1996 Annual Report for The Middle School

Northborough, MAssachusetts
Northborough Middle School
December, 1996

John Gibbons Principal

The Northborough Middle School strives to provide numerous successful opportunities for children, from challenging academic experiences to enriching student activities. Our program continually develops and expands as we work in partnership with the entire Northborough Community of Learners toward the goal of excellence during this 25th year of the Middle School's service to the community. The Middle School is guided by the School Council's Improvement Plan, which correlates directly to Northborough's Strategic Plan 1995-2000 and State Education Reform initiatives. The 1996-1997 school year has begun with a spirit of positive energy that will continue to grow as we journey from one successful experience to the next. Meeting our goals is evident in the rich quality of programs offered by the Northborough Middle School.

To ease the transition to the Middle School, incoming grade five students and parents were offered informative tours of the facility on two separate days prior to the start of school in August. This opportunity allowed students and parents to familiarize themselves with the Middle School, ask questions, and create a comfort level prior to the official start of classes.

Students at the Middle School are divided into Teams which allows for close monitoring of student progress, consistent teacher contact throughout the school year, and a smaller identity within the larger school setting to name a few of the benefits. At the start of the school year and throughout, Teams met with the principal and Team leaders in all grade assemblies to set the tone of Respect through Responsibility. As the Guide to Mutual Respect continues to be implemented and evaluated, students were challenged to make a positive difference at the Northborough Middle School using the Guide as the focus.

In September, Get-Acquainted Night at the Middle School was a tremendous success. Parent and teacher enthusiastic participation was a moving sign of support for the Middle School within the community. This coming-together allowed parents to get a snapshot of what the Middle School has to offer as Teams, the Arts, P.E, Technology Education, Music, Guidance and Student Activities presented for the evening.

The Middle School has developed thematic and interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning over the past year. The grade five team showcased its "Pumpkinology" unit that incorporated all areas of the curriculum creatively using the theme of pumpkins. Twenty-nine parent volunteers facilitated this fun learning experience for fifth-grade students on October 81st, and Tougas Farm provided a pumpkin for all 223 fifth-graders and staff members.

Eighth-graders on Team 7/8 and 8 in the Middle School completed an interdisciplinary unit of study on immigration that proved to be a valuable experience for all. The unit was developed by teachers in a summer workshop prior to the start of the '96 school year as this time allowed for the coordination of activities between the subject areas. Students worked on family trees and personal family histories, research and debates relating to issues of immigration, and connections were made throughout the curriculum during the unit. A major piece of the unit was grade eight's trip to New York City to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, which served as a real-life connection and stimulus for future projects.

Students and teachers across the grades have been involved in numerous activities valuing diversity, and have participated in school-community projects. Grade five students were treated to week-long Valuing Diversity presentations from a special group of parents who shared pieces of their cultural heritage with fifthgrade students. Grade six and seven students studied cultures from around the world and developed projects applying the knowledge gained. Team seven students experienced the cultures of the world through a curricular focus and Boston's Chamber Theater Production's Tour de Force, a series of plays based on short stories, and first hand at the International Festival at the Bayside Expo Center in Boston. Students experienced the foods, clothes, dances, products, music, language and crafts of over 80 different countries. An enthusiastic crew of student council candidates and our Jazz Ensemble participated in the annual Applefest parade to promote school spirit and commemorate the Middle School's "25th Year of Excellence". Students from across the grades through the leadership of our student council raked leaves for the elderly of Northborough in November. Grade six students collected canned and dried goods to replenish the Northborough Food Pantry. The Middle School continued partnerships with the Worcester Art Museum, the Christa McAuliffe Challenger Learning Center at Framingham State College, and Algonquin's Peer Leaders and DECA program.

The Middle School has continued its support of Algonquin's Peer Leadership program and DECA programs by cooperatively developing opportunities for students to interact. Peer Leaders have been involved in our Grade Five DARE program, individual tutoring, dance organization, and Grade Eight Peer Leadership meetings. The DECA program has focused some quality projects at the Middle School such as a study of Multiple Sclerosis with an essay contest, a Book Swap, and a Capital Ventures project. These special projects allow Algonquin students to give their talents back to the community while allowing Middle School students a chance to interact with solid role models as they look toward the transition to the High School.

At every level in the Middle School, strong emphasis is being given to innovative teaching strategies. Our alliance with the Northborough/Westborough Chamber of Commerce School Business Partnership has allowed teachers to pursue Mini-grants for such endeavors. This year the Partnership granted the Middle School five Mini-grants to support the implementation of creative projects for children throughout the school. The Middle School also worked in conjunction with the Partnership on a project called the "Business Community Goes Back to School" that provided an experience for community business members to introduce them to the young people in our school and to recruit local businesses to participate in long-term partnerships with the Northborough Middle School.

Professional Development opportunities have been pursued diligently by staff at the Middle School for both independent and school/district goals. Areas of need have been identified, and the staff has been given opportunities to develop the specific areas of Technology Curriculum Connections, Inclusion Strategies for all Curriculum Areas, Alternative Assessments, Internet Training, and The Skillful Teacher Program. As the need for and the use of technology as a learning tool has grown, the Middle School staff has participated in workshops and training on how to integrate technology with the curriculum, use it as a tool for instruction, and assist in distance learning and information gathering via the Internet. As the diversity of our school population grows, teachers have been and continue to be trained in meeting the needs of diverse learners, in co-teaching strategies, and alternative forms of assessments. Through the Performance Assessment Grant from the state, many Middle School teachers have been trained in using portfolios and authentic assessments in conjunction with State Framework goals. A number of Middle School teachers have had the opportunity to receive training from the Shrewsbury Schools from a Quantum Grant on the Internet and its application to classroom experiences for our students. Many teachers have had the training of John Saphier's The Skillful Teacher Program, offered by Northborough School's professional development opportunities. Teachers have also continued to make connections between the State Curriculum Frameworks and the Middle School Curriculum on a monthly basis.

Technology has been a major focus of the Middle School this year. With the implementation of the Capital Project Technology Plan, we have been able to replace older computers with more current, powerful hardware, establish an additional multimedia·lab, provide enriching software for curriculum supports, and begin the networking of our school. The networking of the Middle School began this year largely with the push from the NET Day committee. A team of Middle School staff, directed voluntarily by Fran Walsh, and an extremely supportive and generous group of parents from the community, supplied the majority of materials and dedicated nights, weekends, and more to see that the Middle School was wired and networked for the Spring of 1997. The networking project, which allows students to communicate internally as well as access the Internet and distance learning opportunities from the outside world, links the school to endless possibilities for research and knowledge. The Middle School is forever indebted to the generosity and commitment of staff and parents who have made this all possible.

The Middle School Arts Program continues to develop the talents of our students in the areas of music, art, and technology education. These programs are rich in themselves and offer students an opportunity to develop themselves fully as well-rounded individuals. The musical, artistic, and technical talents of our students were showcased with pride in our concerts and performances, and in the special projects that they create during the school year.

The Middle School Activities Program continues to offer students the opportunities to find success and experiment with an interest in their formative years. Extra curricular activities for Middle School students include student council, yearbook, art club, intramural sports, computer club, Odyssey of the Mind, drama workshop, chorus, band, select chorus, jazz band, stage band, the school musical, community service opportunities, and math team. Our inter-scholastic basketball teams for boys and girls, started two years ago, continues to rally school spirit and develop the sportsmanship, team membership, and athletic abilities of our student-athletes. The Northborough Recreation Department joined with the Middle School to offer activities in the areas of tennis, soccer, babysitting, and more.

As the population has grown in Northborough, space constraints at the Middle School have become apparent. As we continue to serve the Northborough community by providing the best learning environment for children, we are both grateful and indebted to the community and our PTO for such generous, caring support of our undertakings.