NELMS SPOTLIGHT SCHOOLS

Freeport Middle School Mission Statement
The Freeport Middle School exists to serve the unique academic, physical, social, and emotional needs of students who are in a special and critical period of their lives as they change from childhood to adolescence.

The staff of Freeport Middle School is committed to creating and maintaining an orderly, trusting, and caring environment where teaching and learning are exciting and students are assisted as they develop responsibility. All aspects of the school's organization, curricular and co-curricular activities are child centered and designed to accommodate individual learning styles so that all may experience success.

Our Statements of Belief:

• All programs are children centered and all school activities are designed to accommodate the unique needs of middle school students.
• Grade level teams assume responsibility for planning a variety of instructional and non-instructional activities.
• Teacher-advisor programs exist to assist all students.
• The process of learning is as important as the content.
• Planning and instruction are interdisciplinary and extend across grade levels.
• Exploratory courses, activities, and clubs are available according to students' interests and abilities.
• Flexible grouping is important in all areas.
• Parents' involvement during the middle school years is crucial in determining school effectiveness.

Our Statements of Belief:

• Integrating effective use of technology via one-to-one access for all students.
• 10 year record of involving parents via a middle school parent team structure.
• Curriculum and standards/expectations work in all content areas.
• Math and foreign language transitions between 8th and 9th grade.
• Development of writing portfolios.
• Special education transition between elementary school and high school.
• Improving basic skills in math and language arts.
• Improving instruction in all curricular areas.
• Integrating literacy and library skills across the curriculum.
• Grade level integrated units.
• Flexible use of block scheduling.
• Flexible use of team planning structures.
• Inclusionary practices for special education.
• Alternative education programming.
• School climate, safety, civil rights and bullying project.
• School expansion and renovation project completed in 2001-2002.
• Communication between school and home using technology.
• Seventh and eighth grade looping.

Freeport Middle School received the NELMS Spotlight School Award in 2003.