Entering Middle School

Middle school can be a challenging time for students. It’s a period of rapid change, from academic expectations to social pressures, and often, it’s the first time students are discovering who they are and how they fit into the world around them. They are discovering their identities, building essential skills, and shaping their social circles. An effective activities program at a schools site creates opportunities for students to connect, engage, and thrive, contributing to both personal and academic growth. One of the core values of a good activities program is inclusion. Middle school activities that appeal to a wide range of interests help ensure that every student has a place to belong. When activities are diverse there’s something for everyone. This inclusivity helps students feel valued, seen, and accepted.

So what exactly do middle school Activity Directors do? What kind of activity programs do they produce?

Middle school activity directors are key to creating an engaging, inclusive, and supportive school environment. They are responsible for designing, implementing, and managing programs that encourage student involvement, develop leadership skills, and build a positive school culture. The unique fact about middle school activity directors is that they not only create the school culture, but they also are responsible for teaching a completely separate content area for 90% of the day. As you can imagine, that is one busy load, and one big job!

Activity directors are responsible for creating a calendar of events that includes school dances,  spirit weeks, cultural celebrations, assemblies, lunch time games  intramural sports, donation drives, fundraising and other extracurricular activities. They often collaborate with the other student leadership groups to make sure events reflect student interests and promote positive school culture.

At Aliso Viejo Middle School, our ASB fosters a welcoming  environment where students can feel connected to their school and each other, while at the same time feel connected to their community. A strong activities program at this level is about more than just filling time; it’s about helping young people find themselves, connect with others, and build the skills to thrive during a time that can feel confusing and stressful.

Why a Strong Activities Program Matters

Engaging in extracurricular activities isn’t just a way to have fun, though fun is important. A thriving activities program at the middle school level supports students in ways that lay the foundation for lifelong skills and relationships. It is no wonder that students who participate in school-based activities tend to have better attendance, higher academic performance, and improved social skills.

Key Benefits of having a successful ASB program:

Building a Sense of Belonging and Community #AVMSCARES

Middle school can be an intimidating experience for many students, and a strong activities program helps create a safe space where everyone feels welcome. At AVMS, our ASB organizes events that encourage students to express themselves and showcase school spirit. These events unite our students across grade levels, fostering a school-wide sense of belonging that makes Aliso Viejo feel like a second home. We love our Aliso Community.

Supporting Academic Achievement and Positive Behavior

Students who are involved in extracurricular activities are often more motivated in their academics. Activities programs create a positive academic environment by supporting recognition programs like “Student of the Month” and “Honor Roll” celebrations, which acknowledge students’ hard work and accomplishments. These initiatives motivate students to stay focused on their studies and maintain good behavior, knowing their efforts are celebrated.

Promoting Mental Health and Emotional Well-being

Activities like clubs, sports, and student-led groups (such as ASB) create spaces where students can connect with peers who share their interests. This sense of belonging is essential for positive mental health, especially during middle school, a time when students are developing social identities and are highly influenced by peer relationships. Having a supportive, engaging activities program is one way to help students navigate this time.

Positive Behavior Intervention Strategies (PBIS)

ASB programs often coordinate reward systems, like recognition awards or points-based systems, that acknowledge students for demonstrating positive behaviors aligned with PBIS expectations (such as respect, responsibility, and readiness to learn). By providing incentives like certificates, events, or school-wide shout-outs, ASBs reinforce the desired behaviors PBIS aims to promote, contributing to a positive school climate. At our school we use the online 5- Star Program, 5-Star Students which is a web-based platform that helps schools track and encourage student involvement in school activities and events. Students use their points to buy special rewards and prizes from our online store, and thus are rewarded for their positive behavior.

Intramural Sports – More than friendly competition

Participation in activities such as intramurals gives students opportunities to learn new skills, set goals, and experience success. At our school site we run an intramural program that gets well over 250 students participating in each sport. We do this by making the program take place at lunch which makes it accessible, as well as allow the kids to make their own teams, which provides community and builds confidence. ASB’s organize the tournaments, create the rules, train the referees, develop the brackets, and design the trophies. Having a strong activities program, one where students want to be involved and play, like our sports program helps to promotes teamwork but also physical health.

Creating Lifelong Memories

Finally, a thriving activities program ensures that students will look back on their middle school years with happy memories. Our ASB hosts events for all students in all grades. We use student input surveys to find out what our students truly want on their campus, and what type of activities they actually want to engage with. When you allow students to take part in creating the activities, they are much more likely to participate and help to promote the positive school culture we all aim for. Through ASB, we create a balanced school experience that values both academic and social development all while creating special moments and memories.

by Sara Karimi-Hosseini

• Social Science 8 Teacher, Social Science Department Chair, ASB Activities Director
• Aliso Viejo Middle School