Melillo

Middle School

Breaking the Rules, Building the Future: Inside Melillo Middle School

Part of the “Houston Schools That Inspire” Series

By Meron Tekle

A mentor teacher once told me, “Middle school is just a building full of people having the worst year of their lives—at the same time.” It’s funny because it’s true. Middle school is tough. Hormones, insecurity, identity, and academic pressure collide in a three-year emotional roller coaster. Most schools respond with rules. With control. With structure designed to contain the chaos.
But Thomas Melillo Middle School does something radically different.

They let go. They trust. They listen. And they’re proving that you don’t need to tighten the reins to get results. You just need to build a school around the people who walk its halls every day—students, families, and teachers.

At Melillo, they’re not just breaking the rules of traditional middle school. They’re rewriting them.

What Makes Melilo Middle School Work: Key Elements

Integrated, Authentic Learning

Academic learning spills beyond subject lines, allowing students to explore ideas in ways that feel relevant and connected. Projects are cross-curricular, co-created, and deeply engaging.

Ownership That Extends Beyond the Classroom

At Melillo, students and families help shape the school experience—from classroom culture to daily routines. Decision-making is collaborative, and relationships drive everything.

A Culture of Joy and Fresh Starts

Melillo prioritizes emotional safety and resets over punishment. Joy is a metric that matters here, with field trips, dances, and daily connections built into the fabric of school life.

Rule Broken: Stay in Your Lane.

In a typical middle school, each subject stays in its box. But curiosity doesn’t care about bell schedules.

At Melillo, learning spills across content areas and into real life. During my visit, I noticed a purple glow coming from the copy room. When I asked Principal Jennifer Sauceda about it, she smiled and said, “Let’s find out.” We opened the door together and found students experimenting with petri dishes under UV lights. It started with a math problem that referenced microorganisms—terms students didn’t understand. So instead of pushing through, the teacher paused to explore the science behind the math. She didn’t redirect curiosity—she followed it.

That’s how learning works here. Walk the halls and you’ll see murals about books designed by science teachers, Black History Month exhibits led by sixth graders, and a robotics program co-created by staff from across departments. There’s no “stay in your lane” energy. Just: do what helps kids learn.

Rule Broken: The Adults Are in Charge.

At Melillo, students don’t just have a voice—they help shape the school.

When kids asked to swap school store prizes for more PE time, staff made it happen. When students requested flexible seating—rockers, floor cushions, standing desks—they got it. Not because it was trendy, but because the adults listened. As Principal Sauceda puts it, “This is their school.”

It shows. Students here clap for each other during class. They greet adults with easy confidence. They’re not being managed—they’re being mentored. And teachers? They’re treated like professionals. Coaches guide, not dictate. PD is collaborative. Even long-term subs are supported in becoming full-time educators.

At Melillo, ownership isn’t about hierarchy. It’s about trust.

Rule Broken: Parents Are Visitors, Not Partners.

On Tuesdays and Fridays, Melillo’s front lawn turns into a family space.

Parents bring food trucks. Some eat lunch with their kids. Others join PE. Sabrina, the crossing guard, knows every student by name and mood. There’s no clear boundary between school and home—because at Melillo, family is part of the ecosystem.

And it works. Students feel supported. Adults feel seen. The community isn’t just invited in—it’s woven into daily life.

Rule Broken: Data Over Everything.

Yes, Melillo’s numbers are strong—6% above the state average in reading and 13% in math. But here’s the twist: joy isn’t sacrificed for success. It fuels it.

Discipline resets every four weeks, giving students a clean slate. Field trips and dances happen during the school day, so no one misses out. Students aren’t punished with exclusion. They’re restored with connection.

When a student told me, “I don’t like school,” the teacher across the room didn’t panic. She gave me a thumbs-up and mouthed, “Thanks for checking on him.” At Melillo, even grumpy kids are safe to be themselves.

Because progress, here, beats perfection. And joy is a metric that matters.

A School Rewritten by People, Not Policies

Melillo works because it flips the script. It’s not about control—it’s about connection. Not about compliance—but community. It’s a middle school that feels different because it is different.

A teacher once told me that leadership here is like playing in a sandbox: you look around at all the tools and people available—and then build something beautiful together. They match individual strengths to collective needs, regardless of role or title. That’s how the robotics program got funded. That’s how the choir teacher found a way to help non-verbal autistic students sing—and support their speech therapy. That’s how everything works at Melillo: they do it together.

Thomas Melillo Middle School is rewriting the rule book on what’s possible in middle school. And in doing so, they’re showing the rest of us what can happen when we trust students, center relationships, and treat joy like the powerful force it is.