This series shares what central office leaders need to know to build on the strengths of the traditional middle school model to rethink how schools can better support a new generation of young adolescents. Across seven articles, we share actionable, research-backed, system-level strategies school and district leaders can implement to strengthen core instruction, broaden opportunities for students, and use time and resources more strategically to boost learning and engagement over the long term.
Middle school has never been an easy time to be a kid. Students are navigating changing friendships, increasing academic expectations, heightened social awareness, and a growing desire for independence, all while still developing the skills to regulate emotions, manage conflict, and make responsible decisions.
For many students, some of the hardest moments of the school day happen outside the classroom.
Lunch. Transitions. Arrival. Recess. Advisory. These are often the times when expectations are least clear, adults are less visible, and complicated social dynamics have more room to play out. They are also frequently the times when schools see the greatest number of discipline incidents.
Middle schools have long recognized the importance of creating environments where young adolescents feel safe, welcomed, and connected. With many students struggling socially and emotionally, how schools organize the day can play an important role in supporting their well-being. Three approaches can help: reducing unnecessary unstructured time, bringing greater structure to the time that remains, and creating more opportunities for students to connect with adults and peers.
Reduce Unnecessary Unstructured Time
One of the most effective ways to support student well-being is to reduce the amount of time students spend in loosely defined environments. Long passing periods, loosely supervised arrival or dismissal, under-planned advisory blocks, study halls, and lengthy lunch periods can all create stretches of time without clear expectations. They also consume minutes that could support core instruction, intervention, or other priorities.
Schools should look closely at how these periods are functioning. In some cases, the best solution may be to shorten or eliminate a block altogether. Schools can eliminate homeroom periods that lack a clear purpose, shorten passing periods, replace poorly functioning study halls or flex periods, or streamline lunch schedules.
The goal is not to eliminate every break in a student's day. Young adolescents need opportunities to reset, socialize, and move. The question is whether the time is serving students well.
Add a High Level of Structure to the Time That Remains
Some less-structured time is both unavoidable and valuable. The key is to put the same level of thought into these parts of the school day that schools put into instructional periods.
During transitions, teachers can be visible at classroom doors and in hallways. Advisory can have a clear purpose, with time dedicated to relationship-building, check-ins, or skill development. Lunch and recess can include clear routines, adequate adult presence, and options that make the social environment easier for students to navigate.
Recess is a good example. Middle school students benefit from opportunities to take a break, but their needs are different from those of elementary students. Schools might offer choices within a defined structure, such as organized games, designated spaces for different activities, or a “walk and talk” option for students who simply want to move and socialize with friends.
This gives students independence and choice while keeping the experience predictable and manageable. When students know where to go, what is expected, and which adults are there to support them, these parts of the day can become less stressful.
Create More Opportunities for Connection
Structure is only part of what students’ need from their middle school experience. They also need to feel known and connected.
Traditional middle school teaming was built in part around this principle: giving students a smaller, known group of teachers and peers within a larger school. That goal remains important even as schools reconsider some of the structures traditionally used to achieve it.
Schools can create connection in many ways. Advisory can connect students with a consistent adult. Clubs and extracurricular activities can bring students together around shared interests. Interest-based advisory groups—organized around everything from science fiction to drama and theater to fantasy sports—can create additional opportunities for students to find adults and peers with whom they share something meaningful.
These opportunities can be especially valuable for students who do not naturally find their place in the larger school community. The specific structure may vary, but the goal is the same: students should have opportunities to develop meaningful relationships with adults and peers.
A More Supportive Middle School Experience
Middle schools cannot eliminate the social and emotional challenges that come with adolescence. They can create school days that help students navigate them more successfully.
Reducing unnecessary unstructured time, thoughtfully designing the time that remains, and creating more opportunities for connection can make the school day calmer, more predictable, and more supportive. These changes can benefit adults, too, by reducing time spent managing behavior and allowing teachers to focus more of their energy on students and learning.
For a new generation of students facing significant social and emotional challenges, how the school day feels matters. Thoughtful structure and meaningful connection can help create an environment where students feel safer, more connected, and better prepared to learn.
Other posts in this series:
PART I - Why It’s Time to Rethink the Traditional Middle School Model
PART II - Shift #1: Raise Achievement by Making Core Instruction Core to the Schedule
PART III - Shift #2: Make High-Quality Intervention a Non-Negotiable Part of the School Day
PART IV - Shift #3: Deepen Student Engagement Through Voice, Choice, and Meaningful Challenge
PART VII - Tools and Next Steps for Designing Middle Schools for a New Generation
About the Author
David James is a former teacher and middle school administrator who serves as an advisor to school and district leaders. He and his team have helped more than 100 middle schools across the nation better serve a new generation of students and educators. He is co-author of the book, It's Time for Strategic Scheduling: How to Design Smarter K-12 Schedules That Are Great for Students, Staff, and the Budget. He also leads the Secondary Scheduling Academy, an accelerated hands-on training program for school and district leadership teams to enhance capacity for strategic scheduling, build buy-in for changes, and design effective, best practice-aligned schedules that are better for students, teachers, and the budget.