Middle Level Leader - Catching Up on Professional Development

June 2011

For most of you, school is over—or almost over—for the year and hopefully soon you'll have time to take a breath and finish up all those loose ends.

With the staff and kids out the door, it's a good time to do that professional reading that you've been putting off. To help you catch up on issues of Middle Level Leader that you may have missed, we've compiled a summary of the year's lead articles.

This is the last issue of the newsletter until September and I'd love to hear from you with comments, suggestions for future topics, and stories of how you've used Middle Level Leader—just click on my name below to send me an e-mail.

Have a wonderful summer!

Patti Kinney
Associate Director, Middle Level Services  

September: Engaging Students With Service Learning
A Gulf Oil Response—Right in Your Own Backyard
By Cathy Berger Kaye
Those of us who have worked with young adolescents recognize that it can be a time full of confusion, conflict, and chaos. However, these young adolescents can be the most caring, compassionate, and concerned individuals you will ever encounter. What's the secret to bringing out this sometimes-hidden side of middle level students? Get them engaged with issues that are relevant to their lives—and project-based, service learning can be an excellent strategy for doing this. (Continue reading)

October: Listening to the Voices of Our Students
What Should Every Middle Level Leader Know About Young Adolescents?
By Nancy Doda
Oftentimes in education, we become so caught up in the work of educating our students that we forget just who we are educating. Most educators who work with young adolescents on a daily basis are quick to agree that this is a unique age group and that their developmental characteristics must be taken into account if we are to provide them with a successful education. However, do we really practice what we preach? (Continue reading)

November: Working With Difficult Parents
What Happened to Parenting?
By Melba Richardson
Working with parents can either be one of the most rewarding or most frustrating experiences middle level leaders can have. When most of us were middle schoolers, if the teacher or principal called home with a concern about our behavior, we were not only in trouble at school but at home as well—no questions asked! Today, we sometimes have the experience of calling home to discuss a concern with a parent only to be accused of picking on the child or told we don't know what we're talking about. (Continue reading)

December: Becoming a Writing Role Model
Becoming the Model: Writing Across the Curriculum Starts With the Principal
By Ross M. Burkhardt
Ask any effective writing teacher how students can best improve their writing and the answer will be "by writing." In this issue's lead article, author and former middle level teacher Ross Burkhardt challenges principals and other school leaders to take the lead in promoting writing across the curriculum by serving as a role model for writing. (Continue reading)

January: Altering Instruction for Gender Differences
Closing the Achievement Gap: Teaching to Gender Differences
By Bill McBride
Statistics on the failure of males in our schools suggest that many practices we use tend to favor the sequence of female brain development. Read on to discover the differences between male and female brain development and find practical suggestions on how we can alter our instruction to account for gender differences. (Continue reading)

February: Supporting Students With Disabilities
Inclusive Sports and Youth Leadership as an Antidote to Bullying in Schools
By Andrea Cahn and Jenni Newbury
Special Olympics has been working for decades to break down barriers by providing disabled youth and adults with opportunities to "develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship" with others. More recently, the organization has taken on another challenge. This article shares the new programs and resources they have developed and are providing, at no cost, to help schools combat bullying and promote a culture of inclusiveness for all. (Continue reading)

March: Making the Case for Literacy
The Middle Level Leader's Role in Literacy Achievement
By Sharon Faber
Strong literacy skills are imperative if our students are to find success in the future. As school leaders, we must ensure that literacy skills are infused into every class and every subject. This month's lead article by literacy expert Sharon Faber spells out actions that middle level leaders can take to build the literacy skills of students. (Continue reading)

April: The Power of Student Voice
The Power of Student Voice
By Monty Selby
If we want our students to feel connected to their school, we need to establish a school culture that honors student voice and puts practices in place that allow each student to be heard. In this month's lead article, songwriter Monte Selby shares the process he has used in countless schools to give students a voice; and while a song may not be the product you strive for, let his thoughts serve as a reminder and an inspiration to find new ways to let your students be heard. (Continue reading)

May: Preparing Globally Competent Students
Young Adolescents and the Global Age: Poised for Success
By Judith Ann Conk
As school leaders, we are frequently being questioned about how we are teaching 21st century skills, what we are doing to better prepare students for the future, and how we are getting students ready to work in a global society. Our world is getting smaller. In this article, author Judy Conk explains that individuals who are globally competent "are aware, curious, and interested in learning about the world and how it works. They can use the big ideas, tools, methods, and languages that are central to any discipline (mathematics, literature, history, science, and the arts) to engage the pressing issues of our time." (Continue reading) 

 
The student council at St. Mary School, a preK–8 school in New Richmond, WI, held a successful community service project with a "senior prom" that helped students and older citizens bond. The seniors attending the prom were reminded of their high school days, and the St. Mary council members realized that they could have friends of all ages.  

The prom took place at Messnor Manor, an apartment complex for seniors in Menomonee Falls. The event included bingo and prizes, dancing, and the naming of a prom court. According to one of the members, "It was great fun and we learned it was easy to make new friends from another generation."

The student council at St. Mary is a 2011 NASC National Gold Council of Excellence award winner. The award is sponsored by the National Association of Student Councils, a program of NASSP that recognizes middle level and high school student councils that maintain high-quality programs in their schools. To find out how your school can take student leadership to the next level and earn national recognition, visit www.nasc.us/ncoe.

 
Middle Level Briefing Scheduled on Capitol Hill
On June 22, NASSP will partner with the National Middle School Association, The National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform, and the Alliance for Excellent Education to host a briefing on Capitol Hill with a focus on "Increasing Student Achievement to Ensure Students Are College- and Career-Ready."  

Jack Jennings, executive director of the Center for Education Policy (CEP), will provide highlights from CEP's recent report, State Test Score Trends Through 2008–09. This year, CEP's study provides a detailed look at student performance on eighth-grade state reading and math tests and tracks testing data by race, ethnicity, income, and gender from as early as 2002 through 2009. Although there has been general improvement in eighth-grade state reading and math test scores, gaps have widened in most states between lower- and higher-achieving subgroups at the advanced level in math.

Other panelists include Matt Saferite, principal of Ramay Junior High School, a MetLife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough School from Arkansas and Skyles Calhoun, principal of Woodbridge (VA) Middle School, a 2011 Schools to Watch. These leaders will discuss specific strategies that they have successfully implemented to transform their buildings into high-performing middle schools with high expectations for all students. They will also share how they provide students with a challenging curriculum, engaging instruction, and balanced assessment. The briefing will be moderated by NASSP's Patti Kinney.

Breakthrough Schools: Application Deadline Extended to June 30
The goal of the MetLife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough Schools program is to identify, recognize, and showcase middle level and high schools that serve large numbers of students living in poverty (more than 40% receiving free and reduced-prince lunch) and are high-achieving or dramatically improving student achievement. Does your school fit the profile? Apply by June 30 for consideration. Selected schools receive a $5,000 grant and national recognition.

Help for New Middle Level Teachers
Did you hire any teachers brand new to the middle level for next school year? This list, published in MiddleWeb's Of Particular Interest e-newsletter, shares a mix of excellent articles that can help new middle level teachers "not just survive but thrive." And if you don't subscribe to Of Particular Interest, you're missing out on an excellent resource. Subscribe now.

Still time to Register for the Grading Workshop
If your school needs to rethink its grading practices, there's still time to register for the Grading in the 21st Century workshop. Develop a plan to bring your school's grading practices into the 21st century! Back for the fourth summer, Rick Wormeli will be presenting this interactive, hands-on workshop on June 30 and July 1 in Reston, VA. Register by June 17.

Nominate a Colleague for the NASSP Gruhn-Long-Melton Award
The Gruhn-Long-Melton Award was created in 1983 and is given to recognize "distinguished service and leadership in improving middle level education." The award was named in honor of William T. Gruhn, Forrest E. Long, and George E. Melton—all of whom made significant contributions during their lifetime to the field of middle level education. It is not an annual award but is given only when there is a worthy candidate. Applications are due November 15 and we encourage NASSP members to consider nominating a colleague worthy of this award.

Learn From the 2011 MetLife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough Schools
The May issue of Principal Leadership shares the stories of the middle level and high schools that were selected as the 2011 MetLife Foundation-NASSP Breakthrough Schools. Read the stories of these schools' successes as they share how they improved student performance by implementing the core areas of the Breaking Ranks Framework: collaborative leadership; personalization; and curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

Special Nuts and Bolts Symposium Offer for NASSP Members
Register Five From Your School and Get One FREE (up to a $500 value!*)
Again this summer, NASSP will be working at the Nuts and Bolts Symposiums to help provide quality professional development for school leaders and their teams. The next symposium will be held in Boulder, CO (July 28–31). Nuts and Bolts Symposiums are a one-of-a-kind professional development opportunity focusing on school improvement and student achievement. Research shows that high-achieving schools have effective leaders, implement sound instructional strategies, use effective classroom management, and engage their students in creative ways. These symposiums will give you the tools to improve in these areas and more. The lineup of presenters includes the best of the best and they are always true to the Nuts and Bolts concept of practical, realistic implementation of best practices. Bring a team of teachers to laugh, learn, and share—and watch your school transform!
*To receive this offer, please register by phone at 800-421-2830 and provide your NASSP member number.  

The NASSP Middle Level Leadership Center is made possible through a generous contribution from Minnesota Life, NASSP's life insurance provider for over 75 years.

Not a member? Join NASSP today.