Middle Level Leadership

NASSP's National Center for Middle Level Leadership exists to further the recommendations of Breaking Ranks in the Middle™: Strategies for Leading Middle Level Reform by providing practical resources to help middle level leaders improve their schools; offering relevant, job-embedded professional development for new and experienced middle level leaders; and articulating the voice of middle level leaders.

Topics in Middle Level Education

Middle Level Leader E-Mail Discussion List
Jump into the conversation with your colleagues in middle level leadership across the nation. (NASSP members only. Not a member? Join now!)

 Voices of Experience Interviews (podcasts)
Listen to interviews with 13 highly regarded middle level leaders in the field, an addition to the new book Voices of Experience: Perspectives of Middle Level Leaders by Patti Kinney, NASSP associate director of middle level services, and Sue Swaim, executive director emeritus of the National Middle School Association (NMSA).

 From School Leader's Review (podcasts)
Debbie Phelps on Personalization - The mother of Olympic Champion Michael Phelps is also a middle school principal and a member of NASSP. Listen to an interview with her as she shares how her experience of raising a son with ADHD has influenced her as a principal and has encour-
aged her to personalize her school for ALL students.

Educating Students Who Live in Poverty
A discussion with Ray Landers, principal at Boaz Middle School in Boaz, AL, and the 2009 MetLife/NASSP National Middle Level Principal of the Year, about the reform efforts he has implemented at his school to reach students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

In The Middle Level Leader (a free e-newsletter)
Building a Culture of Trust
As middle level leaders, you know the important role that trust plays in building and sustaining relationships, but have you ever considered its role in the school improvement process? Can you say that a high level of trust exists between the adults in your school? Do your students place their trust in the adults to provide them with a safe, caring, and stimulating environment in which to learn? These are conditions that must exist if the school is to move forward.

The NASSP National Center for Middle Level Leadership is made possible through a generous contribution from Minnesota Life, NASSP's life insurance provider for more than 75 years.