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Back to School at Bell Middle School 

August 12, 2025

San Diego Unified School District began the 2025-2026 school year this week, welcoming nearly 95,000 students back to classes, including 750 at Bell Middle School in Paradise Hills. Bell Middle School is starting the year with new principal Tamara Muhammad, who previously led Franklin Elementary STEAM Magnet and brings a focus on equity and student-centered learning. The school offers numerous programs including visual and performing arts, athletics, and a wellness center, and has earned recognition as one of America's "healthiest schools" by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

Who is affected

  • Nearly 95,000 students in San Diego Unified School District
  • 750 students at Bell Middle School
  • Students of color who experience academic performance gaps
  • African American students who lag 30 percentage points behind white peers in ELA literacy rates
  • School staff, teachers, and families at Bell Middle School
  • The Southeastern San Diego community where Bell Middle School serves as a community pillar

What action is being taken

  • The district is deploying over 27 literacy coaches in schools with high populations of students needing reading support
  • Bell Middle School is operating a wellness center in room 208 providing trauma-informed care, counseling, and resource referrals
  • The district is implementing a "Goals and Guardrails" strategy to monitor progress toward objectives through 2030
  • The district maintains an "accountability calendar" accessible to anyone interested in checking progress on initiatives
  • The wellness center at Bell is providing culturally competent therapeutic approaches and maintaining a website with diverse support resources

Why it matters

  • Performance gaps in literacy rates between students of color and white peers represent a "very, very big concern" according to Superintendent Bagula
  • Bell Middle School serves as a pillar of the Southeastern community across generations
  • The wellness center helps destigmatize mental health support, especially within diverse communities
  • The school's programs support not just academic learning but overall student wellness and belonging
  • The district's focus on literacy, mathematics, graduation rates, and wellness aims to address fundamental educational needs

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint