Middle School Principal's Message

It is with great excitement that we open our doors for a new year at the Center Moriches Middle School. We are proud of our accomplishments and look forward to a year filled with success stories.

The middle school years are a time of transition for students, a bridge from elementary school to high school. However, they are more than that. The middle school year’s basic objectives are to educate and nurture. It is a culture of collective and shared responsibility to prepare students academically and personally for a successful high school experience.

Our approach to middle level students must be different from both the elementary and high school approaches. We need to address the students’ intellectual and developmental needs in a manner that fosters independent thinking, strong values and character and a desire to become contributing members of society. Students need to learn to take responsibility for their behavior and to accept the consequences for inappropriate behavior.

One of the most important components of assisting student growth academically, socially, emotionally, physically and personally is the team approach to working with students. All research indicates that young adolescents need to connect to adults in a nurturing environment. Parents and community partnerships are essential to student success and to the success of the school.

The middle school schedule provides a gradual transition from the more self-contained classrooms of the elementary to the departmentalized structure of the high school. Although middle school students participate in a departmentalized schedule, the teaming of teachers and students softens this impact. To ensure the development of the whole child, extracurricular activities such as clubs, dances and sports are available to students.

With these clear goals in mind, we are prepared for another positive and productive year.

Sincerely,
Patricia Cunningham
Middle School Principal