About Calhoun Middle School

Calhoun Middle School opened its doors in 1924 when it served as the original Denton High School. It is named after A.O. Calhoun, the first principal at that Denton High campus and a man highly respected in the community. The school is on the same campus as the former John B. Denton College, the forerunner to Abilene Christian University, and has been either expanded or renovated eight times. Its most recent renovation occurred in 2009.

Calhoun is known as an International Baccalaureate Word School, a highly acclaimed curriculum which encourages and influences students to approach education through a global scope, and follows the IB structure indicated through the Middle Years Programme. The school is part of Denton ISD’s commitment to IB education from kindergarten through graduation.

Students at Calhoun adhere to the motto “learning for living in a global world” and have the opportunity to take a variety of academic courses and take part in numerous activities. Calhoun students can enroll in gifted and talented courses, a foreign language class, and the school newspaper, The Cougar News.

The school also offers band, choir, orchestra, art, cheerleading and a variety of athletics options: football, volleyball, boys and girls basketball and boys and girls track. In addition, Calhoun has nationally-recognized programs like National Junior Honor Society, Student Council and numerous community-oriented clubs to help students adapt and socialize together.

Calhoun’s main building was commissioned as an official Texas Historic Landmark in 2011. It is one of only three public middle school in the six-county Dallas-Fort Worth area to offer the IB Middle Years Programme.

Our Mission

The faculty and staff of Calhoun Middle School successfully teach all children to become responsible citizens who demonstrate an intercultural awareness and respect for themselves and others. Through a partnership with members of the community, we endeavor to offer challenging educational opportunities that will allow our students to:

• Discover individual interests and the ability to communicate those interests meaningfully
• Cultivate a life-long love of learning through a holistic educational approach
• Develop skills to cope with, as well as productively contribute to, our complex, dynamic, and multicultural society

Established: 1924
Mascot: Cougars
Colors: Black and Orange
Motto: Learning for Living in a Global World