Page 148 - Middleborough 2024 Town Report

MIDDLEBOROUGH JOHN T. NICHOLS, JR.
PUBLIC
MIDDLE SCHOOL
SCHOOLS
Dr. Heather Tucker
Principal
Overview:
The John T. Nichols, Jr. Middle School (NMS) continues to
develop students academically, socially, and emotionally
through robust instruction, intervention, and
enrichment. The almost 700 students and 100 faculty
experienced a revision of the NMS schedule to ofer more
time for students to get support to continue to grow all of
their skills to make them successful students and
contributors to the NMS community.
Academic Development
During the 2023-2024 school year, the NMS focused on
tiered one instruction and intervention through
examination of the alignment of pedagogical
methodology to classroom instruction. Building upon
this work, the NMS dug deeper into their tiered
intervention system with a focus on the tiered two
instruction and intervention which provides students
with opportunities for repeated exposure to the
curriculum concepts as well as small group instruction.
The NMS faculty has undergone in-depth professional
development on data driven processes and protocols to
utilize the student benchmark and assessment data. The
educators then develop the interventions and
instructional groupings of students to be applied during
the WIN (What I Need) block dedicated to targeted skill
instruction.
Social Emotional Development:
Developmentally students in middle school find
themselves in a place where they are seeking the
independence to take autonomy over their educational
experience but are still growing the skill to be able to do
so. Not only does the NMS support the academic growth
of students but also support the self-management and
executive functioning skills to be a successful student
and community member. As part of the schedule revision
for this school year, students participate in an advisory
block designed to assist students to develop the work
and material management skills necessary to meet the
academic demands. Students participate in social skill
development either through grade level mini-lessons,
formalized programs such as the Nan Project and Erica’s
Lighthouse to assist students to navigate challenging
situations, or in small groups with the counseling staf.
The NMS recently revised the Positive Behavior
Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program initiatives
into one Pawsitivity reward program that recognizes the
students meeting the tier one expectations in the
classroom, hallways, and cafeteria. Students win prizes
and are announced in the weekly newsletter.
Enrichment:
The NMS ofers a little something for everyone to
participate in as a member of the NMS community.
Students can participate in a wide-variety of student
activities as part of the development of the whole child.
Through the Fine Arts programming students can join
the Art Club, the Marching Band or the theater
productions. The Art Club students design a piece of work
to be proudly displayed within the NMS or the
community. The grant funded quilt project in the
likeness of the artist Matisse is hung in the stairwell for all
to see. The musically inclined students have showcased
their talents at local parades, music competitions and at
Bridgewater State University. Over 70 students
participated in the musical Matilda. The NMS ofers a
variety of sports activities whether students want to play
competitively, to be active, social, or to learn a new game.
Competitive sports such as soccer, cross-country,
basketball, sotball and baseball are ofered with the
respective season. If there are sports such as swimming,
diving, and wrestling that do not have middle school
teams, students are able to play with the high school
teams. At times, a waiver is filed if the high school teams
need more student athletes to allow middle school
students to play up. Intramural sports are also ofered
across the seasons. Students can participate in lag
football, volleyball, basketball and wile ball. We are
excited to ofer Unified Sports as well.
Families of the NMS students are able to learn more
about the other clubs ofered and receive regular
updates about the NMS happening via the weekly
newsletter called the Tiger Times.
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