Middle School Academies: Ready for Launch

acadmies of racine science
acadmies of racine science

New courses. More opportunities. High school ready.

Middle school is an important time period in a student’s life. Not only does middle school prepare students for a successful transition to high school, it also helps students form healthy habits that can be useful throughout life. That’s why RUSD is transforming our middle schools to help bridge the gap between elementary and high school. 

The NEW Middle School Academies of Racine at Gifford, Jerstad-Agerholm and Mitchell allow students to discover ways to become better learners, classmates and community leaders. By working with post-secondary and community partners, the Middle School Academies will provide real-world connections for students, opening their eyes to career and leadership opportunities right here in our community. 

The ultimate goal of the RUSD Middle School Academies is to better prepare students to enter the Academies of Racine at Case, Horlick and Park High Schools. This will be achieved through new courses like 6th Grade Seminar, 7th Grade Survey and 8th Grade Career and Technical Education (CTE) that will provide opportunities for all middle school students to:

  • Participate in small learning communities with a core group of teachers, community partners and peers to learn what it means to be a good citizen. 
  • Research and solve community-based problems through service learning projects.
  • Build professional skills necessary to be successful in life. 
  • Learn about experiences and coursework available in high school academy career pathways so that students are ready to make decisions about which careers to explore in high school.

Electives like art, music, theater and world languages will continue to be an integral part of the middle school experience as RUSD strives to develop well-rounded global learners and citizens.

Learn more about the RUSD Middle School Academies at: rusd.org/academies.