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Pennsylvania Middle School Association Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-0258 www.pmsaweb.org |
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PMSA Newsletter |
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An Official Publication of the Pennsylvania Middle School Association |
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Volume 13, Issue 2 January 2006 |
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An Affiliate of the National Middle School Association |
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Wasn’t it thrilling to have almost 8,500 educators from United States, Canada, Europe and Australia in attendance at the National Middle School Conference in Philadelphia? You bet it was! Experiencing a national conference from the perspective of the local planning committee was extremely rewarding. Watching Gail Heinemeyer and Chas Cognato as all of their well orchestrated plans unfolded into one of the best educational experiences ever was a beautiful sight. As co-chairs of the Pennsylvania Local Planning Committee, they deserve a standing ovation for their dedication and hard work over the last eighteen months. Two new resources were introduced at the conference. Taking “This We Believe” to the next level, “This We Believe in Action: Implementing Successful Middle Level Schools” moves the ideals that have been the foundation of middle level education into actual practice. It includes a DVD of “in action” scenarios from eight schools, demonstrating how some of the key characteristics have been brought to life. There are chapters on each of the 14 characteristics, elaborating on them in ways that help one to understand how schools practicing these characteristics would operate. An update on current efforts in middle level reform and thoughtful consideration of lessons learned from 32 years of advocacy are also included. NMSA recommends that “This We Believe” not only be read, but also used in site-based professional development activities. Also new from NMSA is the |
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“NMSA School Improvement Toolkit.” This new resource is designed as a comprehensive process that provides school leaders with an in-depth look at their school’s strengths and areas needing improvement. NMSA provides trained, experienced consultants that are able to work with your school in a variety of ways to enable specific direction for school improvement and staff development. Visit www.nmsa.org for specific information on these two new resources. We are eagerly anticipating your registration for the PMSA state conference. As you continue to look for new opportunities to strengthen your school’s understanding and application of key characteristics of an exemplary middle school, please book March 19-21, 2006, for your next educational adventure. There is an outstanding line-up of presenters ready and waiting to share their expertise and classroom experience. Be sure to note the discount on the registration form for NMSA conference attendees. Finally, I ask that you please send me any MOYA celebrations that occurred within your school and community. My plans are to share your celebrations on our website and send them to NMSA for posting on the NMSA website. Send a paragraph and a picture so that we can acknowledge the wonderful activities that occurred during the Month of the Young Adolescent. deblappano@yahoo.com See you in State College!
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A Message from PMSA President: Debbie Lappano |
