PA Don Eichhorn
Schools: Schools to Watch Schools – Best Practices
Just this past June 23, 24 and 25, twenty-eight members from
Pennsylvania Schools to Watch Schools, attended our Second Annual STW Summit at
Duquesne University in conjunction with the Scholastic Book Fair Reading
Conference. Funding for this Summit was
provided through a grant from Duquesne University under the guidance of Dr.
Robert Furman. The purpose of this
summit was to bring together members from our schools and allow them to share
best practices and discuss the importance of Literacy in the middle school.
One of the activities of the Summit was to allow
representatives from each of our STW Schools to highlight one or more best
practices in their school that others could incorporate. Below are samples of best practices shared by
each of our schools that participated in the Summit. If you would like additional information
concerning any of the practices, please contact the school directly.
Eisenhower MS/HS
(Keystone School) – Eric Leamon Principal - discussed Parent Engagement
within their Advisory Program – they have been able to utilize multiple outside
agencies to work with their students during their advisory time to free up time
for their teachers to work and plan together.
Youngsville
Elementary Middle School – Eric Mineweaser Principal - discussed their
schedule, emphasizing how they have been able to incorporate advisory time and
exploratory time within their master schedule.
South Side Middle
School – Tim Strader Principal 6th/7th and Sam Adams
Principal 8th/9th - South Side highlighted a number of
programs including advisory, Rtii and their 1:1 laptop computer
initiative. They also discussed their
transition class offered to all 8th graders entering 9th
grade as well as their Gateway to Art (Pittsburgh) program.
Avonworth Middle
School – Mike Hall Principal - shared with the group how they have utilized
their team time to develop interdisciplinary and cross curricular units of
instruction and how because of this time for teachers to work together they
have seen true differentiation within their classes.
Yellow Breeches
Middle School – Jesse White Principal - discussed the emphasis placed upon
differentiated instruction within the school as well as their community service
and club programs both on and off campus leading to their Day of Volunteering.
Seneca Valley Middle
School – Andrea Peck Principal - Seneca Valley discussed their continuation
of existing programs and how they have constantly revised many of them.
a.
Rtii – they have created a database and each
team has their own login to access information
b.
Team meetings and the use of this time for
teachers to collaborate and plan
c.
STEM / FEMS programs as well as a program FASE
(Female Alliance Stem Excellence) that is a middle school program to get girls
involved
I.e.:
Mrs. Clause’s missing ingredients, chemistry behind cosmetics, use of Carnegie
Mellon Computer Science students to come out as role models for women in
engineering, Recognition Night (Hands On, Minds On) and Flight Exploration.
DuBois Area Middle
School – Marianne Konior Principal - DuBois discussed their Step-Up Program
that began with 8th graders but now includes 6th and 7th
graders as well. They also talked about their 7th grade Suicide
Prevention Program – project-creating videos using iPads and presenting to
entire student body. They have a Life
Skills party/dance and movie day with about 50/60 students per grade level participating. School Counselors are in charge of the
program. Utilization of Ameri-Corps has
allowed them to create math/reading labs to work with under performing
students. They have also created a
dropout prevention program and student organizations.
Cambria Height Middle
School – David Caldwell Principal - Senior citizens are invited to the
school the day before their Christmas Holiday.
Students create gifts and questions to interact with their visitors and
develop video presentations. They also
discussed their Veterans Day Program where they invite all their local Veterans
to school. Students become public
speakers as they address each veteran present.
Veterans Day is taught throughout the building before the veterans are
invited so all students are well informed and have an opportunity to
participate.
Neshannock Junior
High School – Tracy McCalla Principal - Neshannock discussed a number of
programs including;
a.
Month of the Young Adolescent – careers,
resumes, student surveys
b.
Career Day at the end of the year – community
members spend the entire day at school presenting their different careers,
students attend presentations based upon the survey they completed earlier in
the year.
c.
Christmas – Food Celebration Day – students
bring in food representative of their family heritage. In English classes, recipe books are
developed and cultural traditions and values are discussed.
d.
Advisory – emphasis on creating a community –
Google Docs developed for advisory teachers to check and chart homework and
assignments.
Elizabeth Forward
Middle School – Michael Routh Principal - programs discussed by EF
included;
a.
Importance of Field Trips as well as the
importance of the interdisciplinary work done to prepare for the trips. Knowledge prior to the trip increases the
experience for students attending.
b.
Guest Speakers – using technology to connect
with students from Ireland.
c.
Global Solutions (Pittsburgh Area) – provides a
variety of speakers from countries around the world
Boyce Middle School
– Karen Brown principal - Boyce discussed the importance of their 6th
grade Deer Valley 3-Day Field Trip.
a.
Parents are used as chaperones, no cell phones
and no computers
b.
Creates a sense of community
c.
Kids talk about this experience long after
middle school
d.
Students who don’t attend are provided an
on-line experience
Additionally, we talked about ideas on ways to celebrate
with your staff. Ideas included;
1.
Certificates voted on by staff are presented
monthly
2.
Valentine’s Day – principal wrote a thank you
note to the significant other for each of his/her staff thanking them for
sharing them with us
3.
Handwritten notes to staff
4.
Teacher Appreciation Week – personalized notes
to staff, prizes from local businesses
5.
Student Appreciation Week – entire staff Flash
mob in auditorium with students thanking them and celebrating their
accomplishments, student appreciation cards, drawings for prizes
6.
Chili Cook off, Bring your Favorite Dish
7.
Milkshake madness
8.
Staff Spotlight Showcase
9.
Golden Apple Awards
10. Periodic
Staff Breakfast
11. Teacher
Appreciation once a month
These are a few ideas from the STW schools that participated
in our Summit. If anything has peeked
your interest, please contact the school directly for more information. You can access the school profiles from all
of the STW schools across the country at this link, http://www.middlegradesforum.org/index.php/state-program.
If you have any questions or need to find out more
information, please contact me directly.
Thank you,
Bruce Vosburgh
Director – Don Eichhorn Schools: Schools to Watch
610-945-4434
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