Holmes Community

Holmes International Middle School: Community

Holmes International Middle School and Humanities Magnet is located in Northridge, California, in the San Fernando Valley. It is one of hundreds of neighborhoods that make up the city of Los Angeles . Primarily a commuter community, there is little industry in Northridge. The center of Northridge is California State University, Northridge, which is located within a mile of Holmes. Northridge is a diverse community with working class and affluent neighborhoods in close proximity. The school draws students from well beyond Northridge's boundaries, enrolling students from 33 zip codes.

Holmes International Middle School is one of 74 middle schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, which has a student population of over 700,000 students. LAUSD is divided into 8 local districts. Holmes is a part of Local District One, which includes 12 high schools, 15 middle schools, 73 elementary schools, and 12 continuation and opportunity schools.

Holmes International Middle School has an active PTSA and School Site Council. This year, Holmes was the recipient of a Parent Center grant that will enable the school to expand upon their current parent education efforts, which currently include offering the Parent Institute for Quality Education. A nonprofit organization, the Parent Institute for Quality Education offers a nine-week course for parents that includes classes on college planning and how to become more involved in your child's education.

Holmes has forged relationships with the community to develop programs that benefit the students. In developing their special education inclusion program, the faculty worked closely with professors from California State University, Northridge to ensure the program would reflect the most effective practices based on current research. In AVID classrooms, college students volunteer as tutors. In turn, Holmes students visit a neighboring elementary school to read to and work with students in early-grade classrooms. A recipient of a California GEAR UP grant, Holmes has taken advantage of its proximity to several premier universities to help build a college-going culture. For example, the school regularly participates in UCLA's “I'm Going to College” program to provide opportunities for students to attend athletic events, meet with college students and take campus tours.

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