N.R. Burger Middle School (2023)

N.R. Burger Middle School is a dynamic learning community that promotes college and career ready students who are prepared to succeed in a diverse, global society. A strong emphasis on college and career readiness, it is the desire of our school district for students to be equipped with the knowledge and tools necessary to be successful on a college campus, in a work environment, or in a branch of our armed forces. As a school, we are always strategizing and brainstorming ways to provide our students with awareness of our district goals. Additionally, our beloved community partners, wholeheartedly, collaborate with us to promote these valuable learning opportunities.

Hattiesburg, Mississippi, is rich in culture and tradition. Henceforth, we continue to enhance that culture and tradition throughout the hallways of the buildings that make up Hattiesburg Public Schools. A “college town,” Hattiesburg is no stranger to the presence and noted work of sororities and fraternities in the Pine Belt area. The makeup and foundation of these organizations encompasses the very essence of culture and tradition. With some longstanding relationships and some new, N.R. Burger has received a lot of support from our local Black Greek Letter sororities and fraternities. In fact, our school, N.R. Burger, is named after the late Nathaniel Richard Burger, a very well-respected principal here in Hattiesburg and also a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. Striving to empower our students, it is vital that we communicate the importance of education, scholarship, strong principles, and community service. Black Greek Letter Organizations (BLGOs) embody the aforementioned concepts, and their members have been dedicated and committed to working with Burger’s staff and students in an effort to uphold our mission, vision, and goals. There are nine BLGOs that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council and that are referred to as “The Divine Nine.”

Members of five of these organizations: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, along with our other community partners, have volunteered their time, provided financial support, and donated tangible items to help promote academic proficiency and social responsibility among our Burger students and to show appreciation to our faculty and staff members for their hard work. Effective student preparation requires teaching and modeling from adults. Members of the BLGOs who have partnered with N.R. Burger are leading our students by example and presenting us with an experience we have affectionately coined as “Divine Intervention.” Their work, as well as the work of our other partners on this campus, has been and still is crucial in order for our students to achieve and maintain the following:
1) Academic Proficiency - maintain the number of students who are meeting and/or exceeding academic expectations
2.) Social Responsibility - maintain good attendance-average daily attendance (ADA) among students; maintain appropriate behavior demonstrated by students (decrease office referrals)