Some PWC middle schools are doing it right, earn “School to Watch” designation

Five Prince William County middle schools have achieved “Schools to Watch®” status for 2014 from the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform.

The newest Prince William school to be recognized is Lake Ridge Middle, and four schools have been re-designated, including Gainesville Middle School for the Arts and Sciences, Pennington Traditional School, Stonewall Middle School, and Bull Run Middle School.

As a School to Watch® these schools will be featured in state and national publications, and will be a model school for middle-level instruction and support for students, staff, and community members.

Nine Prince William County Public Schools are now on the National Forum’s 2014 list of Schools to Watch®.

In addition to the above list, schools that have achieved this title are Porter Traditional School and Saunders, Marsteller, and Woodbridge Middle Schools.

Each year, middle schools from around Virginia apply for the honor to be a School to Watch® by meeting specific criteria.  Once this has been achieved, schools may apply to be re-designated every three years.

This year, 10 schools from four different school divisions in Virginia were considered and accepted as Schools to Watch®.

Schools to Watch® are considered to be implementing the middle school philosophy and providing the traditional caring environment in which adolescents can thrive and achieve academically, according to a news release from Prince William County Schools.