Seneca Valley middle school recognized for 5th time as school to watch
A Seneca Valley School District middle school was redesignated for the fifth time Wednesday, Jan. 7, as a “school to watch” by the Pennsylvania Association of Middle Level Education.
Ryan Gloyer Middle School was redesignated as one of 12 schools in the state as part of a recognition program developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform. The middle school first received the designation during the 2010-11 school year.
The program recognizes middle schools that demonstrate academic excellence, developmental responsiveness, social equity and strong organizational structures. It was launched in 1999 to identify middle schools that meet or exceed research-based criteria for effective middle-school education.
“This recognition is especially meaningful because of the feedback we receive through the Schools to Watch process,” said Trisha Butschle, the middle school’s principal. “The visiting committee takes the time to speak with our students, teachers and staff, and they often recognize strengths within our school community that we don’t always see in ourselves.”
The middle school will be formally recognized during the Pennsylvania Association for Middle Level Education state conference in February at Crown Plaza in King of Prussia. It will be nationally recognized at the national forum’s National Schools to Watch conference in June in Washington, D.C.
A local celebration will be held at the middle school in the spring.
“The Pennsylvania Schools to Watch designation is a testament to the outstanding leadership, collaboration and dedication of the Ryan Gloyer Middle School staff,” said deputy superintendent Sean McCarty. “Their commitment to high expectations, student engagement and continuous growth makes this recognition especially meaningful.”
Members of the PAMLE Don Eichhorn Schools to Watch Committee visited the middle school to observe classrooms and engage with students and staff. Schools undergo an application and review process every three years to maintain the designation.
“Achieving redesignation would not be possible without the collective efforts of everyone in our building,” Butschle said.
