Richards Middle School

Walter Allen Richards Middle School is a public school within the Muscogee County, Georgia School District with an enrollment of about 750 students [ [http://www.mcsdga.net/schools/middle/richards.html MCSD School Profiles - Middle Schools - Richards Middle School ] ] .

History

Richards was established around the early to mid 1950s as one of the most prestigious middle schools in the cityFact|date=March 2007. Richards was a segregated school during its first few years, but after the United States Supreme Court mandated that all schools were to be integrated in 1954, following its ruling that the doctrine, "separate but equal" was not true, Richards became an integrated school.

In the year 2004, Richards incorporated a new magnet program, the I.B. (International Baccalaureate) Programme (Middle Years Programme). The introduction of this program boosted the school's grade average and attracted many studentsFact|date=March 2007.

Mission

The mission of Richards Middle School is to challenge students in transition with seamless, contemporary, and diverse learning experiences which enable them to master basic skills and to meet high expectations in an environment of mutual trust and respect.

Partner in Education

Columbus Water Works, Lockheed-Martin Corporation

chool Awards

Math Counts Team - competed at state level, State Science Fair Grand Winner, State Social Science Fair participants, History Day student is competing at National Finals, Several students won writing and oratorical contests, Riverfest Art contest winners, Two music students selected to attend Interlochen Arts Camp, All-State Band and Chorus participants, Thirty All-District Orchestra participants

Parent Involvement

PTSA fundraising, Parent volunteers, Super Warrior Day sponsored by the Columbus Water Works, Speakers for classrooms, Office and Classroom volunteer program, Accelerated Reader incentives supported by the community, Financial support for the Annual Awards Program, Financial support for technology in the classrooms

Guidance Services Offered

Classroom Guidance,Small Group Guidance,Individual Counseling,Attend parent conferences per request from parent and/or teacher

chool Programs & Special Programs

Gifted Education Special Education, Accelerated Studies Program

River Kids Network,Peer Helpers, Guidance Department-Counseling groups

After School Programs

Sports - Golf, Football, Basketball, Track, Tennis, Soccer, Cheerleading, Volleyball; Student Council, National Junior Honor Society, Annual and Tomahawk Staff, Model United Nations, School Newspaper StaffScience Olympiad, Math and Math Counts Team, National History Day Competition, Band, Orchestra and Chorus, Spelling Bee, Geography Bee,Science Fair,Social Science Fair, Nu-Lites

tudent Incentive Programs

Super Warrior Day-every 9 weeks, Perfect Attendance Awards, Annual Awards Day-Recognition for academic success, citizenship, and attendance; National Junior Honor Society, Honor Roll Spring Picnic

IB Program

The Richards Middle School International Baccalaureate Magnet Program is a program of advanced study in all academic areas designed to meet the educational needs of high-ability and high-achieving students. The program includes a full year of foreign language study in all three years of the program as well as instruction in technology, art, music, and drama. These subject areas will be presented using a cooperative learning approach in order to emphasize the connectivity of all areas.

As the name suggests, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program is used in countries around the globe. The curriculum is offered from the prospective of a world citizen rather than as the citizen of just one country. This ensures global social responsibility and empathy. To this same end, we require community and service volunteerism of each IB Magnet student.

Five IBO-mandated "Areas of Interaction" are used to provide a specific perspective for the presentation of every lesson. These provide a focus for the data, which helps the students to understand how the lesson impacts their lives as well as the lives of others. Application of these Areas of Interaction assures practical application of lessons learned.

The Richards IB Magnet program is project-based. This allows personalized application as well as cooperative problem-solving when using and applying new material. We use creative journals in every class to assist students in developing individualized systems of product production (projects, essays, artwork, musical performances) which result in a finished work based on subject application.

Our goal is to provide an excellent program of academic and artistic subjects designed by the International Baccalaureate Organization to meet the needs of our high-achieving students.

And it's soooooooo lame. Trust me. I would know.

Notes

http://www.mcsdga.richards.net (all information received from here)

http://www.rmsband.org