Rodney E. Thompson Middle School - Stafford, VA

Rodney Thompson Middle School serves a diverse community. Within commuting distance to Quantico Marine Base and Washington D. C., many families have ties to the military or federal workforce, resulting in a transient population.

Students find a strong community at Thompson, largely due to staff members who are committed to the social, emotional, and intellectual growth of every child. Student success at Thompson begins with a culture of teacher collaboration. Working as a professional learning community, teachers share all aspects of their instructional practices. They collectively examine student assessment results, identifying students requiring additional support, while also discussing the efficacy of their practices. This continuous improvement process enables teachers to collectively learn and grow.

Students benefit from a highly structured intervention and enrichment (I&E) period, enabling students to receive extra time and support. Students access this support weekly or quarterly, by simply exiting the enrichment class for an intervention class. Following specific instruction and reassessment, students return to their enrichment class. Students may also use this time to complete missing assignments or assessments. For enrichment, students select a course from a catalog of teacher offerings. Enrichment options include: competitions like the National History Day, Science Fair, and Debate. Others involve the arts, like dance, acapella chorus, or jazz band. The goal of enrichment is to engage students in meaningful learning opportunities that extend beyond the regular curriculum.

Teachers' collective commitment to students through collaboration is the hallmark that makes Rodney Thompson a wonderful place to learn.