Welcome to Holmes Middle School Humanities Magnet
Holmes’ Vision:
To be the school of choice for all students.
Holmes’ Mission:
To inspire students to take pride and responsibility in preparing for college and career.
Humanities Magnet’s Vision:
To develop student awareness of a global perspective, expanding student understanding of world cultures, and gaining an appreciation of cultural diversity.
Humanities Magnet’s Mission:
To educate using an interdisciplinary approach with a global perspective and appreciation of the exciting multicultural world around us.
Holmes Humanities Magnet is a California Distinguished School and a proud recipient of the Title I Academic Achievement Award. Recognized by Magnet Schools of America (MSA) as a Magnet School of Excellence in both 2024 and 2025, Holmes exemplifies innovative magnet integration, strong family engagement, and outstanding academic achievement. In February 2024, the school was honored once again as a California Distinguished School, received the Magie Award from LAUSD Student Integration Services for exceptional parent engagement, and was featured in the LAUSD Schools Demonstrating High Success Report for its academic growth and equity-driven programming.
As part of Holmes Middle School, the magnet program shares the distinction of earning a six-year Accreditation Status from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) in 2020. Serving approximately 350 students in grades six through eight, Holmes reflects the vibrant cultural, academic, ethnic, and economic diversity of Southern California. This microcosm of the larger world fosters an inclusive environment that values diversity, embraces academic challenge, and celebrates the intrinsic worth of every student.
The Holmes Humanities Magnet curriculum is aligned with the Common Core State Standards and emphasizes world cultures, literature, language, art, music, philosophy, and the human experience. Through this focus, students cultivate global awareness, deepen their understanding of world cultures, and develop a genuine appreciation for cultural diversity. The program promotes mutual respect, acceptance, and understanding among cultural groups, equipping students with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to thrive in an interconnected world.
Holmes prepares students for success in high school, college, and beyond by fostering 21st-century skills, college and career readiness, and a lifelong love of learning. Students develop strong oral and written communication skills, think critically and conceptually, express their artistic talents, and engage thoughtfully with political, social, and economic issues. Committed to academic excellence, Holmes ensures that every child gains the skills and confidence needed to succeed. Honors-level courses are available to all Magnet students identified as gifted or who qualify through test scores or teacher recommendation.
What is a Humanities Magnet?
At Holmes Humanities Magnet, the humanities theme is the guiding approach to teaching and learning, focusing on the study of the human experience and the ways people think, create, and connect across cultures and time. This theme emphasizes not only traditional humanities subjects such as literature, history, art, music, language, and philosophy, but also connections to science, mathematics, engineering, and technology, reflecting how all areas of knowledge intersect in understanding the world.
Through this theme, students explore how disciplines influence one another: how history shapes art, how culture informs scientific discovery, and how language reflects identity. Learning in a humanities context encourages students to think critically, communicate effectively, solve problems creatively, and approach challenges with empathy and understanding.
The humanities theme at Holmes cultivates students who are curious, culturally aware, and globally minded, preparing them to navigate diverse perspectives and make meaningful connections between their studies and the world around them.
