Murchison Middle School

December 17, 2024
5th Grade Showcase at Murchison (students only)

January 14, 2025
Choice Sheet Night at Murchison (students and caregivers)

January 21, 2025
Choice Sheets due to counselors

Murchison's Principal, Chara Harris, next year's 6th grade AP, Michelle Allen, next year's 6th grade counselor, Courtney Cardosa, and Murchison's IB Coordinator, Kevin Gaffney, will visit Murchison's feeder elementary schools to present information and answer questions about Murchison's 6th grade program on the following dates:

December 4, 2024- Davis Elementary School

December 5, 2024 - Pillow Elementary School

December 6, 2024 - Doss Elementary School

December 9, 2024 - Hill Elementary School

December 12, 2024 - Summitt Elementary School

All meetings start at 7:45 am.

Next year's 6th grade counselor, Courtney Cardosa, and Murchison's IB Coordinator, Kevin Gaffney, will visit Murchison's feeder elementary schools on the following dates to present information about Choice Sheets and deliver them to students so that they have them ready to fill out after Choice Sheet Night.

January 13, 2025 - Davis Elementary School (8-9 am)

January 13, 2025 - Hill Elementary School (10-11am)

January 13, 2025 - Doss Elementary School (1:30-2:30 pm)

January 14, 2025 - Summitt Elementary school (8-9 am)

A Choice Sheet is the paper on which you will make your selections for the courses that you want to take the next school year. If you are a 5th grader entering the 6th grade, it is very important that you rank your Fine Arts choices and your Language Acquisition choices in order of your preference.

We are the Murchison Matadors.

At Murchison our motto is "Matadors MAKE it Happen!"

MAKE stands for being Mindful, Ambitious, Kind, and Excellent.

Our mission at Murchison Middle School is to teach EVERY student, to provide a safe, inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment, and to encourage students to meaningfully interact with the world.

• International Baccalaurate Middle Years Program
• AVID College Preparation
• Social and Emotional Learning
• National Junior Honors Society
• Gifted and Talented Program
• Robotics
• Fine Arts

Murchison Middle School is an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IBMYP). Our lessons focus on conceptual understanding through inquiry, allowing students to make connections across their various subjects.

Every year, our students take a course from eight different subjects each year.

Those are the four core subjects:

• Language and Literature (ELA)
• Mathematics
• Individuals and Societies (Social Studies/History)
• Science
  
  

And four electives from the following:

• Language Acquisition
• Design (CTE)
• Fine Arts
• Physical and Health Education

Another very important part of the IBMYP is community service. All students are expected to participate in community service but our 8th graders are required to complete a community project. This is an expectation of all MYP students that exit the program after year 3 (8th grade). Last year we had a very productive group, with over 115 community projects completed!

We offer classes in six foreign languages as well as English for English language learners.

• Chinese
• French
• German
• Latin
• Spanish
• Vietnamese
  
  

Most students will follow the following sequence of language learning:

Grade 6: language foundations

Grade 7: level 1 (HS credit)

Grade 8: level 2 (HS credit)

• Grade 6 students can either apply for the year long AVID course, or they will take one semester of IB Foundations and one semester of Career Discovery.

  
  

  In 7th grade, students can choose from the following year long Design classes, which are high school credit and may require an application:

  
  

  • Engineering Futures
  • Team Robotics
  • Principles of Information Technology
  • Digital Media

  
  

  There are semester long Design electives that are available as well, but course availability may change from year to year.

  
  

  AVID stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. You can find more info about the AVID program at Murchison here.

We offer classes in six different arts programs:

• Band
• Choir
• Dance
• Orchestra
• Theatre Arts
• Visual Arts

6th grade students will either take a yearlong course of Dance Wellness or Functional Fitness + Physical Education

Students may participate in school sports in 7th and 8th grade. Murchison has the following sports:

• Football
• Volleyball
• Basketball
• Soccer
• Cross-Country
• Tennis
• Track and Field

There are three Math pathways at Murchison. Below are the names of each pathway with the course a student would take in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.

Grade Level Pathway
6th - 6th grade math
7th - 7th grade math
8th - 8th grade math

Algebra Pathway

6th - 6th grade math

7th - 7th and 8th grade combined math

8th - Algebra (HS credit)

Geometry Pathway
6th - 7th and 8th grade combined math
7th - Algebra (HS credit)

8th - Geometry (HS credit)

There are a number of clubs at Murchison that are available to students from all grade levels. Some clubs' availability changes from year to year, depending on whether or not there is a staff sponsor. The clubs that are being offered during the 2024/25 school year are:

• Fiber Arts
• Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA)
• Asian Culture
• Chess
• German
• Lego
• Quilling
• Dungeons and Dragons
• Bookadors (book club)
• Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA)
• Disc Golf
• Latin
• National Junior Honors Society
• Spanish
• Ultimate Frisbee

Visit https://www.austinisd.org/schools/murchison for more information about:

• Transportation
• Transfer information
• Meal information

Website: murchison.austinschools.org
Location: 3700 N. Hills Drive
Phone: (512) 414-3254
Twitter: @MurchisonMats