Developing A Mission Statement For The Middle Level School

A mission statement, properly constructed, empowers everyone in a school to assume responsibility for the school's ultimate direction. This document is accordingly designed to help middle level schools begin to develop such a mission statement. Parts 1 and 2 define a mission statement and discuss the confusion that is likely to occur in its absence. Part 3 identifies common elements of a mission statement: a statement of purpose, an indication of uniqueness, an explicit statement of commitment, and a clear value position. Part 4 lists general principles to guide the development of a mission statement, followed by a 10-step process for developing it: (1) solicit commitment, (2) assemble a working group, (3) gather data, (4) analyze preliminary data, (5) create an instrument to seek consensus, (6) draft the mission statement, (7) solicit agreement, (8) prepare a final draft, (9) disseminate the final draft, and (10) assess its effects and review the statement. Parts 5, 6, and 7 discuss uses of a mission statement: to review programs, policies, and practices; to make daily decisions; to set goals and priorities; to reward and reinforce people in the school; and to provide a set of criteria by which to judge a school's effectiveness. A brief sample mission statement is included. (TE)

This is a must-have resource for busy educators involved in creating, improving, or reevaluating their school mission statements. The authors provide numerous examples of mission statements from a diverse range of preK-12 schools, offering readers an extremely valuable resource for developing an understanding of various themes and ideas in American education today - all to be better prepared to formulate their own schools' mission statements. Whether you are preparing for accreditation reviews, seeking a broader knowledge base, or are engaged in policy discussions, this practical, readable guide is packed with valuable information to help you reach your professional goals.

This book provides middle level teachers and administrators with a rich resource on restructuring schools to help young adolescents achieve intellectual, social, and emotional success. It is a comprehensive volume that describes the leadership knowledge bases, skills, processes, and attitudes necessary for successful middle level school restructuring. Major themes in the book include: trends and issues in middle level schools; characteristics of young adolescents; middle level curriculum; instruction and assessment; successful middle level school programs; leadership skills and collaborative decision-making; school restructuring; staff development; program evaluation; and maintaining a climate for change.

How to Help Your School Thrive Without Breaking the Bank will help you improve your school without investing in externally developed, expensive, and time-consuming reform programs or initiatives. It's packed with replicable strategies and practical tools that educators in any school can incorporate to transform the culture and improve student achievement and professional practice. You'll learn how to * Hone your own leadership and grow new leaders among your staff; * Develop a vision and a mission for your school; * Promote excellence among both staff and students; * Make the most of your time and facilitate effective meetings; and * Mine and use data with purpose. For most schools, times are tough and money is tight—but school leaders must still focus on how to steadily improve student achievement. Academic performance will improve in the long term only if your school has a healthy culture marked by integrity, a strong work ethic, collaboration, and reflective risk taking. Strengthening those foundational elements will help you sustain positive change in your school, even in difficult economic times. The good news is that you already have the resources you need to help your school thrive. This book will help you to maximize them.

Volume V of The Handbook of Research in Middle Level Education highlights action research in middle grades education. As a method of inquiry, action research compels educators to take action and think reflectively about those actions in order to effect positive educational change (Mills, 2000). Teachers, administrators, university professors, and other professionals conduct action research in different ways to examine classroom practices and school issues. Educational action researchers initiate their inquiries in various contexts: alone, in small peer teams, or larger faculty groups (Zeichner, 2001). Using individual and collaborative approaches, educators gain insights into teaching and learning processes. As evidenced throughout this volume, action research in the middle grades occurs in a variety configurations. This volume examines the dynamic ways that preservice and inservice teachers, school administrators, university faculty, and educational consortia use action research.

Curriculum Leadership: Strategies for Development and Implementation helps current and aspiring administrators, teachers, and curriculum directors successfully restructure, enhance, and implement school K–12 curriculum. This foundational book highlights 21st century educational ideas and advocacy, while also remaining focused on tried and true strategies for meeting state and national standards in today’s diverse classrooms. Featuring an array of new scholars, researchers, and case studies, the Fifth Edition: centers on the importance of teachers and teacher-leaders in the area of curriculum development; promotes the crucial role of special education and its contribution to the overall curriculum development process; and includes a renewed emphasis on concurrent learning and creating stimulating online discussions. With the support of this thought-provoking and extensively researched text, readers will develop a working and thorough foundation of curriculum to effectively implement in the classrooms of the future.

A leading publisher of professional books in the field of middle level education, NMSA provides resources both for understanding and advancing various aspects of the middle scholl concept and for assisting classroom teachers in planning for instruction.