KEKS Middle School

Sam Raff
Elizabeth Eiseman
Kathleen Langford
Katelyn Dei
May 13, 2014
UW-Platteville

Introduction
The purpose of this report is to outline every facet of what we believe is the ideal
educational environment for young adolescents. We have set up our school to include grades six
through eight. In the following pages, we will discuss why we chose to include certain parts of
KEKS Middle School, and support our reasons with proven research. We take into account the
physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and moral development of children at this age level, and
try to provide them with opportunities to will prepare themselves for the future, and to become
contributing citizens.
Mission & Vision Statements
The mission statement of our school is To inspire and empower middle-level students to
succeed academically and socially in order to one day serve as productive citizens and future
leaders. We believe this goal can be met by: all students being well-known by at least one
teacher in the school, students developing fundamental and career oriented skills that will

prepare them for higher learning and the real world, student's learning being a shared
responsibility: administration, teachers, parents, the student, and the community, and teaching
being student centered; taking into account diverse social, emotional, physical and cultural needs
in order to increase student success.
Physical Arrangement
The physical design of a school is important in creating an environment that fosters
learning, supports growth, and addresses the needs of the students. To meet this philosophy we
are using a circular concept. The circular concept is a central portal with radiating extras. It is
based on the idea of a central location for community gatherings with smaller divides to
accommodate the division of the housing, and teaming among teachers. With this layout the
community, at various levels, is supported and involved. It, however, is further designed with
enough space to decrease density and a modified open-plan design. Having enough space for
students decreases pressures of social interactions and stress levels among the students.
Additionally, its modified open-plan design allows for the clear boundaries between learning
areas and less-strenuous task times. It also provides the benefits of open-plan design, like
promoting social interaction, important among middle school adolescents, while cutting down on
open-plan design drawbacks, like high-noise levels (Evans, 2006).
Additionally, the circular concept provides a homier, less formal setting. Having small
niches and enclosures make students feel more comfortable. It also prevents clustering of activity
areas and instead defines clear boundaries for different activities. These are all aspects of the
circular design that supports the students success. Finally, the building is of high quality, made
of healthy grade materials. Such building aspects are directly related to improved test sores and
better attendance (Evans, 2006).
One particularly important aspect of our school is sustainability. According to Richard
Louv, children of the current generations are suffering from nature deficit disorder. In other

words, children are not in connection with nature enough. This lack of connection has ties to
behavioral problems, truancy issues, obesity, and depression (2005). These are all issues that
begin to emerge in middle school adolescents and problems they are vulnerable to.
To address this need, our school has implemented several aspects that provide this
connection, as well as model environmental responsibility to students. First, our school is run on
renewable energy supplied by solar and wind power, as well as geothermal heating. We also are
large advocates of recycling, and composting. There are local gardens for the community and
students to farm. Finally, there is also a nature conservatory on school grounds. Our middle
school is committed to having little to no environmental footprint. Therefore, we have put
practices in place to teach our future generations sustainable methods.
Class Schedule
st
1 Hour 7:45am to 8:50am
2nd Hour 8:55am to 10:00am
3rd Hour 10:05am to 11:10am
Lunch 11:15am to 12:00pm
Advisory 12:05pm to 12:30pm
4th Hour 12:35pm to 1:40pm
5th Hour 1:45pm to 2:50pm
RTI 2:50pm to 3:20pm
We believe Block Scheduling is a good routine for students. Students will have more time
to work on projects, get to know their teachers, work on hands-on activities and more. However,
6th graders should be given an opportunity to transition from 30-40 minute elementary classes to
90 minute periods over time, since it can be quite a shock. Through this middle school setting,
students will enter middle school with 65 minute blocks and increase to 85 minutes over their
three-year course here. This will prepare them for the high school schedule of 95 minute courses.
Students will gradually slim down from 6-7 subjects per day in elementary school, to 4
and 5 subjects per day in the middle and high school setting. This will allow them to focus on
fewer subjects and put more time into certain areas, which will ultimately lead to optimized
learning and mastery of subject areas.

Students will also participate in daily advisories to better understand their teachers,
themselves and their peers. Students will learn to care about themselves, others, teachers, family,
and more. Life lessons, as well as academic tips will be brought forth in this safe zone work
area. They will also participate in RTIs or Response to Intervention. Response to Intervention
time will be a more proactive approach to conventional study halls. Teachers will be assigned 1015 students and have access to check grades and homework daily. If students are struggling in
any area, teachers will have the authority to send students to their content areas of struggle in
order to get the assistance they need. This differs from conventional study halls because teachers
are able to monitor students more closely, and teachers can help struggling students when
needed. This time period also allows for older students to tutor younger students, as
demonstrated before. This may eliminate some overcrowding of some content areas as well.
We will allow 5 minutes between passing periods to allow the students ample time to
refresh themselves after lengthened class periods. During this time, students can go to the
restroom, grab a snack, see a teacher, get their books, and make it back to class without a hurry.
Middle school can be a very stressful time for these adolescents, and by giving them plenty of
time to relax between classes, the students will be mentally and physically ready to settle down
into the lesson plans for the day.
Core courses that will be required annually are:

English
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Physical Education
Choice of Electives
Foreign Language (Spanish)
Art
Music (Band, Choir)
Agriculture/Food Science
Technical Education/Industrial Studies

We believe that these courses should be offered annually because they are incredibly vital
to a students success and possible career options. Some students, during their middle school
years, have their college careers planned out, and some are ready to get through high school and
enter the workforce. By equipping these students with basic English, math, science, social
studies and even physical education and healthy living skills, we are preparing these students for
the future. Not to mention the exploratory options we will be offering as well. Through our
selected choices of Spanish, Art, Music, Agriculture and Technical Education, students will be
able to explore careers and hobbies they may possibly be interested in.
Our teachers will receive 1 private and 1 team preparatory period per day. Teachers are
required to be in the building by at least 7:30am and to stay until at least 3:45pm to give students
enough time to reach them before and after school, as well as give extra preparatory time if
needed.
Turning Points: Creating a Community for Learning
KEKS Middle School is committed to quality instruction for our students. We primarily
create a quality and wholesome learning environment through three main techniques. These
techniques are housing, teaming, and adult advising. Essentially these three create a smaller,
greater holistic, and more personalized learning experience. Students that have a more relatable
and approachable level of education have their young adolescent needs better addressed (Turning
Points, 1989).
Houses are smaller learning communities that have been shown to provide several
advantages to middle school students. Students receive instruction in the core content areas,
language arts, math, science, and social studies, as well as electives. Each house is mostly
autonomous and present in each grade level.
One advantage of housing is a more personal learning environment, and a smaller
community in which students can thrive. Middle school students undergo a large amount of

physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and moral. Because of this, they are often unable to deal
with the tremendous pressure they feel in their lives. A solution to helping deal with this stress is
to provide positive relationships. A smaller learning environment, provided by housing, fosters
closer relationships. The teacher has a better opportunity to know each student and build a
relationship with him or her. Also, consistently keeping students with the same group can help
them develop meaningful relationships with their peers. The combination of this allows an
atmosphere of understanding and trust to accumulate (Felner, et al., 2007). Another advantage is
that a smaller learning environment fosters higher rates of student achievement. This is in part
because of the atmosphere of understanding and trust that is built. As teachers better know their
students, they are able to use strategies that meet the students needs. Also, a smaller learning
environment means there are better lines of communication. Again, this increases awareness and
ability to meet students needs (Turning Points, 1989, Felner, et al., 2007).
A third advantage of housing is a lower dropout rate. How the developmental needs of
students are met in school affects them long after they are out of the classroom. Having a smaller
learning environment is more welcoming and comfortable for students. A safe climate for
students decreases absences, and in turn school dropouts, because students want to be there. It
has been shown that housing directly correlates with reducing student dropout rates. Students in
a smaller learning environment feel valued, causing them to attend more regularly. Students also
behave better, which increases understanding and learning, which decreases dropout rates
(Felner, et al., 2007).
The final advantage of smaller learning environments is that housing closes the equity
gap. An equity gap is the difference in academic achievement between higher economically
advantaged students and lower economically disadvantaged students. To note, research has
shown economically disadvantaged students, in particular, benefit from housing. This, in part, is

because of the higher expectations and higher quality learning environment which encourages
success (Felner, et al., 2007). Housing creates a small learning environment that has several
positive impacts on students. It is easily implemented into our middle school. Also, it addresses
all of the developmental needs in some way. This style of organization complements our teamteaching among faculty.
Teaming is pairing a group of teachers with a group of students (Turning Points, 1989).
This is easily done at KEKS Middle School because of our housing organization. We use both
horizontal and vertical teaming. Our horizontal teaming is that each grade has four teacherstudent groups. In continuation of this, we have vertical teaming for our sixth graders. This is in
continuation from each of the four elementary schools. So, each group of students will stay with
their teachers from fifth grade into sixth grade. Thus the students will stay with the same teachers
for both fifth and sixth grade. However, this does not occur in seventh and eighth grade. This
vertical teaming is to better assist students developmental needs, as well as ease the transition
from middle to high school (Schlosser, n.d.). Our teams are built around the core-subject areas so
students have one teacher each for mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies. Also
assigned to each team are a special education coordinator, a guidance counselor, and other
specialists (Main, 2010).
Teaming, like housing, has advantages for teachers as well, such as better communication
and sharing of student-need strategies, along with stronger teacher-student relationships. It is a
more personalized learning experience (Main, 2008). We can ensure that students will be well
known by adults in the school, which allows their needs to be better understood, addressed, and
supported (Coffey, n.d.). It is a proactive strategy that addresses specific needs to prevent issues,
like behavior and attendance, common in high school students (Schlosser, n.d.)
KEKS Middle School is committed to creating a culture so that all students feel welcome,
safe, and secure. We know this is especially important since middle school students are at a

vulnerable age. To address this responsibility we have created a student advocacy program made
up of several educational techniques, including requiring teachers to integrate into and model
healthy philosophies in their lessons. We have pillars supporting our school including advisories,
exploratories, teaming, housing, and others that all support our adult advocacy for the students
(Turning Points, 1989).
This is a school-wide effort to empower the students. We are helping them become
reflective, respectful, responsible, and compassionate adults. Key to the advocacy success is the
fact that we are collaborating and communicating to ensure success (Turning Points, 1989).
Each member of the school community will also sign a morals contract. The terms of this
contract are below:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

I agree to keep each other safe, physically and emotionally.

I agree to keep comments positive and supportive.
I agree to give and receive honest feedback.
I agree to let go of negative feelings and/or stale issues and move on.
I agree to make an effort to participate to the best of my ability in all situations.
With these philosophies, we take pride in the fact that all of our teachers are committed to

the success of every student. We also expect the students to advocate for themselves.
Turning Points: Teaching a Core of Common Knowledge
Students should be able to think critically before they enter the real world and we believe
that students should be exposed and able to practice this long before they are expected to
demonstrate it on their own. When students critically think about something, they are able to
process information in a more complex way than just recalling trivial facts. Students will be able
to challenge the reliability of evidence, recognize the viewpoint or voice behind the words,
pictures or ideas presented, see relationships between ideas, and ask what-if and suppose-that
questions. Through project-based learning in our classrooms, students will develop the crucial,
critical thinking skills they will be able to utilize their entire life.
During a childs 10-14 year-old years, they are incredibly impressionable and most likely
to fall under the negative effects of peer pressure and experiment with drugs and alcohol. We

feel that students these days are ill-prepared to make good choices on their own and are only
offered advice if they seek it out on their own, which rarely happens. In our middle school,
students will receive health information about the negative effects of drugs and alcohol in our life
science courses, such as Biology and Health. But the education will not end there. Students will
be educated on how to say no to peer pressure in their daily advisory periods. Students are
regularly taught the simple phrase, Just Say No! but rarely are they taught how to do it
effectively that will empower themselves. Through our common core of education, students will
obtain information from all areas of coursework in the curriculum and work towards an ultimate
goal of preparedness for the future.
Being an active member in the community is incredibly valuable in this day and age.
Upon high school graduation students are expected to manage bills, jobs and even become a
positive influence on the community. Students these days are not shown how to effectively
become these active citizens in the community. Through our advisory programs, project-based
learning and common core of knowledge amongst our team teaching curriculum, students will
acquire many of the basic skills they will need to become productive members of society.
Students will partake in service learning projects through their coursework, and learn how to
manage bills and rent through our Classroom Economy simulation during class.
Turning Points: Ensuring Success for All Students
In our middle school, we aim to ensure that all students will succeed because of our
carefully planned curriculum and setup. Students are proven to learn best when they are grouped
with students that differ ethnically, culturally and cognitively. Students at our school will be
expected to work with each other effectively in class; regardless of if they are good students or
bad students, or even if they are a different race or ethnicity than each other. We also plan on
offering cross-age tutoring where the 8th graders help the 6th graders during a designated RTI
(Response to Intervention) time. Studies have also shown that cross-age tutoring of students

increased academic achievements of both the tutors and tutees. Response to Intervention time
will be a more proactive approach to conventional study halls. Teachers will be assigned 10-15
students and have access to check grades and homework daily. If students are struggling in any
area, teachers will have the authority to send students to their content areas of struggle in order to
get the assistance they need. This differs from conventional study halls because teachers are able
to monitor students more closely, and teachers can help struggling students when needed. This
time period also allows for older students to tutor younger students, as demonstrated before. This
may eliminate some overcrowding of some content areas as well.
Turning Points: Preparing Teachers for the Middle Grades
Professional development activities can be created by the schools in order to improve
classroom instruction. It is the responsibility of the school to provide continuing opportunities for
in-service teachers, which will ensure they are constantly teaching their students to the best of
their ability. Research shows that most teachers who do not use technology in their classroom
instruction are those who are not very confident about how the technology available to them
works (Spaulding, 2010). It is up to the school to hold seminars that are able to increase a
teachers self efficacy towards technology use and then there will be an increase of technology in
each classroom. When implementing new technology into the school it is important that each
teacher knows how to use it properly, so the school will hold necessary seminars in order to keep
teachers informed with any technology updates. During the school year the school district may
also schedule teacher in-service days where the teachers have all day to work together to discuss
plans for the rest of the school year. The most effective professional development engages
teams of teachers to focus on the needs of their students. They learn and problem solve together
in order to ensure all students achieve success (Mizell, 2010). This development can most easily
be done during teacher in-service days.

Turning Points: Reengaging Families in the Education of Young Adolescents

Parents play a huge role in the learning process of their children, so it is extremely important to
keep them as informed as possible. When schools engage families in ways that improve
learning and support parent involvement at home and school, students make greater gains (NEA,
2014). It is up to each school to set the guidelines of how involved parents will be. At our
school teachers will be required to keep updated grades online, so parents will always know how
their children are performing in class. A newsletter will be sent out monthly to announce any
activities that may be coming up. Also, parents will be asked to volunteer in class when needed
by any teacher, i.e. science experiments, field trips, etc. Parents are also an important asset to
many school functions. Parents will be asked to set up a PTA meeting to discuss changes in the
school and any other issues that may arise. This will allow parents to be advocates for their
students and to better understand what is currently going on in the school.
Turning Points: Empowering Teachers and Administrators
KEKS Middle School is committed to creating a healthy working atmosphere for staff.
We want all hierarchy levels to be satisfied with their positions. Satisfaction is directly correlated
with student achievement and teacher retention (Rice and Schneider, 1994). Staff want to work in
a climate of trust and mutual respect where they are comfortable with their colleagues and
leadership. Without this, teachers will not be able to excel to their full potential, which is a
negative for the school. Both administration and teachers in the school must be given the
authority and trust to make decisions (Turning Points, 1989).
The staff of KEKS Middle School is specifically chosen for their leadership and team
skills. They exhibit traits such as reliability, communicative, responsibility, honesty, and more.
These are all traits necessary for a successful teacher (Rice and Schneider, 1994). Additionally,
they all are unique in that they bring their own expertise and special interests into their teaching,
advisories, exploratories, extracurriculars, and other aspects of the school experience. Teachers

are given a large authority here because we believe in empowering our workers. Teachers who
have more authority have been shown to be more productive, produce higher quality work, and
have better morale (Turning Points, 1989). They are also better able to address all of the needs,
including mental health, of the students more quickly (Johnson, et al. 2011).
Empowering teachers also models the trust and expectations we set for student-centered
learning. When students are exposed to adults who are intimately involved with the curriculum,
they are more inspired to learn. Additionally, teachers who are empowered are more likely to
allow students to make decisions that effect their education. In turn, students who interact
intimately with their education have clearer rights and responsibilities, which result in students
who eventually become responsible, ethical, and participatory citizens (Turning Points, 1989;
Rice and Schneider, 1994).
It is important that not only teachers and staff are empowered, but administration as well.
The principal is open-minded, a good listener, and takes responsibility for the overall function
and performance of the school. He maintains the effectiveness and creativity of the entire
enterprise (West, 2011). In particular, our school has administration who has the political skill to
help different groups, keeping KEKS Middle School in line with our vision, and steering the
school to better address the large trends our school is experiencing. Because they are more
empowered to make decisions they can shape the educational experiences of middle school
adolescents for the better (Turning Points, 1989).
In order to empower our teachers we use several techniques including allowing teachers
to lead their classrooms, building teams in our school, and developing a hierarchy of leadership.
Teachers are better able to exercise control in their classroom because they are trained to be the
first line of support for the students and make decisions for these students. In particular, teachers
are placed on teams. These teaching teams are given time, budget, and space ample enough to

develop a smooth functioning program that considers student input, creating a more
individualized academic program for students.
Additionally, to better empower the teachers at KEKS Middle School, a building
governance committee is in place. This committee is made of representatives of teachers (the
team leader from each house), administrators, support staff, parents, students, and community
representatives. A building governing committee shares decision-making tasks that involve
creating a learning environment better able to address the physical, intellectual, moral,
emotional, and social needs of young adolescents. This committee has responsibility in directly
supporting the principal, as well as evaluating new practice outcomes, and assisting teachers
(Turning Points, 1989). Finally, administrators, teachers and staff are also better able to
communicate by attending twice a month, large-group meetings. Each meeting covers general
issues, as well as one workshop activity regarding a team support topic.
It is a chain effect in the school when empowerment occurs; empowered administration
results in empowered teachers and staff, which further results in empowered students. Overall
empowerment creates a smooth and high functioning school. A high quality functioning school
results in a superior learning environment for students.
Turning Points: Preparing Teachers for the Middle Grades
Professional development activities can be created by the schools in order to improve
classroom instruction. It is the responsibility of the school to provide continuing opportunities for
in-service teachers, which will ensure they are constantly teaching their students to the best of
their ability. Research shows that most teachers who do not use technology in their classroom
instruction are those who are not very confident about how the technology available to them
works (Spaulding, 2010). It is up to the school to hold seminars that are able to increase a
teachers self efficacy towards technology use and then there will be an increase of technology in
each classroom. When implementing new technology into the school it is important that each

teacher knows how to use it properly, so the school will hold necessary seminars in order to keep
teachers informed with any technology updates. During the school year the school district may
also schedule teacher in-service days where the teachers have all day to work together to discuss
plans for the rest of the school year. The most effective professional development engages
teams of teachers to focus on the needs of their students. They learn and problem solve together
in order to ensure all students achieve success (Mizell, 2010). This development can most easily
be done during teacher in-service days.
Turning Points: Improving Academic Performance through Better Health and Fitness
In order to ensure that our students are performing at their best cognitively, we must also
make sure they are physically healthy. It is the job of the school to provide students with access
to mental and physical health services. We have one trainer who the students will be allowed to
visit for any physical health related issue they may be experiencing. Also, there will be a
counselor on site during all school hours available by appointment or drop-in. It will also be
mandatory for all staff to be present in the hallways during passing periods and break time in
order to help maintain a safe environment. All students need to feel safe in order to be at their
best mentally.
Athletic programs are available to every single student. Tryouts will be held for the teams
who will compete against other schools, but we will also hold competitions between houses,
encouraging friendly competitiveness and good sportsmanship, while promoting the importance
of a healthy lifestyle.
Turning Points: Reengaging Families in the Education of Young Adolescents
Parents play a huge role in the learning process of their children, so it is extremely important to
keep them as informed as possible. When schools engage families in ways that improve
learning and support parent involvement at home and school, students make greater gains
(NEA, 2014). It is up to each school to set the guidelines of how involved parents will be. At our
school, teachers will be required to keep updated grades online, so parents will always know how

their children are performing in class. A newsletter will be sent out monthly to announce any
activities that may be coming up. Also, parents will be asked to volunteer in class, when needed,
by any teacher, i.e. science experiments, field trips, etc. Parents are also an important asset to
many school functions. Parents will be asked to set up a PTA meeting to discuss changes in the
school and any other issues that may arise. This will allow parents to be advocates for their
students and to better understand what is currently going on in the school.
Real Life Component
As our mission implies, we want to ensure all students develop the skills to achieve
education, personal, and professional success. A part of this is collaborating with the community
and developing curriculum that motivates students to take control of their education. To better
our mission and visions for the students we have implemented a real life component to our
middle school.
First, we have a business and career profiling. In middle school, students are burgeoning
on the age at which they make decisions that impact their future. Having a method to raise career
awareness helps insure students are aware of their options and teaches them how to better
capitalize on opportunities (Arrington, 2000). Students will spend time, several hours each year,
in a local business or with a person in a career of their choosing to learn more about that trade.
Each year they will profile a different trade with a large poster presentation conference they will
present at the end of year. This component stimulates their awareness and consideration of the
future. It also instills the importance of community connection within the students.
A second real life component is our school government. Modeling our government,
students will be elected in and there will be three branches. All branches teach them
responsibility in a safe environment. The needs for more responsibility, and strong support within
middle school adolescents are both addressed with the student government.
Like our government there will be an executive, legislative, and judicial branch:

-The executive branch will consist of a president and vice president as voted by the students.
With assistance, these students will then appoint committee chair heads for each cabinet.
Cabinets will cover recreational activities, economics, rule enforcement, agriculture, natural
resources, and others.
-The legislative branch will be made up of three representatives from each grade (one from each
house) that will create rules and expectations for the school and classroom in general.
-The judicial branch will be made up of a peer-mediation council. This court is three students
from each grade (one from each house) who will receive training and are recommended for the
position. Students at a bi-monthly court session will rule on disputes that may occur. In
particular, peer mediation has been found to teach resolution to students, strengthen
communication, build cooperation within the school, and reduce hostility (Peer Mediation,
2014).
Student government has benefits for students. It builds skills in team building, resource
utilization and prioritizing tasks. It also allows students confidence to be built through making a
difference. This is important at an age when middle school students are very self-aware and
critical and need extra opportunities to gain confidence and the skills they need to work with
their peers (Advantages Student Council, 2013).
A third component is the classroom economy based in the idea we are trying to teach our
students financial literacy. As they perform their tasks they are directly involved in classroom
and school management building skills such as responsibility, delayed gratification, and the value
of saving. It simulates real-world economic activity to teach them the value of earning a
paycheck, the reason for taxes, budgeting and balancing, and every decision has a cost or gain
(My Classroom Economy, 2014). At each grade level students will earn and spend dollar
amounts, supporting also their math skills in addition to real life and financial concepts.
The final large real life component of our middle school is service learning or
community-based learning. Service learning has been implemented into our curriculum

because of the benefits it provides our students. It has links to real life experience and
employment, it enhances critical thinking and problem-solving skills, improves interpersonal and
human relation skills, provides greater understanding of social issues, and it allows students to
build connections to and make a difference within the community. All things that make the
students, the school, and our society run successfully.
We as a school recognize the importance the community plays in both the educational
world as well as outside of school. This is why we feel it is important to give back. Students
should foster a communal presence and relationships at a young age. Students who volunteer
have been shown to have better attendance, complete homework more consistently, earn higher
grades and test scores, have better social skills, have higher self-esteem, and have other positive
impacts (Scales, et al., 2000).

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