Background narrative:
Camden Rockport Middle School is in midcoast Maine. We have almost 360 students in grades 5-8. We serve the mid-coast Maine communities of Camden and Rockport. Our average class size is 18-24 students. Our student teacher ratio is 9 to 1. 29% of students are characterized as economically disadvantaged. 17% are identified as gifted and talented, 15% are served by special education, and 5% are minority. We test consistently high on our state exams. We are a 1to1 technology school in a 1to1 technology state. Students use state-issued iPads. We have been moving toward project based learning and have used standards based grading for the past six years. The CRMS core values are Grit, Kindness, Self-Control, and Responsibility.
On June 13, 2017 voters in the two towns passed a $26 million dollar bond to build a 83,400 square foot new middle school with 2,200 square feet of library space.
The community is known for its natural beauty. It is a tourist destination and the slogan for the town of Camden is “Where the mountains meet the sea”. The town runs a small ski mountain and it is one of the only places in the Northeast where one can see stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean while skiing. Kids can take the school bus to the ski mountain. Some kids are privileged enough to ski all winter and sail all summer.
The library is the heart of the school. Kathy Foss, the librarian of the last 30 years has built a strong collaborative program and impressive collection. The issue is not in finding teachers who want to collaborate, it is in finding time in the schedule to allow everyone who wants to collaborate in.
As a staff we strive to provide an environment that is active and fun.
The vision statement for the school is:
The goal of a Camden-Rockport Middle School education is to inspire students’ curiosity in the world around us and to develop young people who are actively engaged in learning. Our students learn best when they are in a safe and positive environment where curriculum is challenging, exploratory, integrative, relevant, and purposeful.
Our students can be confident that their attempt to explore and engage successfully with the content and develop their skills will be met with support and encouragement.
To write the mission statement I consulted with the superintendent, principal, and retiring librarian. I also looked at the CRMS vision statement and the AASL Standards for the 21st Century Learner. I tried to encapsulate the values of our school and align them to the ethical and pedagogical standards of the profession. I also tried to keep it short, but reflect our dedication to hands-on collaborative learning and embrace our middle school “find the fun” philosophy.
References
Camden-Rockport Middle School - School Profile. (2017). Fivetowns.net. Retrieved 21 July 2017, from http://www.fivetowns.net/crms/crmsprofile.cfm
Standards for the 21st Century Learner. (2017). Chicago. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards.