It doesn't feel like that long a time since I've written in this blog, probably because I've been working on an article for NMSA's "Month of the Young Adolescent" which I've just submitted to the local newspaper. It's been fun remembering and choosing among so many possible good examples of what middle schools can be. Even though I decided it would be best not to draw on my own experiences for this article (too much risk it would be seen as just P.R. for my school rather than a piece meant to focus on the middle school model itself), images of moments spent with so many classes and so many students have been flowing through my mind. Not a few of them have been from this year's group, although we've only had five weeks of classes. There's so much to catch up on here... the first days of community service... the experience of working with the students to prepare a presentation for the Stoneleigh-Burnham School Board of Trustees... working toward student-led conferences... finding ways to build on the solid relationship of trust and the work ethic that we have established, and begin to more actively push the kids to stretch themselves further and further.