Stoneham Middle School - Stoneham Middle School Council

The Stoneham Middle Council felt compelled to issue this position paper since the Stoneham “Middle School” is in fact no longer structured on the middle school model. The MS model has been the reformed standard of education for US children grades 5-9 since the 1980’s. Based on data provided in Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century, Stoneham was ahead of many area schools in adopting the middle school philosophy. However, due to budgetary issues, the Stoneham Middle School staff has been reduced from 83 in 2002 to the current level of 60 and was therefore forced to abandon the MS model in 2003. Exploratory courses, the team concept, team planning time and extra-curricular activities have all been cut from the budget. As such, the Middle School Council believes educational excellence for this age group has been compromised and the MS is now the weakest link in the Stoneham educational system. Leaving students behind at this critical juncture jeopardizes the investment & progress in the elementary grades, as well as the prospects of success in high school and beyond. The erosion of our educational system will have long lasting negative impacts not just on the children of Stoneham but on the community as a whole.

So, what is a Middle School?

A middle school creates smaller learning communities or "teams" within the larger school. This organizational structure has essential components: 1) 100-125 students are assigned to a team of 5 teachers who collaborate and coordinate on curriculum & student progress and, 2) provide sufficient time for team teachers to regularly meet in order to plan, discuss student progress or concerns, meet with parents, update guidance counselors, plan interdisciplinary units of study, coordinate field trips,etc. and 3)heterogeneous grouping is a preferred basic grouping practice.

Why is the Middle School format important?

Ages 10-15 is a period of extreme changes on several fronts - physical, intellectual, emotional, and social. The Middle School model recognizes the challenges of this developmental stage and strikes a balance between the need for independence and the need for guidance. Keeping this age group engaged in learning while navigating the challenges during this tumultuous stage is key to educational excellence.

What are the benefits of the Middle School model?

Teacher-student interaction, the key to educational excellence, is significantly enhanced by team teaching for multiple reasons:

• Flexible schedules and scheduling among team teachers. Stoneham MS students are now in longer classes (56 minutes) at the same time every day, a disadvantage for children's varying energy & focus levels.

• Greater teacher monitoring of students progress. Students are less likely to fall through the cracks.

• Increased ability of teachers to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses early & devise strategies to improve student success via regular conferencing

• Integrated/coordinated curriculum to maximize learning. Students make connections across all disciplines.

• Team building activities that reinforce students sense of belonging and identity, so crucial at this developmental stage.

• New teacher development and mentoring via regular team meetings with more experienced teachers to discuss common students

• Team activity space designated for sharing sessions and hands-on learning experiences

What are we missing?

Due to cutbacks, Stoneham Middle School has limited offerings for “exploratory” classes, only art, general music and physical education. The Middle School no longer has programs for health, technology education, keyboarding, family and consumer sciences, and DARE for a full semester. These subjects are often the outlet by which students who are less “book smart” can be successful & remain engaged in educational experience. These classes are also key to team concept since it allows time for core team teachers to regularly meet.

In addition, extra-curricular activities that help foster school pride and build self-esteem have been removed from the budget. Young adolescents need to find their “niche” in clubs like Drama, Chorus, Band, Student Council, Math Team and intramural sports. These programs are now offered only through the generosity of local businesses and organizations and/or grants.

How does this impact the quality of education in Stoneham?

Student readiness for high school and achievement on standardized tests such as MCAS will deteriorate over time. The need for special education services may increase as students are unable to survive academically in this less cohesive environment and larger classes. The quality of teachers will diminish as Stoneham will not be able to compete with other schools in the region to attract and retain the highest quality teachers while newer teachers will not have the resource of teams as they gain valuable insight and support from veteran staff. Towns like Wilmington have a state of the art middle school constructed around the philosophy of meeting the needs of young adolescents and Coolidge Middle School in Reading is recognized nationally as a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.

How is this different from a junior high school?

A Junior High school is a scaled down version of a high school where students move from class to class during day without the continuity or oversight of a designated team of teachers. The approach is much more departmentalized and less student-centered. This is currently the model in the Stoneham Middle School while at the same time class size has also risen from 24 to 29 in the past 3 years, especially in the areas of social studies and math.