The Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE) has announced that MCDS has been recognized as a 2025 Schools of Distinction. We are the first school in Wisconsin to receive this award! Congratulations to our middle school faculty for their impressive efforts, and to Rebecca Polak, Head of Middle School, for her leadership.

The AMLE Schools of Distinction program honors schools that exemplify best practices in middle-level 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 43rd year), the program evaluates schools on their implementation of research-based criteria tailored to young adolescents.

MCDS earned this prestigious honor through a rigorous review process, including a comprehensive school-wide assessment, continuous improvement planning, and stakeholder interviews with staff, students, and families. The evaluation highlighted that our students are encouraged to take safe risks, seek enrichment, and advocate for themselves. In addition, MCDS students own their learning, are active participants, and know their voice is valued. I hope you can take a moment to read our MCDS AMLE Schools of Distinction Profile. 

“It is an honor to recognize Madison Country Day School as a 2025 AMLE School of Distinction,” said Stephanie Simpson, 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.”

“The AMLE Schools of Distinction Committee extends its heartfelt congratulations to Madison Country Day School on this well-deserved recognition! We look forward to celebrating their innovative practices at our annual conference in November and learning from their success,” said Katie Johnson, Chair of the AMLE Schools of Distinction Committee. “I deeply appreciate the support and collaboration of all school stakeholders, committee members, and AMLE staff in this year’s selection process.” 

As a 2025 School of Distinction, MCDS joins a network of exemplary middle schools featured in AMLE’s searchable online database, showcasing their promising practices through detailed profiles and videos. Rebecca Polak and selected members of the middle school faculty (Jake Eaton, Kassie Conditt, Katherine Dalland, and Chris LeMaster) will present our achievements live at AMLE25 in Indianapolis, Indiana.