Community Spirit–April 2025
Ryan Ruggles, District Administrator
Energy, Optimism, and More Energy: Our Middle Level Falcons
As a former Middle School Principal, our middle school students have a special place in my heart. Their energy is contagious and fun to be a part of. In Amherst, our Middle School encompasses students in grades 5 through 8, representing a dynamic and energetic age group that is full of curiosity and eagerness to explore. Our middle level students are physically in the middle of our building, and they are truly the bridge from childhood to young adulthood. These students bring a unique sense of energy and enthusiasm to their learning and we feel it in the entire building. Whether they are engaged in hands-on projects or exploring new ideas, their excitement for discovery is contagious, creating an environment where learning is lively and inspiring.
At this stage, middle school students are deeply passionate about exploring the world around them. They begin to ask bigger questions and seek deeper understanding, particularly about the topics they are most interested in. In our middle school, our teachers foster this natural curiosity by allowing students to investigate subjects in ways that matter to them, incorporating project- based learning and real-world connections. One of our goals in our district this year has been to increase the amount of public displays of learning, and our middle school learners have been doing an outstanding job of sharing their learning. Our middle school learners are routinely working with elementary students, as well as high school classrooms on collaborative projects to share their learning.
Technology plays an integral role in the lives of middle school students, and in a community our size, it becomes an essential tool for broadening their horizons. With the widespread availability of digital tools and resources, our students are able to connect with peers and experts beyond their community, collaborating on projects and learning from diverse perspectives. Our middle school teachers work with our students on skills to navigate the modern world, from digital literacy to problem-solving in a tech-driven society. For example some of our middle school science students have been using technology to measure our energy use as a district and connect their learning to the real world. It has been great to tie that learning together and show the students the cost savings energy results from our STEAM referendum.
Overall, middle school is a time where our learners are growing socially, emotionally, and cognitively. They are developing a stronger sense of identity and independence. As a school community we want to nurture these developments by creating a supportive environment that encourages self-expression, collaboration, and self-reflection. Our middle school teachers and students have been leaders in demonstrating the characteristics of our profile of a learner: citizenship, collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and character.
By offering strong instruction and holding students to high academic standards, as well as offering more athletic and co-curricular opportunities than most of the Wisconsin schools our size, we are proud of the opportunities we have for our middle level learners.
Thanks for all of your support for our students and staff. We are better together.