School Highlights

• Connected Math: The Connected Math curriculum's overall goal was to help students and teachers develop mathematical knowledge, understanding, and skill, as well as awareness and appreciation of the connections among mathematical strands and between mathematics and other disciplines. All lessons helped students reason and communicate proficiently in mathematics. The eighth grade students were introduced to the district benchmark assessment program this past year. If students completed a minimum of 70% of the benchmarks, they were allowed to enroll in higher level math classes as freshmen in high school.
• Reading 180 Lab: The Reading 180 Lab was designed to accelerate the learning of middle school students who experience some difficulties with reading. The various stations provide instruction and practice for word recognition, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Students are selected from each house to participate.
• Reading / Language Arts Class: The reading and language arts classes consisted of students who read at grade level or higher. Students developed their literacy and writing skills through a variety of activities. This past year, students took weekly quizzes to monitor their mastery of the state indicators in preparation for the Kansas State Assessments. If students needed additional instruction and practice, they were provided additional tutoring during the day.
• After School Supplemental Services Tutoring Program: The district provided After School Supplemental Education Services at Central to bolster math skills. Students who were on the free and reduced lunch status and academically in need of help in math qualified for this program.
• BIST (Behavior Intervention Support Team): BIST was a building wide philosophy and program implemented to meet the need of students, parents, and staff when dealing with student behavior. BIST involved early interventions with students through the use of timeouts in classrooms and buddy rooms. The Recovery Room was a key component of the BIST program at Central Middle. The Recovery Room provided a safe place for students to deal with their concerns and situations with a caring adult. The recovery Room teacher worked with students, staff, and parents to help meet the needs of students and help them be successful in school. This involved processing with students, focusing on student accountability and developing individual plans for students.
• Renaissance: The Renaissance Program was introduced to the students for the first time during the 2001-2002 school year. The program provided a system for rewarding students each quarter for their academic success. Students received public recognition for their efforts to improve their academic performance. Various incentives were provided for each level of academic achievement. In order to receive the rewards, students could not have any D's or F's on their report card.
• Link / ASP: Students who had been recommended for long-term suspension were offered an alternative learning program during after school hours. Students received one-on-one instruction. After attending sessions for five weeks, students had the opportunity to return to the regular school program.
• Student Improvement Team: The Student Assistance Team was composed of at least one teacher from each house who aided in the evaluation of students who had been referred to the SAT due to academic, behavioral, or personal issues. The SAT gathered pertinent information on the referred students and then offered the students support with an appropriate person or agency to make their experiences at Central Middle better. The SAT met and evaluated students' progress monthly. The SAT was overseen by the Prevention Services Department of the district.
• Family Advocate System (FAS): The Family Advocate System was introduced to staff in the fall of 2001. Each small learning community selected students/families to be a part of FAS program. The purpose of the program was to develop meaningful, ongoing relationships with students and their families in order to establish academic and behavioral goals, monitor student progress, and assist in referring families to support services as needed. The teacher, as a Family Advocate, served as the primary point of contact for the families.
• Family Math and Science Night / Family Literacy Night: During the 2006-07 school year, Central Middle School invited parents to come celebrate recognition of their students as Math and Reading Achievers. Students were recognized and given certificates for their success as math and reading students. Fun activities included games applying math and reading skills.
• Science and Robotics Club: The mission of Lego Robotics Club was to enhance the communication, math, reading, and science skills for students. The Lego Robotics Club was open to any 6-8th grade student attending Central Middle School. Students who were in the club learned computer programming, designing, and how to work as a team. The students created a robot from Legos and designed a program for the robot to do. The final project for students was to be able to have the "bot" dance to the chicken dance. This was where teamwork and computer programming were at their best work!
• Educational Talent Search: The University of Kansas sponsored the Educational Talent Search program providing assistance to over one hundred sixth, seventh and eighth grade students. A dozen students attended summer programs on college campuses. Open to all students, it was an opportunity to begin examining future educational goals while developing better study skills, getting a handle on organizational and time management skills. Free tutoring and seminars accompanied campus visits and opportunities to explore entrance to additional programs while in high school where additional assistance was available.
• Kauffman Scholars: The goal of the program was to "provide academic enrichment support beginning in middle school and continuing through post-secondary years." Every scholar who completed high school received a scholarship for college or other post-secondary education. Students applied and then were selected by the Kauffman Foundation. Students were paired with mentors and were "provided tutoring, counseling, career planning, academic enrichment programs, and summer campus and internship experiences through their middle school and high school years." Parents were also provided services and resources so they could also be involved in encouraging their son or daughter's achievements.
• MOCSA: Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault was a prevention program that was presented to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. Six sessions were provided through their physical education classes. The program taught awareness of sexual violence as well as methods and resources to counter them.
• Newspaper Club: Central Times was the bimonthly newspaper written by students in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades. The students had a digital camera and a tape recorder at their disposal for interviews. The students made sure they had great questions and knew what photographs they needed to take before they put on their press badges and headed out the door. We also utilized the art students at Central in our cartoons and any advertisements. The students wrote articles from their point of view. The newspaper included an advice column, the Principal's Corner, and Writer's Way for student writing in various genres.
• Sports Activities: Students had the opportunity to participate in a variety of sports to include football, cross-country, volleyball, wrestling, basketball, and track.

Mission Statement

Central Middle School is a community of learners becoming CAPABLE people: Communicating, Achieving, Producing, Accepting Self and Others, Building Goals, Living Life Skills Daily, and Empowering.

This building report card is a brief summary of how your school and students are performing and the impact of your local school improvement plan. However, it should not be used as a single source to judge students or school accomplishments. No single report can tell the whole story of a district's or school's education program. This report card does not provide information about curriculum, teaching methods, special programs, the "climate" of your school or the performance of individual teachers or administrators.

In addition, this report card is not a way of "rating" or "ranking" schools. Because of the distinct community and student characteristics, direct comparison between schools or districts are invalid. Rank-ordering school districts or schools is a clear misuse of the information. Rather, the information should be used to access local strengths and weaknesses based on past performance and to plan program improvements.

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