Principal's Corner

Welcome Back, Cobras!

As we begin the 2026–2027 school year, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of our students, families, faculty, and staff. We are excited to have our Cobras back on campus and hope that you have enjoyed a wonderful, safe, and relaxing summer break. At EJ King Middle High School, we HISS (Honor, Integrity, Safety and Success). EJ King Middle High School proudly serves approximately 340 students in grades 6–12. As an AVID school, we remain committed to preparing our students for college, careers, and life by fostering strong organizational skills, critical thinking, collaboration, and academic excellence.

This year, we will continue with our seven-period school day. Each class period will be 45 minutes long, with five minutes between classes to allow students time to transition. Students will also have 35 minutes for lunch each day. One exciting addition for the 2026–2027 school year is a 20-minute homeroom period built into every school day. During homeroom, students will receive important announcements, check in with their teachers, engage in Silent Sustained Reading (SSR), and organize their day using their required planners. We believe this dedicated time will help students begin each day focused, organized, and prepared for success.

School hours for Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are from 7:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. On Tuesdays, we will continue our early-release schedule, with school beginning at 7:45 a.m. and ending at 1:30 p.m. We ask that students arrive on time each day, ready to learn and contribute to our positive school culture.

All students will be assigned lockers this year, although locker use will be optional. We will also continue utilizing Chromebooks as an important instructional tool to support learning and engagement in the classroom.

 We also want to remind students and families about updated cell phone expectations. In accordance with new federal requirements, students may use their phones before school and after school, but phones may not be used during the instructional day. To support learning and minimize distractions, students should keep their phones secured in their lockers or turned off and stored in their backpacks throughout the school day. We appreciate your partnership in helping us maintain focused and engaging learning environments for all students.

It has been an honor to support and celebrate the accomplishments of our students. During the 2025–2026 school year, we saw tremendous growth across our school community. Attendance increased by 34 percent, and overall student achievement improved as measured by standardized assessments and Honor Roll recognition. We saw an increase in students taking more Advanced Placement courses. Students and teachers built strong relationships, with 85 percent of students reporting that they could identify at least one trusted adult in the school. We also experienced increased participation from students, staff, and families in our School Advisory Committee (SAC) meetings. EJ King’s National Honor Society Chapter was recognized as #1 in the Nation for the Core Four Excellence Award Winner. These accomplishments reflect the dedication and hard work of our students, staff, and families, and we look forward to building upon this success in the year ahead.

Please mark your calendars for our Sneak Peek Day on August 14 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This event provides students and families with an opportunity to pick up class schedules, sign up for school activities, and tour the campus. We encourage all students and families to attend as we prepare for a successful start to the school year.

As we begin this new school year together, we deeply value our partnerships with parents and the community and recognize that student success is strengthened when we work together. Please be on the lookout for our weekly newsletter, Facebook updates and announcements regarding School Advisory Committee (SAC) and Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) meetings throughout the year. 

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Welcome back, Cobras! Let's make the 2026–2027 school year our best year yet.

Warm regards,

Jennifer Gamble
 Principal
 EJ King Middle High School