Holmes student handbook front cover 14 15

Holmes Middle School: A History

By kchappel

  • Oliver Wendell Holmes Junior High School Opens

    Holmes Junior High School opens in August of 1968
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    Lyle Bowden Leadership

    Mr. Bowden opened the school and saw it through three decades of changes.
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    Marge Westbay Leadership

  • SPed Classes are Developed

  • SPed Students are Mainstreamed

    Mainstreaming Special Education students altered the climate of classrooms and instruction. Most teachers were not prepared for the change and human capital needed to be redistributed.
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    Ruth Dutzi Leadership

    Mrs. Dutzi was a principal for only one year.

  • Computer Literacy Classes

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    Brenda LeBrassee Leadership

    Mrs. LeBrasse oversaw a shift in structure, from Jr. High to Middle School, state standardized testing, and two person teams.

  • Last year of Jr. High

    This is the last year that Holmes uses the Junior High model.

  • Holmes becomes a Middle School

    Holmes becomes a Middle School instead of a Junior High.

  • T.E.A.M. is implemented

    Together, Everyone Achieves More became the tagline of the school.

  • 2 Person Teams are Implemented

    In an effort to increase student engagement, 2-person teams are created which drastically alter curriculum and collaboration.

  • Change of Boundaries

    The district changed the boundaries of all middle schools which brought lower socio-economic status students into Holmes and sent high SES students to other schools.

  • State Standarized Testing is Implemented

  • Where Everyone Belongs (W.E.B.) is created

    WEB is implemented to help 6th graders transition from elementary school.
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    Rob Utter Leadership

    Rob Utter became principal in 2007 after being an Assistant Principal at Holmes for four previous years. He oversaw the development of WEB, changes in curriculum, a push for all 2 person teams, and now, the Next Generation Learning Grant.

  • New Standards are Implemented by CDE

    This changed the curriculum and climate of the building.

  • Waldo Canyon Fire

    The Waldo Canyon Fire drastically affects the community of Holmes Middle School and the school is used as a command center for firefighters and the Red Cross. Homes of staff and students burn to the ground and when the school year resumes, it is clear that the entire community is forever changed. Staff changes curriculum and alters first day plans. (Eliminate Billy Joel's "We didn't start the fire")

  • Black Forest Fire

    Another wildfire breaks out in Colorado Springs, this time on the other side of the city. The staff and students of Holmes are again, impacted. Staff changes curriculum and alters first day plans.

  • Next Generation Learning Grant Awarded

    The NGLC grant was awarded to Holmes MIddle School to alter the structure of the school and hopefully, provide a model for other schools.