Richmond puts focus on middle schools

By: Will Jones | Times-Dispatch
Published: February 07, 2011
Updated: February 11, 2011 - 12:00 AM

Richmond Public Schools is expanding efforts to improve the performance and retention of students in middle school.

In her State of the Schools address Thursday, Superintendent Yvonne W. Brandon said the new Middle School Renaissance initiative would address the school system's greatest challenge by "strengthening the instructional bridge between elementary and high school."

As part of the effort, after-school achievement centers will be established this summer for about 150 students at Henderson and Boushall middle schools. The school system is working with Higher Achievement thanks to a $1 million grant from Altria announced in October.

The Middle School Renaissance initiative also will be providing themed instructional programs at all of the middle schools and new opportunities for mentorships and staff development, Brandon said. Details are still being worked out, but the enhanced programs are expected to start this summer and continue into the 2011-12 academic year.

"We are excited and are confident that this razor-sharp focus and our collaborations will not only produce more graduates but develop a cadre of future leaders who will impact this city, this nation and the world," Brandon, a former middle school teacher and administrator, told a packed auditorium at Henderson Middle School.

Speaking to teachers, volunteers, and city and community leaders, Brandon lauded the school system for recent successes, including improved dropout, truancy and on-time graduation rates and, for the first time, having all of its schools fully accredited by the state.

With new four new schools planned or under construction, Brandon said the state of the school system is "strong and solid because the people of Richmond Public Schools and this community are strong and solid."

She touted a teacher residency program that will start this summer through a partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University, a planned, student-run credit union at John Marshall High School and new accelerated-course offerings.

Mayor Dwight C. Jones, who has called for the creation of laboratory middle schools that would draw on the teaching expertise of local universities, applauded the focus on middle school.

"I think we all know that middle school is the difficult period that we have to address," he said. "I'm very pleased that they're taking it head-on."

"We've got some stellar high schools. We've got some stellar elementary schools," School Board member Donald L. Coleman said. A renewed focus on middle schools "speaks to the heart of RPS. We're up to the challenge."

In an interview, Brandon said school officials are working hard to prepare students for the state's Standards of Learning tests so that the system will be able to remain 100 percent fully accredited.

"We don't want to make this a one-hit wonder," she said. "We want to make this the norm for RPS."

wjones@timesdispatch.com

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