VISION STATEMENT

At Middle School 61, students will achieve at his or her maximum potential in an engaging, nurturing and challenging environment, enabling them to become responsible, productive leaders.

OUR MISSION

The Dr. Gladstone H. Atwell Middle School 61, being part of a culturally diverse community of students, parents, and educators, is dedicated to having all students achieve academic success and social/emotional growth. By implementing the Common Core Learning Standards, reflecting knowledge needed for success in college and careers, our children will develop into life-long learners and productive citizens in a technological and global economy.

INSTRUCTIONAL GOAL

Middle School 61 is minds-on by engaging students in learning using a growth mindset  and effective planning to provide instruction that differentiates, scaffolds, offers rigor, choice, critical questioning and opportunities for reflection.

LITERACY VISION

M.S. 61 envisions that every student falls in love with reading, can read on or above their reading level and is engaged in the journey of self-awareness about their reading lives, making connections to and having powerful conversations around literature across the contents to broaden their thinking, challenge their ideas and make meaningful contributions to the global society. M.S. 61 has a reading culture in which the entire school community believes they can and do have an impact on increasing students' levels and proficiency as a means to inspire students' love of reading through the college and/or their careers and for life.