Willard Middle School and J. Lupton Simpson Middle School have received the 2024 Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) Schools of Distinction recognition. These two Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) are among 17 schools nationally to receive this recognition, which honors schools that demonstrate outstanding commitment to middle grades education and continuous improvement.
AMLE’s Schools of Distinction program recognizes exemplary schools while supporting them through a process of strategic vision setting to help foster ongoing growth and success. Each recipient school underwent a rigorous review process that assessed their implementation of middle grades best practices and continuous improvement plans. This process included stakeholder interviews with staff, students, and families to provide a comprehensive evaluation.
Simpson and Willard Middle Schools join five other LCPS middle schools – Belmont Ridge, Brambleton, Farmwell Station, River Bend and Smart’s Mill – as schools of distinction. Schools are selected as AMLE Schools of Distinction on an annual basis, and recognition is awarded on a four-year cycle. Schools must reapply after each cycle to maintain their Schools of Distinction Status and are expected to maintain continuous improvement work throughout their recognition.
Recipients of the AMLE Schools of Distinction honor will be recognized at the AMLE Annual Conference for Middle Level Education in November in Nashville, TN.