Murray F. Barber Middle School opened its doors for the first time in the 2005-2006 school year. Located in Acworth, Georgia, the school was constructed to relieve overcrowding in nearby Awtrey Middle School (AMS), redistricting approximately 850 students into the new attendance zone. Barber Middle School will serve a socio-economically and ethnically diverse student body. The school is one of five middle schools in Area 5, serving as a feeder school to North Cobb High School.
Barber Middle School serves a wide range of student needs such as students with special needs, gifted students, and advanced placement math students. Students at BMS are provided a quality instructional program that reflects the middle school philosophy of a “school within a school”. Students are divided among teacher-teams for academic classes and are provided a variety of options of non-academic subjects such as art, dance & drama, technology education, and instrumental and vocal music. Additionally, students take physical and health education.
The faculty has established the following priorities and goals. It is with common focus on student achievement, stakeholder input, and latest education research that teachers at BMS will implement strategies that support these academic and school improvement goals:
- Increase student mastery of mathematical problem solving skills.
- Increase student mastery of reading and expository writing skills.
- Create a culture of collaboration among all staff members to increase student learning and establish a safe & supportive environment for all.
The faculty and staff of Barber Middle School are committed to meeting the challenge of creating a school centered on these beliefs. Each faculty and staff member has made the following commitments as the first building blocks of success for all students:
- to provide rigorous academic and behavior standards with the support they need to be successful;
- to work cooperatively with my colleagues to create a school dedicated to serving the individual needs of our students in an environment of collaboration and support for one another;
- to share my talents and interests by serving in a leadership or sponsorship role to offer students opportunities beyond academics.
Murray F. Barber
Selecting a name for newly constructed schools in the Cobb County School District is a formal process, defined by the school board, by which nominations are presented to a committee of stakeholders. The committee considers the nominees and makes a recommendation to the School Board which in turn determines the school’s namesake.
During the 2004-2005 school year the school naming process resulted in our school being named Murray F. Barber Middle School. It is our goal to make our students, families, and community members aware of Mr. Barber’s career, his accomplishments, and his character that were the foundation of the decision to award this esteemed honor to him and his family. Having learned about Mr. Barber’s contributions during his lifespan, it has become apparent that the challenge before us as we begin a new tradition of excellence in service to the students in Acworth is to continue his legacy. I invite you to read the following quotes from those who knew him and his work:
“He stood tall as a father, husband, church member, community leader and educator.”
- Dr. Stanley Wrinkle
“He handed out praise, which everyone loved, as well as discipline, which they respected…”
~ John and Reita Rogers
“His actions emanated from his character and integrity.”
~ Dr. Frank Croker
“He fostered an environment where diversity was embraced and self-esteem nourished.”
~ Ms. Cathy Gazaway
“Murray was a champion of the middle school concept. He devoted many hours of his time to ensure that his school ran well and his students had the best staff and education possible…….Murray never wavered or failed to steer a straight course for the benefit of all children.”
~ Arthur Hayes Summers
Cobb families know the Cobb County School District has a reputation for excellence, as Cobb’s students consistently perform better than their peers. You could live anywhere, yet over 200,000 parents choose to raise their children in Cobb. You know that a Cobb education gives your children a competitive advantage for scholarships, college, future employment, and life.
Once again, Cobb families can feel even more confident their students are receiving a high-quality education following the most recent accreditation review by Cognia, one of Cobb’s accrediting agencies and one of the largest in the world.
After recently completing an Accreditation Engagement Review, which took almost one year to complete, every school in Cobb County has been accredited for an additional six years.
