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The Marblehead Middle School:
A Blue Ribbon School?
by Blythe Purdin and Meredith Brown

 In a recent MMS newsletter, it was reported that the Marblehead Middle School has applied to become a "Blue Ribbon School." The "Blue Ribbon School" Program is designed to recognize public and private schools both in the state and around the nation. It was a group of Marblehead Middle School faculty, parents, and administrators who dev-eloped the idea to apply for this award.

It took many hours of work to fill out a 40-page application to apply for the "Blue Ribbon School" Award. Sometime within a couple of months of the application, MMS will find out if it is to become a Blue Ribbon school or not.

In order to be recognized, the school must have a solid program in reading, writing, math, foreign language, literature, history, science, geography, the arts, and reasoning and problem-solving for all grades. All schools are evaluated and compared nationally.

If MMS is accepted as a participant, a review panel from the Blue Ribbon Schools Program will come and talk to the teachers, students, and parents about the school. They will be looking at the school's leadership, excellence in curriculum and instruction, parent and community support, the teaching environment, the student environment, and the overall originality and the vitality of the school.

In anticipation of this scrutiny of the Marblehead Middle School, Marblehead Magazine's Kid's Eye View editor and editorial assistant interviewed a number of individuals, including students from all grades. Here's just a sampling of our findings:

"What I like the most about MMS are my teachers, and the creative atmosphere in the school. The thing I would change about MMS is I think we should have more A&E (activity elective) choices."

~ Sunder Ganglani, 7th grade

"What I like the most about MMS are my teachers and the colorful and cheery classrooms. The things I would change about the Middle School are the cafeteria food and the recess and gym equipment."

~Shalane Flanagan, 7th grade

"What I like most about MMS are IAM (a sort of music class and art class together), gym, music, and recess. The things I would change about the school are the bathrooms, and what we do in gym."

~Matt Gershun, 5th grade

"What I like most about the Middle School are my teachers because they are nice, and the opportunity to learn a foreign language. Some things I would change about the school are the bathrooms because they reek!"

~Sarah Sliwa, 7th grade

"What I like most about the Middle School are the nice teachers and the good activities. I love the Middle School and I wouldn't want to change anything about it!"

~Jon Gay, 5th grade

"What I like most about the Middle School are my teachers and the kids. Some things I want to change are new carpets, bathrooms and tiles."

~Brendan Benson, 7th grade

"What I like most about the Middle School is Project Adventure [A special class that teaches trust and cooperation]. I wish we had more art courses, though."

~Elizabeth Hoehn, 6th grade

"What I like about MMS is shop. It's really fun. I wish we had better lunches."

~ Heidi Kepnes, 6th grade

"I love the Middle School and everything about it except the bathrooms. I would make them
nicer."

~Jen Bird, 8th grade

"The things I love about the Middle School are the people. Both teacher's and kid's alike. I like talking to them and interacting with them. I wish some of my classes weren't so large - I still love them - but I can't always get to everybody and help."

~Mr. Pierce, Art Teacher

"What I like most about the Middle School is the opportunity to excel in many subjects. But I wish we could do more hands on projects."

~Cy Moulton, 8th grade

Kid's Eye View Editor's Note: This page is by kids, for kids, and about kids and what they think about, what they write about and what they dream about. Please send in your writings, drawings, photographs, and poems. Send them to Kid's Eye View Pages, Marblehead Magazine, P.O. Box 50, Marblehead, MA 01945.