The transition from elementary school to middle school can be a big one, not just for students, but for parents as well. For students, it is often the sense of freedom and burgeoning independence that feels exciting, moving freely between classrooms and having a locker of their very own. At home, that shift can be felt too, as their world suddenly expands and responsibilities grow. Maybe they are sharing less about their school day, or maybe their social circles are changing. Parents can begin to wonder, “what is middle school really like?”

Two years ago, PVC started something new, a Parent Learning Walk that invites families to experience a morning as a middle schooler. On a Tuesday morning in December, parents gathered on the second floor in the Teacher’s Hub. Interim Principal Nichole Kelly, Assistant Superintendent John Griffiths, and CET Principal and Assistant Principal Kerri Bianchi and Craig Campanaro welcomed parents and led them on a tour that wove through reimagined flexible spaces and classrooms.

The tour allowed parents to be not just observers, but learners as well. They attended social studies with Mr. Bowden, health with Ms. Butts, math with Ms. Pegna, art with Ms. Lupfer, and InDe with Mr. Molloy, observing learning experiences in an authentic way.

Highlights of the morning for the parents included the excitement of seeing students reconnecting with their former CET administrators, greeting familiar faces such as friends, neighbors, and classmates in the hallways, and stepping into classrooms where they might catch a glimpse of their own child engaged in learning.

After traveling up, down, and throughout the building, Ms. Kelly brought parents back to the Teacher’s Hub for a feedback and Q&A session.

“My favorite parts were seeing the flexible learning spaces and interdisciplinary learning in classrooms,” said one parent. Another agreed, adding, “I really appreciated seeing the teachers in action and the connection between teachers and students.”

“Every space has a coziness curated intentionally, with comfort and safety in mind. You can tell that the space belongs to the students,” shared another parent.

“Middle school is the bridge between CET and CHHS,” said Ms. Kelly. “The goals we are meeting support students at this stage of development and prepare them for high school learning environments through cross-grade collaboration, block scheduling, and student choice.”

As the morning wound down and parents made their way to the lobby, one comment captured the experience perfectly and served as a reminder that we all carry a bit of middle school with us. “I wish this was the middle school I went to.”