A Middle School on Track- The Scarsdale Middle School Program Report

On November 4th, Mike McDermott, Principal of Scarsdale Middle School (SMS), presented an update on the Scarsdale Middle School and its programming. To begin, 1135 students are taught by a staff of 106. Average class size is between 23-24 students, and $221 is spent each year, per student, on educational expenditures such as equipment, supplies, and textbooks. There are 2 assistant principals, 4 house counselors, 2 nurses, 3 youth outreach workers, and a speech/language pathologist shared with the high school.

SMS is a well-functioning school whose students perform well above average both academically and otherwise, attributed to 15 distinguishing features of excellence:

1. House Structure- Mr. McDermott described this as a "school within a school" and a very unique feature of SMS. Students are assigned to one of four "houses" during their time at SMS to increase the personal attention each student receives. There is in-house dining available and each house has it's own counselor. There are 6th, 7th, and 8th grade teachers in each house represented across subject areas. A learning resource center is in each house and teams are available to meet with parents if necessary.

2. CHOICE- Similar to the "A" school at the high school, there is a 7th and 8th grade alternative program in which 40-50 students participate with 3 teachers assigned to CHOICE. There is an innovative, challenging curriculum set that includes math, sciences, humanities, CHOICE studies, and a strong emphasis on technology integration.

3. Public Speaking- This is very unique to SMS and the school is proud to continue its program in public speaking as most schools have cut this subject.

4. Advanced Math Program- 74% of students participate in this program, and the school records very strong and consistent regents test results in math.

5. Technology- Teachers at SMS are very technologically savvy. There are 2 dedicated technology labs and applications like Google docs and other cloud-based technology is extending learning beyond the school day.

6. Interdisciplinary projects- Mr. McDermott counted more than 25 projects across all houses and classes made possible, in part, by summer program improvement funds. Teacher collaboration and willingness is responsible for the success of these projects.

7. Scarsdale Commons Assessments- These are 40+ projects that focus on deep, critical thinking. There is at least one for every grade in each subject and in each house. Teachers use these assessments to gage student work and revise and update their curriculum.

8. Innovative Programs- There is a gaming technology program, as well as a "passion with a purpose" program, for example. On Wednesdays, for "passion with a purpose," there is no homework during one quarter of 7th grade and students are encouraged to use that day to devote time to pursuing a passion and chronicling it.

9. New Programs- There are many new things going on at SMS. Seventh graders have a nutrition and poverty unit, Butler 6 is doing a science-in-the-news project, and there are many expanded after school activities: There are 23 after school clubs, intramurals, computer lab and library access, extra help sessions, study room availability, and 650 students in total stay for after school activities regularly.

10. Modified Sports Program- SMS offers 8 sports over 3 seasons and a "no-cut" policy so every student who wishes to play gets to play on a team. This program has increase in size since being introduced.

11. Human Rights Day- SMS is proud to participate in a day dedicated to critical and creative thinking about global issues.

12. Focus on Empathy- SMS has ongoing anti-bullying efforts aimed at all students and addresses bullying by teaching pro-social skills.

13. Service Learning- There are 12 ongoing projects and 3 new projects this year (so 15 in total) that include service learning. Last year, $8,500 was raised for charity and 1,200 new toys were collected for children in Long Beach Island after Hurricane Sandy.

14. Transition Programs- SMS offers transition help at the 5th to 6th grade level and 8th grade to high school level.

15. Impact- Alumni of SMS think they are well prepared for high school. Their high school preparation score is 4.23 (out of 5.0).
Mike McDermott believes the keys to success of SMS students include focusing on sustained professional development of teachers, annual goal setting processes, intrinsically motivated faculty, and a positive school culture both on the part of the students and their parents. Overall, kids are happy and like to be at SMS.

Suzanne Seiden, President of the Board of Education, asked what SMS needs from the Board. Mr. McDermott responded, "A second librarian and at the very least, continuation of staff development. We've discovered that this is critically important," he continued. "I don't have to mandate innovation, passion, or creativity to make things happen here. The staff does it because they are given the time and motivation to do it, particularly during the summer." Ms. Seiden pressed for more information about how the school is managing with one librarian. Mr. McDermott responded by saying that it is difficult with one librarian, even though the one they have is highly capable. Last year, with 2 librarians, there were 120 teacher/librarian interactions for research projects. This year she is keeping track of how many of these projects she must turn down.

Leilia Shames Maude asked if there are other things that could be cut to produce funds for an additional librarian. Mr. McDermott said, "We could do it for less by eliminating certain things...but it won't work the same way." She also asked about the emphasis on technology and the effect that might have on the teaching of writing skills to students. Mr. McDermott insisted that technology is used as a means to an end, not an end in and of itself. He confirmed that there is still much attention being focused on writing.

Ultimately, Scarsdale High School produces students with phenomenal achievements, and this would not be possible without a solid middle school program. The average SAT score in Scarsdale last year was a whopping 1937 (out of 2400), and 64% of students attend the most competitive colleges as ranked by Barron's.