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Tuesday, Mar. 6, 2012 by Laura Peters | 6 comments | Email this
story
Four of Loudoun County Public middle schools were honored during
the School Boardmeeting on Feb. 28 for their title of Schools to
Watch an honor they will hold for three
years.
Mercer, Belmont Ridge, Sterling and Smarts Mill middle schools
were named Schools toWatch. This is Belmont Ridge and Smarts Mill
second time being named to the list.
As the Sterling School Board representative, I want to
congratulate Sterling Middle Schoolfor this honor, Brenda Sheridan
said, after congratulating the three other schools. Im
alsoextremely proud to be a parent at Sterling Middle School and I
know firsthand the time, effortand dedication of everyone who walks
through those doors every day.
Any middle school can apply for the honor. There are currently
10 schools that hold the titlein Loudoun County and more than
16,000 middle school in the nation - 300 of them in
Virginia.
Being a school to watch in Loudoun County is not a given. Its an
expectation that is earnedand monitored, Barbara Nichols, director
of middle school education for LCPS said. At thehelm of these
schools are excellent leaders who set the course for staff and
students, monitorthe progress and make extraordinary outcomes occur
on a daily basis.
Each school applying has its staff go through a self-evaluation
process that begins the
previous school year. After the evaluation, the school decides
if it meets the criteria of being aschool to watch and officials
write a narrative application.
Each school is judged on academic excellence, developmental
responsiveness, social equityand organizational support and
processes.
We challenge students at their level [and] provide an enriching
academic environment,John Duellman, Principal at Mercer Middle
School said. We have created a culture ofcollaboration at our
school - learning teams which are professional learning
communitiescomprised of common or grade-level academic teachers and
interdisciplinary teamscomprised of a variety of core teachers.
Each are unique, each have a goal looking for creative
ways to reach and support student learning.Each school is given
points for each category. The goal is to receive excellent
ratingsthroughout all four categories.
As the most diverse middle school in the county, we take it very
seriously that we providesocial equity for our students, Sterling
Middle School Principal Nereida Gonzalez said.Adolescents are at an
age where they question themselves. At Sterling Middle School
westrive to provide age appropriate, culturally responsive engaging
learning opportunities andexperiences for students and families. It
is important for students to believe in their potentialand if they
can dream it and believe it, then they will achieve it.
Each school goes through the National Forum of Schools to Watch
and the forum determinesif the school should require a visit.
During a visit with the school, the day is spent talking
with teachers, students, parents, administrators and visiting
classes.
Each principal spoke of the different categories that go into
the decision.
The middle school years for many can be characterized as chaos
to say the least, saidSmarts Mill Principal Will Waldman. The
middle school student is going through a rush ofdevelopmental
changes. It is the expert attention to these changes that have
earned 10 of our
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Four middle schools honored as schools to watch
8/2/2019 Four Middle Schools Honored as Schools to Watch _
LoudounTimes
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3/6/12Fourmiddleschoolshonoreda
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middle schools the label of schools to watch.
Although the schools receive the award, the principals
sentiments went out to the public fortheir help in achieving the
success.
Belmont Ridges success is a clear reflection of parents,
teachers and students - particularlyBelmont Ridge students, Timothy
Flynn, Belmont Ridge principal said. Every single day
being highly motivated, doing work every day and putting
academics first.
There will be a Schools to Watch national conference in June
held in Crystal City where eachschool will provide a workshop on
their best practices on how to be a school to watch.
Comments
Tue, Mar 06 at 01:48 PM by Can't we just say good job? | Report
this comment
What do PhDs and kids from the hood have anything to do with
theachievements made by these schools? Why not just give credit
where credit isdue?
Regardless of where the school is located or who the parents
are, the samecriteria are applied to all the schools in order to
receive recognition; and itsnot the parents who are not taking the
tests that demonstrate achievement.
I dont have children in any of these schools and I say way to go
students!!
Tue, Mar 06 at 01:30 PM by Education begins at home | Report
this comment
Lets put kids from the hood of Washington, DC into these schools
and see ifthe schools are still on the schools to watch list.
Keep telling yourself that the success is all because of the
excellent schoolsystem, teachers, and interactive white boards.
Tue, Mar 06 at 12:53 PM by Tom Murphy | Report this comment
And if there are highly educated people moving to these areas,
so what? Doyou want bus kids around to make everything equal?
Tue, Mar 06 at 12:45 PM by FedUpDude | Report this comment
Tom Murphy - With the exception of Sterling Middle school these
schools allsit right in the center of complexes of giant houses.
Loudoun households with
big homes tend to have double income highly educated family
units.
Tue, Mar 06 at 12:24 PM by Tom Murphy | Report this comment
I got news for you. There arent that many children of PhDs
feeding intoSterling Middle School.
Tue, Mar 06 at 10:44 AM by Capt Obvious | Report this
comment
Yup, there must be an influx of parents with PHDs and Masters
degreemoving into these districts.
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