Welcome to Shirley Heim Middle School, proud home of the Timberwolves! Since 2008, our middle school has been a hub of learning, growth, and community spirit. We foster a supportive learning environment where all students demonstrate continuous improvement through high-quality instruction.
If you are visiting our school during regular hours (Monday through Friday from 8:50 am - 4:20 pm), please use the main entrance and proceed to our main office. For security purposes, a valid State or Government-issued ID is required before conducting any business on-site. Our security system scans IDs to ensure a safe environment without sharing your information with any third party. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding as we prioritize the safety and security of our school community.
Shirley Heim Middle School students are in class from 9:20 am - 3:50 pm.
Goal 1: By the spring 2026 test administration, the all student annual pass rate for reading will be 68%, and math and science will be at least 60%.
Strategy 1: All teachers will consistently incorporate language objectives and strategies to build background knowledge into their daily classroom instruction to improve academic achievement and engagement for all learners.
Strategy 2: Students will conduct at least one hands-on investigation per quarter using division-aligned resources such as discovery education, Vernier and Gizmos.
Goal 2: Part A: For the 2025-2026 school year, teachers will be strategically placed to meet the needs of all students, and in particular at-risk student groups (special education, English Learners). Part B: Throughout the 2024-2025 school year, teachers will receive ongoing training on trauma-informed teaching practices to meet the needs of at-risk students.
Strategy 1: Provide trauma informed training to all teachers and implement lessons in SEL (social emotional learning) time to address social and emotional skills of students.
Strategy 2: Master schedule development to prioritize teacher placement based on student needs and teacher strengths.
Strategy 3: Establish collaborative teaching teams to ensure consistency for instruction (general education, special education, and ESOL teachers).
Shirley was born in rural Lancaster County as one of nine children. After serving as valedictorian of her 1954 high school class she attended Mary Washington college, then later received her Master's degree from the University of Virginia. She became the director of the Stafford Head Start Program in 1967 and received an award for her excellent program after just ten months. Shirley also began the first kindergarten classes in Stafford for students who did not qualify for Head Start.
After working with Head Start for several years Shirley became the Coordinator of all Federal and State Programs for the schools. In this role she was instrumental in bringing federal dollars to the county for programs including strings classes, library books, vocational training, school nurses, and the largest Adult Education Program in our area.
In 1985 she was promoted to the Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Technology where she continued to make changes that affected the students and teachers in the county. She retired from Stafford County Public Schools in 2003.
And yet Shirley's jobs within the school district only show a portion of her impact on our community. Throughout her career, and into retirement, she was involved in numerous community projects working actively with the Lloyd Moss Free Clinic, the Riverside Foundation for the Performing Arts and the Stafford Historical Society, among many others. She continued to help all members of our community through outreach to nursing home residents, helping with the Duck Race each year and working to give each third grade student in Stafford a dictionary. These are just a few examples of her tireless work.
We are honored to have our school named after such a wonderful example of dedication to students and our community!
