McKinleyville Introduction

McKinleyville Middle School: Introduction

Principal: Anne J. Hartline
Enrollment: 373
Grade Configuration: 6-8
Daily Schedule: 7 period day with 3 period Reading/Language Arts/Social Studies Core, departmentalized Math, Science, and Physical Education, with numerous elective offerings.
Achievement Data:2006 API of 798, 2006 statewide rank of 8, 2006 similar schools rank of 9.

Distinctive Characteristics

Academic Excellence
• School-wide, standards-based teaching and grading system is in place.
• School has a highly qualified teaching staff with three teachers completing National Board Certification.
• Real-world application of concepts and skills stressed throughout the academic program.
• Multiple forms of assessment raise awareness of standards and achievement.
• Carefully prepared schedule allows common content area collaboration time for teachers.
• Instruction is differentiated with tiered assignments to better address the learning needs of all students.
• RtI (Response to Intervention) reading program daily for all students at all reading levels.
• Regular communication about student progress exists through progress reports every three weeks, email, and an on-line school resource,
Edline.

Developmental Responsiveness
• Close relationships exist between students and faculty.
• Strong connections exist across disciplines, particularly involving core classes.
• Many hands-on projects foster creativity and a curiosity for learning.
• The Cadre of Leaders, an active leadership service group, gives students a voice in school governance.
• Student-led parent-teacher conferences provide a showcase for work through a student portfolio and reflections.
• For a small school, a large number of electives are available to students.

Social Equity
• A wide variety of communication tools helps school staff and teachers keep parents and students informed of academic progress and school events.
• School uses a positive discipline approach to behavior.
• School-wide Character Counts approach values diversity, civility, service and democratic citizenship.
• School delivers a strong anti-bullying message; students are trained as peer mediators to help one another resolve conflicts.
• School employs a school nurse, psychologist, and one full time, one part time counselor to help address students' academic, health, social, and emotional needs.

Organizational Support
• Strong collaboration exists between teachers and administrators in shared decision-making.
• Strong connections to the larger community are in place; the school is the community hub.
• Teacher teams collaborate frequently to review student progress and achievement.
• Technology is actively used to connect teachers and parents, resulting in a real electronic community.
• Close articulation is in place with the destination high school and feeder elementary schools.
• A multi-faceted communication system is effective and highly valued by parents.
• School finds many ways to extend its limited resources to fully meet the needs of its students.

California League of Middle Schools
6615 East Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 120, Long Beach, California 90803
Voice: 562/430-3136 or 800/326-1880 . . . FAX: 562/430-5607. . . E-Mail: info@clms.net