If you are in a middle school you are most likely glad that you do to a K-8, I for one am glad that I do.

According to Philadelphia public schools superintendent, Paul Vallas, students from K-8 schools are performing better on standardized tests and displaying higher on GPA’s in ninth grade than form students are in a middle school.

You may be wondering why in the beginning of the 21st century we are just making the transformation from middle school to k-8 schools; well schools officials have decided that, because of tests scores, middle school was a failed experiment. When looking at the CSAP (Colorado State Assessment Program) scores from five Aurora public schools, two of them being K-8 and three if them being six through eight middle schools, the two k-8 middle schools performed better. Murphy Creek K-8 and Aurora Frontier K-8 placed the highest over all score for all subjects, math, science, reading, and writing.

All kindergarten through eight students belong in one school for many reasons. To begin, every one who has a younger/older sibling loves them dearly and does not want them to be harmed, well having them be in the same school is a very good follower to that. I realize that it is not the most fun thing to have your first grade sibling in the room next door to you is not the most fun thing ever, but who ever owns the school can separate you guys so you are together but also divided in to different parts of the school. There is a benefit to having all “elementary” students in the school in the same. When you are in fifth grade you are ale to help the kindergarteners that are having some difficulties, but what if you are a struggling fifth grader, you don’t really have anyone to help you other than a teacher. With having seventh and eighth graders they are able to help those fifth graders who are not on the grade level overcome their requirements if a fifth grade reading level.

When fifth graders are at the end of their fifth grade, I don’t think that they are ready to face a middle school environment, society is doing absolutely nothing to help these poor fifth graders other than jailing them n a middle school that they are not ready to survive. By having a K-8 fifth graders have three more years to still be ready for high school, and by then all eighth grade students are ready to move on.

When you are in a K-8 all “middle school” students are surrounded by younger kids, this is a good thing because the sixth, seventh and eighth graders are more focused on their academics. Also, with having littler kids teens who are being pressured to do thing that are not necessarily the best choice, like bring a weapon or drugs to school. That brings me to my next point, lockers.

I am well aware that K-8 schools don’t have lockers, but there are advantages and disadvantages to this. Not having a locker means students have to either carry their backpack to all classes or have all their correct binders in that specific class. When you students have a locker they have change to bring harmful thing to school as such as a weapon, alcohol and/or drugs. Lockers give students more privacy, school is not about privacy, it is for learning, and an education.

My name is Kellsie Kimmerle and I made the switch to a K-8 school and I love it. With the opportunity of going to a K-8 it is everything that you could ask for in a middle school, except lockers, but also there is more advantages in different categories. You can also be a part of a K-8 and experience the wonderful thing that I do every day. I love my K-8 school. I know you will too.