HANDOUT 3HANDOUT 3

Middle SchoolMiddle School

ReformReform

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What does it take to prepare our What does it take to prepare our middle school students for middle school students for

the 21the 21stst Century? Century?

They must be able to …They must be able to … Work in teamsWork in teams Solve complex problemsSolve complex problems Connect learning across disciplinesConnect learning across disciplines Think strategicallyThink strategically Apply knowledge to real-life Apply knowledge to real-life

situationssituations Use technologyUse technology

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Steering Committee ChargeSteering Committee Charge

Develop a comprehensive plan that:Develop a comprehensive plan that:

• Is rigorous and challengingIs rigorous and challenging• Improves teaching and learningImproves teaching and learning•Promotes continuous school Promotes continuous school

improvementimprovement

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Steering Committee ChargeSteering Committee Charge

•Ensures preparation for Ensures preparation for rigorous high school standardsrigorous high school standards

•Focuses on eliminating the Focuses on eliminating the achievement gapachievement gap

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Project TeamsProject Teams

•Leadership/Professional Leadership/Professional DevelopmentDevelopment

•Curriculum, Instruction, and Curriculum, Instruction, and AssessmentAssessment

•Extended Learning Extended Learning OpportunitiesOpportunities

•Human ResourcesHuman Resources•Organizational StructureOrganizational Structure•TechnologyTechnology•Parent and Community Parent and Community

Engagement & CommunicationEngagement & Communication

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Policy IEB, Policy IEB, Middle School EducationMiddle School Education

The Steering Committee was also The Steering Committee was also charged with revising Policy IEB using charged with revising Policy IEB using the research and work of the 7 project the research and work of the 7 project teamsteams

Project teams reviewed Policy IEB and Project teams reviewed Policy IEB and made recommendations regarding its made recommendations regarding its revisionrevision

Revised Policy IEB was approved by Revised Policy IEB was approved by the Board of Education on February the Board of Education on February 13, 200713, 2007

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Process Used by Process Used by Steering CommitteeSteering Committee

• Reviewed project team reportsReviewed project team reports

• Prioritized recommended actions along Prioritized recommended actions along with team co-chairswith team co-chairs

• Identified key recommendationsIdentified key recommendations

• Categorized key recommendations Categorized key recommendations under six goal areasunder six goal areas

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Six GoalsSix Goals

Goal 1: Ensure effective leadershipGoal 1: Ensure effective leadership that that promotes shared ownership for student promotes shared ownership for student and staff success and established a and staff success and established a culture of high expectationsculture of high expectations

Goal 2: Engage all students in effective Goal 2: Engage all students in effective and differentiated instructional practices and differentiated instructional practices using a rigorous standards-based using a rigorous standards-based curriculum and challenging assessmentscurriculum and challenging assessments

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GoalsGoals

Goal 3: Provide extended learningGoal 3: Provide extended learningopportunities that engage and motivateopportunities that engage and motivatestudents to achieve at higher levelsstudents to achieve at higher levels

Goal 4: Implement organizationalGoal 4: Implement organizationalStructures that maximize time forStructures that maximize time forteaching and learning, cultivate teaching and learning, cultivate

positivepositiverelations, and promote increased relations, and promote increased student achievementstudent achievement

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GoalsGoals

Goal 5: Ensure that middle school staffGoal 5: Ensure that middle school staff

has the knowledge, skill, and contenthas the knowledge, skill, and content

expertise to meet the learning andexpertise to meet the learning and

developmental needs of middle schooldevelopmental needs of middle school

studentsstudents

Goal 6: Engage parents and theGoal 6: Engage parents and the

community as partners to promotecommunity as partners to promote

school and student successschool and student success

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Multi-Year InitiativeMulti-Year Initiative Phase I: 2007-2008Phase I: 2007-2008

Phase I Middle SchoolsPhase I Middle Schools•Benjamin BannekerBenjamin Banneker•Roberto ClementeRoberto Clemente•Montgomery Village Montgomery Village •SligoSligo•Earle B. WoodEarle B. Wood

Phase II: 2008-2009Phase II: 2008-2009

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Selected Recommended Actions for Selected Recommended Actions for Phase I and Phase IIPhase I and Phase II

Professional Learning Professional Learning Communities InstituteCommunities Institute

Mathematics and Literacy Mathematics and Literacy Content SpecialistsContent Specialists

New structure for resource New structure for resource teachers and team leadersteachers and team leaders

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Phase I Recommended ActionsPhase I Recommended Actions

Innovative, interactive model Innovative, interactive model classrooms (21classrooms (21stst Century Century Classrooms – Promethean Classrooms – Promethean whiteboards)whiteboards)

Rigorous core and elective Rigorous core and elective coursescourses

Redesigned after school and Redesigned after school and summer programssummer programs

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Recommended ActionsRecommended Actions

Funds to support team planning Funds to support team planning and professional developmentand professional development

Study Circles and integrate Study Circles and integrate action steps in school action steps in school improvement plansimprovement plans

Parent Academy workshopsParent Academy workshops

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Recommended Actions Recommended Actions for All Middle Schoolsfor All Middle Schools

School Leadership Team InstituteSchool Leadership Team Institute

Comprehensive Professional Comprehensive Professional Development Plan: differentiation, Development Plan: differentiation, rigor, equitable classroom practices,rigor, equitable classroom practices, data-driven instructional decisionsdata-driven instructional decisions

Guidelines for Advanced InstructionGuidelines for Advanced Instruction

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All Middle SchoolsAll Middle Schools Alignment of mathematics and Alignment of mathematics and

English curricula with The English curricula with The College Board standards (on College Board standards (on hold)hold)

Formative and benchmark Formative and benchmark assessments/new technology assessments/new technology tool (Performance Matters)tool (Performance Matters)

Additional counselors – selected Additional counselors – selected schoolsschools

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All Middle SchoolsAll Middle Schools 7-hour instructional data assistants7-hour instructional data assistants

Guidelines for school schedules and Guidelines for school schedules and vertical articulationvertical articulation

Recruitment and hiring of middle Recruitment and hiring of middle school staff with knowledge, skills, school staff with knowledge, skills, and content expertise specific to and content expertise specific to middle schoolmiddle school

School and parent resources to School and parent resources to improve parent communication and improve parent communication and engagementengagement

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Next StepsNext Steps

Evaluate implementation of Phase IEvaluate implementation of Phase I

Phase II: 2008-2009 Phase II: 2008-2009 • 9 schools 9 schools

Phase III: 2009-2010 Phase III: 2009-2010 • TBDTBD

Note: Implementation is contingent onbudget approval and results of theimplementation evaluation.

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Additional InformationAdditional Information

The complete Middle School The complete Middle School Reform Report is available at Reform Report is available at the following website:the following website:

http://www.montgomerycountyschoolsmd.org/info/msreforhttp://www.montgomerycountyschoolsmd.org/info/msreformm

2020

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