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Story posted March 1, 2011

Results:
• A variety of unique initiatives ensures students receive an engaging and well-rounded education
• These efforts have also equipped students to do well on tests, and they have scored well above state averages in every test in the last four years

At Dakota Hills Middle School, which serves students in grades 6 through 8 in Eagan, MN, it’s all about balance—ensuring that in-class lessons have real-world applications, emphasizing the importance of both academic achievement and career exploration, and providing individualized help along with whole-group instruction. The school has found success in using a trimester system trimesters instead of semesters, and the school offers an extended-day program until 4:50 p.m. for students who need additional help in their core academic courses. Other enrichment activities are occasionally offered during this time as well.

The school has a Gifted & Talented Program and a Gifted & Talented Institute, where students spend a week of their summer participating in photography, engineering, technology, arts, mock trial and criminology courses. Technology is a focus at the school. Students have access to five computer labs and are expected to use the Internet for research. They have opportunities to explore video editing and further their word processing skills.

Through a mix of programs, teachers at Dakota Hills pay close attention to students’ needs. Dakota Hills also partners with the University of Minnesota to further hone the skills of high-achieving math students through Minnesota’s Talented Youth Math Program. For students with social and behavioral needs, the school has a Student Development Center where teachers align behavioral goals with students’ Individual Education Plans and track their weekly progress. Every student also benefits from the individual attention of an adviser.

Collaboration is also important, and teachers work on teams. Also, more than 60 percent of teachers at the school hold at least a master’s degree. Ross Albertson, a science teacher, has taught at Dakota Hills for 12 years. “We’re a very experienced staff,” he says. “Teachers are here for their entire careers.” Albertson says that teachers and administrators have collaborated on a number of programs, including interventions for struggling students. For instance, the school has implemented a “pyramid of intervention” in which students who do not turn in assignments are assigned to a half-hour homework lunch where they finish incomplete work. If they’re still having trouble handing in assignments or understanding academic material, students are then assigned a mentor.

Dividing the school into smaller segments known as “houses” in which a group of educators teaches and advises 180 to 200 students enables faculty members and administrators to keep track of students who might otherwise fall through the cracks. It “makes kids a little more noticeable” and “gives them a chance to build relationships with teachers and other peers,” Albertson says.

This story is based on one originally posted in the American Federation of Teachers' collection of profiles of Great Public Schools. Posted with permission.

See the story as contained in AFT's site here. See profiles of other Great Public Schools here.