We sat down with Middle School Academic Dean and Dean of Students Ann Robbins to talk about some exciting changes that are enriching the school experience for students in grades 6 through 8. 

A. We started with Operation Dining Commons. After meeting with students to talk about the challenges they sometimes face during the lunch break (for example, finding friends to sit with, or conflicts that may arise), the Middle School admin team realized that lunch can sometimes feel like a frazzled part of a student’s day. So the Student Council Administration met with Anne Maury Haapala (Director of Dining Services) and partnered with Dean of Bryan Innovation Lab Programs and Innovation Strategy Megan Young to brainstorm possible solutions. Ms. Young and the Student Council Administration members used design thinking strategies to conduct empathy interviews with students in all divisions, and with our maintenance team, housekeeping staff, administration, and faculty. The SCA then presented its proposals to the Middle School administrative team and steering committee. 

I’m happy to say that the result of this collaboration is that we now have new tables and chairs on Waddell Terrace (thanks to the generosity of our hardworking Parents Association fundraising efforts). In addition, eighth-grade students can now use a self-service lunch line, and there is an additional hot-lunch line available to students. Plus, more seats and tables were added to the Dining Commons so that students can stretch out a bit, and there were adjustments made to the selections available at the salad bar. 

A. Flexible seating in classrooms! When Dr. Kadie Parsley, Middle School dean of student support, attended the spring Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) conference, she participated in a workshop on strategies for movement-based learning. She learned that many Middle School children lack core strength and underdeveloped vestibular systems – perhaps because of the increased use of video games and cell phones, and a decrease in physical exercise. Dr. Parsley then hosted a professional development workshop for our Middle School faculty and staff and shared this information. As a result, we decided to include flexible seating in Middle School classrooms: wobble stools, floor seats, and standing desks, as well as traditional chairs. Students can decide where to sit, and they can move around during lessons, too. To support this initiative, teachers have increased the inclusion of purposeful, intentional movement in their classroom lessons. If you walked by a Middle School classroom today, you might see students passing a ball while talking about vocabulary words, for example. We also provided classrooms with various resources, including stretchy resistance bands, fidgets, and camping chairs; that’s a simple way to encourage movement during the school day. Our Middle Schoolers love all these changes. 

A. Our Middle School teachers are indeed experts! One goal this year is to have each teacher share their expertise in a Middle School classroom (that they don’t normally teach), or at a conference, or at a faculty meeting. World Languages Teacher Alyssa Kovach, for example, will be teaching a Middle School teacher workshop on code vibing – a way to use AI to generate code. It’s inspiring to recognize that teachers are lifelong learners and experts. 

This summer, the Middle School admin team attended the AMLE Middle Level Leadership Institute in New Orleans. We focused on the importance of fostering teamwork among students, identifying the needs of our middle-level learners, and finding ways to bring positive change to benefit our students. Our biggest takeaways were the chance to connect as a Middle School admin team and that play, exploration, inquiry, and discovery are needs of our students; it’s our mission to incorporate that into each day. We also reimagined ways to encourage our teachers, as we value the joy and craft they have as educators. We want to make sure every student has an invitation to be engaged.

Our mission in the Middle School is to understand each student’s specific needs while using strategies that support the success of all individual learners in the classroom. Our students’ hard work and compassion for others helped bring about these new classroom and campus initiatives. Their work aligns with Steward’s core values of academic achievement, care & respect, civil discourse, individuality, innovation, and inspiration. I couldn’t be prouder!