Two P-CCS Middle Schools Earn National Recognition

Press release from Plymouth-Canton Schools:

Plymouth-Canton Community Schools is proud to announce that Discovery Middle School and East Middle School have been named ‘Schools to Watch’ as part of a recognition and improvement program developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform. Discovery MS and East MS are two of less than 20 middle schools in Michigan to receive this national recognition. Less than 500 middle schools in the United State receive this distinction.

Each school was selected by state leaders for its academic excellence, its responsiveness to the needs and interests of young adolescents, and its commitment to helping all students achieve at high levels. In addition, each school has strong leadership, teachers who work together to improve curriculum and instruction, and a commitment to assessment and accountability to bring about continuous improvement.

“This designation really shows how much the Discovery Community has grown over the past couple of years,” said Discovery Principal Terry Sawchuk. “This is a big process and our entire faculty and staff work very hard reviewing data and developing best practices for teaching and learning. While I am proud of our work as a whole, I am especially pleased with the strength of the Social-Emotional programs we developed for students. Our staff has positive relationships with the students and the lessons taught are relevant to them”

Selection is based on a written application that required schools to show how they met criteria developed by the Forum. Schools that appeared to meet the criteria were then visited by state teams who observed classrooms, interviewed administrators, teachers, students, and parents, and looked at achievement data, suspension rates, quality of lessons, and student work. Schools are recognized for a three-year period; and at the end of three years, schools must repeat the process in order to be re-designated. East Middle School was redesignated while Discovery received the honor for the first time.

“Being named a “School to Watch,” is big, but maintaining that excellence and receiving re-designation is very difficult and we are very pleased and proud,” said East Middle School Principal Scott Burek. “The re-designation validates what we are doing is best for middle school students. This process has helped our faculty and staff develop creative, fun and effective methods of learning that make students want to be at school. Even more important is the relationships that are created - - both student-to-student and teacher-to-student.”

A complete list of 2020 Schools to Watch schools can be found here: 2020 Schools to Watch Announcement.

This press release was produced by the Plymouth-Canton Schools>. The views expressed here are the author’s own.