Mountain Middle School

2023-2024 accomplishments: Mountain Middle School, a project-based learning charter School, served 364 students in grades 4-8 in durango, Colorado. The School year 2023/24 was the thirteenth year of operation for mms. The School has earned an accreditation rating of distinction in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 earning the prestigious john irwin award for academic excellence. The 4th and 5th grades completed their sixth year of operation reaching an accreditation rating of distinction. Mountain Middle School's design sprung from community concern about the lack of growth seen in high performing Middle School students in the durango area, as well as concerns regarding School culture and student - teacher interaction. As a result, mms adopted five core beliefs in Middle level education as the founding principles for effective Middle level education. Each student deserves: an individualized curriculum that is designed on the needs, strengths, abilities, and learning style of each student to maximize student achievement; an environment reinforcing the belief that every individual has a unique potential that can be developed, while understanding that not every student can be successful all of the time; an open and receptive atmosphere that respects and encourages the individual ideas and intellectual pursuits of every student and faculty member; an environment where faculty, staff, and administrators lead by example for student attainment of honesty, respect for others, truth, and therefore selflessness; fostering meaningful student-faculty interaction; and instructors that receive continuing education on the cognitive, academic and emotional benefits of project-based learning and teaching methodologies relevant for 4th - 8th graders. These beliefs are expected to guide programming, as well as sound decision-making in supporting academic excellence for all mms students. These core values were a result of community input and the analysis of data from the existing Middle schools in the durango community as part of its development. The uip was created from input provided by staff, School board, and our sac committee. Our sac committee is composed of board members, parents, teachers, and community members. Together we analyzed all data and formulated targeted goals to improve our student's academic performance and close achievement gaps. 2024-2025 goals: with a campus comprising 30,000 sq. Ft. and a student population of 349, mms is set to maximize the potential of our School. With a full student population of 60 students per grade level for the first time, our hope is to get more students at or beyond grade level in 4th and 5th grade, setting them up for success in our upper grades of 6th, 7th and 8th. Our recent expansion also provides us the facility to do more in terms of art and digital media with new classrooms built to accommodate greater makerspace capabilities. The best of Mountain Middle School is yet to come. Results policies mega result: each student will own their own future, graduating fully prepared to achieve their potential both academically and socially at School and in life. R1:student personal success results each student will overtly and directly articulate and demonstrate behaviors and aspects of the habits of heart and mind revolving around relational character: respect and integrity. Accordingly, each student will: r1.1contribute to a culture and climate conducive to acceptable behavior and excellent performance for all students, by demonstrating r1.1.1productive collaboration r1.1.2positive attitude about School and working with others r1.1.3equitable and inclusive interaction r1.1.4appropriate participation r1.1.5personal responsibility and accountability for their actions r1.1.6appropriate conduct and language in and out of the classroom r1.1.7honest and trustworthy conduct and work products r1.2demonstrate critical and creative thinking by systematically questioning and examining issues and principles related to the content of their lessons and contributing to productive conversation with different points of view. R1.3communicate effectively by listening actively (listening with eyes and ears) and expressing themselves passionately and appropriately while encouraging others to do the same. R1.4pursue their passions and continually reflect on their learning and growth. R2:student academic success results each student will overtly and directly articulate and demonstrate behaviors and aspects of the habits of heart and mind revolving around performance character: effort and refinement. Accordingly, each student will: r2.1achieve at individually and appropriately challenging levels and acquire academic competencies at or above grade level expectations in accordance with Colorado state standards in the following disciplines: r2.1.1language arts (reading, writing, speaking, listening) r2.1.2mathematics r2.1.3sciences r2.1.4social studies (history, civics, economics, financial literacy, social justice) r2.2develop strategies to complete work and achieve benchmarks on time. R2.3be technologically fluent and able to utilize technology ethically, safely, and appropriately to support their expression across all academic disciplines. R2.4independently reflect on their actions, decision-making, and learning. This includes documented self-assessment and reflection of both progress towards achieving goals and the quality of the work being produced against desired outcomes. R2.5clearly articulate specific criteria of high achievement and be capable of tracking individual progress toward such achievement. This includes a willingness to take risks in their learning to promote high achievement. R2.6incorporate strengths into their work products while also confidentially and without shame advocating for support in areas of challenge. R2.7be capable of accepting feedback and developing strategies to harness feedback to improve their work.