The Ripple Effect: Rethinking Middle School Student Leadership

Recent research shows that a sense of school belonging has been on a steady decline1 and that social isolation, bullying, and stress remain at the forefront of parents’ worries about their children’s well-being2. The growing mental health crisis among youth demands that those of us who work with and care about young people learn to

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Student Behavior: A plan not a power struggle

Behavior Choices One of the most pressing concerns reported by teachers, middle grade students, and parents is the escalation of conflict and violence among middle level students in schools. There are many ideas about why this may be happening such as isolation and lack of social interaction caused by the pandemic, increased models of conflict

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Post-Pandemic Preparation: Reimagining Middle School Partnerships

COVID-19 created unprecedented challenges but also served as a catalyst to rethink important aspects of our schools. One area where I see a big opportunity is to reimage middle school culture. AMLE’s landmark position paper The Successful Middle School: This We Believe highlights the importance of engaging families as valued partners and collaborating with community

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Middle School: A Critical Moment

Ensuring students’ social-emotional needs are met As we head into the seventh month of the epidemic, with return to school buildings being delayed across the United States, middle school students face ever increasing social-emotional and academic challenges. With students experiencing the various incarnations of school (homeschool, remote, hybrid and brick and mortar learning), it’s never

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