SCS Board Approves Opening of University Middle

March 1, 2019 - The University of Memphis is proud to announce the official approval of University Middle by the Shelby County School Board at its meeting Tuesday, making this the third University-sponsored school.

Applications are open at https://www.memphis.edu/middleschool/. University Middle is a public school offered in partnership with SCS. The school aims to enroll 60 sixth-grade students to begin in fall 2019 with subsequent grades to follow with projected enrollment of 90 per class. Applications will remain open until March 13.

The goal of University Middle is to create a cutting-edge educational program that both capitalizes on the rich resources of the University of Memphis and stands as a model of innovation for middle school education. It will also aim to expand the idea of what a laboratory school can be.

"The University of Memphis is excited about the approval of University Middle by the Shelby County School Board and our expanding partnership, one that capitalizes on the unique expertise of our faculty," said UofM President M. David Rudd. "Our hope is to continue to serve as a model of educational innovation and effectiveness, providing empirically supported approaches that can be scaled out to the general Shelby County Schools system."

Through research partnerships across the entire range of University disciplines from education and engineering to philosophy and theatre, to public health and cognitive psychology, University Middle will strive to enhance the learning experience of its students. Moreover, the school is intended to work as a bridge between the University and the community, strengthening the ties between our campus and the diverse neighborhoods around us.

For more information, contact committee chairs Kate Schaffzin and Remy Debes at universitymiddle@memphis.edu.