Core Values
Educators, parents, and students have agreed on basic CORE VALUES that are intended to guide the behavior of the students and adults in our school community. These values are LEARNING, RESPECT, and RESPONSIBILITY and are the basis for all that we do in our school.
The members of the ECMS community --commit themselves to continuous learning; -respect, accept, and care about others and themselves within our diverse community; -fulfill their responsibilities as citizens of their team, school, and community.
School History
Ephraim Curtis Middle School (ECMS) is Sudbury’s only middle school, receiving fifth grade students from the four elementary schools in the town as they enter the sixth grade and remain through the eighth grade. The school opened in 1965; a new 155,000 square foot state-of-the-art building replaced the original structure in September 2000. The current enrollment is 977 students, with a highly professional and skilled educational and support staff of over 100.
The school was named for Ephraim Curtis, born in Sudbury in 1642. He held many important town offices, including serving as schoolmaster. He gained his chief fame as an explorer and guide. Daring, resourceful, courageous, and wise, he earned the reputation as the Daniel Boone of Massachusetts.
School Structure
Students and teachers are grouped into interdisciplinary instructional teams on the three grade levels. This arrangement provides appropriately smaller learning and teaching communities within the entire school. Having a student achieve identity with a team is a goal. Instructional teaming is the organizing structure that makes it easier for students to be known by a small group of adults; it helps teachers to inter-connect and relate curricula so that artificial barriers are broken down; it provides parents and guardians with a shared view of a child’s progress and needs.
Teaming allows for flexibility in scheduling and in space, both of which are managed by the team teachers. On the team students are taught English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Special educators and a guidance counselor are also members of the team. The teams in each grade level form a House to which a Grade Administrator is assigned. Unified Arts courses are another component of the academic program. Physical education, French, Spanish, technology education, family and consumer science, computer, art, and music are an exploratory component of each student’s program. Elective courses – band, orchestra, and chorus – are also available.
Students can take part in after-school athletics as well as activities like computer club, Science Olympiad, yearbook, Theatre Troupe, and others. These are ways for students to learn and practice sportsmanship, cooperative task accomplishment, and learn new skills. Parents play an important role through the Curtis Parent Organization (CPO), the School Council, and a volunteer program which utilizes parents’ skills and talents.