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Meet Michael Hervey, Head of Middle School

Michael Hervey believes middle school should be filled with challenge, encouragement and plenty of joy. As ULS’s new Head of Middle School, he is focused on creating a community where every student feels known, supported and excited to come to school each day.

Hervey recently shared more about the experiences that shaped him as an educator, what middle school students need most from the adults around them and what he is looking forward to as he trades New York City for Michigan.

What experiences have most shaped the educator and school leader you are today?

There are two big ones. When I attended graduate school at the University of Montana, I really fell in love with the counseling side of education and the importance of supporting students socially and emotionally, as well as academically.

Teaching in Hawaii was also a transformative experience for me. I spent six years at one school there and loved every minute of it. It helped me realize that education is not only about having a great lesson to teach. It is also about bringing fun and joy into each day. We are going to do some hard things, but we can also have a great time while doing them.

You have described middle school as “unique and magical.” What draws you to this age group?

Middle school is a time when students can make mistakes and keep going. It is a rare point in life because, as people get older, they often become more hesitant to take a chance or risk making a mistake. Middle school students move a million miles a minute. They try things, they make mistakes and that is OK.

The most important thing adults can do is encourage them. We can be there to help put the pieces back together, provide guardrails and encourage students to pursue whatever passion or interest they may have at that moment. They need to know, “I’m here for you. I’m cheering you on, and if it doesn’t go well, we’ll try again.”

You want every student to feel seen, heard and valued. What does that look like during an ordinary school day?

One thing I take a great deal of pride in is making sure no student feels alone. Every student should have someone they can go to, a friend they can sit with before school or at lunch and teachers they can talk to. They should have people who know them not only as students, but also as individuals.

You never want to see a student without a home. Whether it is theater, athletics, robotics or a club, you help each student find their people and the place where they belong. I want students to have something that makes them excited to return to school—a friend they cannot wait to see, a favorite teacher they want to learn from or an activity they love.

Is that sense of connection even more important for students today?

Absolutely. I have noticed that students spend less time socializing face to face outside of school. They may connect through a video game or a 12-person FaceTime call, but you do not see as much of the old-fashioned hanging out that many of us did growing up.

That makes school especially important because it is such a meaningful social outlet for students. It is where they see their friends, learn alongside their peers and experience being part of a community. You can see how excited many students are to return after summer because they have missed that connection.

At the end of your first year, what would make you feel it had been successful?

It is difficult to identify one metric. For me, it will be about the feeling in the air and the excitement students have about what comes next.

I want sixth graders to be excited about entering seventh grade because they cannot wait to take a certain class, complete a project or go on the ropes course. I want seventh graders to look forward to becoming the leaders of the Middle School as eighth graders. And I want our eighth graders to leave thinking, “I really loved middle school. I found my best friend, discovered a new interest and challenged myself academically.”

Families will be the true test because students will go home and talk about their days. It may be hard to measure, but you can feel it when students are happy to be at school.

What would your middle school self think about you becoming a Head of Middle School?

I think he would laugh. He would say, “Really? You’re the person whose office students have to visit when they get in trouble?”

I always wanted to be a teacher, but I never envisioned myself becoming an administrator. I think my middle school self would get a kick out of it.

What was your “thing” in middle school?

Sports. I was a very active kid, and I think my mom decided the best way for me to use some of that energy was to put me in every sport possible. Whether I was good, bad or somewhere in between, I still had to do it.

I played soccer, baseball, football and basketball, and I swam. We had a rule that once you attended the first practice, you had to finish the season. You did not have to play again the following year, but you could not quit halfway through. There was a good lesson in that.

When you are not at school, what are you most likely to be doing?

I am probably outside. Whether I am walking, playing a sport, gardening or reading a book, I love spending time outdoors.

I am a big believer in the power of going for a walk. You can walk almost anywhere, and it will make you feel better.

As you trade New York for Michigan, what will you miss most—and what are you most excited to discover here?

Interestingly, what I will miss and what I am most excited about are closely connected. I will miss the hustle and bustle of New York City. There is never a dull moment. You are surrounded by thousands of people from different places and cultures, and you have access to almost anything you could ever want to do.

At the same time, I am looking forward to a change of pace. I am excited to slow down, sleep with the windows open without hearing sirens at all hours and exploring Michigan. People are always recommending another beautiful place or lake to visit, and I feel as though I have only scratched the surface.