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San Diego Magazine /  September 2007 /  Making the Grade /  The Move to Middle School

The Move to Middle School

EVERYTHING CHANGES in middle school. Peggy Lynch, a former fifth-grade teacher who’s now superintendent of the San Dieguito Union High School District, says targeting struggling seventh and eighth graders is critical because there are only two years to resolve issues. While parent involvement continues to be an important component of school success, youngsters are becoming more independent. At 13, many kids don’t want to see Mom and Dad at school. Lynch meets with two parent representatives from each site monthly to encourage continued communication.

“The challenge is always to continue to get better,” she says. “We are doing well; we are a great district in lots of ways, but you can never rest on that. We have to continue to look at how we can improve and how we can be more efficient. How can we spend our resources, as limited as they are, as wisely as we can? Our parents assume we are looking at those things and that we continue to make opportunities available for their kids.”
—M.M.