Greenwood College School Named 2026 Schools of Distinction by Association for Middle Level Education

Greenwood College School is thrilled to announce that our Grade 7-8 program has been recognized as a 2026 School of Distinction by The Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE). 

The AMLE Schools of Distinction program honours schools that exemplify best practices in middle school education while guiding them through a strategic vision-setting process to drive continuous improvement. Grounded in AMLE’s foundational position paper, The Successful Middle School: This We Believe (now in its fifth edition and 44th year), the program evaluates schools on their implementation of research-based criteria tailored to young adolescents.

Our school earned this prestigious honour through a rigorous review process, including a comprehensive school-wide assessment, continuous improvement planning, and community interviews with staff, students, and families. The evaluation highlighted Greenwood’s focus on program development, character building through personalized education and our teachers’ ability to incorporate middle school knowledge into the curriculum as standout strengths.

“It is an honour to recognize Greenwood College School as a 2026 AMLE School of Distinction,” said Chris Woodside, CEO of AMLE. “Their dedication to fostering a thriving middle school community sets a powerful example, and we’re excited to share their story with educators worldwide.”

“Fostering an environment that promotes community is an integral part of the middle school experience at Greenwood,” said Catherine Wachter, Greenwood’s Director of Grade 7 and 8. 

“Providing Grade 7 and 8 students with an ecosystem tailored just to them - to their growth, community-building and leadership development -  is equally as important as including them in full school activities,” she said. “With our middle school assemblies, Service Learning and Adviser course focused on developing skills in a personalized manner, Greenwood provides students with evident and thoughtful programming that allows them to find their own place and voice in our ever-growing community.”

As a 2026 School of Distinction, Greenwood joins a network of exemplary middle schools featured in AMLE’s searchable online database, showcasing our practices through detailed profiles and videos.