Walter Reed Middle School

Walter Reed Middle School is located in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.^[1][2] Originally called North Hollywood Junior High School, it was later renamed in honor of U.S. Army Major Walter Reed.

The school is a part of Local District 2 of the Los Angeles Unified School District and feeds into North Hollywood High School. Several areas, including parts of North Hollywood, Valley Village, Studio City, and Woodbridge Park, are zoned to Reed.^[3]

Academies and electives

The school offers a variety of special academic programs: the IHP (Individualized Honors Program), the School for Advanced Studies (SAS), the Humanities Academy, the Technology Academy, the Culinary Academy and the Environmental Studies Academy. IHP was called by Time magazine "perhaps the most successful junior-high curriculum in the U.S."^[4] Founded in 1971 by William Fitz-Gibbon, the IHP's purpose is to serve the needs of highly gifted children. IHP students are usually one or two levels above average grade math classes. Pre- Algebra and Algebra are taught in 6th grade, Algebra and Geometry are taught in 7th grade, and Geometry and Algebra 2 are taught in 8th grade. Walter Reed also provides an AP Physics course for 8th graders.

Walter Reed has a very active parent body organized under its PTSA.

Filming

Television shows filmed there include Head of the Class (which was based on Reed's IHP program; several of the actors on the show were IHP students at Reed at the time), Growing Pains, 7th Heaven, Parks and Recreation.

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, CSI, Malcolm in the Middle, Parenthood, The West Wing, and Tell Me You Love Me. Scenes from movies such as Transformers, Joe Dirt, License to Drive, The Shaggy Dog, Role Models, and Accepted and"Scooby Doo and the Curse of the Lake Monster" were also filmed there. In 2006, the fee for one day of filming at an LAUSD school was $2,500.^[5]

In the news

At the 2008 Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the façade of Walter Reed Middle School was displayed behind GOP nominee John McCain as a backdrop to his acceptance speech, raising questions as to why, starting in the blogosphere. Blog posts referencing "Walter Reed Middle School" jumped from roughly 0% in the previous six months to .0325% the night of the convention according to the BlogPulse search engine. Although the campaign has not released an official statement, many have speculated that the campaign had intended to display a picture of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the Army's leading medical institution and a facility widely associated with care for Iraq war veterans.^[6]

The principal of Walter Reed Middle School, Donna Tobin, released a statement on the school's website saying that the school had not given permission for the footage to be used, "nor is the use of our school’s picture an endorsement of any political party or view." ^[7]

Notable alumni

• Steven Mond, child actor
• Rachel Bilson, actress
• Adam Carolla, comedian and radio personality
• Christy Canyon, adult film star
• Morgan Webb, G4 host
• Brian Austin Green, actor
• David Silverman, jazz pianist and vocalist

References

External links

• Walter Reed Middle School Website
• Walter Reed Middle School PTSA's Website