Ramstein MS (formerly JHS) History
Opened: 1961
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Ramstein Junior High School was opened in 1961 when the Ramstein Elementary South and North Schools were combined into one elementary school, and grades seven through nine were located in the junior high. The principal for the 1962-63 school year was Richard Pemple, and his assistant the next school year was Henry Amaral. When the school opened there were about 500 students enrolled. The original junior high was located in one main building.
The first principal of the school was Richard Pemble, and there were twenty-seven faculty members, with an enrollment of about 500 students in grades seven through nine. Mr. Pemble remained the principal until the 1968-69 school year. For the 1964-65 school year, the assistant principal was Henry Amaral, who remained at the school until the mid-eighties.
Activities in the sixties included student council, National Junior Honor Society, mechanics club, typing club, pep band, and a pep club. The school had a memory book which became the yearbook—Rampages—for the 1964-65 school year and a school newspaper—Ramifications. Students participated in basketball, cross country, cheerleading, and wrestling.
The boys’ basketball team was undefeated for the 1968-69 school year, and girls participated in intermural volleyball, basketball, and soccer. The boys’ soccer team was undefeated for the 1969-70 school year and won the Southern League USDESEA Championship.
In the seventies, the school had an active music program that included as many as five band levels, including a concert band, cadet band, and pep band. For the 1973-74 school year, the school produced its first literary magazine. New school clubs in the seventies included German Club, Spanish Club, Cultural Club, Teen Involvement, Dungeons and Dragons, People’s Equality Group, and Black Liberated Arts Club. The students also participated in Outdoor Education activities at Camp Dahn. The newspaper was revived for the 1975-76 school year and renamed Ram Beat.
Mr. George Boehm was the principal from 1968 to 1970, when Mr. Raymond Walsh became the principal. For the 1972-73 school year, C. Fred Rice became the principal and remained in this position until Dr. Jack Huston was appointed principal for the 1978-79 school year. The student enrollment in the seventies rose from 750 students in 1970-71 to over 1,000 students by 1976-77.
The school mascot was Rammie the Ram, and the school colors were blue and black. The school teams were called the Rams.
Mr. Terrance Kacik was the principal for three years beginning in the 1980-81 school year. The enrollment had dropped to about 860 students and remained around 900 students for the remainder of the decade.
By the 1981-82 school year, Ramstein Junior High was housed in one main building with nine classroom-designated relocatables in the same complex. A staff consisted of fifty-six educators for grades seven through nine.
Mr. Richard Snell became the principal for the 1984-85 school year and was the principal until Jacqueline Yardley was named principal for the 1996-97 school year. Assistant principals for the eighties included Les Hany, Cathy DuPont, Margaretta Rower, and Gary Jones. Mr. John Middleton was one of the assistant principals for the 1994-95 school year. Walt Seely was the assistant principal from1993-99, and Venita Stovell was an assistant principal for the 1996-97 and 1997-98 school years.
In 1993, the school was renamed Ramstein Middle School. There was a staff of fifty-six. The school enrollment had dropped to about 700 students in grades six through nine. The school participated in a Russian–American Exchange for the 1993-94 school year and had a junior varsity football team and cross country team the same year. New extracurricular activities for the nineties included the Conservation Club, Young Astronauts, Math Counts, and Odyssey of the Mind. In the mid-nineties, JROTC was added to the school’s curriculum.
Ramstein Middle School was named a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School.
For the 2022-23 school year, there were approximately 900 students in grades six through eight. Most of the experienced staff had master’s degrees. In order to meet students’ needs, the middle school has an extensive selection of courses including Algebra, Geometry, German, and Spanish—all for high school credit.
The Fine Arts department includes art, band, and chorus. The school’s career technical education courses include applied technology, photography, video productions, STEM, and robotics. Additionally, the school has an AVID program for eligible students.
A variety of after-school activities are offered.
The administration for the 2022-23 school year is principal Mr. Patrick Buckley and assistant principals Ms. Pamela Wimberly and Ms. Dionne Dansby-Clark.
Information from DoD School Information Guides, school yearbooks and school website