NUMBER 4 MIDDLE SCH

The Frank R. Conwell Middle School follows the design and guidelines outlined by the New Jersey State Standards for Secondary Schools. Middle School #4 services grades 6 through 8 with an enrollment of approximately 725 students. The mission the Frank R. Conwell Middle School is to provide a safe and positive learning environment where small learning communities challenge, enrich, nurture and encourage academic freedom enabling the individual student to mature educationally, emotionally, and socially. We focus on partnerships with the diverse cultures of our community in providing all of our students with the tools necessary to successfully transition into high school and beyond.
The major components of the Frank R. Conwell Middle School are the following: Small Learning Communities, Student Advocacy Groups, Common Planning Time, Electives, Individualized Schedules, Additional time focusing on Literacy, and a print rich environment of at least 300 additional books in each classroom library.

Each of the three Small Learning Communities consists of a team of 6th, 7th and 8th grade teachers and students that is all inclusive. Each SLC has an Assistant Principal, Guidance Counselor, Crisis Intervention Teacher and Literacy Coach. Each SLC also has its own Science Lab and small group instruction classrooms.

A team of Core Specialists provide a variety of Special Classes as well as electives. The Team of Core Specialists are as follows: Two vocal music, one band, one drama, two art, one life skills, one applied technology, one digital photography/video editing, one librarian, one library media specialist, two physical education teachers, and two world language teachers.

The design of the facility combined with the state of the art technology provides the opportunity for additional enrichment instruction to focus on the Visual and Performing Arts. The technology allows for a parallel focus on Technology, Digital Photography and Video Filming allowing the students the ability to create presentations for Project Based Learning demonstrations. The number of computer labs and laptops provide for an abundance of opportunities for the staff and students to maximize the potential for learning to occur.

We now have the ability to schedule electives providing all students with the opportunity to sample courses that they are interested in or that focus on their natural talents and abilities. The electives focus on the current and newly planned high school course selections and magnet programs available. The goal is to create an environment and course selections that encourage the students to succeed. To this end, advanced and remedial classes are offered as well as enrichment classes as opportunities during the day, at lunchtime, and during the extended day classes.

Academic Enrichment and alternative education programs are also available. The District AEP Program provides an accelerated curriculum to any 6th, 7th, and 8th grader who applies and is accepted based on the results of their admission test results. The program stresses rigor and challenges the students to achieve at the highest levels possible.

The District Bridges Program is designed to meet the needs of those students who are seriously "AT-Risk". The learning environment is all inclusive and a 12:1 ratio is the recommended class size. The students are provided with demanding academic program that focuses on the students' abilities, needs, and talents. The students must meet the age requirements and academic needs necessary to qualify for acceptance into the program. Most students are two to three years behind and in need of a classroom setting where their peers are the same age with similar needs and abilities.



Wallace DeFilippo
201-946-5746