Students, staff, and parents all
place a high premium on a learning environment where young adolescents are
welcomed, understood, and appreciated – the “whole child” approach. There is strong
commitment to the advisory program and such forms of academic assistance as skills
support and ninth period. Parents and teachers identify the team concept,
guidance services, and the emerging Character Counts program as particular
strengths. Students appreciate multiple venues
for social interaction (like Teen Center), and they welcome the change of pace
represented by exploratory subjects (“We get to make things.”). All three constituencies
want to preserve the school’s focus on the developmental needs of young
adolescents.
Parents and faculty also hope
to strengthen the Middle School’s sense of community and its place within the
K-12 structure. Students, too, mention school-wide activities and class trips
as a way of fostering school spirit. Parents emphasize the need to promote respect
and kindness both within and across grade levels. One teacher mentioned the
benefit of organizing assemblies and special events in a monthly “calendar of
traditions”. People agree that a strong school identity provides direction,
structure, and support for students, teachers, and parents alike.
In addition to current
services, all groups want assistance for students who struggle. The nature of
such support varies by constituency. Parents desire more grade level communication
and coordination of assignments and workload. Students mention pass/fail
courses in certain subjects. Teachers focus on the need for additional staff
resources. Both parents and faculty share an interest in improving students’ organizational
skills and strengthening the transition between grades 5 and 6.
Belief in a strong academic
program shone through in every session. Parents voice a desire for greater
consistency and continuity across grade levels with respect to both curriculum
and instruction. Reflecting the impact
of tight school budgets, teachers express concern about class size and number
of preparations. Concerns about exploratory subjects came up in several
different ways, including grading practices and elective options (students),
interdisciplinary connections (teachers), and an interest in updating the
content (parents and teachers).
All groups see active,
visible, energetic leadership as a key resource for preserving the Middle
School’s strengths and addressing the various opportunities for improvement. We
found broad and deep agreement across groups about the desirable qualities for
a new Middle School principal. Some
words came up repeatedly -- “visible”, “energetic,” “presence,” “someone who
knows the kids.” Students call for a
principal who is friendly, fair, and trusted – one who “visits classes.” Teachers
want a champion for the faculty, a principal who will act as a strong and
effective advocate. Both parents and teachers value experienced leadership and want
a principal with clear vision -- one who will insist on high standards, encourage
and support new ideas, and put those ideas into practice.
As a next step in the process
and with these findings as a backdrop, district leaders Rachel Kelly, John
Kehoe, and David Quattrone have begun screening promising candidates, drawn
from both professional network referrals and 140 applicants who responded to
ads in the New York Times and Education Week.
