1. Middle School History/Philosop hy

2. The Creation of the Middle School Middle Schools began as a way to give young adolescents a bridge between elementary school and high school that is made to fit their specific needs, without the philosophical issues junior high's had previously presented.(TIMS, pg 4) Two of the more prominent theorists of middle schools were Donald Eichhorn and William Alexander. Eichhorn coined the term transescence. (TIMS, pg 5) Transescence refers to the developmental period beginning in late childhood prior to puberty and extending through the early years of adolescents. Eichhorn showed that sixth graders are better suited with seventh and eighth graders rather than fourth and fifth graders. (TIMS, pg 5)

3. Quality Middle Schools Quality Middle Schools are extremely important to young adolescents. Decisions these young people make during this time can determine their future according to the Frontline Feature on the Importance of Middle School. Sixth grade students who are regularly absent, fail math or English, or have behavioral issues in their core subjects are 75% more likely to drop out in high school (drop out nation, middle school moment). At Brantley-Lathem Middle School we want to address these issues and direct high-risk kids to paths that will help them become successful.

4. Here is the PBS documentary on the Importance of Middle School http://ps372expansion.org/?p=221

5. The Importance of the Middle School Middle school is extremely important because this is also the time that the idea of “college readiness” begins (Wimberly & Noeth, pg 1). In middle school, students are asked to begin thinking about their futures. By preparing students early on, we can help them form good habits that will carry in to high school and college. We want our students to understand that the decisions they make can affect their future. Each student in the school will be required to take a career focused course that includes “job shadowing.” Therefore students can see what it is like to have a career on a day to day basis. This can either affirm the students aspirations or make them rethink their plans, which is better done in middle school.

6. A Community of Learning Much like middle school 244, we want to have an adult advocate for every student. Every morning students will have an advisory period. This a time when the homeroom teacher can have one-on-one time with each student to help them with any issues they may be having. This advocate should keep the student on track and make them feel cared for and encouraged. They will check the student’s attendance and grades in every course and offer help or suggestions to better their scores. We don’t want our students to feel lost in the system, we want them to feel noticed.

7. After School Programs After school programs are great tools for middle schools. It is way for students to be excited about school and feel comfortable in their learning environment. These programs will meet the needs and interest of the students. There will be academic programs such as tutoring, clubs, and art. There will also be athletic programs that will incorporate health lessons and intermural sports. There will be programs that give students the opportunity to volunteer either at school or in the community. These after school programs will be used to enrich students educationally and developmentally.

8. Reengaging the family in the Middle School Many parents tend to stop being so involved in their child’s education once they go to middle school. We want them to remain active and give them the tools to make sure their student is getting educational help while at home. We want to initiate “coffee talks” with parents. Once a week a teacher, counselor, or school official will meet with a group of parents to strategize and answer questions as a way to help their student with their education and developmental issues. We also want to give parents an opportunity to volunteer to help teachers and to help set up and run school events, and to help with after school programs.