School Philosophy and Implementation

The National Middle School Association believes:
Developmentally responsive middle schools are characterized by...

• Educators committed to young adolescents
• A shared vision
• High expectations for all
• An adult advocate for every student
• Family and community partnerships
• A positive school climate

Therefore, developmentally responsive middle schools like Crone Middle School provide...

• Curriculum that is challenging, integrative, and exploratory
• Varied teaching and learning approaches
• Assessment and evaluation that promote learning
• Flexible organizational structures
• Programs and policies that foster health, wellness, and safety
• Comprehensive guidance and support services

Crone Middle School is not a “junior” or “mini” high school. We provide our own unique identity as a school that serves as a transition for our students from the elementary setting to the high school campus. Crone houses students in grades 6 through 8. Each grade level is broken down into teams of teachers and students (see the chart below). By teaming, students have the same group of teachers for all six of their “core” subjects (math, science, English, reading, social studies, and connections if applicable). This helps to create a “smallness within the bigness” of the middle school setting. This system allows Crone to provide a smooth transition from the self contained classrooms of elementary schools to the departmentalized high school setting.

Crone Middle School

Besides their six periods of “core” classes, students at Crone have a lunch period and three “encore / exploratory” classes to round out the ten period day. These classes include such subjects as PE, health, computer, music, art, shop, foreign language, communication arts, and home economics.

The teams of teachers at Crone meet daily in order to discuss student progress, plan integrated instruction, and stay in communication with the support staff and parents. During plan time is usually a good time to reach a student’s teachers if needed. The schedule below represents a typical day at Crone Middle School.

As all middle schools in District 204, Crone provides each student with a significant, caring adult advocate through our Connections program. Every student is “connected” with one adult in the building and meets with him or her for one-on-one conferences at least five times yearly. This program is designed to promote relationships rather than providing a curriculum for our students. In addition to these side-by-side conferences, students can also elect (grades 6 & 7) to take a Connections class that meets daily (all grade 8 students take this class).

Crone offers an outstanding guidance center and support services for students. Each grade level has a guidance counselor, and we have a school psychologist, social worker, and full time nurse.

Crone Middle School proudly offers students and families developmentally appropriate experiences and curricula in a positive “kid-centered” climate. In addition to the regular school day, we continue to reach out to our clients and the community by offering extensive intramural and extracurricular activities.

A Glossary of Middle Grades Terms

• Advisory Program A teacher based guidance program that provides every student with one adult advisor that serves as an advocate and    small group leader. The group meets regularly and typically focuses on personal/social development, educational advisement, school wide issues & communication, and home-school-community relations. The program at Crone is called Connections.
• AIMS Association of Illinois Middle Level Schools.
• Block/Flexible Schedule A flexible time arrangement that allows teams of teachers to schedule instructional time to better meet the needs of students. (Flex the schedule means to change the schedule.)
• Common Planning Time A period of the day when teams of teachers who work with the same students are given time to plan and articulate together
• Cooperative Learning An instructional strategy that has students working together within the classroom. Responsibilities and rewards are shared by group members.
• Core Team/Classes A group of teachers that teach math, science, reading, English, and social studies to the same group of students daily.
• Early Adolescence A distinct developmental stage of life usually defined as ages 10 to 14, grades 5 through 8.
• Encore/Exploratory Team/Classes Groups of teachers and classes that teach and explore subjects such as home ec, art, shop, music, PE, computer, and health.
• Heterogeneous Grouping Classes composed of students with a variety of achievement levels.
• Integrated Curriculum/Instruction An instructional model which integrates skills, themes, concepts, or topics on small or large scales to decrease fragmentation in increase transfer of knowledge from one subject area to another.
• Interdisciplinary Unit (IDU) A curricular unit of study developed to reflect multiple ares of instruction and skills in an integrated and related manner. Sometimes called a thematic unit.
• ISAT Illinois State Achievement Test.
• ISBE Illinois State Board of Education.
• Middle School A school which developmentally serves early adolescents.
• Mini Course Short term classes designed to help students explore a variety of interests (usually not in great depth).
• NMSA National Middle School Association.
• Team Leader A teacher within the interdisciplinary team organization who assumes the role of the facilitator for the team goals and activities.