The smaller learning communities will foster trusting relationships between adults and peers. All students must have access to high-level and a common core of knowledge and skills. Instruction must be organized in such a fashion as to ensure that all middle grade students experience success. Teachers and school administrators must be empowered to make key pedagogical, management, and budgetary decisions. Middle school teachers must be prepared to teach young adolescents.
Academic achievement is improbed through better fitness and health.
All students must be encouraged to participate in physical activities during and after school. Re-engage families so that they can become part of the young adolescents' life. Connect the school with communities and the community with schools All four research studies and the Turning Points report offer the core of the relevant and modern research on middle-level education. The March 1997 issue of the Kappan magazine should be made part of every one our personal professional libraries. I believe the March Kappan issue would begin to provide the core knowledge necessary for developing a common vocabulary and a community understanding to set the stage for sustainable middle-level school reform in our school district.