Parkway West Middle School - Chesterfield, MO

WEST: Where Everyone Stands Together. “West” is not only the name of our school but also the motto that drives our work. When we stand together, all students, staff, and stakeholders have a purpose, place, and voice in our community. In order to accomplish this mission, we employ solid structures and strategic systems to nurture learners who understand and are able to respond to the challenges of an ever-changing world.

The middle school teaming model, along with WEST Time (a character-building advisory period), support students emotionally and socially during these pivotal middle school years. Structures, such as PLC and late start days, allow time for teachers to collaborate. Math labs, academic labs, reading classes, the 90-minute ELA blocked class, BOOST (a group to support students who need help with executive functioning skills), and African American Scholars Academy are academic structures we implement to promote student success. We then have strategically designed systems within these structures to use our resources efficiently. West Middle’s system of shared leadership creates a culture of collective ownership. Embedded in our curricular system are culturally responsive teaching strategies that ensure students develop into empathetic problem solvers. Additionally, our grading system, focused on targeted standards, leads to mastery learning and promotes a growth mindset. Finally, RTI and progress-monitoring protocols help us make data-driven decisions about differentiated learning for students. Simply put, these structures and systems bring all of our stakeholders together with a purposeful focus on student success.