Central Middle School is a middle school in San Carlos, California, United States, established in 1930. It was originally founded as the city's first school, with grades K–8, although since August 2016, it has served students in grades 6–8 only. The campus underwent a major remodel in 2015, yet still includes an auditorium designed by the Works Progress Administration in 1939, which is home to the biennial Chickens' Ball variety show, the longest-running PTA fundraiser in the United States.
About
Central Middle School, locally referred to as "CMS," is part of the San Carlos Elementary School District, and today serves students in grades 6–8. Most students attend elementary school at Brittan Acres Elementary or White Oaks Elementary in San Carlos, both of which feed into Arroyo Upper Elementary School, a school for grades 4–5 that feeds directly into Central. After graduation, most students are geographically slotted to attend Sequoia High School, although some students choose to attend other schools within the Sequoia Union High School District or a nearby private school. The school maintains several after-school sports teams and an award-winning Band and Orchestra program, in addition to a Yearbook team and student government team.
Most Central students pursue courses in six main subject areas: Language Arts, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education, and an Elective. Families have a choice in the student's math and elective course, but classes are otherwise pre-determined. The school has operated a modified block schedule since the 2016–2017 school year, under which students attend half their classes on Wednesday and the other half on Thursday. Like at other San Carlos schools, Wednesdays are early-dismissal days.
History
1916–1930s: Beginnings
After the creation of the San Carlos School District in 1916, classes for local students was held at a house, and then a one-building school, at the corner of San Carlos Avenue and Elm Street, where City Hall is located today. As the local population grew, a school bond was issued, allowing for the construction of a new school, named Central School, at 826 Chestnut Street. The concrete school building featured six classrooms and two classrooms used as an auditorium and cost $37,000 to construct. It was designed by San Francisco architect Col. E. L. Norberg, who also developed the nearby Burlingame Library and San Mateo High School.
In 1939, through funding from the Federal Emergency Administration, local school trustees added an additional auditorium at the north end of the school building, which today is known as Mustang Hall. Architects Thomas M. Edwards and Harry A. Schary developed the auditorium, which included a stage and dressing rooms, two classrooms, a kindergarten, and a clinic. To accommodate more students, seven grammar school classrooms were constructed at the south end of the building in 1941 by architects Birge Clark and David Clark. One year later, on a block of land on the east side of Chestnut Street, which then ran continuously through the property, six primary school classrooms were developed.
Beyond the 1939 auditorium, this set of classrooms, officially referred to as "Unit B," are the oldest remaining buildings on the site, although the interiors were remodeled in 2015 when the classrooms began to be used by Arroyo Upper Elementary School. The exterior walls of these classrooms became known among San Carlos residents for their Beatles-themed murals, painted by students in the early 2000s under the supervision of former Art teacher Joan Purcell.
1940s–1970s: Growth as a Middle School
Between 1944 and 1956, the District responded to increasing student populations by constructing several elementary schools, plus Tierra Linda Middle School, and the now-closed San Carlos High School. As a result, Central became a junior high school serving students in grades 5–8. Several renovations to the campus were completed during this time, including a row of classrooms with courtyards on the campus' east side in the 1940s.