AMLE

Want to expand meaningful student leadership in your school or district? Our latest survey data reveals key trends for building student voice, agency, and collaboration for middle schoolers: ow.ly/UJUw50YZOLt

✏️ Want to sharpen your students’ thinking? Better questions = better learning. ICYMI, check out this great article + podcast with Connie Hamilton on the power of effective questioning in middle school: ow.ly/Ye2950YZO00

At Dorseyville Middle School, an AMLE School of Distinction, a unique initiative called Exploratory Time (ET) is keeping kids excited to come to school while building stronger relationships between students and school staff. Gather recommendations for implementing a similar program at your school: ow.ly/pS5850YZKLt

Join an experience that will create lasting impact at your school for months and years to come! Limited spots remain for the 2026 Leadership Institute. Collaborate with expert faculty in interactive sessions and small-group “homeroom” communities, where you’ll focus on proven strategies that drive success in middle schools. ⚜️ Our amazing faculty will work directly with you (and your team if you’re bringing them!) to adapt these strategies to your unique school context and real-world challenges with young adolescents and the educators who serve them. Register while spots last! amle.org/institute-for-…

🌟Would you like to play a leadership role in advancing the middle level education movement? AMLE is accepting nominations for two open positions on our Board of Trustees. 🌟Trustees serve six-year terms beginning January 2027. To self-nominate or nominate a colleague, you’ll need a completed nomination form, a high-resolution photo, and three letters of reference. 🌟Learn more and submit by June 30: amle.org/get-involved

ICYMI, we're resharing this powerful case study from @JCPS featured in our Playbook for Career Exploration in the Middle Grades. What steps are you taking to boost student engagement as you head into summer planning? ow.ly/mAUx50YZbFk

Counselor, educator, and author Emily Kircher-Morris recently shared her expertise on what neurodiversity really means and how middle level educators can support a wide range of needs during a time when social awareness intensifies and differences become more visible. Worth noting: ☑️Common misconceptions about neurodivergence ☑️How strengths-based accommodations benefit all learners ☑️Practical strategies for fostering belonging, supporting executive functioning, and disrupting rigid social patterns in the middle grades Read the full article with the podcast interview: ow.ly/tX0E50YVhEt

🎉A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Katie Johnson, Principal at Belmont Ridge Middle School who was recently named Principal of the Year by @LCPSOfficial. Katie was recognized for making an extraordinary impact on her school community, leading with an open-door policy, and always making herself available to parents, staff, and students no matter how busy she is. 👆Which is saying a lot, considering Katie was also named a Principal of Distinction by the Virginia Department of Education last month. Katie was one of 25 admins to successfully complete all requirements demonstrating strong leadership in improving student achievement, providing effective instructional leadership, and cultivating a school environment that reduces non-academic barriers. 🎯 Katie currently serves as a member of the AMLE Board of Trustees. Join us in congratulating Katie on her exceptional contributions to her middle school community! 🙌 @VDOE_News

Save the Date! Our last Leadership Roundtable of the school year is coming up Tuesday, May 26. Topics for discussion include: ☑️ year-end priorities, including evaluations, school events and activities ☑️ planning for the summer, and ☑️ preparing for the upcoming school year Don't miss this valuable time to connect with other leaders in the middle grades! Register for the meeting link: ow.ly/foKX50YZ7S3

Teacher Appreciation Week may be wrapping up, but the celebration doesn’t have to end! As a special thank you in honor of our global network of middle level teachers, we're offering a 20% discount at the AMLE Online Store through the end of this month. Discover high-quality, research-based resources created specifically for middle level educators. Use code TYTeachers at checkout: ow.ly/cTGv50YWLUV

Continuing with our celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week, we are thrilled to recognize middle level teachers from across the globe who have been named 2026 AMLE Adult Advocates. 🙌 🙌 These outstanding teachers are being recognized for their exceptional abilities to build trusted relationships when supporting students' academic engagement and growth while also supporting their social and emotional development. 🎉View the full list of awardees: 👉ow.ly/Ftze50YVQbu Explore resources offering practical advice for assessing adult-student connections and designing experiences that promote belonging and trust: 👉amle.org/young-adolesce… 👉amle.org/middle-school-…

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! 🥳To all the incredible middle level teachers around the world: thank you for the guidance and encouragement you provide young adolescents during one of the most important and challenging stages of their lives. Your patience, understanding, and dedication help students feel seen, supported, and inspired to grow. We are truly grateful for the powerful impact you make every day. 🙌🏻 We’re especially proud to highlight three of AMLE's outstanding Adult Advocate Award recipients: stand-out middle level teachers who exemplify excellence in supporting young adolescents: 🌟 Julie Segawa, Science Teacher - Honolulu, HI 🌟 Maria Uribe, French Teacher - Evanston, IL 🌟 Jessie Cooper, Learning Resource Teacher - Leesburg, VA Join us in celebrating all of the remarkable 2026 Adult Advocate Awardees: amle.org/adult-advocate…

Solid leadership that betters an entire school community isn't built in isolation. It’s forged through honest conversations, shared challenges, and meaningful connections with people who are committed to growing as leaders and as humans. That’s exactly what you’ll experience at the AMLE Leadership Conference. Beyond the powerful interactive sessions led by veterans in field of middle level education, the greatest value often comes from the relationships you build, and the practical takeaways thos connections can inspire. If you’re ready to invest in your growth and surround yourself with passionate leaders and aspiring leaders in the middle grades, join us at amle.org/leadership ⚜️Rates increase after today!

Big shoutout to the top winners of last month’s Middle Level Education Month Quest for Prizes! 🥇 They walked away with a free #AMLE26 conference registration and gift cards, but the real win was diving into our resources designed to help middle level educators grow and better support their students: amle.org/sms 🙌🏻 Congratulations to all the winners & thanks to everyone who participated! #MLEM #MLEM26

The deadline is fast approaching: applications for the Successful Middle School Grant are due May 1! AMLE Foundation Fund is looking for projects that are innovative, proliferate the middle school model, and might be able to be replicated by other schools. Recipients of this grant will receive funds up to $5000 to introduce a new initiative or expand/enhance an existing project. Learn more & find inspiration by watching last year's winners: amle.org/smsgrant

Join us this Wednesday, April 29 at 4 p.m. ET for our next Leadership Roundtable focused on assessments in the middle grades. From locally developed measures to state assessments, the discussion will explore how assessment data is used to inform instruction and support student growth, as well as the managerial considerations involved in planning and scheduling these assessments for effective administration. 🎯 Register for the meeting link to share some quality time engaging with other middle level professionals across the globe! amle.org/aprilroundtable

Don't miss out! The Early Bird Registration deadline to save with the best rates to attend AMLE's Institute for Middle Level Leadership is May 1st! The Institute is AMLE's marquee leadership retreat, rooted in middle grades best practice and tailored for aspiring and current middle grades leaders and teams. View the preliminary schedule and register now! amle.org/leadership

Join AMLE + NAESP as we kick off Student Leadership Week Monday, April 20th at 5 p.m. with a powerful discussion on engaging students to feel empowered toward meaningful leadership that drives school improvement, belonging, and authentic student voice. ✨ Register for the link at amle.org/webinars

This week, we received an email from a middle school principal that said, "My middle school will be teamed next year. I would like resources on the structures and activities that support productive middle school teams. Can someone at AMLE advise on resources and people to consult?" The answer is: 💯% YES, we'd love to help your middle school teams succeed and have compiled resources in one place: amle.org/teaming

Guess what? It's #NationalHighFive Day, and there's just over two weeks remaining to submit nominations for the 2026 Toepfer Award! amle.org/conrad-toepfer… Pictured are last year's winners. Learn more: youtu.be/WUR-osZ_ofo?si…