Benjamin Syms Middle

850 Students

Middle School 6th - 8th

School Overview

Benjamin Syms Middle School is a public school located in Hampton, Virginia, serving students in grades 6 through 8. As part of the Hampton City Schools district, the institution is named in honor of Benjamin Syms, a historical figure significant to the area for establishing the first free school in the American colonies in 1634. The school is situated in the Fox Hill community, a historic and long-standing neighborhood that helps shape the school's local identity and community-focused environment.

Academically, Benjamin Syms Middle School provides a comprehensive curriculum that emphasizes core subjects—such as mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies—while offering various elective opportunities to support student growth. The school is committed to fostering a supportive learning atmosphere that focuses on academic achievement, character development, and student engagement. Through its extracurricular offerings, sports programs, and community partnerships, the school aims to prepare its middle-school-aged students for the transition to high school and beyond.

850

Total Students

56.5

Full-Time Teachers

15.0

Student/Teacher Ratio

72.4%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Benjamin Syms Middle
Demographic	Student Count
White	245
Hispanic	73
Black	424
Asian	10
Two or More	94
American Indian	4

Black
424 (49.9%)
White
245 (28.8%)
Two or More
94 (11.1%)
Hispanic
73 (8.6%)
Asian
10 (1.2%)
American Indian
4 (0.5%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Middle School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	Supplemental Virtual
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Hampton City Public Schools
Phone:	(757)850-5050
Grade Range:	6th - 8th
Total Students:	850
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	56.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	15.0
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	615
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 6 292

Grade 7 268

Grade 8 290