Core Values From Charter Programmatically at MMCPS Today

Core Value

MMCPS Today

“Students should be challenged to their maximum potential as social and intellectual individuals.”

• Murdoch teachers and staff work to individualize instruction to meet students where they are and take them to the next level whenever possible.
• Between Area Lead Teachers, Student Services teachers and support staff, MMCPS is more equipped today than ever to meet this core value.

“Comprehensive learning is best achieved through hands-on participatory instruction.”

• Project based classes for two hours each day.
• Our extensive technology program provides opportunities for students to learn, beginning at the middle school level, what is essential in today’s world beyond high school.

“Education at this level should produce enthusiastic, life-long learners.”

• MMCPS teachers are committed to developing curriculum that is engaging and exciting for students.
• Students take Spanish four times a week, beginning in grade 5. An emphasis is placed on the importance of bi-lingualism in today’s modern world so that students understand the long-term value.
• Anecdotal feedback from area high schools has it that MMCPS alums are more frequently getting involved in class discussions and school activities than their counterparts from other schools.

“Education must constantly adapt to an ever-changing world.”

• Skills focused classes in Math and ELA, one hour each, a day to adapt to greater focus on standardized testing.
• Smaller class sizes in G. 6 Math and G. 8 Math to prepare students for the MCAS tests and for the next level at MMCPS and in High School.
• Increased special education support for increased numbers of students with special needs and extension programs to provide needed challenges to students exceeding regular classroom curriculum.

“Effective administration of education must include continual re-assessment of curriculum, teaching methods and student and teacher performance.”

• The Director of Academics position is designed specifically to focus on the improvement of teaching and learning.
• Area lead teachers are in place to ensure proper curriculum alignment and revision.
• The Assistant Director role ensures that a culture of learning and community is cultivated within the school.
• A revised accountability plan ensures that the school is striving toward high goals and measures of success.

“Critical thinking, problem solving and examination of problems through systems analysis are the basic foundations of learning which will carry students into the 21 st century”

• The use of systems thinking concepts and tools in project based classes, throughout the curriculum, are well documented.
• Homebase classes work to solve problems and focus on the school outcomes: self-direction, effective communication, community membership and problem solving.
• During Challenge classes, students learn how to apply systems thinking concepts through competitive traditional sports and activities designed to highlight the school’s outcomes.

“Community and Parent Involvement are essential to student success.”

• Through the Murdoch Middle School Community Association ( MMSCA), parents have been involved, volunteering and giving input, at the school in an extensive and formalized fashion.
• Quality Nights, Portfolio Jury Days, Monthly parent nights and Murdoch Mornings allow parents and community members to truly understand what goes on at Murdoch Middle school.
• Student Led Conferences, twice a year, provide an opportunity for parents to meet with teachers and students to talk about their work.
• The MMCPS bi-weekly newsletter, The Connection, is the source for information about what is happening at the school.
• Parent surveys are given each year and the results are used to make determinations for areas of improvement and focus.

“Anything worth doing is worth doing well.”

• Students learn about this important concept through revisions of their work for portfolio presentations, quality night and through the general curriculum and high expectations of their teachers as defined in rubrics.

“Social and emotional development at this age level are as important as academic development.”

• Murdoch middle school is a small school compared to traditional area middle schools, allowing students, staff, teachers and parents to know each other.
• Each day, classes start out in “Homebase” where students from different grade levels remain together and get to know each other over a two year span.
• In Creative Arts classes, students have the opportunity to creatively express themselves in a variety of mediums. All students participate in creative arts regularly as students at MMCPS.
• Each year, there are student led activities that are aimed at encouraging the community to reach out and support others in need.
• Class sizes are kept small so as to ensure that students receive the attention they need to be successful.
• MMCPS has added the role of Dean of Students to ensure that discipline issues are managed effectively and the school culture remains positive and focused on the outcomes.
• MMCPS has added a full time student services director in the past four years to ensure that students who have special needs get what they need academically and socially.
• MMCPS has a social worker who assists students experiencing emotional or social difficulties.