Middle School Journal

June 18, 2026 Columbus, OH - The Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) announced today that Christopher Woodside has been selected as its new CEO, effective later this month. Chris brings almost two decades of experience serving nonprofit organizations, most recently as Executive Director of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). Prior to his work for associations, Chris was a Capitol Hill congressional aide.

The AMLE Middle Grades Educator of the Year is an annual award given by the Association for Middle Level Education. This award recognizes outstanding practitioners in middle level education-those who have made an impact on the lives of young adolescents with a significant body of work and have advanced the field of middle level education through leadership, vision, and advocacy. Nominate an outstanding colleague by July 15, 2026.

In a large public middle school in Edina, Minnesota, students and educators transformed their advisory program. South View Middle School is a 2023 AMLE School of Distinction. No longer an afterthought for teachers or simply a time for homework, advisory at South View Middle School became a center of belonging, and one of the most valued parts of the school’s program. This is the story of how they built it.

In a recent episode of AMLE’s Middle School Walk and Talk podcast, Dr. Rashad Anderson, professor at Metropolitan State University in Denver, shared insights from his work leading the Call Me Mr. Teacher Leadership Program and his research on mentoring, student engagement, and school culture. Anderson’s discussion highlighted both the challenges facing middle school education and the transformative potential of intentional, culturally grounded support for students and teachers alike.

In a recent episode of Middle School Walk and Talk, AMLE hosts Phyllis Fagell and Jessica McGuire spoke with AMLE Rising Star Presenter Adam Whitaker about his work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, English language arts, and culturally relevant pedagogy. Surprisingly, Whitaker began the conversation by clarifying that technology is not his primary passion. His real focus is ensuring that students experience lessons that tap into their cultural and personal backgrounds.

How are middle schools developing student leadership today? Who has access to leadership opportunities, and how are students selected? How effective are these programs in building student voice, agency, and collaboration? AMLE sought to better understand the current state of student leadership programming by conducting a survey of its membership in 2026.

In a recent episode of AMLE’s Middle School Walk and Talk podcast, hosts Phyllis Fagell and Jessica McGuire sat down with author, counselor, and educator Emily Kircher Morris to explore what it truly means to create neurodiversity affirming schools. Although the hosts have spoken with her many times before, this was their first in-person conversation, one that quickly became a rich exploration of belonging, strengths based practice, and the daily realities faced by neurodivergent learners.

At Dorseyville Middle School, an AMLE School of Distinction in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania a unique initiative called Exploratory Time (ET) has yielded powerful benefits for the entire school community. Reintroduced after a long hiatus, ET has become a cornerstone of the school’s commitment to student voice and community engagement, helping staff to create a fun, balanced middle school experience.

In a recent episode of Middle School Walk and Talk, hosts Phyllis Fagell and Jessica McGuire welcomed Connie Hamilton, educator, author, and widely recognized “questioning guru,” to explore why effective questioning is one of the most important tools teachers can use to deepen learning. Hamilton, best known for her book Hacking Questions, traces her focus on questioning back to her early days as an elementary principal.

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM iCalendar Eastern Standard Time Chad Corey, Principal, South Orangetown Middle School, an AMLE School of Distinction The next AMLE Middle School Leadership Roundtable series will dive into the art and practice of conducting effective observations, giving leaders a chance to explore everything from the evaluation systems they use to the varied approaches for structuring pre observation, observation, and post observation cycles.