Mountaineer Middle SchoolBy: Brad Bentley, Karli Dempski, Madison Lewis, and Jacob Fleming

PhilosophyMission Statement:

Mountaineer Middle School’s mission is to be developmentally responsive to students’ emotional, behavioral, and cognitive abilities and to implement teaming, advisory, and exploratory courses to help shape the adolescents’ individuality.

Organizational Structure4 teacher per team

3 teams per grade

25 students per class

300 students total per grade

6th Grade: Tsunamis, Cyclones, and Hurricanes

7th Grade: Tornadoes, Earthquakes, and Landslides

8th Grade: Asteroids, Comets, and Shooting Stars

TeamingTeaming is essential to the true middle school

concept because teachers are able to meet in a

common planning time, discuss what’s going on

in their classroom, have other teachers to

bounce ideas off of, and coordinate lessons with

other subjects. It also gets the teachers familiar

with each other, and this allows for them to

cater to their students needs better.

True Middle School11-15 year old students are going through

rapid

social, physical, and emotional changes at this

age, and need extra support and care to guide

them in the proper direction needed, based on

an individual basis. Grouping 6th-8th graders

together makes responding to developmental

needs easier.

Curriculum

Mountaineer Middle School strives to have

relevant, integrative, challenging, and

exploratory classes that pertains to the specific

needs of 6th-8th graders.

Core CurriculumIntegrative curriculum is essential in teaching

students so that they can see the commonalities

among subject areas. The curriculum should

relevant to students so that the information is

effective and efficient to their lives. “Relevant

curriculum creates new interests, opening doors to

new knowledge and opportunities for ‘stretching’

students to higher levels of learning.” (TWB 11-15)

Beyond-the-Core ClassesThese classes will be used to help children in the

middle school find their bliss if they can’t find it

in regular core classes. These classes teach

students about music and art appreciation, or

how to keep a healthy lifestyle. Beyond the Core

classes will be graded on curriculum like other

regular core classes, and will be considered just

as important as regular core classes.

Examples: Foreign Languages, PE, Band, Dance, Chorus, Drama, Home Economics, and Technology

Exploratory ClassesExploration in curriculum through

exploratory courses broadens

students’ horizons and increases

interest in school. These courses are

no less academic and provide for life

long learning. Students may choose

from various courses such as

sporting, outdoor activities, writing,

or cooking.

Advisory ProgramImplementation of an advisory program is a

fundamental structure to any middle grades

program. Advisory time will have forty-five

minutes a week and students will meet in a

group of eighteen to discuss goals, concerns,

social relations, and anything students find

important.

Advisory Layout Month 1: getting to know your peers

Month 2: learning organizational skills

Month 3: developing proper study habits

Month 4: having/developing friendships

Month 5: importance of extracurricular activities/hobbies

Month 6: family relationships

Month 7: DARE programs

Month 8: positive body images

Month 9: making good decisions

Personnel 36 Core Teachers

10 Non-core Teachers

1 Principal- oversees staff and is available to answer questions and provide support to faculty members

2 Assistant Principals- helps support the principal and is more hands on in what’s going on in the school

2 Counselors- is there for students that want to talk about things from academics to supporting them in making a sports team.

3 Special needs teachers- one for each grade to provide to exceptional learners and be active in classrooms for the learners that require assistance.

3 Special needs assistants- they are there as support to the special education teachers and to be in classrooms that those teachers can’t be in, and reinforce what the teachers are working with the students

1 School Psychologist- for students that need additional time to talk about drastic needs such as family problems

1 Social Worker- for teachers and other personnel that to utilize for situations that need action

1 Nurse- to be on call at all times and to promote health for the school

SRO- to provide extra security to not only teachers, but to students as well

Librarians- 2 people to provide a clean vast learning environment, to be technologically inclined, and to be a smiling face to see

6th Grade Schedule

MTRF Wednesday8 to 9:10 Core 1 8:00 to 8:45 Advisory

9:15 to 10:25 Core 2 8:50 to 9:40 Core 1

10:35 to 11:15 Encore 1 9:45 to 10:35 Core 2

11:20 to 11:50 Lunch 10:40 to 11:10 Lunch

11:55 to 1:05 Core 3 11:15 to 12:05 Core 3

1:10 to 2:20Core 4 12:10 to 1:00 Core 4

2:25 to 3:10 Encore 2 1:05 to 1:40 Encore 1

1:45 to 2:20 Encore 2

2:25 to 3:10 Exploratory

7th Grade Schedule

MTRF Wednesday8:00 to 8:45 Encore 1 8:00 to 8:45 Advisory

8:50 to 10:00 Core 1 8:50 to 9:25 Encore 1

10:05 to 10:50 Encore 2 9:30 to 10:20 Core 1

10:55 to 11:25 Lunch 10:25 to 11:15 Core 2

11:30 to 12:40 Core 2 11:20 to 11:50 Lunch

12:45 to 1:55Core 3 11:55 to 12:30 Encore 2

2:00 to 3:10 Core 4 12:35 to 1:25 Core 3

1:30 to 2:20 Core 4

2:25 to 3:10 Exploratory

8th Grade Schedule

MTRF Wednesday8:00 to 9:10 Core 1 8:00 to 8:45 Advisory

9:15 to 10:25 Core 2 8:50 to 9:40 Core 1

10:30 to 11:40 Core 3 9:45 to 10:20 Encore 1

11:45 to 12:30 Encore 1 10:25 to 11:00 Encore 2

12:35 to 1:05 Lunch 11:05 to 11:55 Core 2

1:10 to 1:55 Encore 2 12:00 to 12:30 Lunch

2:00 to 3:10 Core 4 12:35 to 1:25 Core 3

1:30 to 2:20 Core 4

2:25 to 3:10 Exploratory

Exceptional LearnersThese learners will have a variety of ways to get what they need

from the classroom. Students will have IEP meetings with teachers

and other aids that are needed for the student, and will have a say

in what is important for them to get out of the school year,

whether they want to be able to do better in math or write better.

IEP meetings for teachers will happen weekly so that they can

discuss what is working for that student and what is not. Inclusion

of the student in a classroom when needed is essential because

they want to feel as normal as possible.

Family and Community Teachers hold a “Parent Night” every quarter for them to

come in and see what their student is learning

Letters home to parents frequently

Teachers attend sporting events to show their support of the students

Teachers contact home when needed and stay regularly in touch with parents

PTA- parents and teachers work together to make changes when needed

Reaching out to local businesses (bring in guest speakers)

Fundraising nights

Instructional Strategies Cooperative Learning Strategies:

Small groups of students working together, support one another

Getting away from Traditional rigid learning

Effects of Cooperative Learning:

Increase achievement, improve retention,

active learning, empower students, promote

inter-personal communication skills

Instructional Strategies continued Activities for Cooperative Learning

Require students to depend on others to succeed

(group work)

Provide individual accountability

Utilize face to face interaction among students

(making deeper connections with material)

Focus on interpersonal and group skills

(communication)

Incorporating Cooperative Learning

Decision making, problem solving

Summarize, debate, and describe throughout lecture