Wolverine Middle School

1. By: Leigh Roberts, Don Goddard, Charlie Crickmore, & Courtney Butler Wolverine Middle School

2. THE WOLVERINES!!

3. The Wolverine Mission Statement Wolverine Middle School is dedicated to providing a comprehensive and developmentally appropriate education for all students in an enriching, safe, and positive environment that enables students to develop into lifelong learners.

4. Our Beliefs • All students have an equal right to a quality education in a safe, positive environment. • All students can achieve their potential if provided with appropriate opportunities • Education can empower each student to achieve an optimum level of social, emotional, intellectual and academic success. • A strong partnership between school, home and community is essential. • Innovation in education is imperative to meet the needs of our youth and society.

5. Our Vision • All Wolverine students will meet or exceed national standards and will be college or career ready upon high school graduation

6. Our Goals • We will implement the goals and standards with AMLE publication This We Believe • Infrastructure that supports innovative technology will be provided to increase effectiveness and efficiency of instruction, assessment and evaluation of students. • All students will be reading at grade level • There will be an increase in stakeholders actively participating in shared decision-making.

7. Philosophy • We Believe in: • Mastery and application of academic skills • Applying the latest findings of brain based research in the learning environment • Respecting children’s individual learning styles • Producing exemplary, hands on learning expeditions that embody service and meet high academic standards • Utilizing technology to expand the learning environment • Presenting material in such a way that students understand the real world applications of what they are learning • Providing an environment that is supportive and which promotes cooperation and teamwork as well as competitive excellence.

8. Why 6-8th Middle School? In an effort to provide the most challenging and appropriate learning environment for the students, we are combining 6th grade into our middle school. As 6th graders transition into young adolescence, they have a need to be challenged emotionally, academically, socially and developmentally, that an elementary school is not able to meet. Our middle school will put 6-8th grade students on the same playing field, according to their developmental needs and abilities.

9. Student Population • 300 students in the school/100 per grade • 25 student class size

10. Support Personnel • Principle • 2 Vice principles • A counselor • A nurse • Custodial staff • A police officer

11. Schedule

12. Core Subjects • Language Arts • Math • Science • Social Studies

13. Electives • Band • PE • Chorus • Computer Skills • Art • Foreign Language • Core Teacher Interest Courses/Exploratory

14. Advisory • Take place on Fridays in place of electives • Curriculum covered: • Get to know each other/ Understanding and accepting others, Organization skills, Study skills/ Basic Skills prep, Peers, Friendships, Extracurricular activities/clubs, Family Relationships/Issues, Drugs/Alcohol: Legal and Illegal, Use and Abuse, Development and Body Image issues, Making good decisions (http://www.d.umn.edu) • Topics that are being addressed in the books that they are reading. • The fourth Friday of the month, topics will be up to the teacher’s discretion, based on ideas & topics brought up by the students throughout the month.

15. Advisory • 6th grade topics: Discussions about the transition from elementary school to middle school, hygiene, puberty, study tips, time management, self-esteem, etc. • 7th grade topics: Discussions on sex, drugs, alcohol, peer pressure, eating habits, hygiene, puberty, testing tips, study tips, etc. • 8th grade topics: Transition from middle school to high school, money, sex, drugs, alcohol, college/career path plans, time management, study tips, testing tips, etc.

16. 6th Grade Transition Program • In an effort to transition 6th graders into our middle school effectively, each new 6th grade student will participate in transition program. Program will be held the day before the first day of school and includes: • Assembly on school policies and rules • Finding their classrooms • Meeting their teachers and other school staff • Pairing up with an 8th grade buddy • Finding locker

17. Exploratory Courses • Camping 101 • Self Defense • Journalism • Super Heroes and Science

18. Sports and After School Activities • At WMS, each student is required to select at least one intramural or interscholastic sport or after school activity to participate in. • Transportation will be provided

19. WMS will offer both intramural and interscholastic sports: • Football • Soccer • Cheerleading • Basketball • Track • Swimming • Cross Country • Volleyball • Baseball • Softball After school activities: • Band • Foreign Language Club • Art Club • Service Club • Student Council • Debate Team • Book Club • Drama Club • Yearbook • Homework Helpers

20. Family involvement • The Wolverines actively involve families in the education of their children. • “Successful middle level schools promote family involvement by sponsoring parent education programs, creating and maintaining links between home and school, initiating volunteer programs, and establishing coordinated home-school learning experiences.” TWB pg. 40 • “Research studies clearly link the involvement of family and other adults in the community with higher levels of student achievement.” TWB pg. 40

21. Interdisciplinary Teaming: Core Subjects + Home • As we blend together the learning of core subjects across the curriculum in interdisciplinary teaming, we want the parents to work with us in an effort to make their learning fluid and cohesive. • Parents will be informed of the curriculum at school and ways to bring up conversation and continue their student’s learning at home.

22. In an effort to encourage parent involvement and family-school partnership: • At the beginning of the school year, students will go home with a survey to find out what their parents’ interests, jobs, hobbies are, so to incorporate guest speakers in exploratory courses and guest speakers in the classroom or in assemblies. • Life long learners: • WMS is committed to offering programs to parents throughout the school year including seminars and workshops to promote education for parents in the community as well. • This includes topics such as finances, community action/service, dealing with parenting issues or issues with their young adolescent, or further educating them with what their students are learning in the classroom.

23. Community and Business partners • “The excellent resource, serving a site for learning experience that cannot be provided in a classroom, as a source of materials and guest experts, and providing assistance in appropriate learning initiatives for students and faculty. Students can become involved in apprenticeships, shadow studies, service learning projects, and after school programs that use the community as a learning site.” TWB pg. 41

24. Hands-On • WMS is committed to being a school that is relevant and practically hands on • Some activities will include: • Volunteering in the community • Field trips to local businesses, museums, etc. • Class trip at the end of the 8th grade • Job Shadowing