Leading the Tween Brigade

For most parents, the middle school years are tricky territory. Kids aren"t yet highly hormonal and distant like they can be in high school, but they also aren"t as dependant as they were when they were younger. Schools, of course, face the challenge of navigating's and educating's these growing minds every day. Luckily for students at the all-girls Hewitt School, middle school head Justine Hoffman loves being in charge of the tween brigade. â??It"s the greatest, she said, the enthusiasm palpable in her voice. â??I think middle school is the most important part of any young girl"s life. She"s cultivating her personality at that point, testing, trying and exploring. It"s my job as middle school head to help her navigate this very challenging time. Hoffman is in charge of more than 200 girls in grades 4 through 8. â??Being part of middle school is like being part of life itself, she said, adding, â??At 8:30, they are 4th graders and by 9:30, they"re trying out their 7th grade personalities. It"s constant high energy and you have to be understanding about what the kids are going through. Hoffman"s enthusiasm for middle school, she says, comes from her own experiences studying at the Cohasset Middle School in Cohasset, Mass. â??I had a marvelous experience in school with extraordinarily strong teachers, she said. â??It"s not just the rigor of academics, but also recognizing what the kids have to offer. Hoffman went on to earn a bachelor of arts in speech communication from Boston College, and two masters of education in curriculum development and educational administration from De Paul University in Chicago. In New York, she worked at the Kew-Forest School in Forest Hills, where she served as head of middle school from 1997 to 2003, before moving to Hewitt. Administrators often know they are doing a good job when they have parents on their side. â??She is amazing, said parent Joanne Sternlieb. â??She understands middle school girls like no one else. Sternlieb recalled an instance when her daughter, Michelle, felt ill but decided to go to school anyway. She was sent home in a few hours. Michelle insisted on returning the next day as well, only to be sent home again. â??Imagine what 11-year-old wants to go to school, even if she was unwell, Sternlieb said. â??Those kids just love school. Hoffman"s focus, she added, extends beyond academics, as she works to instill a sense of self-confidence in her charges. â??Justine understands that for young girls to do well in school, they don"t just need to focus on academics, Sternlieb said, â??but also have a secure sense of friendship. She understands that, that"s why the girls do so well.