Middletown Schools: Why Future-Ready Certification Is Important

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Last week we told you how the Middletown school district earned a silver-level "Future Ready" distinction from the state of New Jersey, which is a measure of how prepared the school district is for STEM education and new technology.

Today, in this letter, Middletown superintendent of schools Dr. Bill George explains exactly what "Future Ready" means and why it's so important:

Why Future-Ready Certification is Important to Middletown Schools

By William O. George III, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools

As a leadership team in Middletown, we have established a culture of innovation throughout the district by embracing a collaborative leadership model. The main goal of this model is to empower students to direct their own learning and in some cases, design their own learning opportunities. Educational Technology Specialists, Library Media Specialists, and subject-area specialists/coaches have provided support in transforming our classrooms into student-centered environments, where our students are developing the skills they need for future success.

Throughout the Future Ready NJ Certification process, we have been fortunate to reflect on our areas of strength, as well as areas we would like to further develop. To model lifelong learning for our students, we as educators must also demonstrate our commitment to self-reflection and daily improvement. One of our areas of strength as a district is providing staff with professional development that emphasizes a shared vision for digital learning, including measuring student success utilizing data. We will continue to add personal and purposeful professional learning opportunities to our new online hub that already includes dozens of in-person and online opportunities for learning aligned to the Future Ready gears.

Another area of strength we are proud of is our commitment to classroom practice that includes authentic learning opportunities for students. These opportunities often connect curricular standards to student interests across multiple subject areas. Our educators have utilized the multiple digital learning tools, platforms, and devices the district provides to create dynamic and personalized lessons for different types of learners.

Providing educators and students with reliable technology remains another priority of the district. Our district network is continuously monitored to ensure the intranet/internet has the appropriate capabilities to support the application of the district devices. In addition, the district website has been redesigned to celebrate a learner-centered approach to teaching and learning. Digital content includes exemplary practice showcasing students and staff. The website also provides a user-friendly layout, so members of our community can easily find the resources they need. We will continue to use our hashtag #MTPSpride on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to celebrate learning and share important
information.

As the administrative team reflects on our Future Ready NJ certification journey thus far, it is evident that our district and building leaders, educators, and students have so much to be proud of. It is also clear, however, that there is still work to be done. For the 2018-19 school year, we will be implementing Innovation Teams in each of our 17 schools, led by teacher-leaders committed to increasing innovative practices in our classrooms. These teams will drive new initiatives and provide support to their district colleagues. We will also remain strong in our resolve to provide personalized learning opportunities for all our students aligned to their unique strengths, needs, and interests. Students will begin creating their own personalized learning plans to set goals and reflect on their learning.

Together, we are dedicated to preparing our students for the world of tomorrow, which will require them to be creative thinkers, problem solvers, and lifelong learners. #MTPSpride!

Related: Middletown Schools Earn Future-Ready Silver Status