Ayer Introduction

Toby Johnson Middle School: Program

The power of the Toby Johnson Middle School model comes from the interdisciplinary teams that “loop” with their students from the seventh to the eighth grade, and the innovative 4 x 4 block schedule that not only provides students with additional minutes of instruction in both math and language arts, but also ensures that students have access to over 18 electives classes on campus. The school year is divided into four nine-week terms. Each term, students take four 90-minute classes. The core academic program consists of humanities, math, science, physical education, and a reading/math “bridge” class. During each term, students have three core classes and one elective class. Toby Johnson students have a longer school day because our schedule is based on the state-mandated high school minute requirement, not the middle school requirement. The school is entering its fifth year of operation and the school's API, which was 792 in 2003, has risen to 835 over a four-year period of time.

Along with the core curriculum, students have access to our elective program each term. Students are free to take a different class each term or they can pick classes that meet for more than one term. In addition to high school-level world language classes (Spanish, French and Japanese), students can select AVID, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, Art, Computer Technology I or II, Exploring Technology, Consumer Family Life, Drama, Criminology, Web Design, Yearbook, Public Speaking, Video Production, Medieval Madness, Foundations, Choir, Science Explore, and Leadership.

The school employs three counselors who maintain the school's advocacy program in addition to their regular counseling duties. Counselors are assigned (by team) to a caseload that they follow for both years, and the school shares a school psychologist with the adjacent high school. There are three administrators on campus. The teachers on each interdisciplinary team share a common planning period and one of the teachers on the team acts as the “Team Leader.” The school maintains a common disciplinary program that all teachers, counselors, administrators, and teams subscribe to, and all of our behavioral interventions “flow” into a common behavioral contract.

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