Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

October 13, 2010, Page 5

Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Neillsville, Colby named Exemplary Middle Schools

Student academic achievement at 78 middle schools, including Neillsville and Colby middle schools, earned Exemplary Middle School honors in a program sponsored by the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators (AWSA) and Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to recognize schools that set and met high standards.

Tim Rueth is the Neillsville Middle School principal; James Hagen is the Colby Middle School principal.

“Middle school is a time of transition” said state superintendent Tony Evers.  “Kids at this age experience amazing growth in their intellectual capacity and an increasing desire to test their independence. They need schools that challenge them to learn while supporting students’ emotional and developmental needs.”

“We recognize Exemplary Middle Schools to bring attention to schools that are doing an exceptional job of preparing our students for the future,” said Jim Lynch, AWSA executive director.  “These middle schools are a model for providing both a rigorous curriculum and their learning culture in which students thrive academically, socially and emotionally so they are ready for high school and beyond.”

This is the fourth year for the Exemplary Middle School program.  Instituted through AWSA’s Middle Level Commission, the Exemplary Middle School recognition program reviewed academic achievement records for 334 eligible schools based on grade-level configuration. Schools earn recognition for high three-year growth in reading or math scores; reading or math scores in the top 10 percent in the past year; or high growth in scores in reading or math for schools with a high poverty population.

Of the eligible schools, 78 received certificates indicating their status as Exemplary Middle Schools of 2010.  These schools are eligible for the 2010-11 Wisconsin Middle School of Excellence Awards, which will be presented at the Middle Level Commission Conference in Appleton Feb. 17, 2011.

Applications for the award will be judged on collaborative leadership and professional learning communities; personalization and the school environment; and curriculum, inst ruction and assessment in the schools.

Neillsville Middle School staff members pose with the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators Exemplary Middle School certificate.  Neillsville was one of 78 state middle schools to recently be honored with the award.