ALT Did You Know? In sixth grade, only a third of friendships endure through the school year, research shows. By 12th grade, just 1 percent of middle school friendships remain intact. Most friendships aren't built to last. To help kids preserve existing friendships, consider letting close friends chat and work together periodically, while also helping middle schoolers understand that moving on from old friendships and creating new ones is just a natural part of life. Sources: Hartl, Laursen, and Cillessen, 2015; Lessard and Juvonen, 2018

ALT "A kid said something funny in class today and the entire room, myself included, burst out laughing and could not stop for several very long, very joyous minutes. I was in tears. That won’t show up in any data sheet, but it matters too." —Marcus Luther, Teacher