• Discipline Rates
• Numbers of FARMS students
• Quarterly Assessments scores - English
• Quarterly Assessments scores - Mathematics
• PARCC Scores - Mathematics (Middle grades 6, 7, 8)
• PARCC Scores - English/Language Arts (Middle grades 6, 7, 8) 

Key Challenge #2: PARCC Scores - Mathematics (Grades 6, 7, 8)

Academically, AMS has experienced growth in a number of areas and within a number of student populations. In Math, all student populations have grown in the number of children reaching PLDs 4 and 5 (highest levels). The PARCC scores from the 2017-18 school year indicate school-wide growth of 4% in mathematics. However, in all student groups, there is also an increase in students scoring in PLD 1 & PLD 2. The growth is occurring for students who are moving from PLD 3 & 4 to PLD 4 & 5. In response to this data, we have chosen to intentionally focus on moving students who have scored in PLD 1 and PLD 2.

Arundel Middle wants every student to experience academic success and to be college and career ready. We have watched our students make steady growth on state assessments in the area of math, and we plan to continue to see our students become mathematical thinkers. Sustaining this growth means that our students are engaged in “math talk” and hands-on real-world problems in math classes. A visitor to our math classrooms will find students struggling productively to find solutions to challenging math problems and proposing a variety of pathways as their teacher facilitates questioning and experimentation.

Key Challenge #3:  Special Education, African-American, and FARMS students not meeting grade-level expectations according to PARCC and Quarterly Assessment scores 

All of our student populations are showing academic growth. However, a few of our student populations are not achieving at the same levels. While a gap does exist, our Special Education, African-American, Multi-racial and FARMS students are demonstrating growth which outpaces the growth shown by the overall student population! While these students have room to grow, we continue to work on ways to engage our vulnerable learners. Our teachers and staff regularly attend professional development to address instructional strategies which target these student groups. We also have a variety of structures and supports within the school day and after-school programs to assist students performing below grade level expectations. By monitoring common assessments created through collaborative planning, quarterly county-provided assessments, and both school- and county-generated performance based assessments, we will continue to work toward elevating all students while eliminating all gaps! 

The teachers and staff at Arundel Middle School are dedicated to ensuring that every one of our students achieve academic success. Helping all students succeed is the focus of content area planning sessions and will also contribute to the desired increase in test scores for all students.

• Socio-Economic issues (employment, income levels housing costs)
• Businesses/Job Market
• Families in Crisis (mental, physical emotional, financial)

Key Challenge #1: Increase the Use of Restorative Practices

While we continue to see rising numbers of children enter our building, the percentage of students who indicate that AMS staff supports them has remained steady at 82% over the last three years, and the percentage of students reporting that they have someone to whom they can talk remains at approximately 75%. Our goal is for every student at AMS to feel as if he/she belongs, and for every child to have an adult with whom he/she can connect. To that end, we are expanding our efforts in Community Circles and Restorative Practices and will continue to conduct student surveys through our Advisory program. We are refining our practice in order to support students who indicate that they do not have a connection with an adult. We work diligently to develop resources and supports for our students and families, including students who are new to our school. We will not rest until every child feels like a valued member of Arundel Middle.

We want every student at Arundel Middle School to feel a sense of belonging and to have an adult with whom he or she connects. In order to work toward this goal, we have specific steps that we are taking to make every student feel included - the implementation of Community Circles as part of our daily Wildcat Pride period. An end of year student survey reflected how much students enjoy this time spent building relationships with each other and their Wildcat Pride teacher. The Advisory period during the WIldcat Pride period also brings students together with an adult who helps them to set goals, reflect upon their progress, and discuss topics geared to middle school students. Counselors and other staff use this time to work with students who need additional support. Periodic surveys provide feedback to staff to ensure that students feel a sense of belonging at Arundel Middle School.

• Socio-economic community issues (employment, income levels, housing costs)
• Significant increase/reduction in student enrollment numbers