Scofield Magnet Middle School
Encyclopedia
Scofield Magnet Middle School (SMMS) is a public magnet
middle school
, based in Stamford, Connecticut
, that heavily focuses on science, mathematics and technology. The school has 700 students in Grades 6–8.
The typical educational grouping of students based on academic performance, a policy known as tracking
, is not used at Scofield, making it unique in the Stamford public school system. It is also unique in the district because teachers collaborate with each other on scheduling as well as on instruction.
Scofield is a member of the National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins University
, the Department of Education Partnership for family Involvement in Education, and the Connecticut School-Family-Community Partnership.
In the summer of 2007 it was announced that the school's third principal in three years. Mrs. Rossman, was to be transferred from Rippowam Middle School, trading places with Scofield's Mr.Giaberti, who would become principal of Rippowam. The moves were part of schools Superintendent Joshua Starr's policy of broadening administrators' experiences. One leader of the Scofield school's Parent Teacher Partnership said she worried that, yet again, Scofield would be getting a principal who would be spending a "transition year" getting used to running the school. Rossman, however, was previously an assistant principal at the school.
The school also has been named one of the top six most improved schools in Fairfield County shown by minority students.
In 2007, the National Network of Partnership at Johns Hopkins University recognized the school "as an excellent program of school family partnership", according to the school Web site. In 2006, the school was a finalist for the Disney Learning Partnership Spotlight School of the Year Award.
The media specialist, Annea Rosenburg, won the Carlton W.H. Erickson award.
Eighth grade science teacher, Mrs. McMinn has also won numerous awards and has participated in Zero Gravity for NASA.
In 2010, 6th grade students Richard Ira and Brian Niguidula, with Ms. McMinn as science coach, were National First Place Awards winners in the National Science Teachers Association (NTSA)/ Toshiba ExploraVision science contest in the 4th-6th grade category.
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
middle school
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
, based in Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, that heavily focuses on science, mathematics and technology. The school has 700 students in Grades 6–8.
The typical educational grouping of students based on academic performance, a policy known as tracking
Tracking (education)
Tracking is separating pupils by academic ability into groups for all subjects or certain classes and curriculum within a school. It may be referred as streaming or phasing in certain schools. In a tracking system, the entire school population is assigned to classes according to whether the...
, is not used at Scofield, making it unique in the Stamford public school system. It is also unique in the district because teachers collaborate with each other on scheduling as well as on instruction.
Scofield is a member of the National Network of Partnership Schools at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, the Department of Education Partnership for family Involvement in Education, and the Connecticut School-Family-Community Partnership.
In the summer of 2007 it was announced that the school's third principal in three years. Mrs. Rossman, was to be transferred from Rippowam Middle School, trading places with Scofield's Mr.Giaberti, who would become principal of Rippowam. The moves were part of schools Superintendent Joshua Starr's policy of broadening administrators' experiences. One leader of the Scofield school's Parent Teacher Partnership said she worried that, yet again, Scofield would be getting a principal who would be spending a "transition year" getting used to running the school. Rossman, however, was previously an assistant principal at the school.
Awards and recognition
In June 2007, the New England League of Middle Schools named Scofield one of four "spotlight schools" in recognition of its environmental curriculum, parental involvement, and teacher qualifications among other factors.The school also has been named one of the top six most improved schools in Fairfield County shown by minority students.
In 2007, the National Network of Partnership at Johns Hopkins University recognized the school "as an excellent program of school family partnership", according to the school Web site. In 2006, the school was a finalist for the Disney Learning Partnership Spotlight School of the Year Award.
The media specialist, Annea Rosenburg, won the Carlton W.H. Erickson award.
Eighth grade science teacher, Mrs. McMinn has also won numerous awards and has participated in Zero Gravity for NASA.
In 2010, 6th grade students Richard Ira and Brian Niguidula, with Ms. McMinn as science coach, were National First Place Awards winners in the National Science Teachers Association (NTSA)/ Toshiba ExploraVision science contest in the 4th-6th grade category.