Middle School Review Process

Below is a communication from the U-46 Central Office. I have been asked to post the message in order to keep parents aware of the Middle School Review Process.

Middle School Review Update
In an effort to keep all of our stakeholders updated on the progress of the U-46 middle school review project, communications will occur on a regular basis. Communication will consist of e-mails, newsletter announcements, the U-46 website and WEPS radio.
Goals of the Middle School Review
Review current literature and research on highly effective middle schools .
Research current practice in U-46 middle schools.
Conduct a comparative analysis of current practice with best practice.
Prepare a report that will include the findings, an analysis of all data and the work that needs to be done.
Middle School Review Process
The ECRA Educational Research Group will facilitate the data gathering, provide an analysis of the data, facilitate discussions with the middle school review committee and prepare a final report.
The middle school review committee will meet throughout the year to discuss implications of initial analyses of the data.
Data will include but not be limited to focus group input, a literature review and an analysis of student achievement data.
The timeline for the project is October, 2007 through April, 2008.
Middle School Review Committee
Consists of a broad cross-section of stakeholders, which will include teachers of all curricular areas, parents, administrators and representatives from elementary, middle and high schools as well as Instructional Council.
Update on Activities between October 15 and October 19, 2007.
To date, aside from the planning process, The ECRA Group has conducted a focus group with the middle school principals and the middle school review team. A focus group was conducted with the middle school principals on October 15 and with the middle school review committee on October 19.
As part of our communication process, at the conclusion of each focus group activity—beginning with the middle school review committee focus group—members of each group will identify key points that they want to communicate to our stakeholders about the process. Following are those key points from the committee:
No preconceived notions.
Participants were encouraged to be honest and forthcoming.
Collaborative approach.
Not exactly the same as the middle school task force.
Clear timeline of the work—there is an end point.
The middle school review committee consists of a cross-section of people.
There is an objective 3rd party to facilitate the data gathering.
Liked the opening statement by Dr. John Gatta as the ground rules for the focus groups were given: "Statements should reflect looking to the future in a positive way."
As activities are completed, there will be additional updates.