Hadley Middle School

Hadley Middle School includes a rich mix of cultures, in a west side neighborhood school where the expectation of academic success in a rigorous curriculum is emphasized alongside the need to provide a well-rounded educational experience for all students.  At Hadley, we focus on excellence through a caring community where we build success for every student.

Hadley’s faculty and staff are committed to providing a positive, constructive learning environment for all students. In order to ensure student success, Hadley Middle School has embraced the AVID program school wide. This unique program encourages students to challenge themselves academically to prepare themselves for post-secondary education opportunities. Other programs such as vocal and instrumental music, art, computer technology, family and consumer science, Leadership, Student Technology Leaders (student-led integration of technology into the curriculum), foreign language, AP classes, the district's only Self-Contained middle school Gifted Education and a wide variety of special education services are also available.

Some of Hadley’s extra-curricular activities include student council, chess club, National Academic League, Optimist speech program, Leadership Drill Team, robotics, and the entire middle school athletic program.

Teachers work in teams with student groups to facilitate the transition from elementary to high school. Each team focuses on preparing students for future scholastic changes by fostering a respectful, safe, orderly environment through positive adult-student relationships.

We have experienced progressing student achievement on KS State Assessments. We believe this is due to our emphasis on reading, writing and math problem-solving and across all curricular content areas. We also promote student growth through character development and reinforcing positive behavior and personal responsibility in each student.  Other achievements include:

• National Academic League Champions or runners-up almost every year
• State Level Finalist in the National History Day Competition
• Champions or runners-up in Middle School Battle of the Books the past two years 
• Awarded grants for instructional innovation 

Exit west Kellogg at West St. Go north on West St. to 10^th St. Go west on 10^th St. to Dougherty. Go north on Dougherty to Hadley. School office is at the north end of building. See Maps for all USD 259 locations.

Vision Statement:  Hadley is a safe learning community where excellence is expected and achieved.

Mission Statement:  The community of Hadley exists to build success for every child.
 

Action Statements:  Because we as a staff believe that every student can achieve and maximize their potential now and later in life, we expect that:

• We will create an engaging learning environment based on student needs using results-based and creative methods.
• We will connect with students as role models of lifetime learning by listening and caring for them as individuals.
• We will demonstrate a positive work ethic by going the extra mile to ensure success for every student.
• We will interact positively and professionally with each other, our community, our students, and their parents.

  Top

All Hadley students, regardless of gender, ethnic, or socioeconomic background, will:

• Demonstrate competency in mathematics computation skills and problem-solving;
• Demonstrate growth in writing, utilizing the writing process; and
• Improve ability to read, analyze and comprehend written material.

Each school has a site council, which is a group of parents, community members, business representatives, teachers and other school staff. Site councils identify, consider and discuss educational problems and issues at the school. Councils provide advice and counsel for evaluating state, school district and school site performance goals and objectives. Councils may also recommend methods that may be employed at the school site to meet these goals and objectives.

The Hadley Site Council meets every other month on the 3rd Tuesday.
Meeting Days: Sept. 15,  Nov. 17, Jan. 19, Mar. 23, and May 18
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Hadley Library

• The district's only middle school Self-Contained Gifted program
• Middle School Leadership Program
• Middle School Athletic Programs
• Vocal and Instrumental Music Programs
• AVID Program
• Books and Breakfast Program
• Tutoring/Mentoring Program

• After School Recreation Program (in cooperation with the YMCA)
• NAL
• Student Council
• Battle of the Books
• Leadership Drill Team 
• School Dances
• Tutoring and Mentoring group
• Jazz Band, Honor Choir and Honor Orchestra

The W.S. Hadley Middle School was named for a man who lived on the West Side for many years. William Spencer Hadley was born in Richland, Iowa, on January 18, 1866. He moved to Beloit in 1876 and attended public schools in Beloit. After finishing his education, he became a school teacher for several years.

In 1901, Mr. Hadley moved to Wichita and was in the banking business in Wichita most of his life. For many years he was president of a bank on the west side and was active in the West Wichita Commercial League. He served as a member of the Board of City Commissioners and was, at one time, president of the Board of Trustees of Friends University. He maintained a very active interest in Friends University, in the University Friends Church, and in the national affairs  of Friends churches.

Hadley School was planned several years ahead of its actual use. The site was purchased from Ernest Clark and Mrs. Florence Davis. It was farm territory at the time, and the farm had been in the Clark family for many years. This site and the site for Bryant Elementary School were bought in cooperation with the Park Department, which owns the area immediately west of the two schools. The Park Department made a large area available to the community for school and park activities.

Leaper and Gilbert, architects, were commissioned to draw the plans and specifications for the building, and the contract was let in January of 1957. The building and site cost approximately $1,400,000. The building has about 103,000 square feet to serve approximately 1,000 pupils.

Hadley Junior High opened in the fall of 1958 with an enrollment of 432. To justify the opening of the school, the boundary line was set two blocks south of Central Avenue. In the fall of 1960, the city annexed Country Acres and Westlink, and by the fall of 1961, the enrollment was 830. The enrollment steadily increased to a peak of 1,423 in 1969. The increased enrollment required the use of portable classrooms, and 16 were placed on the site during the period of expanding pupil population.

The purchase of Madonna High School, to serve as a junior high on the west side, brought about a revision of boundaries in 1971. This helped to eliminate the need for portables, and they were removed as the pupil population stabilized. Internal revisions have included converting an industrial technology room to two classrooms. School population again increased and by 1995, it approached 1,000 students, necessitating the use of nine portables.

In the fall of 1988, all ninth graders were moved to high schools leaving seventh and eighth graders. In the fall of 1989, all junior high schools became middle schools (6-8). In the past, approximately 400 sixth graders came from Wilbur Middle School each year, for one year only, to relieve their crowded school.

From A History of Wichita Public School Buildings, c 1997