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School Visits

See exemplary middle school practices in action.
Talk with teachers, administrators, and students.
Hear firsthand the challenges and rewards of implementing best practices.
Ask about lessons learned and improvements made.

School visit participants, must have a ticket to attend. Tickets must be purchased with conference registration. Register early. School visits will sell out quickly!

SV1301
A Bilingual School—Reflections and Results
Casey Middle School – Boulder Valley School District
http://bvsd.org/schools/Casey/Pages/default.aspx
Creating a rich, intellectually stimulating environment that challenges diverse learners in a dual-language setting requires passion, commitment, and continuous reflection. This Colorado Trailblazer "School to Watch" is noted for its unique program that supports a culturally-infused curriculum, gives attention to rigorous academic standards, employs strong integration of research-based instructional strategies, and provides a support system that has resulted in increased student achievement for its population more than 60% are ELL and more than 50% live below the poverty line.

School Visit Objectives:

Learn Casey's strategies for building intellectually challenging classrooms using Socratic seminar, critical literacy, partner reading strategies, and vocabulary strategies for second language Learners.
Understand Casey's bilingual program, offering classes in Spanish language arts, Spanish reading and Spanish social studies to support bilingualism in both native Spanish and native English speaking students.
Review Casey's success plan for students of all language backgrounds in honors math and advanced language arts classes, because Casey students receive extra support as needed.
Visit Casey's traditional and unique electives such as leadership, Baile Folklórico, and AVID as well as after-school activities like hip-hop dance, skiing, and outdoor education.

SV1302
Intercultural and Inquiry-Based Learning
Clear Lake Middle School – Adams County School District 50
http://clea.adams50.org/
Because all students learn differently, Clear Lake designed an intercultural approach that develops academic, social, and communication skills through the Middle Years International Baccalaureate philosophy and a variety of AVID teaching strategies. Its student demographic of 85% F&R and more than 30% ELL thrive in this school that has steadily worked to narrow the achievement gap, engaged in comprehensive professional development involving action research, integrated research-based instructional strategies, and used continuous progress monitoring structures.

School Visit Objectives:

Understand Clear Lake's focus on intercultural and inquiry-based learning through the International Baccalaureate MYP program.
Learn Clear Lakes' plan for building student skills through AVID-embedded structures across the content areas.
Review Clear Lake's system of progress monitoring and monthly, data-driven staff development.
Explore Clear Lake's academic and behavioral support structures, which accelerate learning.

SV1303
A Fully Inclusive School and Its Learning Approach
Falcon Bluffs Middle School – Jefferson County Public Schools
http://sc.jeffco.k12.co.us/education/school/school.php?sectionid=292
Significant achievement gains are attributed to Falcon Bluffs' full-inclusion model-each interdisciplinary team consists of four academic core teachers plus one resource teacher and one para-professional. This means that every child has access to personalized instruction. Students self-monitor through the use of reflection portfolios, student-led conferences, and standards-based grading report cards. Teachers engage in a wide range of professional development activities, including peer observations and job-embedded coaching, to create an engaging learning environment.

School Visit Objectives:

Visualize Falcon Bluffs' commitment to creating a model of full inclusion.
Understand Falcon Bluffs' student portfolio system, procedures for student-led conferencing, and standards-based report cards.
Explore Falcon Bluffs' continuum of job-embedded professional development.

SV1304
Critical Thinking Focus Ignites Student Learning
Mountain Ridge Middle School – Douglas County School District
http://schools.dcsdk12.org/education/school/school.php?sectionid=33
Enter a school where critical thinking is embedded across the building. Using the Paul & Elder Critical Thinking Model, Mountain Ridge supports students in a K-12 thinking focus that includes attention to the development of their intellectual character. Strong job-embedded staff development supports the integration of instructional strategies that promote problem-solving, inquiry, and reflection. Standards-based grading, along with systemic academic support structures, helps this school sustain high levels of academic achievement.

School Visit Objectives:

Visualize Mountain Ridge's focus on school-wide critical thinking strategies integration.
Explore Mountain Ridge's system for job-embedded staff development.
Review Mountain Ridge's continuum of student learning support through standards-based grading and programs that encourage students to get their work in now.

SV1305
Active Parent Support Groups Enhance
School to Home Connection Rocky Heights Middle School – Douglas County School District
http://schools.dcsdk12.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectionid=49
Empowering parents, students, and staff to excel allows everyone to reach new heights. Rocky's active Watch Dogs (Dads of Great Students) group increases the presence of male role models and the feelings of safety and belonging. Through a strong academic focus rich in critical thinking and creative explorations, Rocky Heights meets students' needs and maintains high academic standards of excellence. Standards-based grading enhances the school-to-home connection and encourages student reflection and goal setting.

School Visit Objectives:

Explore Rocky Heights' active parent support groups which positively impact its climate and culture.
Understand Rocky Height's strong system of academic support and creative explorations.
Review Rocky Heights' standards-based grading system that encourages student growth.

SV1306
Multitiered Support Systems and Rich Exploratories
Scott Carpenter Middle School – Adams County School District 50
http://scot.adams50.org/
Facing the challenge, making it happen—Scott Carpenter meets the needs of its students of whom 90% live in poverty, 90% are Latino, and more than 30% are English language learners. Success in middle leads to success in life; this school's focus on "Going to College" gets kids motivated. A multi tiered support system provides targeted instruction; rich exploratory opportunities provide a window to the future; and an embedded, collegial staff development structure fosters student achievement.

School Visit Objectives:

Embrace Scott Carpenter's "Going to College" academically focused culture and understand its positive impact on student motivation.
Explore Scott Carpenter's multi tiered system of academic support and exploratory opportunities.
Explore Scott Carpenter's daily embedded professional development structure, which increases student achievement.

SV1307
Taking Change by STORM: PLCs, Leadership, and Technology
Silver Hills Middle School – Adams 12 Five Star School District
http://www.silverhills.adams12.org/
Silver Hills Middle School is a professional learning community "committed to excellence, one student at a time." We believe the voice of one teacher can have a profound impact on the life of a child. Our goal is to provide as many resources and tools as we can to help create a school that not only teaches students but reaches them as well. SHMS prides itself in knowing that what happens on our classrooms and at our school can change lives.

School Visit Objectives:

Learn strategies for building technologically challenging classrooms. See how using SMART boards, student response systems, document cameras, Tablet PCs, and United Streaming increases student engagement and adds excitement and interest to the learning environment.
Visit classrooms and participate in programs that create a new school identity and build a strong sense of community for students and staff.
Explore techniques and ideas designed to create a smooth transition in opening a new school.
Discover the concepts in developing and implementing our vision/mission statements, our leadership team, and our teacher academy.

SV1308
Creating and Sustaining a School-wide Culture of Success
Mead Middle School – St. Vrain Valley School District
http://mms.stvrain.k12.co.us/
Mead Middle School has worked to sustain a deep culture of learning that maximizes academic growth and attention to individual student success. Mead promotes a can-do culture focused on academic achievement, high levels of active involvement in co-curricular activities, and academic excellence utilizing team teaching, a building-wide literacy focus, and standards-based grade reporting. Mead is designated as a Colorado Trailblazer "School to Watch" and a Colorado John Irwin School of Excellence.

School Visit Objectives:

Explore Mead's commitment to sustaining a deeply embedded culture of success.
Understand Mead's strong system of academic support to meet the needs of learners.
Review Mead's system to engage students through high levels of participation and attention to their own academic and personal success.