A recent article in Ed., The Magazine of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, looked at the relationship between a school’s grade configuration and how it relates to a student’s success in school. According to the article, evidence suggests that K-8 schools may give students the best opportunity for success in high school. There are many reasons for this cited in the article but there was one that stood out to me above any other: leadership opportunities. An educator quoted in the article said “I think one of the most compelling reasons to support the K–8 grade configuration is the leadership aspect for our students.”
We at Woodland agree with this statement and support the growth of our students’ leadership skills by offering a myriad of opportunities, particularly for eighth grade students, to hone these skills. Unfortunately, these opportunities don’t exist for many students outside of a K-8 environment. From opportunities to lead chapel, be a first grade friend, serve as a student council representative, act as an athletic team captain, or lead a team building exercise during one of our middle school fall trips, leadership opportunities abound for our middle school students.
Our middle school team is constantly looking for opportunities to challenge our students to be leaders and not followers in a world that is in desperate need of leaders that stand up for what is right. It is always affirming to see how many of our Woodland graduates go on to high school and college to become leaders.
If you are interested in reading more about the benefits of a K-8 school, please take a minute to read the linked article. http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news-impact/2012/09/do-middle-schools-make-sense/
Adam Moore, Head of School
