San Juan Capistrano

Marco Forster Middle School

Grades 6 - 8

Located at the crossroads of San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point and Laguna Niguel, Marco Forster Middle School serves students in grades 6 through 8.

Our school staff joins with our parent partners to ensure that the campus and school programs exemplify the heart and soul of the middle school philosophy. We are committed to providing a program designed to academically challenge our students, while supporting their successful transition between elementary and high school.

Marco Forster’s instructional and co-curricular programs are designed to meet the needs of students who are undergoing periods of rapid physical and emotional change as they move from childhood to early adolescence. Working in close partnership with our parents, we offer a sixth-grade program which assigns students to teaching teams in English/history and mathematics/ science. They benefit from a strong core curriculum presented by consistent and caring professionals.

Recognizing that a safe and positive school climate must be in place to ensure that every student has the opportunity to learn, the staff and parents at Marco Forster Middle strive to provide a co curricular program which positively involves every student and provides a sense of unity, pride, respect and integrity throughout the campus. This program includes an energetically and fairly enforced school wide discipline program. Conflict mediation training for students, cross-age tutoring, special after school activities, lunchtime activities and community service programs provide students with additional opportunities to grow. Grants and other special funding provide our school with the opportunity to offer counseling, parent classes, and diversity training for staff, parents and students.

The C.L.U.B. @ the Hub at Marco Forster Middle School is a grant funded before/after school academic and enrichment program that provides extended-day learning opportunities for at promise students. Positive role-models, shared interests, enriching experiences and caring relationships are what keeps students involved in The C.L.U.B. and away from the streets. All classes are taught by certificated teachers, classified staff, and trained staff from various partner community-based organizations. The C.L.U.B. is a safe haven for middle school students during the “high-risk” hours of 3:30-5:00 p.m. Participating students received a snack, and transportation is available to the Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano communities.

Our instructional program uses many active learning strategies. Students learn to develop their individual learning styles, use the tools of technology, apply critical and creative thinking, participate in collaborative inquiry and rethink standard answers. Our seventh- and eighth-grade instructional program uses team teaching and instruction, weaving the themes of many disciplines into a cohesive unit.

Exploratory electives at the sixth and seventh grade levels complement an increasingly diverse curriculum. The Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Program and the Peer Assistance Leadership (PAL) is offered as an elective in grades 7 and 8. This program offers students with untapped potential an opportunity to focus on a long-term goal of attending a four-year college. The program includes tutoring and development of classroom skills to achieve success.

Accelerated Academic Achievement (AAA) classes are organized so that students are challenged to the highest level of their abilities. All classes operate on the premise that every student can achieve at increasingly higher levels. The curriculum emphasizes writing skills in all subject areas.

The Marco Forster Middle staff recognizes that our school plays a large role in our local community. Partnerships with the City of San Juan Capistrano, Boys and Girls Club of Capistrano Valley, Rotary, and our parents, along with the programs offered at the adjacent Sports Park, make this middle school the hub of the community.

Program Highlights:

  • Macintosh and PC labs with Internet access
  • Technology throughout the school
  • Strong Accelerated Academic Achievement (AAA) program
  • After-school activity program (Club at the Hub)
  • Peer Assistance Leadership (PAL)
  • Parental involvement
  • Tutorial
  • Peer tutoring
  • Bridges diversity program
  • QUEST Program: skills for adolescents
  • Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID)
  • Wireless technology
  • Computer graphics elective
  • Spanish I and Geometry
  • English Language Learner (ELL) program
  • Academic Pentathlon teams
  • Drama classes and performances
  • Strong community partnership
  • Reading program
Phone: 866.805.0555