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BOUNTIFUL — A Utah junior high school earned the national school of the year title from the National Association of Middle School Principals and Lifetouch.
At Mueller Park Junior High, educators help kids during a tough transition, and at the beginning of this school year, they were honored for their work by the competition sponsors.
Middle school is well known as a challenging time for students and parents of those children. And Mueller Park's principal knows that.
"I think this age is so vital to nurture," said Principal Joyce Jones. "They need an advocate beyond the home to know that somebody's looking out for them and wanting them to succeed."
The National Association of Junior High Principals honored Mueller Park for reaching out to kids at the top of the class — and students take it to heart.
(Students) need an advocate beyond the home to know that somebody's looking out for them and wanting them to succeed.
–- Joyce Jones, Principal
"A lot of people think that they can do better things during the day, and honestly, being at the school is the best opportunity because you get to grow and learn and have more experiences," said student, Ashlyn Pace.
Those who struggle are not forgotten, as the school has intervention programs for those who struggle.
"We have implemented an after-school tutor bus on Tuesdays so that they can stay after school and get that extra help that they might need where parents are not really in a position to transport them back and forth," Jones said.
A new report by the ACT makes this title even more relevant to today's students. It found success in college and career is determined more by achievement in the eighth grade than almost any other factor.
"There's kind of a misconception that the junior high level is not important, that it doesn't count," said school counselor Clair Chilton. "But we always encourage our students that it counts; It's your foundation."
The principals selected Mueller out of more than 3,000 competing junior high schools in nearly 40 states.
