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The National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform is an alliance of over 60 educators, researchers, national associations, and officers of professional organizations and foundations committed to promoting the academic performance and healthy development of young adolescents.
In order to prepare students to be lifelong learners ready for college, career, and citizenship, the National Forum seeks to make every middle grades school academically excellent, responsive to the developmental needs and interests of young adolescents, and socially equitable.
To accomplish its goal of improved academic and developmental outcomes for all students in the middle grades, the Forum identifies and disseminates best practices, articulates and promotes effective policies, recognizes and develops enlightened leadership, and informs and engages the public. Read more . . .
Through its Schools to Watch® (STW) program, the Forum has developed criteria for identifying high-performing middle-grades schools, created tools to help schools use the criteria, expanded the program to 18 states, and selected and honored 200 successful schools across the country during the Annual STW Conference. Visit the Schools to Watch website for more information.
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CONFERENCE
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2011 Schools to Watch Conference
June 23-25, 2011
Crystal Gateway Marriott
Washington, DC
Mark your calendars now for the 2011 STW Conference June 23-25 in Washington, DC. where high performing schools from around the country will gather and share best practices for advancing academic excellence, developmental responsiveness and social equity.
Click here to view the Exhibitor Prospectus for the 2010 STW Conference.
January 2011 registration opens for the 2011 STW Conference.
Click here to view the 2010 Schools to Watch Conference Brochure
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
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Rethinking Middle School Education
The Middle School years are a hormone-fueled, socially-charged, technology-obsessed time of life. Now, new brain research and emerging technology trends are combining to encourage educators re-think how to best engage eleven to fourteen year olds in learning, and and prepare them for life in a complex world.
The Kojo Nnandi show on NPR featured a conversation about how and why reforming middle school is becoming a priority in our region and around the country. Click here for more information. Guests included:
- Margaret Walsh, Executive Director, Secondary Programs, Alexandria City Public Schools
- Vicky Lake-Parcan, Principal, Silver Spring International Middle School
- Gayle Andrews, Associate Professor, Middle Grades Education Program, University of Georgia; President-elect, National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform; co-author, Turning Points 2000: Educating Adolescents in the Twenty-first Century.
Invitation to Apply for the Schools to Watch State Program
Each year the National Forum invites state middle-grades associations, state departments of education, post-secondary institutions, and other collaborating organizations to join us in expanding our STW program. Through this program, we seek to provide state and local leaders in selected states with a unique professional learning opportunity, while at the same time identifying and honoring middle-grades schools that are on a solid trajectory toward reform. Request for Application form is now available.
Download the Application Here (PDF)
Mathematics Improvement Toolkit
The National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform is proud to have a Toolkit devoted to improving mathematics instruction in the middle grades. The Mathematics Improvement Toolkit provides a variety of professional development opportunities for middle grades mathematics educators serving diverse student populations. From workshops, to teacher guides and online resources, the tools provide a strong foundation on which to build stronger mathematics instruction for adolescent learners.
The tools include universal design curriculum modules, moderated online professional development, and
workshops focusing on teaching high-level math to English language learners, collaboration and co-teaching, and language in the math classroom. The Toolkit was designed by leading national organizations with the characteristics of strong professional development in mind. The tools:
To lean more, visit http://www.middlegrademath.org/
Schools selected in 2010
90 exemplary middle-grades schools have been named “Schools to Watch” as part of an nineteen state recognition and school improvement program developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform. Having established partnerships with education leaders in these states, the Forum today announced the names of schools in each state that meet its strict criteria. Read the Press Release.
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