John Glenn Program

John Glenn Middle School of International Studies: Program

John Glenn Middle School is divided into grade level academies. Currently there are two sixth-grade, two seventh-grade, and two eighth-grade academies, plus two additional mixed grade-level academies for students in our Opportunities and Severely Handicapped Programs. Academies are all designated by a self-chosen, documented, celestial phenomenon, discovery, or space-related achievement giving homage to our namesake; the foremost recognized pioneer in space exploration, John Glenn. Students all participate in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) which mandates an education in eight curriculum areas: language arts, mathematics, science, humanities, physical education, world language, technology, and fine arts.

Students with more specialized needs – i.e., Gifted and Talented Education (GATE), English Language Learners (ELL), and Resource Specialist Program (RSP) – are clustered in core subjects. Academies are given a year to hone their skills with at most two of the different cluster types. The RSP clusters are given the additional support of a co-teacher in core subjects of math and language arts and an aide who provides secondary support in science and humanities. Our English language learners are supported through separate courses in reading and writing, plus either a humanities or a science course utilizing intensive language acquisition strategies and relevant technologies.

Our IBMYP leadership team, composed of teachers and administrators with a student and parent steering committee, have developed an innovative Honors/High Honors program for all three grade levels. The program integrates our MYP learner profile with the Areas of Interaction, standards-based learning, AVID methodologies, Schools to Watch philosophy, student choice and community service.

JGMS prides itself on providing students with as much choice as possible when it comes to electives. Our teachers have developed comprehensive programs in world language, fine arts, and technology. Specific courses include drama, advanced drama, drama/tech, art, advanced art, robotics, video productions, technology, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), ASB, Renaissance, Yearbook, beginning band, intermediate band and concert band. Our video productions team provides daily news to our student body and films public service announcements for clubs, organizations, and staff related to current events, or fund-raising.

Due to the hard work of students, staff and parents, scholastic and after-school programs are recognized with awards extending to the national and global levels. Our students have consistently dominated district-level science fair and history day competitions. JGMS has competed and placed nationally in Robotics & BotBall. Our AVID program has earned JGMS the distinction of National Demonstration School . Our Odyssey of the Mind team has placed in State Competition and earned as high as third place in World Competition. The efforts of our Student Crew resulted in an unprecedented repeat National Placement for The Most Successful Scholastic Book Fairs (2005, 2006).

California League of Middle Schools
6615 East Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 120, Long Beach, California 90803
Voice: 562/430-3136 or 800/326-1880 . . . FAX: 562/430-5607. . . E-Mail: info@clms.net