Letter from Mr. Brown
Greetings!
On behalf of the students, staff and parents of Ronald E. McNair Middle School, we would like to welcome you to our community. McNair Middle School has had a long and distinguished history of service to children and families in the College Park area. We are destined for amazing things in 2012! We are proud of our students. They continue to achieve at high levels and make significant contributions to our community. The gifts and talents of our students combined with the dedication and passion of our staff allows us to strive for excellence. Excellence is not the result of a good intention or clever slogan. It is not a value that is easily achieved. It comes from a strong, desire to improve our practices when we recognize that we can do better. It has been said that: “Good is the enemy of Great”. Therefore, let us continue to strive to be GREAT! Ronald E. McNair Middle School is a great place to be. IT’S GREAT TO BE AN ASTRO!
We have a lot to be proud of from the work we did in the 2010-2011 school year! The percentage of students, including, Blacks and Economically Disadvantaged continue to surpass the Annual Measureable Objectives (AMO) of 80% for Reading/ELA by at least 8% (88.5% and 88.0%, respectively). Furthermore, the percentage of 6th grade Students with Disabilities (SWD) meeting & exceeding standards in Reading and ELA increased by an average of 19% (25% and 13%, respectively). On the Georgia Writing Assessment, 8th grade students increased their scores by 11% (70% to 81%)! In Math, we made an overall 6% (62% to 68%) gain from last year while Students With Disabilities (SWD) made an overall 24.4% (22.3% to 46.7%) gain in Math! Although 68% of the students met or exceeded standards in Math, we fell short of achieving the Annual Measureable Objectives (AMO) of 75.7%. In Science, we made an overall 17% gain from last year while the percentage of 7th grade Students With Disabilities (SWD) meeting & exceeding standards increased by 26% (4% to 30%)! In Social Studies, we made an overall 14% gain from last year while the percentage of 7th & 8th grade Students With Disabilities (SWD) meeting & exceeding standards increased by 17% and 14%, respectively. Additionally, the percentage of students receiving discipline referrals decreased which increases the amount of time they receive direct classroom instruction. We are anticipating even greater success this school year!
We will be the standard of excellence as a learning community, committed to an effective, rigorous curriculum that not only prepares students for success in high school, but for success in a diverse and global society. We continue to focus on instruction by differentiating instruction throughout the curriculum, collaborating during planning - some sessions are being facilitated by Instructional Coaches. We continue utilizing the 3-part Instructional Framework and the 7-steps to Direct Instruction Model, as well as, incorporating daily assessment for learning strategies. We have developed an extensive professional library in which we participate in book studies and action research to improve instructional strategies. This year, we have incorporated Thinking Maps throughout the curriculum to assist students in organizing their thinking and learning, as well as, incorporating classroom management strategies from the training on “What to do with the child who?” by Kay Burke, Educational Specialist.
It is our intent to deliver the very best instructional program possible to our students. Our curriculum is extensive, including talented and gifted courses, special education options, foreign languages, effective student assistance programs, and a variety of enrichment opportunities.
Thank you for your interest in our school. This website is intended to provide you with information about the staff, the curriculum, and extracurricular activities at Ronald E. McNair Middle School. As principal, it is a privilege to lead this learning community during a time of incredible change and tremendous possibilities. Please join us as we work together to create a bright and successful future for all of our students.
Sincerely,
Mr. Paul Brown, Principal