History of Claggett Middle School

Due to the growth of Medina after WWII, there was a need for a new Senior High School.  In June of 1955, construction began on a grassy field on Union street that served as a baseball field and parking lot.  The following school year, 1956, Medina Senior High opened.  The first principal of Medina Senior High was Howard Claggett.

Howard Claggett was born in 1898 in Newton, Ohio.  He moved to Medina in 1928, after serving in WWI.  Claggett served as a teacher, then assistant principal before becoming the principal of the new high school.  Claggett also coached basketball, football, and track.  Later in life, Claggett would serve as a school board member as well.  Mr. Claggett died in 1986.

Once again, due to the population growth in Medina, a new Senior High school needed to be built.  In 1973, the current Medina High School opened.  The former high school was named Claggett Junior High school, in honor of the building’s first principal.

Over the course of the next 20 years, the population of Medina continued to grow.  By the early 1990’s, the decision was made to build a new school on the south side of town to alleviate the overcrowded conditions of Claggett Junior High.  At the same time, there was a growing educational movement that centered on the best educational practices for middle school-aged students.  In 1994-1995, the decision was made to transition Claggett Junior High to Claggett Middle School, and incorporate the sixth-grade students from the elementary buildings.  In 1995-1996, Root Middle School opened, alleviating the overcrowding conditions.  Claggett Junior High was renamed Claggett Middle School.

Currently, Claggett Middle School serves as one of two middle schools in the district.  Students from Sydney Fenn, Heritage, Garfield and Eliza Northrop elementary schools attend Claggett for grades sixth through eighth.  The population hovers around 750-850 students each year.  We offer a rigorous curriculum that includes accelerated Math, Language Arts, Science, and Foreign Language courses all having the potential to earn High School Credit.  We also offer several exciting electives such as Guitar, Innovators and Makers, Medical Detectives, and Psychology.