Middle-Level Education topic of planned forum

Middle-Level Education: Gateway or Gap? is the theme of a regional focus forum to be held at the RIT Inn and Conference Center at 5257 Henrietta Road on Tuesday, March 26 from 3 to 7:30 p.m.

The Rochester area forum, hosted jointly by the New York State Education Department, Task Force on School-Community Collaboration and the New York State Center for School Safety, is one of a series of regional forums being held throughout the state.

Middle grades student achievement data and youth behavior statistics in New York state and nationwide are of concern because too many students are leaving grade eight at risk of not meeting the state's commencement-level standards and graduating. Many are also engaging in behaviors that can negatively impact their lives. The purpose of the forum is to begin local conversations about ways to improve academic achievement, and support the social and personal growth of all middle-grade students.

Teams, including students, parents, teachers, administrators and agency advocates from each local school district, are being invited to participate in discussions that will focus on ways of removing barriers to learning in the middle grades, and promoting interagency collaboration on behalf of middle-level students. David Payton, Ph.D., State Education Department Associate for Middle-Level Education and Jeff Craig, Principal of Arcadia Middle School in Greece will be featured speaker.

The forum will also include school and agency presentations and displays that will increase awareness about the unique needs of young adolescents and share best practices for addressing those needs. The findings and results of the forum will be shared with state government policy makers and education leaders in Albany for potential actions at the state level.

Wayne-Finger Lakes BOCES, Monroe I BOCES, Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES, Genesee Valley BOCES, the Rochester City School District and the Association of New York State Youth Bureaus of the Genesee Valley Finger Lakes Region are sponsoring the event.