Middle School Academy (MSA) Home

• Families who desire a different type of schedule for their students. Our ALE schedule allows students to have time during their days to pursue outside interests/passions.  
• Students who personally desire a middle school environment rich in integrated subjects and with the opportunity for field experience.
• Students who can complete 6+ hours of class extension work a week on average and turn work in on time.
• Students with a commitment to organization and time management practice at home in addition to school.
• Parents who commit to expecting class extension work be completed by their students and provide the structure/environment at home so this can be accomplished.
• Parents who are committed to consistent attendance and on time arrival to school for their student.
• Parents who are willing to partner with MSA in the education of their students. 

• Flexible Schedule
• Longer work periods
• Experiential learning opportunities
• Integrated science, math and health
• Integrated ELA and social studies
• High engagement electives 
• Schoolwide fine and performance art opportunities
• Focus on study and organization skills

Students enter MSA in their first year of middle school, 6th grade, and stay through their 8th grade year. All three grade levels learn together during integrated projects and field study work.  For core subject classes, MSA consists of two learning cohorts, 6th grade and 7th/8th grade groups. MSA teachers are responsible for team teaching the core subjects: science, language arts, social studies and math. Students will also take electives of their choice each semester.  Blending grades 6-8th builds a stronger community, provides opportunities for leadership, nurtures tolerance, and challenges students to work in diverse teams in preparation for high school and beyond.

Once a month students will participate in a field trip.  These field trips tie directly to the learning taking place in the MSA classrooms.  From field investigations such as monitoring and harvesting our oyster garden on Johnson Point, to visiting the Wing Luke Museum to learn about the experience of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans throughout history, our students are able to see a direct relationship between their classroom studies and the world.

Partnership
Enrollment in MSA is a choice to participate in a unique approach to learning. This commitment requires a healthy working partnership between the program and families.  MSA is based on the belief that parents have the right and the responsibility to be actively involved in their children’s education. 

As an ALE program, MSA requires commitment and involvement from families.  Timely response to academic progress reports, supporting your student’s learning and the completion of school work at home, helping to chaperone field trips, and maintaining open lines of communication with teachers, administration, and other parents to solve concerns are all expectations of this program. 

In addition, parents are required to assure their child regularly attends each school day, only missing due to emergency or illness. Students also must be dropped off and picked up on time; all transportation is provided by families. Repeated tardiness and/or absences can impact a student's enrollment in the program.

MSA will provide a safe, positive, nurturing learning environment and program with an excellent team of educators. We will keep parents informed of their children’s learning progress, solicit needed and appropriate parent involvement in school and classroom activities, follow the school’s guidelines for open, direct communication, and work together with each other, parents and students to solve concerns.

Monthly Progress
Washington state has some unique requirements for those participating in an Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) program.   Each month, teachers complete monthly progress for every student. This monthly progress communicates whether a student has made adequate monthly progress in their classes. Two-way communication regarding student progress is required and is completed in Skyward Family Access. Families will receive an email notification that progress has been posted in Skyward, including detailed instructions on how to view progress and acknowledge receipt of the information.  

Students not making adequate monthly progress in a class(es) will be placed on an intervention plan. This process will include communication via email, phone call, or in person meeting between parent, student, and staff. Intervention plans include items such as increased onsite attendance, dropping a course, using a school planner, regular teacher check-ins, and more. These are designed to support students as they work to improve their grade(s).

It is important to note that being on an intervention plan for multiple months may result in a student needing to transfer to another school program. Washington State limits the number of months in which a student does not make satisfactory progress in their coursework within Alternative Learning programs.

MSA students have the opportunity to participate in ORLA activities including assemblies, theater performances, dances, clubs, and activity nights with other ORLA students.

Enrollment
Families who are interested in MSA should visit the MSA Enrollment page and are invited to email our Dean of Students, Laura Herman, for more information. Her email is: lherman@osd.wednet.edu.