John W. McDevitt Middle School                     Return to Home Page
 



John W. McDevitt Middle School
75 Church Street
Waltham, MA  02452-5542

Main Telephone: (781) 314-5590
Teacher Voice Mail: (781) 314-3093
Media Center: (781) 314-5597

Principal
Brad Morgan
781-314-5595

Assistant Principals
 Michael McGovern: 781-314-5591
Richard Paolino: 718-314-5613

 

Click here for map

Middle School Mission Statement

The mission of the middle school community is to develop and maintain an educational program which is appropriate and responsive to the unique intellectual, physical, emotional and social needs of each emerging adolescent.  The middle school program will promote active learning and foster creativity and self-esteem in an atmosphere which encourages students to acquire the skills and knowledge essential for continued school success and life-long learning, as well as promote the virtues of good character and integrity.
 

The goals of the Waltham Middle Schools include building strong learning communities to improve student performance.  Our mission is to create high performing middle schools that are academically excellent, responsive to the unique developmental needs of young adolescents and provide every student with highly qualified teachers, resources, learning opportunities and supports.  We will incorporate these six key elements to collectively support student performance:

A safe and healthy school climate

Innovative use of technology to support curriculum, instruction and assessment

Strong links among family, school and community

Ongoing professional development of staff

Rigorous and developmentally responsive curriculum, instruction and assessment

Collaborative leadership
 

Waltham middle schools are a 6-8 program with teachers grouped into interdisciplinary clusters; with a variety of fine and practical arts; with a strong, humane disciplinary program designed to instill habits of responsibility in students while bolstering pride and self-image; an up-to-date human growth and development curriculum focused clearly on early adolescence.

Middle School Session: 8:00 AM - 2:30 PM

History

Our building began as the home of Waltham High School over a century ago.  Original construction was completed in 1902.  The picture at left shows how the main portion of the building looked on a 1905 postcard.  Click here to examine the original postcard postmarked August 17, 1906.  Take note of the one-cent postage.

In the 1920's classroom wings were added to the sides of the original structure, and later a gymnasium was constructed on to one end.  The back of the building saw the addition of a concrete and glass cafeteria structure and another wing of classrooms.  These structures were attached to the main building by a raised, enclosed hallway, and an underground tunnel.  "The Tunnel" became the topic of urban legend to those of us who attended the school in the 1970's.  The Waltham Vocational High School was situated behind the cafeteria.

In the late 1960's the City of Waltham completed work on a new high school and our building became the home to Central Junior High School, housing grades 7, 8, and 9.  Central Junior High was one of three junior high schools in Waltham during those years of peak student enrollment.  Eventually enrollment declined and Waltham High was converted to a 4-year school.  Waltham middle school students were housed in Kennedy Middle School and South Middle School.  Central Junior High School was closed and the building was boarded-up and abandoned.  The long vacant building fell into a state of disrepair.

As the 1900's came to a close the City of Waltham embarked on a major school facilities update.  The old High School building was selected to house a new middle school.  All of the wings and structures that had been added were removed, leaving only the original structure.  The inside was completely renovated and a new 80,000 square-foot structure was added on to the back of the original building.  The addition features an airy three-story foyer, a performance theater, administrative offices, a full service cafeteria, and a full-sized gymnasium.  Click on the pictures to link to a pre-construction page on the Waltham Public Schools site featuring plans and other photographs.  The photo on the bottom left of this page is taken from Mrs. Murray's science site, and shows a side view of the current building with the new wing on the left and the original 1902 High School on the right.

The new "School Street Middle School" was named for Dr. John W. McDevitt - The Superintendent of Schools in Waltham from 1942 to 1960.  Additionally, he was elected supreme knight of the Knights of Columbus in America in 1964, and  In 1971, Pope Paul VI honored him with the Order of Pius IX, the highest papal honor which can be conferred on a Catholic layman who is not a head of state (source: Waltham Museum Hall-of-Fame)
         

John W. McDevitt Middle School, 75 Church Street, Waltham, MA 02452
Bob Fay, Webmaster
Neither Waltham Public Schools nor John W. McDevitt Middle School is responsible for links beyond this page.