Richards Middle School Magnet Open House

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Art Club:&nbsp;Richards Middle School Art Club offers a variety of art related activities to students through an after school program.&nbsp;&nbsp;During art club, students will be creating personal artwork, creating artwork as a group for Richards, creating the artwork and sets for our plays and musicals, and will participate in art contests.

Broadcast Team: This group of students (6-8 students) will conduct the morning announcements that are broadcasted to the school every morning.

Builder’s Club:&nbsp;Builder's Club is an international student-led organization providing members with opportunities to perform service, build character and develop leadership.&nbsp;They have four core values: character building, leadership, inclusiveness, and caring.

Chess Club:&nbsp;Play chess! Work on strategies and discuss chess scenarios. Prepare for the school level chess competition!&nbsp;All students are welcome to attend.&nbsp;Stop in for a game or come learn how to play the game of chess!&nbsp;&nbsp;

Drama Club:&nbsp;Drama Club&nbsp;is the most entertaining club at Richards Middle School. We provide dramatic programing for beginners and intermediate levels.&nbsp;The club includes acting games, workshops to improve acting skills, field trips to other plays, and we put on a show in the spring.

Service learning activities provide the foundation for character development and enhance our community values. Our students volunteer individually at organizations of their choice and/or they help with school-wide projects.

Richards Middle School The Journey Begins Here...

Richards Middle School (RMS) creates an environment where students are challenged to excellence.&nbsp;The teachers and the curriculum help students prepare for high school, higher education and life-long learning.&nbsp;This process begins with earnest in the middle school. RMS students are nurtured and challenged to develop intellectually and socially.

IB students will take Spanish classes all three years of middle school earning high school Spanish 1 credit.

The six Global Contexts give the MYP its distinctive core. They are taught in a coherent and creative way over the five years of the programme primarily through the subjects, but also through interdisciplinary teaching, projects and special programs. The six contexts are:

1. Go to <a href="https://apps.muscogee.k12.ga.us/Magnet/ ">MCSD website</a> to start your child's application. 2. In the application, you will choose which date your child will take the IB entrance exam. 3. Bring you child to test at Richards Middle School on the date you signed up for. 4. You will receive an e-mail on March 8, 2024 (after 5:00 p.m.) stating whether your child was accepted, wait listed or denial to each program you applied 6. On March 15, 2024, parents/legal guardians must have made a decision and accepted one offer by 11:59 p.m. on this date or all offers are rescinded.

Testing dates: December 2, 2023 December 9, 2023 January 20, 2024 January 27, 2024 February 3, 2024

Testing Time: Doors will open at 8:30 AM. Doors will close and the test will start promptly at 9:00 AM. The test will be conducted from 9-10:15 AM. Location: Richards Middle School Cafeteria (located in the back of the school off of Nancy St).

National History Day is considered the most prestigious historical research competition for students in middle school and high school, attracting more than 600,000 participants who compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships and prizes annually. In 2016, RMS had a student win 1st place in the nation in her category.

National PTA Reflection Winner in Film Production.

Fairness and development is concerned with exploring rights and responsibilities; relationship between communities; sharing finite resources with other people and with other living things; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.

Personal and cultural expression is concerned with exploring the ways in which we discover and express our feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.

Listed are a few school-wide activities students have participated in: Toys for Tots, March of Dimes Walk at Callaway Gardens, providing snack items for the Warrior Transition Unit, donating items to PAWS, and conducting a luncheon for the school cafeteria and custodians at RMS.

Our coaches mentor the students not just during the athletic season but throughout the school year.&nbsp;

Peer Helpers: To equip young people to act as a resource to help other youth with the issues they face, the concept of “peer helping” was developed. Peer Helpers are students who are trained to recognize when their peers may have a problem, listen to fellow students confidentially and assist them with emotional, societal, or academic struggles.

Velocity:&nbsp;This club is designed for 7th and 8th graders who want to make a positive impact in their school.&nbsp;Velocity will help develop leadership skills, teach about integrity, and have fun while making new friends.

Spanish Club:&nbsp;Explores cultural topics, people and places of Spanish speaking countries. Video Gamers Club:&nbsp;This club is to inform, entertain, and understand video games and the video game industry. &nbsp;

Warriors For Christ:&nbsp;Introduces adolescents to Jesus Christ and helps them grow in their faith.&nbsp;It is a club which builds bridges of authentic friendships.&nbsp;

Special Accommodations: If your child has an IEP or 504, please indicate testing accommodations required in the application.&nbsp;You will be contacted to coordinate a date and time for your student to test with accommodations.&nbsp;&nbsp; Testing Materials Requirements: Students will take the written entrance exam. We will provide pencil and paper for them. Students who do not sign up for a testing date and complete the online application before the testing date selected will not be allowed to test. If you need to change your testing date, you may reopen the application and select a new date, but you must resubmit the application in order for that change to take place.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Identities and relationships is concerned with exploring identities; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities and cultures; what it means to be human.

Orientation in space and time is concerned with exploring personal histories; homes and journeys; turning points in humankind; discoveries; explorations and migrations of human-kind; the relationships between, and the interconnectedness of, individuals and civilizations, from personal, local and global perspectives.

National History Day:&nbsp;This group will meet to discuss and improve their National History Day Project that will be submitted to the school competition with the hopes of the student’s project advancing to regional, state, and national competition.

*Robotics:&nbsp;The Richards Middle School Robotic's Program offers students the opportunity to get hands-on experience programming robots to solve problems. The program uses LEGO MINDStorm robots and a computer program that allows visual programming of the robots. Students can learn how to program the robots to accomplish tasks of varying complexity. Students can also design and build challenges for robots to solve. Students of the Richards Robotics team will be eligible to compete in the district's robotics competition. Teams must solve a problem that requires research, creative thinking, teamwork, and robot programming skills.

*Science Bowl:&nbsp;Science Bowl is a highly competitive science education and academic event among teams of middle school students who compete in a fast-paced verbal forum to solve technical problems and answer questions in all branches of science and math.&nbsp;Each team is composed of four students, one alternate student, and a coach.&nbsp;&nbsp;

*Science Olympiad:&nbsp;Science Olympiad competitions are like academic track meets consisting of a series of 23 individual and team events. Students select events that interest them and meet with coaches for training once or twice a week.&nbsp;Emphasis is placed on active, hands-on, group participation. Depending on the event signed up for, students can build a device, take a written test, answer questions verbally, or sometimes a combination of both.&nbsp;&nbsp;

2019-2020 Muscogee County Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Champions 2019-2020 FLL Robotics Champions Award 2019-2020 PAGE Academic Bowl State Competitors 2019-2020 Optimist Oratorical Contest (Grades 6-12) Winner 2019-2020 Georgia Science &amp; Engineering Fair Regional 1st Place Winners, State Participants 2019-2020 Football City Champions 2019-2020 Fall Golf B-League Champions 2019-2020 Tennis League Placers 2018-2019 Georgia Science &amp; Engineering Fair Regional 1st Place Winners, State Participants 2018-2019 Atlanta Urban Debate State Champions - Team Varsity Division 2018-2019 Atlanta Urban Debate State Champions - Team Novice Division 2018-2019 Atlanta Urban Debate State Champions - Individual Speaker - Novice Division 2018-2019 Region Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Champions 2018-2019 Muscogee County Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Champions 2017-2018 Muscogee County Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Champions 2017-2018 Boys Soccer City Champions 2016-2017 First Place - Jr. Varsity Division - Robotics Competition 2016-2017 Academic Bowl Regional Winners 2016-2017 Academic Bowl State Winners 2016-2017 Muscogee County Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl Champions

<a href="bookcreator://page/Sk_MeEgnSJyczWVWPGNwOg">Message From Principal</a>

<a href="bookcreator://page/GKbzBxlKTAuHJeT5kQPtVw">Application Process</a>

<a href="bookcreator://page/WBIj6fHPTNSF5199bESluw">GMAS Scores</a>

<a href="bookcreator://page/jDXi3dzjT-eI1A8ueJ_9kQ">Why the IB Middle Years Programme?</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/hBZcyPPlR7yXwVhJwTklXg">Distinctive Features of the MYP</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/kQZQKpTwTSOxL_-WWLljmA">10 Reasons Why to Choose MYP</a>

<a href="bookcreator://page/eX7iedQiRdCu99SjIVwNJg">6th Grade Virtual Tour (20 min)</a>

Disclaimer: Due to COVID-19, pictures in this book are from previous school years.

The IB program provides opportunities for students to discover hidden talents and expand their creativity.

"Since being at Richards I have seen a true change in my child.&nbsp;This once shy kid is now involved in so many activities.&nbsp;His teachers have been incredible.&nbsp;They recognized his potential and recommended him for the gifted program.&nbsp;The teachers here saw what many had overlooked.&nbsp;They see my son for who he is and celebrate his unique talents.&nbsp;To you as fellow parents I can say, when your child attends Richards Middle School, they truly become part of one tribe, our family."...Melissa Niemi, parent

"The Richards IB Program is love, support, knowledge, and most importantly…A FAMILY."&nbsp;...Summer Dawson, student

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Richards Middle School International Baccalaureate Magnet Open House 2023-2024

When comparing Richards Middle School's IB students' state test scores to other MCSD middle schools, historically our IB students score significantly higher each year.

The following graphs show how Richards' IB students compare to other MCSD schools.

GEMS:&nbsp;GEMS is an organization for girls who are interested in the areas of engineering, math, and science.&nbsp;The goal is to enhance learning and foster interest of young women in the areas of math and science.&nbsp;We partner with various companies and organizations to provide learning opportunities unique to girls in STEM.

International Language School (Chinese Mandarin Program): Students will learn Mandarin Chinese. There is a fee associated with this program.&nbsp;

Junior Tome Society (Reading Club):&nbsp;Tome Student Literacy Society is to promote multiple literacies among students across the United States through: service; collaboration; competition-based club activities; and clean, entertaining, encouraging literature. Maker Monday: Unlock&nbsp;your creativity.&nbsp;Explore, create, and design your ideas.&nbsp;Collaborate&nbsp;with fellow students. Makerspace is a place where students can come together to share resources and knowledge, work on projects, connect, and create. National Junior Honor Society:&nbsp;The National Junior Honor Society is a well-known organization that recognizes middle school students for their outstanding scholarship, service, citizenship and leadership.&nbsp;This group is only for 7th and 8th graders with a GPA of 3.4 or higher.

At the core of the IB Program is the learner profile. It is the IB mission statement translated into a set of learning outcomes for the 21st century.

As IB learners we strive to be: inquirers knowledgeable thinkers communicators principled open-minded caring risk-takers balanced reflective

International Baccalaureate Coordinator

This 20 minute virtual tour of RMS was created during COVID. Click on the picture to view the tour.

Scientific and technical innovation is concerned with exploring the natural world and its laws; the interaction between people and the natural world; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on communities and the environments; the impact of environments on human activity; how humans adapt environments to their needs.

Globalization and sustainability is concerned with exploring interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the relationship between local and global processes; how local experiences mediate the global; reflect on the opportunities and tensions provided by world-interconnectedness; the impact of decision-making on humankind and the environment.

Global contexts provide shared starting points for inquiry into what it means to be internationally minded and intercultural understanding. Key and related concepts are big ideas, which form the basis of teaching and learning in the MYP.&nbsp;This is what ensures breadth and depth in the curriculum and promotes learning within and across traditional disciplines. Approaches to teaching and learning, a thread woven throughout all MYP subject groups, are skills which help students manage their own learning.&nbsp;They provide a foundation for success in further education and the world beyond the classroom. Action and service encourage students’ participation in local and global communities.&nbsp;They follow models of service learning and provide stepping stones toward the high school IB Diploma Programme core requirement for Creativity, Action and Service (CAS).

Currently we have the highest gifted population of middle school students in the Muscogee County School District.

100% of our content teachers in the IB Program are gifted certified.

Parents who want the best possible education for their children choose the MYP because it includes:

*Rigorous learning objectives *A student-centered approach to teaching *International perspectives *Concern for the whole child *Sustained teaching and learning in more than one language *A focus on learning how to learn *The development of flexible thinking that prepares students to evaluate information critically and apply knowledge in complex, unfamiliar situations.

Click on the above video for more IB information.

* Students must try-out for these competitive teams. 

*Academic Bowl: &nbsp;&nbsp;This team participates in all-subject buzzer-based academic quiz competitions for middle school. Practices are weekly and students compete for a spot on the team.&nbsp;

*Debate/Speech Team:&nbsp;Students will learn how to discuss complex ideas openly and fairly,&nbsp;improve their power of persuasion, and&nbsp;debate on real-life issues and build self-confidence.&nbsp;&nbsp;

*Math Team:&nbsp;Students are tested before each event and the top performers are selected to be on the competition team.&nbsp;There are about 4-5 competitions throughout the year.

Model UN: In Model United Nations, students typically roleplay delegates to the United Nations and simulate UN committees. This activity takes place at MUN conferences hosted by a high school. At the end of most conferences, outstanding delegates in each committee are recognized and given an award certificate.

*Reading Bowl:&nbsp;&nbsp;Students are provided with the reading material. Practices are weekly and students compete for a spot on the team.&nbsp;

10 Reasons why the IB MYP encourages you to become a creative, critical and reflective learner

1. Become a life-long learner. Learn "how to learn" using communication, research, self-management, collaboration and critical thinking skills.

2. Learn by doing and experiencing. Through the MYP community project you learn to service the community and connect what you learn in the classroom to "real life".

3. The MYP encourages critical thinking. It teaches you to analyze and evaluate issues, generate novel ideas and consider new perspectives.

4. Explore global challenges. The MYP helps you increase your understanding of the world by exploring globally significate ideas and issues.

5. Learn for understanding--not just to memorize facts or topics and prepare for exams.

Fall Sports: Cross Country Football Girls Volleyball Cheerleading Girls Field Hockey Golf Tennis Winter Sports: Basketball Club Wrestling Club Swimming

Spring Sports Track Soccer Girls Lacrosse Golf Tennis

6. Train yourself to: organize and plan your work, meet deadlines, concentrate, bounce back, persist, and think positively.

7. Subjects are not taught in isolation. You are encouraged to make connections between subjects.

8. It empowers you to develop your talents. Feel empowered to prove what you know and earn the MYP certificate.

9. It prepares you for future education. Prepare yourself for the IB Diploma Programme or IB Career-related Certificate delivered by IB World Schools globally.

10. It encourages international-mindedness. The MYP helps you critically appreciate your own culture and personal history, as well as the values and traditions of others.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a non-profit foundation, motivated by its misson to create a better world through education.

...The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect...

...Our programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right...

To name just a few: PAGE Academic Bowl Optimist International Oratorical Contest Math Team First LEGO League Regionals Champions Award Runner-Up at District 6 Spelling Bee

The "Magnet Open House" experience may present you with a mixture of excitement, nervousness, joy, and trepidation. We are hosting an in-person IB Gala Open House this year on November 14, 2023 at 6PM. We understand if some people want to avoid large groups of people so we have created a virtual tour book of Richards Middle School.&nbsp;On the following pages, we have general information about the school and what RMS has to offer our students.&nbsp;Also included is information about the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme.

On behalf of our faculty and staff, we would like to welcome you to the Virtual Magnet Open House of Richards Middle School's IB Program.&nbsp;We hope you find the answers you have regarding our program. If there is a question you have that is not covered in the book, please don't hesitate to call the school at 706.569.3697.

"The teachers at Richards Middle School are truly one of a kind. They whole-heartedly want you not only to learn your regular curriculum, but to also learn moral values that will last you a lifetime. My science teacher taught me wisdom; my math teacher taught me respect; my social studies teacher taught me citizenship; my ELA teacher taught me maturity; my Spanish teacher taught me diversity; my orchestra teacher taught me passion; and my PE coach taught me sportsmanship. These are just my teachers. There is no doubt in my mind that the other teachers in this splendid school teach these morals to the other students. Teachers at Richards Middle School push students to be the best they can be, and we can’t think them enough for it. These values along with the IB characteristics are things I take pride in showcasing." ...Philip Walker, student

"The IB Program gave me many wonderful opportunities! Here at Richards, you get to experience high level learning at a manageable rate. Now in high school, I am so thankful for everything the IB Program at Richards did for me. The teachers at Richards design classes that are made to accommodate everyone."...Laura Kate Holden, 8th grade recipient of the T. Hiram Stanley Award

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