Story by Maria Mata
PISD Communications
Roberts Middle School was named a Texas School to Watch by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform and the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP). The school is among only 45 schools in the state of Texas to be selected for the designation.
Roberts Middle School was selected for the designation for demonstrating excellence in academics, developmental responsiveness, social equity and organizational structure and processes.
Principal Jorly Thomas said recognition as a School to Watch is the culmination of five years-worth of enhancing educational opportunities for students – which they intend to continue doing for years to come.
“What started with a weaving pursuit of intentional growth and progress five years ago is today a ‘Schools to Watch Campus,’” Thomas said.
The Schools to Watch selection process is based on a written application that requires schools to show how they met rigorous criteria developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle Grades Reform. Schools that met the criteria were then visited by state teams, who observed classrooms, interviewed administrators, teachers, students and parents, and looked at achievement data, suspension rates, quality of lessons, and student work.
The observation team listed multiple specific reasons why Roberts was chosen for this recognition. Some of them included:
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Achieved 5 out of 6 distinctions through the Texas Education Agency
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Administration conducted regular meetings with staff
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Staff had appropriate responses to student needs
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Students were comfortable communicating with administration and teachers
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Campus staff provided frequent communication with parents through different mediums
As a School to Watch, Roberts will be recognized for a three-year period. After the third year, they must demonstrate progress on specific goals in order to be re-designated.
“We have been able to stretch our vision of what’s possible and then pin that to the present moment. Through our core belief that one person cannot transform a school, we have edited the stories of many of our students’ experience. Thank you for being part of our story.”
Roberts will be recognized in Austin at the Making Middle School Matter Symposium, hosted by TASSP, March 1-3. Pasadena ISD and Roberts Middle School will join recognized school districts across the country at the National Forum Schools to Watch event in Washington DC, June 24-27.