PRINCIPAL MESSAGE

Dear MOJH Community,

We hope you have had a fun and refreshing summer. The MOJH staff is looking forward to the 2017-18 school year with anticipation, and we can’t wait to welcome our students to our classrooms and programs!

One of the most sure-fire ways to ensure that students feel included and successful in junior high is to get involved in the programs offered, and MOJH has SO much going on:

Our students are: engineers building robots, scientists collecting data, musicians, writers, historians, singers, athletes, actors/actresses, debaters, photographers, manufacturers, mathematicians, and so much more. From the MOJH band to the choral program, students have opportunities at our school. Our students are future leaders, and the Student Council is one representation of how our school prepares students for future jobs in leadership. We have excellent sports programs, and our students thrive on these types of opportunities!

A major emphasis this year at MOJH, and throughout Ogden School District, is to strengthen literacy across the curriculum. We know, and research supports, that providing literacy instruction across content areas supports and promotes crucial 21st-century skills. Our teachers, regardless of content areas, teach reading and writing strategies that support those skills. We have a beautiful library filled with carefully selected books to appeal to many needs, reading levels, and interests. Though all of our courses will provide daily opportunities to read grade level materials that support the curriculum, many courses will also provide frequent opportunities for leisure reading – reading for pleasure enhances comprehension and also develops general knowledge and vocabulary, skills which enhance all learning. Oftentimes this is overlooked when it comes to secondary students; let’s work together to ensure that students have opportunities to read what they want. Students: make sure you are reading something you like and want to read! Parents: encourage your kids to read, model reading for them, read WITH them; read the same books and discuss them together. These are a few ideas that can help your kids become stronger readers and therefore more prepared to learn any content.

Mount Ogden Junior High is a great place to be, whether you are a student, teacher, administrator, staff member, or supportive parent. The 2017-18 school year is shaping up to be a great one!

With thanks,

MOJH Administrative Team:

Cynthia Smith, Principal

Graciela Aparecio, Assistant Principal

Keeli Espinoza, Assistant Principal

History of Mt. Ogden Junior High School

Ogden, Utah is the home of Mt. Ogden Junior High School, where it sits on the East Bench at the base of the Wasatch Mountains.

Groundbreaking for Mt. Ogden Junior High School took place on June 19, 1957. Dedication of the building was in October, 1958. The ram was chosen as the school mascot. During the late 1970s - early 1980s, after District leaders and educators studied different educational models other than the traditional junior high, in 1981, the junior high schools in the Ogden School District were converted into middle schools. Mt. Ogden Jr. High became the home to sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. Mt. Ogden Middle School, along with the other two district middle schools, were returned to a junior high structure beginning the school year 2007-2008. Seventh, eighth, and ninth grade students attend.

Many academic and extra-curricular programs are implemented to meet the diverse needs of the students. There are the Honors Pathway courses; Flex Time was implemented every day to give students a built-in structure of intervention support; YMCA has an after-school program each day; and a full sports program is in place.

GALLERY