Marshall Middle School has been recognized as a Pennsylvania Don Eichhorn Schools: School to Watch for the 2024–25 school year. This announcement, made through the Pennsylvania Association of Middle Education, places Marshall Middle School among an elite group. MMS is one of only 38 schools currently on the Schools To Watch list in Pennsylvania and one of just over 700 schools recognized nationwide.
PA STW State leaders select schools for the STW program based on their Academic Excellence, Developmental Responsiveness, Social Equity and Organizational Structures and Processes. In addition, each school has strong leadership, teachers who work together to improve curriculum and instruction, and a commitment to assessment and accountability to bring about continuous improvement.
The Schools to Watch selection process is based on a written application that required schools to show how they met criteria developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. Schools that appeared to meet the criteria were then visited by a state team, which observed classrooms, interviewed administrators, teachers, students, and parents, and looked at achievement data, suspension rates, quality of lessons, and student work.
Schools are recognized for a three-year period, and at the end of three years they need to re-apply to continue to be recognized as a STW school. They must also demonstrate progress on specific goals in order to be re-designated. Unlike the Blue Ribbon recognition program, “Schools to Watch” requires schools to not just identify strengths, but to also focus on areas for continuous improvement; thus the three year re-designation. The re-designation process is based on the schools continued growth since their last STW recognition.
Congratulations to the students, teachers, staff, parents, and administrators on this remarkable achievement!
