Middle School FAQs
What are the expectations for the behavior of Next Generation School students?
Students are held to a high behavioral standard in order to ensure safety and to maintain a focus on academic achievement. Next Generation School emphasizes the academic, social and emotional development of each student. In order to facilitate that development, we have adopted the Nurtured Heart Approach for our social curriculum.
The Nurtured Heart Approach is based on the principle of building "inner wealth" within each student. Teachers make very specific observations linked to each student's actions and describe what those actions reflect about the students-the qualities that make them valuable as people and successful as thinkers and learners. This, coupled with clear and consistently enforced expectations, enables students to succeed in school and in life because they learn that they are responsible and accountable for their own actions and choices.
The Nurtured Heart Approach was developed by Howard Glasser, M. A., Executive Director of the Children's Success Foundation in Tucson, AZ.
How do Next Generation School faculty assess and report student progress and achievement?
The faculty use real-time assessment procedures, basing their daily observations of each student on the following criteria: Independent student activities One- on-one student/teacher interactions Whole group interactions Middle School students receive Trimester Report Cards with letter grades. In addition, the faculty write narratives of student progress in each subject, describing strengths as well as skills in need of improvement. Parent/teacher conferences are scheduled twice a year, as well as on an as-needed basis.
How much time are students expected to spend on homework assignments?
Students are given homework in English/Language Arts, Mathematics and several other subjects such as History and French or Spanish. Students have a daily, forty-minute study hall period. Homework is assigned most days of the school week; students can expect to spend a total of thirty to ninety minutes completing their homework. If a student is spending significantly more or less time on homework than what is indicated below, parents should meet with teachers to discuss possible solutions. Parents may also request additional enrichment homework that relates to what students are currently learning in the classroom. Each student has an assignment notebook that helps instill the habits of organization and good planning.
Does Next Generation School administer standardized tests?
We not administer standardized tests. Thorough teacher observation, documentation of student work and performance-based assessment, all of which involve the direct evaluation of students’ academic progress on real learning tasks, provide more accurate and useful information for teachers, parents and students. For parents who would like their children to take a standardized test, we provide the following options, offered for an additional fee: For Middle School students, we offer after-school SSAT tutoring, focusing on test-taking strategies. For interested families, we make arrangements with the Sylvan Learning Center for students to take the California Achievement Test. The test is administrated by the Sylvan Learning Center in both the fall and the spring, on a Saturday.
What types of field trips does Next Generation School arrange for students?
Next Generation School students frequently attend events at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Krannert Art Museum and the Spurlock Museum, all on the University of Illinois campus. Middle School students enjoy four to five field trips per year. The cost of field trips is covered by the Middle School’s “fun fund” (part of the enrollment fees). Past field trips have included:
- Turkey Run State Park (Indiana)
- Kickapoo State Park (Illinois)
- The Art Institute of Chicago
- The Field Museum (Chicago)
- Connor Prairie (Fishers, Indiana)
In addition to their field trips, Middle School students have several celebration lunches per year, each with a different cultural theme (for example, Latin American, Indian, Chinese, French).
What are the lunch options for students at Next Generation School?
For students who do not bring a packed lunch from home, we have healthy hot lunches prepared by a local catering service. Hot lunch menus include whole-wheat breads and pastas, white meat and fresh fruits and vegetables. Vegetarian entrees are also available.
Milk is provided for all students, but at an additional cost for students bringing lunches from home.
Hot lunches can be ordered by the month or by the week. The cost of the monthly option is determined by the number of days of school each month; the weekly option is a flat fee. Lunch menus are available well before the order deadline.
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