Back-to-School: Middle School Engagement
Attendance and success in middle school are critical in keeping students on track for on-time graduation and preparing them to continue their education after high school or secure a self-sustaining job.
In many ways, middle school represents a period of transition and evolution. It can be difficult for students to remain engaged and persist into high school, especially for students who struggled academically in elementary school, who have experienced trauma or have mental health and/or identity issues.
To increase the chances of success, students must have safe school and home environments, positive interactions with adults and peers and feel a sense of empowerment as they mature into young adults.
As we approach a new school year, we invite you to learn more about middle school engagement and find out what United Way is doing to help middle school students in our region.
Preparing for a New School Year: Middle School
Middle school can be a tough time for both students and parents. We have some tips on what you can do to make middle school a success. Learn more.
Steps to a Successful School Year: Middle School Engagement
What makes middle school engagement so important? What is United Way doing to support students, schools and communities? Learn more in our four-part series covering everything from pre-K to high school graduation!
Supported Agencies
Hear from leaders at our funded agencies that support the Middle School Engagement Step.
Big Brothers Big Sisters, Inc. (Ann Rohde Payes, Executive Director)- Communities in Schools of Chesterfield (Jay Swedenborg, CIS Administrator)
Program Spotlight
We talked to NextUp’s Barbara Couto Sipe about the importance of after-school programs and how schools and parents can take advantage of these programs to help keep kids engaged. Read the interview.
Expert Insights
Make sure to check out our two-part article with everything you need to know about middle school engagement:
- Part I provides an overview of the issue and explains the role of positive youth development in keeping students engaged. Read more.
- Part II dives deep into the data on how middle schoolers in our region are doing. Read more.
Middle School Engagement: By the Numbers
Dive deep into the data about this critical issue by reading the Middle School Engagement section of our 2017-18 Indicators of Community Strength report (and click here to view the full report with data about all nine Steps to Success).