It is so exciting to see outstanding educators recognized for all that they do. Ben Neilson, a social studies teacher at Cascade Middle School in Hendricks County, has written for our newsletter in the past, and does wonderful projects connecting students with their community, even partnering with the local library and movie theater. Kristy Stephens, an ELA teacher from Hebron Middle School in Porter County, has been on our board for several years and coordinates many activities, including numerous service projects. Both of them are from Indiana Schools to Watch!

Alan Burrell, a sixth grade science teacher from Kitley Intermediate in Franklin Township, was also honored with a Lifetime Educator Award.

Northview Middle School, pictured below, is celebrating their award and $215,600 in recognition for their efforts in high quality professional learning. All MSD Washington Township middle schools are IMLEA members.

You can see a complete list of winners and award descriptions here.

We are excited to announce that we are working with Keep Indiana Learning on a partnership to provide quality, relevant resources tailored to the unique needs of middle level educators and students. We have been including many of their PD opportunities in our newsletters and attending their events (such as the Building Thinking Classroom Conference last June), so we are thrilled with this idea. Stay tuned for more details!

Last year, we had seven schools that were designated as Schools to Watch. STW is a national recognition built on extensive research that pinpointed the things that exceptional schools do. You can learn more on our website. The application is available for this year and will be due on November 1, 2023. Please contact Susie Highley with any questions!

The text beside Jack Berckemeyer's photo is nonsensical, but the video from this week's webinar is well worth watching! It was full of Jack's observations from past few years, as well as some practical tips on working with students. You will feel validated, entertained, and hopefully, hopeful! Well worth a PGP! Click below to watch the recording (or could be a good listen in the car!)

This post on edutopia by Phyllis Fagel is excerpted from her new book, Middle School Superpowers: Raising Resilient Tweens in Turbulent Times. She will be one of the keynotes at the AMLE Conference in November. The article has many ideas for ways to talk with students and present scenarios to make them think (without being preachy). Examples could be used in advisory or during SEL activities.

Want to read more? The previous Middle Minute shared a different post about the book; you can find it here. The book is available at many sites, including AMLE.

Education and community organizations can apply to receive a living piece of spaceflight history to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics: a seedling grown from a tree seed that flew around the Moon on the NASA’s Artemis I mission in late 2022.

NASA and the USDA Forest Service will distribute Artemis Moon Tree seedlings of five different species to create new ways for communities on Earth to connect with humanity’s exploration of space for the benefit of all. Nearly 2,000 seeds were flown to space. Learn more and apply by October 6 here.

Moon tree image license from Travel Salem

We are fortunate to be in the path of two eclipses in the coming year; an annular (incomplete) eclipse on Saturday, October 14, and the total eclipse next April 8, 2024. Here are some resources you can use to teach about it.

From Butler University

From Starnet Libraries, which has been holding many workshops already. (Also here.)

The image at right is portraying the October 14 event, looking south from an Indianapolis viewpoint.

In recognition of Saturday's autumnal equinox...

“It’s the first day of autumn! A time of hot chocolatey mornings, and toasty marshmallow evenings, and, best of all, leaping into leaves!” — Winnie the Pooh

The button below has resources for teaching about the autumnal equinox, science activities related to fall food, gardening, weather & autumn leaves, prompts for poetry, and some fun stuff for grownups.

Happy fall! 🌰 🍂

TIMES IN EDT & FREE UNLESS NOTED

September 23- Education Day at IU Football (discounted tickets), 7:30 pm

September 25- Rethinking Reading Comprehension, 4 pm

September 26- KINL Science of Reading Focus Group (1st mtg), 3:30 pm

September 26- Blended Learning with Catlin Tucker, (2nd mtg), 4 pm

September 27- CELL Place-Based Education Workshop, Carmel PL, 9:30-3

September 29-October 1- TIES Virtual International Conference

*September 30 - Indiana History Center Latino Celebration, free admission

October 1- Fund for Teachers Fellowships Open

October 4- Science of Reading for Striving Older Readers (continuation), 4 pm

October 7- Navigating AI Together: An eduMatch Exploration, Noon-4 pm

October 10- Science of Reading Symposium, Noon-4

October 10- Closing the Knowledge Gap: Engaging Every Student with Complex Texts, 3 pm

*October 10- Author Gene Luen Yang at IndyPL Central Library, 6 pm

*October 14- Partial Solar Eclipse, map here (pick a spot on the map to see times in your area)

November 1- Schools to Watch Applications for Indiana due.

November 1-4- AMLE 50th Anniversary Conference, National Harbor, MD

*includes students

ONGOING EVENTS

IN LearningPartnership (Includes Wednesday PD with IDOE)

Indiana Learning Lab Workshops (Requires Sign in for Registration)

Teachers First OK2Ask Online Workshops; (Past on-demand sessions)

Keep Indiana Learning (KINL); Live Events (some $) Past Recordings/Digital Content

edWeb.net Webinars (if sponsored, "commercials" are at the end)

PATINS Trainings for Accessibility for All

AMLE Podcast Series

AMLE Events (some free, some paid)

Corwin Webinars

Please note: Webinars and events mentioned in this space are not an endorsement of commercial products; on the contrary, we try to avoid listing events that appear to be commercial in nature. Every effort is made to strip social media/tracking data from provided URLs. In many cases, you can register and receive a recording later.

The only organization in Indiana devoted to promoting, improving, and supporting middle level education. We are the Indiana affiliate of the national organization AMLE, and administer the Schools to Watch program for the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform.

Join us! Membership Benefits and Application

Susie Highley, Executive Director

Shirley Wright, Schools to Watch Consultant

FIND US:

11025 E. 25th Street, Indianapolis, IN. 46229 (Inside IASP)

FACEBOOK X (Twitter) EMAIL Phone 317.894.2937

You can also click here to locate a local Horace Mann representative to learn more.

Horace Mann Live Financial Webinars

General Teacher Discount List Maintained by HM.