USA's
Middle School News
ARCHIVE
Here's
an archive of our recent middle grades news lists. Don't be surprised
if you find some broken links. Many newspapers offer their stories at
no charge for a limited period of time. If you really need the story,
try visiting the newspaper's paid archives area and search for the headline
shown here.
PREVIOUS
STORIES
Special Middle School Series
04-13-03 Louisville Courier Journal"School Works to Rise from Years of Failure"
[Series focuses on low-performing Louisville middle school.]
Read story
ALSO SEE
[Teacher perspectives of Southern MS]
Read story
ALSO SEE
[Student perspectives of Southern MS]
Read story
ALSO SEE
[Parent perspectives of Southern MS]
Read story 04-14-03 Louisville Courier Journal
"Texas School May Be Model for Southern"
[Better teaching, tight discipline changed culture in Texas MS.]
Read story 04-14-03 Louisville Courier Journal
"Middle School Often Frustrates Students, Teachers"
[Newspaper discovers special MS challenges.]
Read story 04-14-03 Louisville Courier Journal
"Initiatives Raise Test Scores, But Problems Persist"
[Middle schools experiment with reform strategies.]
Read story TOP STORIES 04-01-03 Christian Science Monitor
"The Principal Who Knows Their Names"
[7-12 principal succeeds in a tough, urban environment.]
Read story 03-11-03 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"For Some, It's Food for Thought"
[Eighth graders' year-long poverty study is hands-on.]
Read story GOOD IDEAS 02-27-03 Washington Post
"Event-Oriented Approach Brings History to Life"
[Middle school rejects 'chalk and talk' teaching.]
Read story 03-13-03 Seattle Times
"Junior-High Students Help to Shape Dress Code"
["Issues R Us" campaign wins students more say.]
Read story 03-03-03 Detroit News
"Science Is Made for Girls"
[Middle school sponsors mother-daughter science night.]
Read story STUDENT LEARNING 03-18-03 Washington Post
"A Radical Formula for Teaching Science"
[Joy Hakim's MS science textbooks teach with stories.]
Read story 02-25-03 MetroWest Daily News (MA)
"Sixth-Graders Learn About Mummification"
[Preserving chickens helps students preserve learning!]
Read story 02-17-03 Baltimore Sun
"Nontraditional Methods Key in Success of Jemicy Pupils"
[MS has track record of success with dyslexic students.]
Read story 04-04-03 Springfield (MA) Republican
"Middle School Students Win Problem Prizes"
[Butterfly education project gets top award.]
Read story 03-03-03 Springfield (MA) Republican
"Pupils Keep Watch on Salmon Eggs"
[Seventh graders participate in national fisheries project.]
Read story 03-01-03 The Daily Item (MA)
"Bottled Message Crosses Atlantic"
[Fifth graders learn about currents and cultures.]
Read story 03-02-03 Indianapolis Star
"Science Fairs Inspire Students to Investigate"
[Student-written news story explores innovation.]
Read story 03-18-03 Christian Science Monitor
"Students Glimpse the Future. And It's Tiny"
[6th graders explore nanotechnology and the future.]
Read story 03-03 National Public Radio
"Homework: How Much Is Too Much?"
[Four-part radio series examines workloads of young students.]
Read story TEACHING 03-17-03 Philadelphia Inquirer
"Learning a New Way of Teaching"
[Howard Gardner addresses K-8 teachers inspired by his work.]
Read story 03-21-03 Raleigh News & Observer
"Teachers Unhappy, Survey Finds"
[Lack of job satisfaction key factor in teacher shortage.]
Read story 04-09-03 Education Week (may require free registration)
"What's Wrong with Teacher Education?"
[NCATE president Art Wise calls for licensing reforms.]
Read story PRINCIPALS AND LEADERSHIP 04-16-03 Education Week (may require free registration)
"Study Finds Good Supply of Principals, But..."
[Many are certified, but not all are willing and able.]
Read story SCHOOL REFORM 02-03-03 St. Paul Pioneer Press
"School Seeks Respect, Students"
[Struggling MS emphasizes one-on-one relationships.]
Read story 02-18-03 Christian Science Monitor
"Rural Schools at a Disadvantage"
[Advocates say NCLB weighted toward, suburban, urban schools.]
Read story STUDENT GROWTH AND SUPPORT 04-15-03 Christian Science Monitor
"Potato Chips, Cola, and Sweets, Oh My!"
[Middle schoolers enjoy healthy mix of foods.]
Read story 02-25-03 Toccoa (GA) Record
"Middle School Academy to Aid Struggling Students"
[Self-contained program targets overage fifth graders.]
Read story TECHNOLOGY 03-06-03 New York Times (may require free registration)
"Laptops Win Over the Skeptics, Even in Maine"
[Maine program creates equal access, says MS principal.]
Read story 03-14-03 Portland (ME) Press Herald
"Students Give New Laptops High Mid-Term Grades"
[88 percent of Maine 7th graders say school is more fun.]
Read story 03-07-03 Philadelphia Inquirer
"High-Tech Schools, One Byte at a Time"
[Middle school is model of technology implementation.]
Read story OTHER MIDDLE GRADES STORIES 02-16-03 The Berkshire (MA) Eagle
"Innovative Learning on the Chopping Block"
[Middle school's enrichment program is budget target.]
Read story 02-24-03 St. Petersburg Times
"Today's Well-Connected (Middle School) Kid"
[For today's adolescents, cell phone considered essential.]
Read story 03-02-03 Boston Globe
"Chasing 'Tweens"
[Corporations targeting kids ages 7-12.]
Read story
ALSO SEE
03-10-03 Green Bay (WI) News-Chronicle
"VERB Well On Its Way"
[Wellness campaign targeted at 'tweens aged 9-13.]
Read story 03-14-03 Kansas City Star
"New Scholarship Program for Urban Middle School Students"
[Foundation's $70 million will help 2,300 prepare for college.]
Read story MAGAZINE ARTICLES WORTH READING 03-23-03 Newsweek
"At the Top of the Class"
[KIPP middle school model sparking student success.]
Read story March 2003 Teacher Magazine (may require free registration)
"Into the Deep"
[MS science teacher shares her deep sea journey.]
Read story
#250 - [NOTE: URLs checked and working as of 01-31-03]
TOP STORIES
02-12-03 Education Week (now requires free registration)"Mike Schomaker: Planning for Failure"
[School improvement planning often misses mark.]
Read story 01-26-03 Louisville Courier-Journal
"Schools Urged to Improve Minorities' Scores"
[Closing achievement gap means facing up to race.]
Read story 02-13-03 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
"New Law Threatens To Leave Schools Behind"
[NCLB's teacher credential requirements impact middle schools.]
Read story GOOD IDEAS 02-07-03 San Diego Union-Tribune
"Middle School Picked as Demonstration Site for AVID"
[At-risk middle schoolers groomed for college.]
Read story 01-27-03 Detroit News
"School Reinvents Learning"
[Middle schoolers research, build and market inventions.]
Read story 01-31-03 Springfield (MA) Union-News
"Drum: Students Try African Beat"
[Middle schoolers study African music, dance and culture.]
Read story STUDENT LEARNING 01-26-03 Juneau (AK) Empire
"Trapping, Berrying: The Stuff of Science"
[Alaskan middle schoolers blend culture into fair projects.]
Read story 02-06-03 Honolulu Advertiser
"Environmental Classroom Breeds Learning by Doing"
[Charter MS program based on Hawaiian culture.]
Read story 02-10-02 Springfield (MA) Union News
"Difficult Doors 'Pop' Open in Middle School Classes"
[Toy poppers can be a tool in inquiry-based science.]
Read story 01-27-03 St. Paul Pioneer Press
"Middle School Students Learn with Their Own Style"
[Small classes cater to students who learn unconventionally.]
Read story 02-13-03 Daily Hampshire (MA) Gazette
"Unearthing Treasures in Our Neighborhoods"
[Six-week unit helps students discover historical gems.]
Read story 01-24-03 Billings (MT) Gazette
"Young Mathletes Earn Awards for Work with Numbers"
[Middle schoolers compete individually and in teams.]
Read story 01-27-03 Detroit News
"Students Build Future Cities"
[Middle schoolers brainstorm "perfect" cities of 2054.]
Read story 01-30-023 New Orleans Times-Picayune
"Students to Become Bird-Watchers"
[Fifth graders' bird research goes in national database.]
Read story 02-01-03 New Bedford (MA) Standard-Times
"Giving Peace a Chance"
[Jr High hippie dress-up day: "Make Friends, Not War."]
Read story 02-04-03 Detroit News
"Science, Math Class May Divide"
[Michigan may let middle schools separate by gender.]
Read story 02-04-03 Los Angeles Times
"Tragedy's Lessons Go to School"
[Shuttle disaster turns into "teachable moment."]
Read story 02-03-03 New York Times (may require free registration)
"Sixth-Grade Class Gets a Multifaceted Lesson"
[Science students visit space center two days after crash.]
Read story TEACHING 02-01-03 Baltimore Sun
"The Little Middle School That Could"
[Teacher who helped students find role models becomes one.]
Read story 01-26-03 MetroWest Daily News (MA)
"Teacher Wins a Chance to See the World"
[Lockabee memorial travel scholarship goes to top MS teacher.]
Read story 01-28-03 New Orleans Times-Picayune
"Teacher's Race Tied to Performance"
[Researchers find "small but meaningful connection."]
Read story PRINCIPALS AND LEADERSHIP 02-05-03 Washington Post
"D.C. Schools Tapped for Principal Training"
[Program will produce 40 reform-minded leaders.]
Read story
**ALSO SEE**
02-12-03 Education Week (now requires free registration)
"D.C. Program Promises Principals Freedom"
["Prove you competence and we'll cut you some slack."]
Read story SCHOOL REFORM 02-12-03 Education Week (now requires free registration)
"Study Critiques Federal After-School Program"
[Little evidence of academic improvement.]
Read story
**ALSO SEE**
01-28-03 The Tennessean
"Grants Bring After-School Programs to Life"
[NCLB pushes learning beyond "regular" school day.]
Read story 01-22-03 New York Post
"Back to School Basics"
[NYC will scrap current MS reading, math programs.]
Read story 01-30-03 Boston Globe
"Parents Have High Hopes for Middle School Plan"
[New program to support middle school "best practices."]
Read story TESTING AND ACCOUNTABILITY 01-28-03 New Bedford (MA) Standard-Times
"Assess Mt. Pleasant and All Schools in Hands-On Manner"
[Test scores don't always reveal quality of student work.]
Read story 02-05-03 St. Petersburg Times
"State Web Site Offers Help with FCAT"
[Middle schoolers get online help with state assessment.]
Read story STUDENT GROWTH AND SUPPORT 02-06-03 The Oregonian
High School Mentor Identifies with Middle Schooler"
["I was a rebel; he's a rebel, but there's a better way."]
Read story 02-05-03 Grand Island (NE) Independent
"Walnut Middle Is Finalist for National School of Character"
[Teachers integrate character study throughout curriculum.]
Read story 01-31-03 Rockingham (NH) News
"Peer Mediation Steps in at Middle School Level"
[Students get quick start in using new skills.]
Read story TECHNOLOGY 02-05-03 Holland (MI) Sentinel
"Students Enjoy a 'Science Cart' From Apple Computer"
[Supports "CSI-like" investigations for middle schoolers.]
Read story OTHER MIDDLE GRADES STORIES 01-27-03 Contra Costa (CA) Times
"Highly-Touted Middle School Awaits Pupils"
[15-acre campus home to state-of-the-art school.]
Read story 01-30-03 New York Daily News
"School's Downward Spiral"
[Once problem-free, middle school "on the brink of chaos."]
Read story 01-30-03 Los Angeles Times
"School Not Sweet On Junk Food"
[Middle school bans soda and sweets.]
Read story MAGAZINE ARTICLES WORTH READING
02-12-03 Education
Week (now requires free registration)
"Bathroom Blues"
[Dirty restrooms signify much of what's wrong with schools.]
Read
story
NEWSWATCH: Stories about middle schools that are changing for the better.
