CHENEY – Cheney Middle School has a new improvement plan focusing on academic skills, community and safety.
“We want to increase the connection our families feel to our school community by continuing to strengthen and build our family partnerships,” Principal Rebecca “Becky” Parrill said, emphasizing that creating a positive and enriching school experience is important.
One of the newest additions to the general curriculum “The Hawk’s Nest” class, an intervention class to help struggling students.
“The Hawk’s Nest class has been many years in the making,” Parrill said.
“Last year, we had work sessions around our intervention class period, ‘Talon Time.’
“Through the work sessions, Cheney Middle School staff identified a need for our students to have a home base where we can support community building, our students working through school problems for positive solutions, and space and time to support our students as they navigate the challenges of Middle School.”
Additionally, there was a focus on “student-driven schedules,” as well as several new electives.
“Student interest is what inspired the addition of new classes like journalism and drama,” Parrill said.
“As we were building our master schedule last year, we identified where we had space in the schedule to add new electives.
“With that information, we saw significant student interest in journalism, drama and sewing,” she said. “We were able to add them to our master schedule.”
The new programs are improving student pride in both school and the community, she said.
“We are seeing even more students involved in our extra-curriculars,” she said.
“Our students are proud of the work they’ve accomplished in Drama Club, and that increased engagement and pride has a positive impact on our school community.”
Clare is an Eastern Washington University graduate and a reporter at Free Press Publishing.
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