About Eastern Middle School

     School ImprovementPlan

     Core Values

    • Every child can learn and succeed.
    • The pursuit of excellence is fundamental and unending.
    • An ethical school requires fair treatment, honesty, openness, integrity, and respect.
    • A high quality school strives to be responsive and accountable to the students and families

    Vision

    All students are entitled to exemplary instruction in a safe and orderly environment. All students will receive the instruction, encouragement and opportunities they need to build the knowledge and skills required to become contributing citizens of a global society.

     

    Mission

    To build a foundation for the success of all students by developing respectful relationships, providing rigorous instruction, and maintaining high expectations.

     

    Building History

    Eastern Jr. High School, as it was originally named, was built in 1951. Westland Jr. High School was built that same year. Together, they were the third and fourth middle schools in Montgomery County with only the Takoma-Silver Spring School and the Takoma Park Jr. High predating them. Both Eastern and Westland were named for the geographic areas of Montgomery County that they served.

      

    Physical Environment

    Though our foundation is aging, our physical environment still represents the culture of our students, staff, and community. There is a circle that welcomes parents and students outside the front of the building adorned by a beautiful garden that is maintained through a partnership with local gardeners and our student volunteers. Eastern is a two-story building with an “H” shaped structure. The top open space of the “H” holds our courtyard that provides a sanctuary for our students and staff, as well as, a haven for our science explorations. The student generated and funded mural decorating our hallway was completed by artist Helina Metaferia last year and depicts 100 years of work and play as a middle school student. Even our media center is furnished with large plush chairs and stools to create a warm, comfortable, and inviting area for learning. These little oasis-like areas create places people want to be. However, there are a number of barren walls and institutional hallways. Most of Eastern’s classrooms boast Promethean Boards to engage students in the learning process. OCTO completed the technology refurbish this past summer, the summer of 2011.

    Special Programs

    Eastern has many special programs designed to enhance our instructional program to meet the diverse linguistic, academic, cultural, and socio-economic needs of our students and community.

    • The Multidisciplinary Educational Training and Support (METS) program is designed to provide our ten English Language Learners who have had limited and/or interrupted education the linguistic, academic, and culture supports they need to facilitate articulation to non-METS classes.
    • Eastern also serves motivated students who typically exceed middle school academic measures in our highly competitive application Humanities and Communication Magnet Program. This program increases the diversity at Eastern exponentially by welcoming students from a geographic area that spans half of Montgomery County.
    • Due to our high population of students and families in our community impacted by poverty, Eastern houses a Linkages to Learning Program. Linkages is a collaborative initiative that provides counseling services, health and parent education activities, and social services to our students and families in our building and in our community. Linkages currently has 25 students and their families actively on their mental health caseload.
    • Eastern has two special education programs, Emotional Disabilities and Learning and Academic Disabilities, and has two special education resource teachers to lead these and serve our 74 special education students.
    • Eastern is also a Phase II Middle School Reform school. The reform reorganized the super ILT that was historically in place into a larger group of representative stakeholders. As teachers and leaders were learning about the adolescent learner, collaborative planning, and rigorous instruction, new technologies and advanced and engaging new courses were adopted to ensure that the instruction provided best meets the needs of our students.
    • Eastern has adopted the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) model to support our safe, effective program by providing clear behavior expectations that are positively reinforced for our students. The Eastern Eagles’ values are Responsibility, Respect, and Relationships. When students demonstrate these values through their actions and words, they are awarded an Eagle Wing. The Eagle Wing can later be used for various school incentives and rewards, such as being first in the lunch line or getting in to a dance for free.