June 28, 2022 — Community School today announced that it has been named to the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) Schools of Distinction program. It is one of only 12 schools worldwide to receive this honor in the inaugural year of the program, which is designed to both recognize exemplary schools and guide them through a process of strategic vision setting to help foster ongoing growth and success.
The program’s evaluation criteria are anchored in AMLE’s landmark position paper on best practices in the middle grades, The Successful Middle School: This We Believe, now in its fifth edition and 40th year of publication. To be recognized, Community School faculty and staff completed a rigorous review process that measured their implementation of 18 different characteristics of successful middle grades schools and continuous improvement plans. More than 100 schools across the world completed the assessment, making Community School’s accomplishment that much more distinguished.
“We are honored to be recognized by the AMLE as a School of Distinction for the many ways we encourage our students to be engaged and empowered to explore their gifts” said Linda Roth, executive director, Community School. “Community School has been educating students in the Roanoke Valley for over 50 years and it’s very rewarding to know that going forward we have the support of AMLE to help us continue our growth and success.”
Community School’s middle school serves students ages 10-14. As an AMLE School of Distinction, they will be among the recipients who will lead the way in creating a network of educators that learns from and supports each other. The AMLE website contains more information about the AMLE Schools of Distinction program.