From the desk of Tammy Hayes, Middle School Principal:

What it’s All About in the Middle

What is The Brook Hill Middle School all about?  Well, a few weeks ago, as I stood in front of a host of new families to Brook Hill, I asked the group, “If you could go back to any point of time in your life and relive it, who here would choose middle school?” It was as quiet as a mouse, and not a hand was stirring. Not one. Not one parent raised their hand and said, “Me, I’ll go back!” Why do you think that was not a shocker for me?

That’s why I asked such a question. To illuminate a somewhat dark place in our hearts and minds and drive home what we all know is true and has always been true-middle school is tough stuff!  So, what is the significance of this realization upon a room full of hopeful parents?

Well, I hoped it would serve to remind us of what is needed in these tough years, and that is a lot of prayer, a strong structure to thrive in, and loving, patient adults around  to help provide guidance to the students having to wade through puberty in order to reach their “M” word… maturity!

Maturity is such a process, and middle school is often the battleground of breaking through the childishness that can easily get bound up in the hearts of man. We believe this is God’s work, and it is work that matters. At Brook Hill, it’s what it’s all about!

So, at the Brook Hill School, we are intentional when we hire for middle school.  We aim at hiring faculty that love this age child, that understands that they are builders upon another man’s foundation, adding very important layers to what is already there. We look for kind-hearted but not faint-of-hearted teachers who will go the extra mile to help children succeed, and will firmly hold them accountable when needed as well. And, we look for fun people to teach our students.  Fun is an essential in the middle school. It is part of the webbing needed to strengthen all the other stuff, while it builds loyalty and makes for fond memories.

I guess I’d love to think that when our students grow up and go on to high school, college, and beyond, they might would be at least a little bit enticed to lift their hand and volunteer to go back to middle school, maybe for just one day?!

This year we added several new middle school teachers to our faculty party.   Bo Barrow (Computers), Suzanne Shelton (Art), Whitney Figueroa(Humanities), Alumni, Erica Eden-Mattay (Humaniites), Tiffany Hubbard (Math),   Pam Hays (Spanish), and Dr. Rozanna May (Spanish) all joined our  middle school family this year. They are all highly qualified in their fields of study and dedicated to our mission in the middle.