School bells ring Tuesday

Summer vacation is winding down and school buses for the Middlesex County Public Schools are ready to roll on Tuesday, September 7. Check the list of school bus routes. (Photo by Tom Chillemi)

by Tom Chillemi

The faculty and staff of the Middlesex Public Schools have worked hard over the summer to improve instruction and offer new programs to exceed the high standards that were set during the last school year, according to school officials. Resources are ready to meet the challenges of the coming school year that starts on Tuesday, September 7.

The three county schools will welcome a total of 16 new teachers and expect a total of 1,300 students.

At every school, parents and the public are invited and encouraged to get involved in education. For example, the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) returns to Middlesex High. “Lunch Pals” are needed at Middlesex Elementary School. 

A new “Grandparents Program” starts at MES this year to help those who are raising their grandchildren. Other instructional programs return as MES continues “Striving for Excellence,” said second-year principal Jeannie Duke.

A Student Council Association is also in the planning stages at St. Clare Walker Middle School. It will allow student input to improve the learning experience for all students at this “School to Watch,” indicated first-year principal Tracy Seitz.

The look of Middlesex High School has changed with new front doors, new carpet and outdoor benches. Fresh paint brightens the East Wing. Several classrooms have been outfitted with ceiling-mounted projectors, new desks, and other improvements. The high school theme “Every Student, Every Day” means an increased focus on students’ needs, said principal Dr. Stephen Castle. 

The fresh new year is about to begin. Below, each principal welcomes students back with a message and a reminder to attend “Back to School Night,”

The faculty and staff have worked hard to make Middlesex High School “the best school it can be.” With your help and the hard work of our students and teachers, we will have another great school year.

The administration has been working hard this summer to bring improvements to instruction. MHS was able to boast high achievement scores on the SOL tests last year, but there will be new challenges and higher benchmarks to reach in the new school year. As Average Yearly Progress (AYP) benchmarks increase each year, so does the challenge faced by teachers and students. In order to surpass previous levels of success, we will increase our focus on the needs of each student. This is reflected in our theme, “Every Student, Every Day.”

Like last year, we will also continue to challenge students in innovative ways that allow for the integration of technology and the development of critical thinking skills. This will enable all of our students to have success in an ever-changing global society.

As you prepare for the year, please consider joining our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). In the recent past, MHS has not had a PTO and we would like to have parents’ input and support to help make our PTO a vital part of life at MHS. Through this forum you will be able to support your student’s education and provide valuable input for the leaders in the school. 

Also, please put Tuesday, September 21, on your calendar for Back to School Night (BTSN), which will start at 7 p.m. We would love to see you there. BTSN will allow you to meet all of your student’s teachers and see how MHS is providing excellent service to our students.

Middlesex High School will open this year with nearly 400 students. The school has been undergoing a lot of cosmetic changes during the summer. When students return to school, they will notice new front doors, new benches out front, new carpet in several locations, and a freshly-painted hallway in the East Wing. Several classrooms have been outfitted with ceiling-mounted projectors, new desks, and other improvements like new table surfaces. These changes will allow students to experience some much-needed improvements to their learning environment.

Much of this work has been accomplished through the hard work of our maintenance department and other staff members willing to work outside of their usual responsibilities. These improvements would not have been possible without their dedication and care for the school.

As many of the parents reading this article can attest, fall sports are already in full swing at the high school. The golf team and volleyball teams have already started competition while the football and cross-country teams are very close to their competitions as well. 

The fall coaching staffs at MHS are looking forward to being very competitive this year. This could be one of our most successful fall seasons, and we are hoping to see our teams compete in state tournaments this fall. We will continue to stress good sportsmanship as we prepare our students for success in athletic competition. As always, we greatly appreciate your attendance and encouragement of MHS students at all of our events.

Thank you for your continued support of your high school and students. As always, feel free to contact us with any questions or suggestions.

The faculty and staff of St. Clare Walker Middle School (SCW) have been busy refining the curriculum to ensure that SCW will achieve or exceed the standards it reached during the 2009-2010 school year.

In May 2010, SCW was added to the elite list of “Schools to Watch,” an honor shared by just 19 schools in Virginia and only 230 nationwide. That award, granted by the National Forum to Accelerate Grades Reform, is based on the school’s high performance in academic excellence.

SCW is also fully accredited by the Commonwealth of Virginia and met all 29 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) indicators set by the Federal No Child Left Behind Act. 

Last year SCW increased performance in all four subject areas that are measured:  reading, mathematics, science and history. Significant gains were also made in subgroups as SCW continues to close the gap between identified subgroups, one of the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. 

The middle school will open its doors to approximately 270 students next week.

Schedule changes for 2010-2011 will now allow eighth grade classes to be on the same block schedule as the sixth and seventh grades. All grade levels will receive approximately 87 minutes of instruction in core classes; and science and history will be taught on a semester basis. This schedule proved very successful for sixth and seventh grades last year and with all eighth grade students enrolled in algebra for 2010-2011, the amount of instructional time has been increased in this grade level. 

One section of earth science will also be offered this year for high school credit. The success of this pilot offering will determine the introduction of additional courses for high school credit in the future. 

In addition to academic offerings, SCW will introduce its first coed soccer team that will compete this fall with other area middle schools. Soccer was of great interest to the rising sixth-graders when they visited SCW in the spring, and we are pleased to be able to offer this to our students this year. 

We will continue to offer both boys and girls basketball this winter. Information about tryouts for all athletic teams will be sent home with students.

A Student Council Association is also in the planning stages as an addition to the clubs/activities already offered. SCW continues to seek ways for students to have a voice in their learning, and providing an organization that allows for input from a student council will help enhance the learning experience for all students.

With the support of the Middlesex Kiwanis Club, the “Summer Reading and Wellness Program” and “Middle School 101” were offered again this summer, and both programs were a success.

With participation of 75% of rising sixth-graders in the “Middle School 101” program, the transition to middle school will be much less stressful. These students spent half a day at SCW, met their teachers, spent time in classrooms, practiced opening lockers, and experienced firsthand the expectations for middle school students. 

In addition to welcoming the new sixth-graders, SCW welcomes five new teachers (see related story) and a new school resource officer, Middlesex deputy Ranger Freeman.

All students and parents are invited to join the faculty and staff on Thursday, September 16, at 7 p.m. for Back to School Night. 

There are many new, exciting and meaningful instructional opportunities that will be available to all Middlesex Elementary School (MES) students for this upcoming school year! The staff has been working diligently this summer.

Many teachers took advantage of the summer break to enhance their professional skills by taking classes at Rappahannock Community College or by traveling to other locations to attend conferences.

The hallways are gleaming, the classrooms are ready, and the staff at MES is waiting to greet students for the best school year ever!

We are welcoming several new teachers (see related story) and many new families to MES this year and we could not be more excited.

Several schedule changes have been made to better meet the needs of all students. A daily and weekly Enrichment-Intervention Block of time has been added for every grade to assist in providing students with the best possible instruction, whether it is a remediation session or an enrichment session. We continue to have an extensive Title I program to provide services to students struggling in mathematics and/or reading in grades K-5.

Our gifted and talented students will continue to work with Susan Leggett, the gifted program coordinator/teacher, one or more times a week to extend their learning.

The Accelerated Reader Program will be used in all classrooms to enhance reading comprehension. We have continued to add to our “Reading Room,” which houses leveled readers, so teachers are better able to differentiate reading instruction. Through a very generous donation from the Middlesex Kiwanis Club, MES was able to purchase many sets of books for our reading room.

MES will continue the after-school enrichment program this year, slated to begin in October. This program allows students to explore many different enrichment opportunities.

MES will be adding a new “Grandparents Program” this year. It is supported by a donation from the Middlesex Kiwanis and will provide a night out for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. Dinner and a workshop will be offered each month to this special group of people.

MES is continuing its “Lunch Pals” program this year, which was a tremendous success last year. This program is designed to pair up a responsible adult with a student to have lunch in our school cafeteria once a week. If you are interested in becoming a Lunch Pal, please call Karen Murphy at MES at 758-2496.

MES expects about 530 students in grades K-5, and another 60 in our Head Start and pre-school programs.

posted 09.02.2010

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