Ryan Gloyer Middle School (RGMS) is one of only 12 exemplary Middle Grades Schools in Pennsylvania to be named a 2025–26 PA Don Eichhorn Schools: “Schools to Watch” by the Pennsylvania Association for Middle Level Education (PAMLE) as part of a recognition program developed by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform. Ryan Gloyer Middle School is receiving this honor as a fifth redesignation, having first earned the distinction during the 2010–11 school year.

The PA Schools to Watch program recognizes middle schools that demonstrate academic excellence, developmental responsiveness, social equity, and strong organizational structures and processes. Schools must undergo a rigorous application and review process every three years to maintain the designation.

“This recognition is especially meaningful because of the feedback we receive through the Schools to Watch process,” said Trisha Butschle, Ryan Gloyer Middle School principal. “The visiting committee takes the time to speak with our students, teachers and staff, and they often recognize strengths within our school community that we don’t always see in ourselves. Achieving re-designation would not be possible without the collective efforts of everyone in our building.”

As part of the re-designation process, members of the PAMLE Don Eichhorn Schools to Watch Committee visited Ryan Gloyer Middle School to observe classrooms and engage in conversations with students, teachers, administrators and other staff members. The visit allows schools to receive meaningful feedback while reflecting on current practices and identifying opportunities for continued growth.

District leadership also emphasized the importance of the recognition.

“The Pennsylvania Schools to Watch designation is a testament to the outstanding leadership, collaboration and dedication of the Ryan Gloyer Middle School staff,” said Dr. Sean McCarty, Deputy Superintendent of the Seneca Valley School District. “Their commitment to high expectations, student engagement and continuous growth makes this recognition especially meaningful.”

Ryan Gloyer Middle School will be formally recognized during the Pennsylvania Association for Middle Level Education State Conference in February 2026 at the Crowne Plaza in King of Prussia. The school will also receive national recognition at the National Forum’s National Schools to Watch Conference in Washington, D.C., in June 2026. A local celebration will be held at Ryan Gloyer Middle School later this spring.

The Schools to Watch selection process begins with a written application requiring schools to demonstrate how they meet criteria established by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform. Schools that meet the criteria receive an on-site visit from a state team that observes classrooms, interviews administrators, teachers, students, and staff, and reviews achievement data, lesson quality, and student work.

Schools are recognized for a three-year period and must demonstrate progress on identified goals to be re-designated. Unlike one-time recognition programs, Schools to Watch emphasizes continuous improvement and sustained growth.

Launched in 1999, Schools to Watch is a national program designed to identify middle schools that meet or exceed research-based criteria for effective middle-level education. More than 700 schools across 20 states have been recognized through the program.