Highlights of Exemplary Practices Aligned with the 18 Characteristics of Successful Middle Schools
Every student’s academic and personal development is guided by an adult advocate: Advisory groups have been in place at HVMS since the 2018-2019 school year. This allows students to have voice and build relationships with trusted adults during their middle school years while learning about mindsets, emotional regulation, conflict resolution and work toward independent academic goals. Students participate in an advisory program facilitated by the same teacher for all three years at HVMS that includes opportunities for PBIS lessons, social emotional lessons, sessions to develop Opportunity Ready portfolios, and general team-bonding activities.
The school is welcoming, inclusive, and affirming for all: We want all students to be able to explore their academic and extracurricular interests. Diverse electives are offered for students to allow them to explore their interests and continue the development of opportunity ready skills and teachers encourage student agency in project or assignment selection. Additionally, all students at HVMS participate in clubs that meet monthly during the normal school day allowing students to cultivate peer relationships. 21 clubs were offered during the 2023-2024 academic year. Clubs are facilitated for one hour on the first Friday of the month. This ensures that students can be involved in clubs regardless of transportation access. Students can try out for sports teams including football, volleyball, wrestling, cheerleading, basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, and track. Administration coordinates with PTSO to facilitate student socials each semester. Pep rallies and spirt weeks are held each athletic season. These events include class competitions, teacher-student competitions, and athletic team competitions. Unified Sports club partners with students in our FAACTs class to participate in the games. Regular school events that positively contribute to our school culture include quarterly PBIS “big reward” celebrations, band and choir concerts, end of year awards, field days, and spirit weeks.
Policies and practices are student-centered, unbiased, and fairly implemented: Our PBIS program and expectations for students are centered around the idea that students SOAR (are safe, organized, accountable and respectful) at HVMS. These expectations are found in every classroom/open learning space. We emphasize student reflections for behavior and help students identify how they can change their behavior to better align with SOAR expectations with every discipline event. A classroom and office managed system of discipline is implemented. Tiered systems of consequences exist to prevent unequitable/arbitrary assignment of consequences.
Organizational structures foster purposeful learning and meaningful relationships: Administrators conduct an average of one daily walkthrough using a digital tool that highlights our performance as a school with elements of deeper learning and our strategic plan. To monitor our progress toward the goals set out in our strategic plan, the administrative team developed a walkthrough tool that we have been using since the start of the 2021-2022 school year. This walkthrough tool helps us collect daily data on our fidelity with our strategic plan. Upon completion of each walkthrough, a copy of a PDF summary is immediately emailed to the teacher whose classroom was visited. The administration shares a summary of weekly data in our “Friday Focus” memo that is distributed to HVMS faculty and staff.
A shared vision developed by all stakeholders guides every decision: Our leadership team (made up of one teacher from each grade-level, our counseling coordinator, a department chair from each content area, our instructional coach, our special education coordinator, our media specialist, the assistant principals, and principal) meets monthly to discuss our alignment with our strategic plan and instructional goals we have as a school. This instructional body in the building is used as the starting point for new initiatives so our teacher-leaders in the building have input before we implement changes in our school. Administration and the testing coordinator hold regular data meetings with teachers following growth assessments, formative assessments, and other major division-wide testing to assess areas needing intervention and identify students needing more support, resources, and possible tutoring opportunities.