This brief draws on interviews with school principals, community school managers (CSMs), and district leaders in two community schools and focused on school improvement efforts based on Oakland Unified School District's (OUSD) full-service community schools model (FSCS). New Highland RISE Community Elementary School (RISE Community) and Elmhurst…

When Principal Natasha Moore saw the application for Community School funding from Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) during her first year as principal at REACH Academy, she jumped on the opportunity to apply. East Oakland's REACH Academy serves a student body of just under 400, and is co-located with Cox Academy, a charter school.…

Laurie Barron, the principal of Smokey Road Middle School in Newnan, GA, is the 2013 MetLife/NASSP National Middle Level Principal of the Year. This article presents a conversation with Barron on her passion for teaching and learning. She shares her biggest motivator as a school leader and how she motivates her students and staff members to fully…

This article presents an interview with Sheila Kahrs, principal of Haymon-Morris Middle School in Winder, Georgia, and the 2010 MetLife/NASSP National Middle Level Principal of the Year. Haymon-Morris Middle School has 815 in enrollment, 50 teachers, and 33 staff members. She talks about her leadership philosophy with her teachers and assistant…

This article presents an interview with Secretary of Education Arne Duncan by NAESP Executive Director Gail Connelly. In this interview, Secretary Duncan discusses the Obama administration's vision, initiatives, and goals for America's elementary and middle-level education and the impact on the nation's principals.

The author's 12-year-old 8th grader took the bulk of his courses at their local high school. To maintain contact with his age peers, he was bused to the middle school two days a week to eat lunch with his friends, practice in the school band, and take gym and health classes. This was part of a succession of unique acceleration strategies created…

The following excerpt allows the reader to briefly peer into an ideal school setting: For the purposes of this paper, the fictitious school will be named Utopia Middle School or U.M.S. U.M.S embodies and exemplifies the perfect school. At U.M.S., the campus administrators perform at a level of excellence that motivates, empowers and supports all…

Known as "Doc" by his students, as a troublemaker by his critics, as good copy for journalists, and as a dedicated professional by his supporters, Dennis Littky is guided by an impassioned desire to improve education, regardless of the personal risks involved. He became a maverick principal to influence educational change. (MLH)

In this article, the author argues that administrators should not overlook their nurturing, supportive, even ministerial role. He also argues that those who would create learning communities would do well to embrace it. It was Mohandas Gandhi who said, "I can say without the slightest hesitation and yet in all humility, that those who say…

Coprincipals carry the authority and status of the principal's office equally. The coprincipalship at Lompoc (California) Valley Middle School has functioned successfully for two years. Each principal shares in decision-making and has contacts with both successful and struggling students. (Author/MLF)

Reflects on the roles and responsibilities of four key educators involved in a Professional Development School (PDS): a university faculty member, a middle school principal, a middle school teacher who is also an adjunct professor, and another middle school teacher. The paper reflects on the Holmes Group concept at work. (SM)

This book is a collection of speeches by M. Hayes Mizell. The book is divided into three parts. In part 1, Mizell reviews some of the challenges middle schools must overcome to become effective places of teaching and learning. His suggestions range from developing a new kind of middle school principal to better serving young people's…

A middle-school counselor thanks her principal for his help over a 15-year working partnership. She is especially grateful for the principal's understanding of middle-level program objectives; respect for counselors' suggestions and nontraditional approaches; support for group counseling, teacher advisory programs, and counselors' professional…

Shows several different approaches used by a middle school to improve reading. Discusses importance of instructional leadership to assist all students to become good readers. (RS)

Many middle schools do not use one of the most important strategies to improve student achievement and create socially equitable, developmentally responsive middle schools: becoming a professional learning community. This article summarizes the five disciplines which are vital for learning organizations -- systems thinking, personal mastery,…