Robert Goddard Montessori - List of Schools - Middle Schools

Middle Schools

Intermediate schools are referred to as "middle schools" in the PGCPS system, and operate as either grades 6–8 middle schools or Grades 7–8 middle schools. Grades 7–9 Junior High Schools were phased out in the mid-1980s. In the last few years, efforts have been made to convert most middle schools to the more popular Grades 6–8 model. Issues in the past such as over-enrollment, lack of classroom space, and funding, had made it hard to convert all middle schools to a Grades 6–8 configuration, but with increased funding and the addition of new middle schools, the transitions is slowly being made. As of SY2012–2013, only ten of the 24 middle schools in the school district, retain the old Grades 7-8 configuration. Most middle schools in Prince George's County operate with a "comprehensive" model, as their base. Most students are assigned to a middle school based on an "attendance area." Most magnet programs operate as a "School-Within-A-School" model, where the magnet serves as an alternative program---in addition to the main comprehensive program---and students from outside the regular attendance area of the middle school are enrolled and accepted into the magnet, either through continuity (automatic continuation from an elementary school magnet program to the middle school level equivalent) or more commonly, through a Magnet Lottery, where students apply for a magnet program and are granted acceptance through a random drawing. Almost all middle schools have a whole-school "Signature Program" that includes a specialized program of instruction which is the foundation of the schools comprehensive program. All middle schools in the PGCPS operate on a staggered school day schedule, where some middle schools start as early as 7:30 am and the end as early as 2:50 pm, and other middle schools start as late as 9:00 am and end as late as 4:20 pm. All middle schools operate on a modified block scheduling system, where some classes meet for as long as 70-minutes, daily. For the SY2012-13 and beyond, an additional 40-minutes of instruction time has been added to the school day for all middle schools and their students, within the school district. In a cooperative effort of the county government, Board of Education, and the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), some M-NCPPC community centers are physically connected to middle schools, throughout the district. The unique community park/school centers currently features shared use areas which include: a gymnasium; multi-purpose room; exercise/fitness room; dance room; arts and crafts room; computer lab; offices; storage areas; patio area; and restrooms. There are tennis courts and unlighted fields located, on-site, at select centers.