Middle Level Minute

Our first Principal Connect on September 4 included a spirited, informative discussion about the new math initiatives from Indiana DOE. We are fortunate to have Dr. Laurie-Ferry Sales on our board, and she is heading up a webinar on September 22 at 4 pm EDT to delve further into the adjustments that schools have made. Anyone is welcome to attend; when you sign up here, you have the opportunity to add specific questions you would like to have addressed. As an additional reference, here is the "Parking Lot" from a webinar DOE held on the new policies and iLearn Checkpoint 1.

Our next Principal Connect will be held Friday, October 2 on GoogleMeet. This is time for principals to network, ask questions, share resources, and more! Led by our new IMLEA Presidient, Lori Katz, join for any or all of the time from 9:30-11 am EDT. The link to sign up is also here! This is just part of an expanded calendar of events our board has planned for this year.

What do successful middle schools have in common? 21 states across the county, including Indiana, are part of Schools to Watch, a school improvement/recognition program that is researched based. Last year, two Indiana middle Schools, Tri-West and Rochester were redesignated. Applications are now open for this year; the only cost is that if you earn designation, you must send someone to the National Conference in Anaheim to receive your award and share your successes. There is even a free toolkit to learn more, and you can use the staff evaluation rubric for free. Contact Susie Highley for any questions. Applications will be due November 1.

Documentary producer Robbie Shinder was so impressed by the jazz band at Memorial Park STEAM Middle School that he decided to make them his next project! You can read more about it here. (Limit of 3 free articles per month.)

The 5th Annual Building Thinking Classrooms Conference is officially returning to Indiana! Get ready for two unforgettable days of collaboration, inspiration, and game-changing innovation for your classroom. Here are the details you need right now:

Where: Franklin, Indiana

When: June 28-29, 2027

Hosted by: Franklin Community Schools & Keep Indiana Learning

Join the list now to learn all about it and get updates when available.

TIMES ARE EDT; FREE UNLESS NOTED

Many are available via recording, especially if you pre-register.

September 15- RFP's Due for Lilly Endowment Opportunity to Learn Grant, (outside Marion County), 5 pm

September 15- Brisk Webinar: AI in Indiana Schools: Governance, Insights, & What's Next, 10 am

September 15-17- Culture of Reading Virtual Conference

September 22- IMLEA EmpowerED Webinar with Laurie Ferry-Sales, Math Consultant, 4 pm

October 1- Fund for Teachers Applications Open (through January)

October 20- IMLEA EmpowerEd Webinar with Jacob White, New Castle MS Princpal, College and Career Readiness, 4 pm

November 1- Schools to Watch Applications Due

November 4- DOE: Student Thinking in Middle School Mathematics, 12:30 EST

November 4-7- NSTA National Conference on Science & STEM Education in Indianapoiis, $

November 4-7- AMLE in Nashville, TN $

ONGOING EVENTS

Indiana Learning Lab Workshops (Requires Sign in for Registration, Also Access to Archived Events)

Teachers First OK2Ask Online Workshops; (Past on-demand sessions)

Keep Indiana Learning (KINL); Live Events (some $) Past Recordings/Digital Content

edWeb.net Webinars (Can watch at later date; if sponsored, "commercials" are at the end)

Leslie Fisher Webinars

AMLE Podcasts: Walk and Talk & Research to Practice

AMLE Events (some free, some paid)

Please note: Webinars and events mentioned in this space are not an endorsement of commercial products; on the contrary, we try to avoid listing events that appear to be commercial in nature. Every effort is made to strip social media/tracking data from provided URLs. In many cases, you can register and receive a recording later.

The only organization in Indiana devoted to promoting, improving, and supporting middle level education. We are the Indiana affiliate of the national organization AMLE, and administer the Schools to Watch program for the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform.

Join us! Membership Benefits and Application

Joint Membership, AMLE/IMLEA

Susie Highley, Executive Director

FIND US:

11025 E. 25th Street, Indianapolis, IN. 46229 (Inside IASP)

(317) 759-4344

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