A major focus of our Middle School for the next two years will be the implementation of our recently developed three year Strategic Plan. Essential components of that plan include the integration of reading comprehension strategies in all aspects of our program and Middle School accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).

We began this school year by setting a district wide goal to improve our student's performance in the area of reading comprehension. We strongly believe that increasing our student' ability to read is essential for their success in all disciplines. We followed up with professional development for our entire faculty by Ann Lindenmeyer of Powerful Learning Co. on strategies to improve reading comprehension. All departments identified appropirate reading improvement strategies and developed plans and assessments to monitor student progress in this area.

In January 2006, we will begin our quest for accreditation by NEASC. In order for this to be accomplished, our school must meet rigorous standars set by NEASC. These standards serve as a benchmark against which schools can assess the quality of their work, identify their strengths as well as areas for improvements and address their responsibility for accountability. In addition, the Standards enable schools to look carefully at those programs and activities which are designed to improve the learnign experiences of the middle level child.

Currently, there are 16 middle schools accredited in the State of Connecticut. The two year process culminates with the completion of a reflective self study report developed by our staff and administration addressing how our school meetsthe Standards and a site visit from the New England Association of School and Colleges (scheduled for October 2007). The results of their review will be made available in the spring of 2008 along with a report containing commendations and recommendations for school improvement. It is our desire, by taking advantage of this unique opportunity for self renewal, that we will continue to improve and better meet the needs of our students, parents, and communities.