recognition of Allison Frasier, Employee of the Month

I'm really grateful that Waysetta School District came to the same conclusion as me about what kids need. Thanks to the school board and our families and our teachers and administrators, our district launched an elementary school counseling program 5 years ago. We are proud to now have a school counselor in all nine elementary schools.
— Allison Frasier [0:07:05]

Recognition of Allison Frasier, Employee of the Month

Our belonging goal at Meto Ridge is to have a 100% of students who will report their sense of belonging as related to peers and adults. So each quarter we will give them a survey with these three questions. I have a friend in class. I have a friend at Meadow Ridge. And I have a trusted adult at Meadow Ridge.
—

Ordinances & Resolutions (12)

Local Literacy Plan (LLP)Plan

Weisetta's plan for literacy support systems, aligning with the Read Act and KCER goals.

Read ActOther

State legislation placing emphasis on K-12 students reading at or above grade level each year, replacing 'Read Well by Third Grade'.

MCA4 (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments 4)Other

New state reading assessment based on 2020 ELA standards, establishing a new baseline.

MCA3 (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments 3)Other

Current state math assessment based on 2007 standards, used until a new assessment in 2028.

2020 ELA standardsOther

New English Language Arts standards on which the MCA4 reading assessment is based.

2007 standardsOther

THE MAPLE GROVE RECORDER

Meadow Ridge Elementary Cultivates Belonging Through Innovative Mentorship Program

Other Topics from This Document

Employee Recognition

Student Achievement Data and Achievement Gap Analysis

Development of AI Use Policy in Schools

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Votes (4)

Notable Quotes (17)

Ordinances & Resolutions (12)

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