Black Rock Middle School Update

A: Demographic studies show that our District’s student population is expected to continue to increase in coming years, due to housing turnover, additional apartments, decreasing private-school enrollment and other factors. Our existing six elementary schools and two middle schools are reaching maximum capacity. The new middle school will alleviate crowding at the elementary schools by moving fifth grade out of the elementary buildings and will alleviate crowding at the middle schools by spreading the middle school population among three buildings instead of two.

A: The feeder schools for the new middle school will be Penn Wynne Elementary School and Gladwyne Elementary School. Gladwyne was selected because the new middle school is in its catchment. Penn Wynne was selected because all Penn Wynne students already take buses to middle school. The other elementaries all have students who walk to either BCMS or WVMS and it wouldn’t make sense to bus students to a farther middle school when they can walk to a closer one.

A: As of now, 5th and 6th grades will definitely attend the new school when it opens in September 2022. The Administration and School Board are currently reviewing various scenarios – considering student numbers and transportation costs among other issues – to determine if that might change to include grades 5-7, or even grades 5-8. We’ll be sure to let you know once that decision is finalized.

A: Absolutely! And any interested parents/guardians from Penn Wynne and Gladwyne whose children will be attending the new school are encouraged to get involved. Please email Kristy kgastowe@gmail.com or Michele michvessal@gmail.com for Gladwyne or Amy amybotel@gmail.com for Penn Wynne and let them know you’re interested. We’re hoping to get volunteers from both schools together soon to start planning events such as student mixers, so students from both schools can make new friends.

A: These illustrations show the architects’ vision of the school’s exterior and also of a “learning community.” The finishes shown for the outside may change, but the concept of a main entrance, close to the public areas – the gymnasium and theater – is set. The school will also feature a “heart” area, where students can congregate to socialize and collaborate. And traditional single classrooms will be replaced by “learning communities,” which are flexible spaces that can be used for large-group team teaching, small group instruction or student collaboration.

 A: The new school will reduce the student populations in the two existing middle schools. That will allow space at BCMS and WVMS to be reimagined and reconfigured to better support team teaching, smaller group instruction and collaboration. Teachers at the existing schools are already innovatively using space in their buildings in support of these concepts and will have input in how existing spaces can be updated and adapted.